The Geekend That Was, 3/17 (IHSW? Or just allergies?)

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Last time I checked in with Theme-a-licious progress, I said I didn't want to talk about the last project I'd picked out of the Sparkly Compote of Decree. This was the project....

 

It's a stumpwork sewing bird...pretty cool, right? Well, the first thing I had to do was rip out the detached buttonhole I had done (half of the large pincushion), because--fortunately, I suppose--my detached buttonhole has improved in fourteen years (GAH!), and what was there looked downright gnarly (and not in the excellent surfer way).

Once that was cut out, I did some nice relaxing satin stitch. And then came this cord:

 

It is supposed to be stitched on this 18-count raw linen (which is exactly like burlap, by the way) with HALF CROSS STITCHES. Take a look again at how thick it is. Yeah. Not working so well. Add that to the fact that in this kit, there is only about a yard of this stuff, and I am either going to substitute a Kreinik braid (#4!) or just couch this stuff down. I did some more painful ripping the next morning, and now I'm thinking I'm going to start the whole project over on a nicer linen. Something that's not burlap.

So that wasn't a very auspicious start to International Hermit and Stitch Weekend. Friday there was a lot of knitting on the sock, especially while we finally broke down and watched the second part of Breaking Dawn. It was much more pleasant to knit than look at that extremely weird CGI baby. SO. FREAKY LOOKING. I'm not a huge Twilight fan, but I did want to see how they ended the whole thing. I may have put down the knitting and sat gape-mouthed during the final battle scene.

Saturday we headed to the Gardens again, because I knew the bulbs would be in full bloom and this would be our last chance to see them.

 

Plus it was a gorgeous sunny day! I think the high was 75 (F)! Perfect.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The bees were out in full force, hanging out in the rosemary.

 

Of course, I could not resist taking a few more orchid pictures, especially since they put out some new ones. The yellow daffodil-like ones were replaced with these multi-colored beauties:

 

The shoes are actually starting to grow on me. And check out the tree...I didn't even notice last month that the branches are covered with lace!

 

More new orchids...

 

I think these were there before, actually, but I missed them while looking at others nearby.

 

That night we went to see Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Suicide Club at the Georgia Ensemble Theater with Michael's parents. It was entertaining enough, although there was some confusing double-casting (is that the murderer? Or just an actor playing another role?) and THE WORST French accent I have ever heard. I leaned over to Michael and whispered, "She is from Nouvelle Zhersey." Before the show we ate at Swallow at the Hollow, a barbecue restaurant which is the only BBQ place I've ever been to where I liked all three sauces (sweet, mustard-based and vinegar). They also had slap-down amazing mac and cheese. Creeeeeamy.

After we got home, I gave some brief needle service to March Madness with the SCOD's command to work on this project:

 

Sunday the Georgia Marathoners ran/jogged/walked/limped past our window, and I can only assume that watching them was what drained us completely (certainly it wasn't the pretty flowers on the trees with their pollen-producing ways). We were going to go see the American Craft Council Show, but we were just exhausted. We managed a couple errands before an evening church service, and I only managed a little more sock knitting.

JiffNotes
It still counts as IHSW if I have some progress pictures, right? Even if the hermitting was nearly non-existent? Er...hey, look! Orchid pictures!