Kinda Sad Today

Yesterday I went to my LNS, only to discover that it was their last day.  :(  The owner was closing down and wouldn't sell for some reason.  (That's what I heard from other customers, so take that with a pinch or two of salt)

I really liked that shop, and not only because it was the closest one to me that I know of.  The ladies in the shop were always so helpful and friendly.  They also, and this is very important, knew me by name.  As in, I would be greeted with "Hi Amie!" when I came in the door.  I'm going to miss all of them.

They were having a massive sale, so I bought what I could remember I wanted/needed that was still in stock.  And here's a bonus for being a known loyal customer: after the regular discounts were applied (10% frequent customer club-thingy and 60% store closing discount) I got an extra 10% because the lady ringing me up knew me as an actual regular and not someone who heard they were closing and decended like a vulture to pick over the remains.

*ahem*  Sorry, got a little off tangent there.

I made out like a bandit, and I'm feeling a little bit conflicted by that at the moment.  On the one hand, score! and on the other, wah-my-store-is-gone!  But I guess mostly I'm going to miss them.

I'm not sure if I need talking down or not

One of my long-term WIPs is 'America Land That I Love' by Jean Farish (I got it when it was a free project on her no-longer-in-existence web site).  I've been working on it off and on for almost a decade.  I just recently finished Michigan. 

'America Land That I Love' - Jean Farish
2-over-1 on antique white 16 ct aida

It looks nice and all, but I'd be lying if I said I was completely happy with it.  When I started this I was limited to Hobby Lobby, Michael's, and JoAnns for supplies.  The antique white 16 ct was, like, soooo kewl! from the viewpoint of only-ever-used-white-14-ct younger me.

Lately I've been seriously considering starting over.  That's right--I'm thinking of chucking ten years' worth of work.  I think it could be so much nicer on better fabric (like 32 or 36 ct hand-dyed evenweave).  And some of those squares could use a tweaking of the design.  Not much tweaking, mind you.  Mostly some color changes.

Am I crazy to even be considering this?  I do want to finish it because it is a great pattern; but it's getting really difficult to make myself work on it.  And I do have to force myself--it never gets picked up otherwise.  Isn't that at least as big a cross stitching sin as starting over?

Anyone know where I can get a deal on some professional mourners?

I discovered last Friday night that the WIP I showed you can not be completed.  I was rolling the piece up to start the next row and the fabric stuck to itself.  Hmm...it shouldn't do that unless it's getting close to the end.  No.  Oh no.  Please no.  Take apart the frame and unroll it completely:

Winter Alphabet by Lizzie*Kate

AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!  There are three more rows to this pattern!  The third row would end right about at the velcro on the bottom.  Ooo, I almost cried.  I was so enjoying this one.  I don't know how I managed it, but I started it about 2 inches too far down on the fabric.  It also didn't help that the evenweave fabric wasn't.  Each of those blocks should be square.  As you can see, they're stitching up rectangular.  That I could have lived with.  The finishing at the edge of the fabric?  Not so much.

Le sigh.  I will restart this one, probably next winter.  I planned to stitch the entire series, so I will dig out the one for Spring and get going on it.  I think, since I am starting over, I will go ahead and get the proper fabric (the patterns call for 32 ct).  And make Absolutely Sure that I start in the correct place.  Even if that means I have to grid the darn thing.  Blerg.

Here's a closer shot:

2 over 2 on 28 ct "mushroom" monoco

I may salvage some of those to make fobs or ornaments.  Astute observers may notice that I have changed the colors on some of these.  I'm still using the called for DMCs (except for the "white"--I didn't like how the listed one looked with the fabric), but I am substituting where some of them are used.

After some hair-pulling and teeth-gnashing and eye-tearing, I worked some more on Jean Farish's America Land That I Love to help ease the pain.  I finished another state block, which did make me feel slightly better.  I should take pictures of that.