For some reason, the Mission Rose has adopted a Dr. Seuss personality in my mind. I find myself equating the two leaves with Thing 1 and Thing 2.

There is something rather Dr. Suess-ish in their shape – if you took them alone, out of the project. Think of the hands or the hair of a Dr. Seuss character, and you’ll see what I mean!

Oh, goodie gumdrops!! I’ve been waiting all week to write this article for you!

All the preliminary work that goes into setting up an embroidery project for stitching is certainly necessary, but it’s not exactly Thrillsville, if you know what I mean.

I’ve learned to like the set-up process, but it is ever eclipsed by the anticipation of those first stitches.

Often, for me, the first bit of stitching tells me if the project is going to click. Will I like it? Will the colors work? Is the fabric right? Normally, these questions are answered with the first foray into stitching.

On the Mission Rose project, I decided to start with the large leaves on the rose. Perhaps it would have made more sense to begin with the stem, since, perspective-wise, it is the element in the design that is farthest back or underneath everything else. But I wanted to work the leaves first because I wasn’t quite sure about my choices of greens. Working a leaf would settle any doubts.

Were my doubts settled? Well, let’s work through the leaf and see!