Yes, Books Review. I’m going to review two books at once, because they’re both closely related, by the same author & publisher, and they’re both So Much Fun that they deserver never to be separated.

The books are Bead Embroidery Stitch Samples and Bead Embroidery Stitch Samples: Motifs by Yasuko Endo.

If you like embroidering with beads, if you like embroidering little things, if you like embroidering on paper for cards and such, if you like embroidering on crazy quilts, if you like embroidering samplers, if you like embroidering decorative edges, if you like embroidering… if you just like embroidering, I think you’ll like these books! They’ll inspire many an idea for embellishing with needle and thread and beads.

Seems rather shoddy of me to pretend this is something special for St. Patrick’s Day. After all, I’ve been working with green thread for the past several weeks, and it really has nothing to do with March 17th. But happy St. Patrick’s Day, anyway!

The Secret Garden Project, in my mind, is awash with green. My plan for the piece has always been very green and lush. And with all those leaves in the design, it’s no wonder. The leaves beg for green.

Now, I know there are so very many shades of green out there, but I’m quite taken with these bright greens I’ve been working with so far on the project. I think it’s the springy green-ness of them that gets me. They’re just chipper, and they make me happy.

Green is a color that tends to put people in a good mood. That’s one of the reasons grocery stores put vegetables and flowers right near the front of the store, so you see them when you enter. It lifts the spirits.

On that note, here’s some green to lift your spirits, and a couple mistakes, too, to keep us all from getting too green-giddy.

Ahhhh… one of you out there who participated in last week’s Chatelaine Scissors give-away will soon be in possession of this gorgeous little accessory from Golden Hinde and Simply Scissors!

The larger the leaf, the longer it takes to embroider it. I know that’s just common sense, and I know I should know that.

But when I started the long & short stitch shading on the large leaves at the base of the Secret Garden design, it seemed to take So Much Longer than I had anticipated. And that’s because long & short stitch on a large leaf is not the same as fishbone stitch on a small leaf.

I’m just loaded with all kinds of common sense today, am I not?

In reality, though, the large leaves didn’t take all that long – it’s just a matter of plugging away at them.

So, today, let’s go through the large leaves together, and allay all our fears of long & short stitch shading on these leaves, or anything similar on your own projects.

Are you familiar with the Embroiderers’ Guild of America?

If you’re not, and you’ve embroiled yourself in what you believe will be a life-long love affair with hand embroidery, you should get acquainted with the EGA. It’s an organization that spans the continent of the US, and if you live near a major city (and even some minor-major cities), chances are, there’s a chapter close by.

Even if there’s not a chapter close by, you can always be what I am, a Member at Large – I’m not attached to nor do I participate in any particular chapter, but as a Member at Large, I can enjoy the benefits of being a member of the EGA.

One benefit is receiving the magazine NeedleArts. True, it’s not the greatest benefit, but I like this magazine more and more. And the current issue is a whopper!

To all who offered sound advice on my stitching dilemma mentioned yesterday, many thanks!

I spent yesterday afternoon and early evening fiddling, and this is what I did. Not 100% sure of part of it, but let’s chat it up, anyway! And then I’ll show you what’s next in this grand adventure.

Well, I’ve experienced the first I-Must-Pick-This-Out Moment on the Secret Garden embroidery project.

I’m pretty sure there will be other similar moments, so I’m not fretting over it. There’s no point in fretting over unstitching, because it is bound to happen now and then. If you look at it as part of the process, it’s not as detrimental to your overall stitching morale!