Welcome back guys, it's been a while! I dropped off the map (pretty literally) a few years ago due to some personal hardships, but although it's been tough to keep you updated while living off-grid, I've kept plenty busy. My brand-new solar-powered studio is getting close to completion, and between building that and a few large projects, there's been little time to go find a place with enough service to keep you all in the loop. My dad and I mounted the solar panels last weekend, and once I run the cables and charge the batteries, I'll have a more reliable source of power (and internet!).
Working with severely reduced space (and being several hundred miles away from the majority of my supplies) has spurred me to make a change that I have been hoping to begin for many years now - focusing on patterns and embroidery classes, along with some lacemaking. In fact, in June I finished five yards of lace for a historical reproduction of Mary Queen of Scots' wedding portrait gown. My lace will be added to the collar and cuffs of the gown before it is exhibited in a museum in Massachusetts. I've always wanted to get my work in a museum, and though this was quite a struggle for some surprising reasons (more updates on that later) I am so glad to have accomplished it. In fact, when I measured the piece, I found it to be not just five yards, but five meters! That qualified me for the Five Meter Club that the Canadian Lacemaker's guild puts on, another long-term goal I certainly never thought to complete.
I've also finished some lovely pieces of stumpwork and a large piece of goldwork which are currently being evaluated by the lovely judges at the Big E fair. They'll be on exhibit in the New England Center building while the fair runs this month. That's the goldwork above - though I started it back in 2022, I've stitched the majority of it on my lovely new porch, to catch as much light as I can in the evenings.
Furthermore, I've been asked to provide a FREE needlework video class for an embroidery summit, which will go live this November. I'll have more details on that later, too.