Tuesday, January 18, 2011

A Primitive Gathering

This past weekend I went to Primitive Gatherings hosted by Jean Lea of Attic Needlework. I cannot even begin to tell you how much fun it was! Teresa and I stayed up late every night and took advantage of every experience that we could. It started Thursday night where we went to the Attic's regular stitch night. In attendance were two of our "Rock Stars" of the weekend. Linda of Chessie and Me and Vickie of NeedleWork Press. All of the stitchers were very nice and welcoming. Jean has a gorgeous shop and a wonderful staff.

Friday Night was our first project with Linda which is a book of specialty stitches. No pictures yet. It's put together but not stitched but it is a project that I'll finish. I did make my first cording. I had no idea it was so easy! I'll definitely be doing this again.
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Saturday was Linda's Unfinished Sampler which I barely started. Saturday afternoon Vickie opened her home up to us. Amazing! Her home is located on acreage and is full of samplers both old and new. Her collection is so large that she had several people in the home helping and each area had a sheet of paper giving details on most of the samplers. She also had several items that have been featured in Sampler and Antique Needlework to include the bag featured on the cover of the most recent issue (Winter 2010).

On Sunday, we spent the entire day with Stacy Nash working on this Drumroll Pincushion. We had prestitched our piece so almost the entire day was spent on assembly. After assembly, we aged them using walnut crystals diluted in water. This was the really fun part.
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This is my drumroll before aging.
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After aging with the walnut crystals. And wouldn't you know it, I've lost the strawberry.

The weather was in the 70s and the sun was shining the entire time we were there. It was tough to come home. I'll definitely be doing something like this again.

I didn't take many photos but I thought I'd post these few of the pictures I took of the Jean's group of Rock Stars she brought in for the weekend.
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Stacy Nash of Stacy Nash Primitives and Bunny of Priscilla's Pocket.
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Teresa talking to Renee Plains of Liberty Star.
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Linda Lautenchlager of Chessie & Me talking to Linda Danielson of Samplers Remembered who was there as an attendee.
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Anne Fraser of Gloriana. Teresa and I spent some time talking to her late one night near the dessert counter in the hotel. She couldn't be any nicer!
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Vickie Jennett of NeedleWork Press.

We also got some great swag but I haven't photographed any of it as yet. Let's just say we were surprised over and over again.

The weird part of the weekend is that we seemed to run into people wearing their pajama bottoms everywhere we went. Seriously, we saw at least 10 people wearing PJ bottoms. Odd.

Yesterday we had a rude awakening. At 3:45am when we had to get up to get ready for our flight back home. It was either that or get home really late. Today it was back to the real world. Soon this retreat will be in the distant past but it will always carry great memories for me!

32 comments:

Annie said...

That sounds like such a fabulous experience. Love your Stacy Nash piece... You did a really great job on that. Too bad about the strawberry.

And isn't it fun to know how to make that twisted cord!

Thanks for sharing your photos. They will make great memories for you.

Can't wait to view the extra swag.

valerie said...

Sounds like a fun time! Great job on your pindrum and strawberry. Hopefully your strawberry will show up!

Margaret said...

Jackie, it sounds like such a wonderful time!!! Bummer about the strawberry though -- hope you find it! Thanks for the pics of the "rock stars." It's so much fun to put a face to the name! I love all the pictures -- thanks so much for sharing! You did a great job with the Stacy Nash piece and the cording too. Can't wait to see what you bought. You'll show us, won't you? :D

Daffycat said...

That sounds like so much fun, Jackie! It's great to learn new things. I LOVE the aging on your pieces, they look so nice!

Ranae said...

What a fun time.
I love the drumroll

Beth said...

So glad you didn't run in to amy problems on your travels!

Faye said...

You were surrounded by dignitaries!!! I love it~~ And the aged drum is too cute...I would love to be able to attend such a retreat one day..... I am so glad that you got to go despite the super early departure time... I am sure you made some very good memories! Take care, Faye

Pat said...

