One Stitch At A Thyme

It seems I’ve shifted into a bit of a stitching slump, and have been more cheerfully engaged in reading Katie Macalister’s romance books. I was never interested in romance fiction before I picked up her book “A Girl’s Guide to Vampires”. The paranormal series is excellently written, well balanced with just the right “laugh out loud” moments in all the right spots.

Anyway, I’ve tried to work on Pamela Kellogg’s “Christmas Sampler 2003” but I just feel like I’m plodding along in my rotation. I just don’t seem to have any enthusiasm for stitching right now. So this will probably be my last post for awhile. Maybe if I put all my projects away for a couple of months the stitching bug will bite me in the ass once more. In the mean time, I’ll be devouring the rest of Katie’s adult Contemporary, Historical, & Paranormal romance books – that’s 12 books so it should take me a month if I pace myself.


Part 3 - Christmas Sampler 2003 – Well technically it isn’t really finished as I just couldn’t get myself to do the back stitching with the kreinik gold braid. Click pic for bigger image.

Today's SBQ is from Renée and is:

Do you consider yourself a "floss miser?"

The permalink to this post is:
http://blog.blondelibrarian.net/archives/2007/07/one-thousand/

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The answer to this question is – Yes, No, and Maybe.

If I’m stitching from a prepackaged kit - yes, I try my best to conserve the floss and not have much in the way of left over orts. I’m always panicked that I’ll run out of a certain high use color and I won’t be able to match it with the stock I have on-hand; considering that certain kit companies special dye their floss lots.

If I’m doing a chart with a lot of confetti stitching then yes, I’ll save the orts to finish up sections of the design.

If I’m using limited edition sampler threads like from “The Gentle Arts”, then that’s a definite yes.

If it’s plain old DMC or Anchor then no, unless you consider one - two inches left on the needle miserly.





Other news: I seem to have let my stitching slide this last week and a half. I got so caught up in reading about my favorite vamps in the Dark Ones series that I managed to polish off two books!!

"Bring Out Your Dead" in the Just One Sip anthology and
Even Vampires Get the Blues

I’m now at the lastest book in the series and I’m chomping at the preverbal bit wondering if Katie will have another Dark Ones book out this year. Who knew I’d fall so hard for vampire paranormal romances?!?! ;-)

WAHOO!! DONE, DONE, DONE!!!!

Name: To Love and Cherish
Type: Counted Cross Stitch
Finished Chart Size:
11" x 14" ( 27.9cm x 35.6cm ) on 28ct. Jubilee by Zweigart [Antique White]
Finished Frame Size: 17" x 19"
Kit #: 023-0139
Designer/Publisher: Sandy Orton/© 2004 Janlynn Corp.
Finished: May 29, 2007

Misc. Info: Started March 19, 2006. Faces have been covered to provide anonymity. The frame is polished aluminum, the mats are Off-White Linen and Very Lt. Antique Violet ( DMC 3743).


Me and digital cameras just don’t seem to get along. Case in point these pictures. If you were to see it in person the Antique Violet matt really makes the (DMC 3743) shadows under the roses and banners really pop giving it a 3-D look. I’m really happy the way the stitching turned out. I would’ve preferred the sepia couple that came with the chart. To tape a photo in the center just seemed wrong to me. But that’s my taste and my sister insisted, and well, it’s going on their living room wall. (click to see larger pic)





Other Stitching News: Well I’m going to be starting up my monthly rotation schedule again. And since there’s only a week left in June I thought I’d put some time in on “Christmas Sampler 2003”. Working on black fabric can really be hard on the eyes. But I need to show some progress on it, so it gets a week and starting next month it’s on to TW’s “Camelot Sampler”.

Today's SBQ was suggested by Kathryn and is:

When you start a new work do you look for something small,
do you look for another huge project, or do you consider your UFOs?

The permalink to this post is:
http://blog.blondelibrarian.net/archives/2007/06/sbq-the-choices-we-make/

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When I start a new project size doesn’t matter, it’s the subject of the design that calls to me or not. That, in a nut shell, can be one big dilemma for me and why I have so many WiPs. I can’t seem to stitch fast enough before I get bored with a project and have the itch to start a new one. Which is why I try to keep to a rotational schedule.

That’s another reason I’m “On The Wagon”. Having 4 file folder drawers chocked full of kits that I’ve collected over the years I will not pull them out and fondle them until the list on my side bar is down to zero.

As I was mulling over the answer to this question it occurred to me that over the last ten years there was always some family member I was doing stitching for. Be it weddings, anniversaries, births, or birthdays, etc. Well no more! Someone else can do it! I’m finally going to stitch just for me!!! Which is why, now that I have all of my obligation stitching done I can finally concentrate on getting my WiPs finished. YEA!!!

Oh, and as for UFO’s - I have no urge to look at them. Thank goodness I only have one.

Today's SBQ was suggested Jennifer and is:

How do you store your WIPs and other projects that you have kitted up?

The permalink to this post is:
http://blog.blondelibrarian.net/archives/2007/06/sbq-storing-stuff/

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I have 3 types of project storage. The first is 2 gallon Ziploc plastic bags. Next I have 2 navy blue DMC heavy-duty travel bags. They have a 3 ring binder that holds stitchbow transparent inserts, my charts, working copies, plus fabric and supplies. The last one is a quilted scroll frame tote bag that I purchased from Nordic Needle.

Once the projects are kitted up in 2 gallon Ziploc plastic bags, they are stored beside my chair in a green file folder box. That way after they become WiPs it's easier to rotate them from the front of the box to the back. When we use to have an LNS I would use the different travel bags to drag my projects to the store for stitch-ins evenings & weekends.

Other News: I finally managed to get to Crafter’s Warehouse today and purchased a double mat (off-white linen/lt. purple), glass, and ordered a silver wood frame for “To Love and Cherish”. The frame order won’t go out until next Monday and the framer assured me that this particular company had a quick turn-around time and I should have the frame by the end of the week. I made sure not to leave my stitchery there, 1) because I don’t want anyone but me touching my work. And 2) they would have charged me a service fee for putting it together. Besides, I was already gagging at the $155.75 (us) I was putting out for just the framing materials; and I’m quite capable of putting the pieces together myself – for FREE!!

Well that's it for this blog blurb...