Enjoying myself in Pasadena!

My Saturday class at STITCHES SoCal was scheduled for the afternoon so there was no rush to get out of bed 🙂 The sun was high in the sky by the time I wandered across to the convention center.I had decided to make sure that I didn’t miss anything on the show floor. Latifah Saafir‘s quilts looked good hanging together.Latifah was teaching and had a booth in the Marketplace. I came home with a pattern for a very fun project…

There was a great selection of the Bob Ross challenge quilts from Cherrywood to admire.I stopped to talk to London Kaye who was making a new crochet piece in her signature soft graffiti style as we spoke!There were just three students in the free motion class. We set the world to rights as we stitched.The student banquet made for a super evening to finish the day.

Dorset Buttons were on the agenda for Sunday morning. Ninety minutes is really only just enough time to get a button made if you concentrate…A self-confessed macrame expert got hers finished!I do like Dorset buttons.

And that was that… STITCHES shows are such fun. I have taught at all five this year. Every one is different. So far I have contracts for the first two shows next year… (I have saved the dates for the other ones.)

Now I had all afternoon. What should I do next? Something that meant I was outside enjoying the sunshine?

Sounds like a good idea!

The hotel shuttle delivered me to The Huntington which came highly recommended. Gardens, Art Museum, Library and more to keep me amused. I took almost 200 pictures but I’ll just share a few…

The orchids in the Conservatory caught my attention.The pitcher plants were worth another look?On to the Japanese gardens,and over to the museum buildings where I needed pictures of this embroidered piece.
Snake Among Flowers designed by Charles Francis Annesley Voysey wasn’t really the nicest subject, but the colors and stitching in the silk embroidery were beautiful.Look at the stitching on the snake’s head …There were quilts.and a folk art carving of a little girl made in 1849 by Asa Ames, the girl’s uncle.If you look at the website you can see what else kept me occupied until near to closing time. It was an amazing place. Let’s hope I get the chance to go back next year?

I had been warned to allow a lot of time to get to the airport on Monday morning… I was very early! I had a short layover in Denver and got to Chicago after the sun had set. We came in over the lake.

Steve was not able to meet me at Midway. Something about needing to work? Oh well, I found a friendly Lyft driver without a problem.

It’s not so sunny or warm back home. I’ve unpacked, cleared up, and been shopping for a new party dress… The holidays are fast approaching. It’s going to be a busy family week next week.

Warning: There will be lots of cute grandchildren pictures.