Totally Useless Tuesday...

Posted by Jan

Well here it is again my monthly TUSAL update.  Sorry to say I'm still on the look-out for my stitching Mojo, so no stitchery updates yet.  I am however keeping my hands busy winding plastic bobbins with my collection of 24 DMC Color Variations floss that I bought back in 2012. Maybe seeing the new colors will get me motivated to stitch again.


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Catching Up With WIPocalypse and Other Things

Posted by Jan


Seems I've been MIA around here for a couple of months or more. The last time I posted I was having problems with my back, finances, not finding any work, and my stitching Mojo taking a vacation to parts unknown.  Well nothings really changed except that last month I had cataract surgery on both eyes.  The left eye is fine but the right eye wasn't done properly and I still have astigmatism and secondary cataract issues that need to be dealt with.  So in the mean time I'm trying to stitch with 3X cheaters (Wal-Mart cheap $5.00 reading glasses) and a 36watt OTT Lite floor lamp that I bought from Jo-Ann Fabrics when they had a 50% off sale last month.

I also haven't been keeping up with reading all my favorite stitching blogs and I was saddened to find out from Linda of Linda K's Stitching Corner that a fellow stitcher and blogger Deborah Bryant (aka SoCal Debbie) passed away suddenly from a heart attack on Aug. 29th.  I always enjoyed reading her blog updates and seeing the progress she was making on all her WIPS.  She always found the time to post comments of encouragement on my blog and I on hers. Rest in peace Deb, I and the needlework blog community will miss you deeply.




Now to catch up on Measi's Stitch-Along monthly questions.

July 12 – Topic:  It’s halfway to Christmas.  Do you start your holiday stitching this early?  If so, what do you hope to accomplish this year?

I'm really not a holiday stitcher. I really haven't been interested in Christmas stuff, except of course to finish Teresa Wentzler's 12 days of Christmas that I started back in 2004 and is part of my WIPocalypse list projects.

August 10 – Topic:  Tell us about your oldest and newest WIPs.

Let's see, my oldest WIP is...

Name: Pegasus and Butterflies
Type: Crewel / Embroidery
Designer/Publisher: Linda k. Powell / Dimensions, Inc. © 1981

I don't have an exact starting date, but I can guess it must have been sometime around the summer of 1999.  As my first update picture is dated Oct. 26, 1999.  Here is my last updated picture on Jan. 27, 2007.





My newest WIP is a biker's patch for my leather vest that I designed myself.  I remember last year when Sharon (aka Daffycat of TUSAL fame) lamented that she couldn't find anything stitching related as a patch to put on her leather biker's vest.  I too ran into the same dilemma.  I wanted to show off my hobby on my vest but could find nothing.  Then I remembered a logo crest that I designed for an on-line stitcher's group on yahoo that is now abandoned.  I simply removed the group's name from the banners and shield, and Voila!!!
It was created with Adobe Illustrator back in 1998.  The picture was printed on Sulky - sticky fabri-solvy using my HP printer.  It's basically a self-adhesive, fabric like water soluble stabilizer.

click for bigger picture


So far I've done the shield, spools of thread, and tomato pincushion; currently I'm working on the scissors.  I had an old piece of 14ct. ivory Aida that was in my fabric box so I used that along with DMC thread.


September 9 – Topic:  Who is your favorite person to stitch for, or do you prefer to keep your stitching yourself?

I really don't have a favorite person to stitch for.  My family members and relatives at one time or another have received wedding and birth announcements, anniversary stitching, and the occasional birthday stitching.  This usually meant that stitching for me got set aside for obligation stitching.  Well not anymore.  Now days I work on stitching for myself with a goal of someday finishing all the WIPs on my web site.



Before I end this blog post I'd like to welcome all my new followers and thank the old ones for still hanging around.  I may not have been blog commenting lately but I've tried my best to catch up reading them.
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WIPocalypse For June - Full Moon Friday the 13th!!!

Posted by Jan
I know I've been MIA around here for the last few months.  My stitching Mojo left me and then I started having problems with my back, finances (i.e. Obama Care), and still no work.  So I just slid into a deep depression that only a prescription of anti-depressants could fix.  On the up swing, my depression is under control and I think it allowed my stitching mojo to come back. Although I'm not working on any of my WIPocalypse projects but something really small that I can handle.   You won't be seeing any update pictures as its a biker's patch for my leather vest that I designed myself.

I'll also be off line for the next four days as I'm in the middle of packing up everything again for yet another move.  The phone and internet hopefully should be back on by Monday evening  the 16th.

And now for this month's question.....


June 13 – Topic: Have you ever been to a stitch gathering such as a retreat or a festival? If so, tell us about it!

Well I'm afraid I haven't been to either type. But from what I've read on other stitcher's blogs they sound wonderful.  And who knows maybe I might get to one someday.
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May Wipocalypse

Posted by Jan
Sorry to say I haven't done any stitching for weeks now, guess I've reached my burn-out phase. To keep my hands and mind busy I've taken a try at knitting. I've found an easy finger-less glove pattern on the internet and this is my 3rd attempt at the pattern.



And now for this months Wipocalypse topic:


May 14 – Topic: What designs or themes do you really wish you could find? What do you think is missing among stitching designs? 

In a one word answer "None".  I've reached SABLE (stash acquired beyond life expectancy) over ten years ago and I've forced myself to go "On the wagon" as it were and not buy any more charts or kits. There are a lot of designers out there that I admire but one in particular that I have always sought out - Teresa Wentzler. I have always loved her dragons and fantasy themed designs.

As far as something missing from stitching designs, well for me personally it's the level of detail in a design. I have never cared for cute-icy simplistic designs. If you're going to spend a large amount of money on fabric and framing - make sure the design is worth your time and cash. Then there's the opposite end of the spectrum. The computer generated charts from a photo or digital image that's 90 plus pages and has more confetti stitching and the odd random color squares than you could shake a stick at. Come on people the least you can do is clean up that kind of mess before you put it up for sale to the public. OK getting off the soap box now.

Thanks for stopping by and Hello to all my new followers!!!!
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A Drive by Posting....

Posted by Jan
I didn't realize that yesterday was the first Sunday of the month and my weight In posting, and I missed it again.  So I figured I'd do a quick drive by posting as I pump my fist in the air saying "Woot" "Woot"!!!  I managed a whole 6 lbs. last month which drops the scale down to 216 lbs.

I also have a small bit of good news.  I finally have a job interview today.  It's only for a part-time night job but if y'all can cross yer fingers and send a little luck my way I'd appreciate it.

Thanks for stopping by.

Update: 4:05pm::  Made it through the initial interview.  20 hours a week 11pm - 7:30am.  Here's hoping I hear back in a couple of days for the second interview round.  Yea!!!

Update: 10th Saturday  12:30pm::  I received a postcard in the mail saying sorry, we are unable to offer you a position at this time.  O well, that sucks big time.
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