Stay at Home retreat starts today, and I’ve spent a couple of days trying to decide what to take. I do not have any piecing project in the works nor do I have any planned. I’ve made all the Quilts of Valor, Safelight Shelter and Project Linus quilts that I am going to do for this year. I don’t need another lap quilt or bed quilt for my home. I only have one quilt in the concept stage for my sister-in-law and I’m a long way away from being able to start that one. I need more burgundy fabrics in tone on tones. So, what to take for three days of sewing? A friend suggested that I get started on some embroidery projects for the holidays and I thought that was a good idea. I printed out a few color charts to help guide me then gathered the threads and the accessories needed to do several motifs. I pre-cut base fabric pieces and stabilizer so I could hoop quickly. Then I packed extra fabric and stabilizer in case I need it.

My Brother machine with the embroidery unit on it won’t fit inside my Tutto Sewing Machine Case on wheels. So I packed it as it usually is and found a bag that would handle the embroidery unit. Then I wound a bunch of bobbins so I would be ready to go.

I want to add beading to the Fleur Lumineuse wall hanging. I have this bin of oblong pearl beads that I think would look wonderful as an accent on the binding seam. I put a few on the edge just to try out the look.

I need 9 beads for every 2 inches of binding seam. I have a total of 114 inches to cover. Divide 114 by 2 inches to get fifty-seven 2-inch units. Multiply that by 9 beads per unit = 513 beads to cover the distance.

I poured the beads in to a tray and began separating them into little piles of 25 beads each. When I got to 20 piles of 25 beads equaling 500 beads with a pile still left in the middle, I knew I had plenty. Who knows how long it will take to stitch these on by hand, but I think the results will be worth it. I have until May of 2028 to get it done before the next guild quilt show. Retreat is a great time to get started.

Last year, I made 75 folded fabric stars for a holiday party for the car club. I only needed 43 of them. I thought I’d make a few more and give them out again this year. I have 32 left, so I think if I make 16 more that will be enough. I cut strips and did the pressing, so they are ready to go. I pulled buttons and ribbon so I can finish them if I get all the folding done.

If I finish all that, I have a crewel embroidery project I can work on. This comes from the book Stitches From the Yuletide by Kathy Schmitz. The reindeer is on a teacup with a branch of greenery winding through the handle.

I made a copy of the pattern, then layered it on a piece of tracing paper on top of a cream color fabric. Using a plastic point tool, I went over all the lines.

The design is transferred to the fabric.

Then I pulled out my boxes of DMC floss, and selected the colors I would need. I’ll keep this project as the last thing, just in case I run out of things to do.

Will this be enough to keep me busy for three days? Maybe and maybe not! This time I’ll be doing a lot more handwork than I ever have before at retreat. The real fun of retreat is enjoying time with friends, even if I don’t have much to actually work on. I’ll let you know how it went next week.

What are your plans this week?