What a GREAT trip! I'll look forward to hearing more about it when we have lunch on the 30th! (I'll call you late day/early evening the 29th, as planned.)

Ruth said...

Oh the fun! I'm so jealous!!! Congrats on a wonderful adventure and beautiful stitching.

Anonymous said...

I love the drumroll pincushion. The aging effect is so cool. I am happy you had such a good time. The whole experience sounds fabulous.

Candace said...

Lucky you, Jackie! I wish I could have been a birdie on your shoulder! So many of my favorite "stars"! Your little drum roll is wonderful - I am curious to know what you do with the walnuts to make it look like that!
Cheers!

Tammy said...

sounds like a fabulous time and lots of great things learned. I love your drumroll - and so cool the way it changed when you aged it - I had no idea you could do that.

FlourishingPalms said...

I'm happy to hear you had such a nice time, Jackie. I think you really needed this get-away, and doing so with a friend while being inspired by those whose work you admire is simply wonderful for you.

The stitchery on that drumroll looks very familiar. I have our family sampler, stitched in Germany in 1783, with one of those birds on it. I hope you find that strawberry!

Barb said...

Sounds like you had a wonderful time, now to come home and get some rest...

Simone de Klerk said...

Welcome back in the real world! Wow, what a weekend that was. I can almost feel the energy that comes from it.
Wonderful pincushion! And how were you able to loose the strawberry?
Good luck with adjusting in the reall world...

Lois said...

Sounds like a wonderful time! I love your Stacy Nash piece and really enjoyed seeing the pictures and reading about your weekend.

Thelma said...

Getting out and about, making new friends, learning new techniques....ahhhh, just one of the many benefits of being a crafter....

I so enjoyed reading about your retreat and look forward to seeing more pics from your weekend.

Giovanna said...

Looks like great fun! Your drumroll is awesome - such a shame about the strawberry!

Carol said...

What a darling creation, Jackie--I do hope that strawberry turns up! The whole gathering looks like so much fun--I'm sure your "creative batteries" were all charged up after spending time with all of those women...

Karen said...

Sounds like a lot of fun. I haven't been on any kind of crafting retreat in years. You had great weather too. I love the drum, it turned out great!

Unknown said...

The Pin cushion is just adorable!! Sounds like you had a wonderful time!

Anonymous said...

I'm envious!!!

Melanie said...

Oooo, that sounds like so much fun!! I'm jealous. lol

Anonymous said...

Cute project. I love the look of the walnut crystal ageing. Even though I don't know what walnut crystals are.

Glad you had such a good time.

Sally said...

I love your drumroll pincushion! I love the aging you did.

Unknown said...

Sounds like a great time was had by all...lucky lady! Love the drum, it turned out perfectly...sorry to hear about the strawberry though! Hope you find it...

Happy Stitchin'
Terri

Michelle said...

So much fun! I wish I'd been there. Your SN drum is gorgeous. What a difference those walnut crystals make. I'm signed up for a class with her in March - can't wait!

Littlebit said...

Oh, Jackie..I love that little pin drum you made! It's beautiful! Sounds like you had such a fun trip. What wonderful memories. Thank you for sharing the pictures. It's always a fun time seeing what you are tackling next. :)

geeky Heather said...

I love the before and after pictures of the drum pincushion...it really lets you see the difference!! Glad you guys had such a wonderful weekend!

Shari said...

oh how fun!! It looks like everyone had a great time....
love the little drum finish.....that strawberry will come out of hiding when you least expect it.....
you say walnut crystals? Is that the walnut shells that you buy for birds? I have a bag of that that I use as a pincushion filler. Would love to try dying with that, if it is the same thing!!!
thanks for visiting my blog!!!

Michele said...

You had a fun weekend......what an opportunity :) you creations are wonderful!

Patti-Rocky Mtn Stitcher said...

Love it. How did you dye with the shells?