The topic for this month's discussion is:
"Have you ever attended a stitching retreat? If so, tell us about your experiences."
My answer is a qualified yes... I have been to 2 quilting retreats with the guild I am webmaster for and have stitched onboard 3 cruise ships with a cruise director who was tasked with teaching non-stitchers. But these weren't exactly stitching retreats in the sense that I think is being referenced.
~~~~~WIPS~~~~~
I haven't stitched at all on Elizabeth Almond's "Save the Stitches" since November, 2020.
I have made progress on the Glendon Place sampler "Hope & Strength". I have been fitting this into the down times of the SALs I have committed to and so I usually only get in about three days in the month for this piece. It isn't really my usual style or color scheme but I really am enjoying stitching with the silks.

It looks like my border may work out without major fussing for the half-stitch error somewhere in the wording.
~~~~~SALs~~~~~
Besides this WIPocalypse, I have two (mystery) SALs in progress:
1. The Faithwurks/Just Cross Stitch Christmas Quaker, which now four parts complete (less beads and charms) in the last WIPocalypse check-in. The next installment is due out in the next issue of Just Cross Stitch, just about a month from now.
2. A paid Stitchonomy SAL, "Colorworks", which started this month. It is a seven-part blackwork SAL, with a new part issued every week. I am stitching on 14ct antique white Aida using DMC variegated threads. So far, six parts are complete:

~~~~~Travelling Needlepoint~~~~~
I took my road trip to Illinois in July, and I planned to get in a few stitches in while my husband is doing his daylily "thing"! Sadly, I need even opened the project bag. Simply no stitching mojo; the light in the motel room was less than satisfactory anyway.
~~~~~~ In the Pipeline ~~~~~
While my stitching mojo seems a little low, my interest in new charts is not. Two Elizabeth Almond blackwork pieces in the February ("Frosted Windows") and April ("Spring Celebration") issues of Just Cross Stitch, the latest Linen and Things and Peppermint Purple annual SALs, the LongDog monster "Pandemic" , kits for two Lakeside Needlecraft SALs ("Time to Stitch", of which all 12 installments are released, and "Steampunk Musical Instruments, four installments so far), a kit for a sampler called "American Houses" from the German company Werkstatt für Historische Stickmuster (I just need to translate all the instructions!), two London Abstracts charts by Artecy from Lakeside Needlecraft in England and two Bothy Threads kits (Love Paris and Love London) from Stoney Creek.com are in hand, as described in the last WIPocalypse check-in. One new kit is Durene Jones' "Speciality Stitches Butterfly Design" designed for Lakeside Needlecraft. I am also now enrolled in Lakeside Needlecrafts' Classic Colorworks Thread Club and Weeks Dye Works Thread Club
Meanwhile, if you are vaccinated, congratulations, enjoy the "new normal" and avoid that nasty Delta variant. If not vaccinated, follow the guidelines set out by public health and stay safe and healthy out there...
