FIRST MONDAY STITCHERS

Today was our first Monday of the month stitch group. We have a great little group of women that meet (usually about six) and there's always good show and tell. Today we had a new stitcher -- Kristine Brooks, who was brave enough to venture up from San Diego in the rain.

Margie (our "Ma Belle") was stitching on some nuno felt that she made with me last week. After our felting session, we went foraging down near San Juan Creek for leafy materials. She left my house with rolled up bundles that, after a little simmering, produced some magic.

Kristine brought a sampler piece for a class that she will be teaching -- woven strips of silk fabric -- on which she stitched and embroidered.

I continued stitching on a sweater that I eco printed.

A little herringbone stitching and some blanket stitch. Another of my many "works in progress", scattered about.

Claudia was the hit of the day with her artistic and creative shirt -- which she said started out as a plain ole white shirt.

She used a lot of rusty old stuff for her dye job. And then she added wonderful appliques that she hand printed herself.

She also stitched on little appliques, added buttons and did lots of hand stitching all over the shirt.

The back was really great -- her handprint. Girlfriend, we were impressed! Job well done.

While on vacation recently, I brought along some of my handspun yarn ("Tiger Lily") and knit a pair of socks from Janel Laidman's "The Eclectic Sole" -- the "Simplicity" sock. I know it's hard to imagine, but I sat on a balmy tropical beach knitting merino/silk/angora socks.

And finally -- TOOT! TOOT! -- can I toot my own horn? I entered my handspun Helix scarf in the Spin Off call for entries, and it made it into the magazine.

I'm tickled pink.

Our next stitch group will be Monday, April 4th.