Last Day at Shepherd's Bush Retreat 2012

Could not believe that Saturday, September 29 had come so quickly!  The last day of the retreat . . . it really needs to be longer . . . I want MORE!!!!

First class this morning is Ann and Pat of R&R . . . LOVE these ladies!

Ann is warm, funny and as nice as she can be.  She nearly had a heart attack after the projects were handed out and we were ready to begin stitching when someone said there wasn't a chart in the packet!  She flew out of the room and returned several minutes later with charts in hand . . . whew . . . that was close!  Ann has been SO helpful with advice for my designing "career" since the last retreat. . . can't thank her enough!   Check out their new blog: http://dyeingtotellyou.blogspot.com/

Pat is a walking history encyclopedia, FULL of stitching tips and a stitching MACHINE . . . she's stitched over 100 projects in the last year!  (I'm lucky to get 3 or 4 designs charted and stitched and maybe 2 or 3 other projects completed!) She wrote a book in 1992 called "Historic Samplers" . . . great book for anyone interested in the history behind the samplers featured in the book . . . it's still available on Amazon.  There are many other books in this woman crying to get out!  How 'bout "1001 Stitching Tips"?  Or "The History of . . . AMERICA".  I mean it . . . she's a wealth of knowledge!

Lousy picture of them . .  .really they are happy people!!!

Stitchin' away on the project and oops . . . can you spot my mistake?  (Don't know why the color is so off in this picture . . . that does not look like Jingle Java fabric to me!  Definitely going shopping for a new camera soon!)

I corrected my stitchin' mistake last night and I'm on my way!  I switched out most of the threads in their design from DMC to overdyeds . . . I just like the look better.  The design is so cute and so is the Liberty Hill thread holder and scissor fob . .  can you see the heart fob on the far left?

We dashed out during a break and pre-ordered some sandwiches at the little snack shop in the hotel lobby for lunch.  After class we grabbed our sandwiches and headed back to the suite.  Visited with a few friends and it's back to class at 1:30 p.m.

Our afternoon class was with Linda from Chessie & Me . . . she is the "Me" part . . . Chessie was her cat that was always there observing as she designed and stitched.  Check out her blog: 
http://chessieandme.blogspot.com/

I copied this picture from Linda's blog (hope you don't mind Linda).  That's us (Caroline, Me and Jen) in the second row.  We had been sitting in the first row for our first two classes when . . .  low and behold . . . the "teacher's pets" took over our spot!  We really didn't mind . . . teased them and threatened to shoot spitballs at them.  Rabbit and Diane were behind us . . . we all had a great time teasing each other!

"Shepherd's Christmas" is so cute and I always LOVE the feel of stitching with silks.  The contrast between the three projects  (wool, overdyeds (or DMC) and silk) is dramatic . . . a different experience each night as I switch from one to another!

Do you see the little cat (Chessie) counting pin . . . is that not cute!

Each class we had a Shepherd's Bush "elf" come to class with a gift . . . again, these little touches make this retreat so special.

Some were wrapped in Christmas paper, others tucked in library envelopes . . . all with handmade gift tags . . . just darling!  The gifts were:  a folded paper ORT box, a holly magnetic needle minder and a needle threader with a heart thread holder . . . so cute and useful!

The classes were over . . . how can this be?!  We have two hours until the closing Banquet.  We just had to go back to the Red Tail Grill with friends and get some more of that guacamole . . . and Margaritas all around!!!

I'll save the banquet for tomorrow . . . I don't want this to end!!!!!
                                                   ~*