ONE PERFECT ROSE ~~~

There's something extremely satisfying about creating something and knowing it's done the best you can make it.  Such has been my last 24 hours. 

See if things like this have happened to you.  I found a gorgeous machine embroidered rose design at Urban Threads (my favorite source for quality machine embroidery designs) and bought it right away.  I set up my fabulous new sewing/emb machine and decided to embroider the white rose on a pure black background.  This design takes more than 2 1/2 hours to stitch out.  Everything went very well until the last 3 minutes of stitching.  My machine told me the bobbin thread needed to be changed because it was running short of thread.  I did that and reconnected the hoop.  Then I did what I have always done while machine embroidering, I clicked the back button to have the needle skip back 1-2 stitches and the needle took a trip around the world.  Despite my best efforts I never could get back to the very center of the design.  I'm sure you can see the center stitching is missing, but I plan to cover the area with beads or crystals so I can still use the piece.

Undaunted, I stitched yet another white rose on black.  Did I mention this design takes 2 1/2 hours to stitch out? There was a little puckering around the design but still pretty good.  The trouble came when I was trimming away the stabilizer and accidentally snipped the fabric ~~~ this one will probably remain in my sample collection.  Sometimes I don't know whether to laugh or cry!!

The third (and final) rose just came off the hoop and looks good.  I will resist the urge to trim the stabilizer for fear of also ruining it.  So now I can get my room back in order and get back to the business of making quilts.  Quilting is my happy Place!!