Latest Finish

Playing Catchup: July SBQs

7/26  SBQ

Many of us have a few pairs of embroidery scissors and some even have a "collection". How many pairs of scissors do you have? Feel free to share a photo of your favorite pair or pairs with us!

I have maybe 6-7 scissors.  I think anything special about them, I simply have that many because I have a lot of projects going at a time.


7/20 SBQ

When you get a project professionally framed do you get glass inserted
into the frame? Why or why not?
Sometimes I do, and sometimes I don’t. It depends on the project and where it will be displayed.  Naturally, anything going into the kitchen or a bathroom should be protected by glass.  Any large or XL project that took a lot of time gets glass.

Sometimes I think that seeing the texture of the stitching up close adds to the design, and in those cases, I won’t get glass inserted.



7/12 SBQ

Since you started blogging, have you noticed any difference in your
stitching habits? Tell us about them.

The only difference I have noticed is that I have found more and more to stitch!!!  

7/5 SBQ

What is the biggest mishap you have had with your stitching material (i.e. spillages)?

I am happy to report that I have never had a mishap with my stitching material!

Playing Catchup: June SBQs

6/29 SBQ

What do you do with your charts once you've stitched them? Do you keep them or dispose of them? If you keep them, do you organize them in a way that is different from the way you keep your unstitched charts?

I give them away to friends.

6/21 SBQ

Have you ever used a magnifying glass while stitching? If so, did you find it helpful?

Have not used a magnifying glass, but I do use reading glasses, and these I do find very helpful.

6/14 SBQ

How many cross stitch books do you own and how often do you use them?

12-15 and hardly ever.

6/7 SBQ
First request: Pictures of the back of your stitching. are you brave enough to give this one a shot?

Yes, I am brave enough, although I will do so with this caveat: I think that people who flip over one's work to see the back are incredibly rude and it doesn't bother me in the least to call them on it, especially since my backs are reasonably neat. I don't know what gives these people the right to become self-appointed judges of stitching. I don't go into people's houses and look under the sofa I sit on. I think we can all agree that it would be outrageously rude to do so. By the same token, if someone offers you the front of their stitching to look at, you should not turn the piece over and inspect the back.



Second request: "a pictorial tour of special place that you go to create your wonderful stitched creations."

I stitch in many different places. Mostly on the beach. I like being outside in the sunshine and watching the ocean.

Playing Catchup: May SBQs

May 31 SBQ

Do you collect charts by one particular designer, yet have never stitched anything by that designer? If so, which designer and why do you collect the charts but have not yet stitched any of them?

I did, once upon a time, but by now I have stitched at least one chart of every designer I “collect”.  The reason to collect charts that aren’t going to be stitched for quite some time is a question that is very hard to answer.  All of us do it, and Thank G-d we do, or the industry would collapse!  Imagine if we only bought what we would immediately use!  If I like a chart and I think it’s something I may want to stitch, I buy it.  I don’t think of when I may be able to stitch it, I just want it around for when the mood strikes me.  There are some designers that I like everything (or just about everything) they come up with, so I end up with entire chart collections of them.


May 24 SBQ

What is your favorite specialty stitch? Which one is your least favorite? Why?

I especially like the heart Rhodes stitches. I dislike Queen stitches.


May 17 SBQ

Lately, it seems that many stitching bloggers have experienced a loss of their stitching mojo. Have you ever lost your stitching mojo? If so, how did you get it back and how long did it take?

I lost my stitching “mojo” for two reasons.  The first is because I wasn’t feeling well and until the underlying health issue was addressed, I simply did not have enough energy or desire to stitch.  Second, I was focusing on other things, things that required my attention and took me away from being part of the stitching community (local and online).  

I don’t know how I “got it back”.  As soon as I felt better I had more energy to do more things.

May 10 SBQ

When you stitch from a kit and use the supplied floss do you have leftovers? If so, how much and what do you do with them? If not, do you usually have just enough or do you have to dig into your stash to finish?

Usually, I have a little left over – not a whole lot.  I just goes into the stash for possible future use, if they are silks.  Cottons, I just throw away.  

May 3 SBQ

Do you or have you stitched with over-dyed threads? (Weeks Dye Works, The Gentle Art Sampler Threads, Six Strand Sweets, etc.) If so, what is your opinion concerning them? If not, why not?

I like all over-dyed threads for the effect they create.  I don’t think they are appropriate for all pieces, anymore than I feel that all pieces should be stitched on hand dyed fabrics.  Off all the cotton over-dyed threads, Crescent Colours is my favorite.  Silks, it would be The Thread Gatherer’s Silk N Colors.

Playing Catchup: April SBQs

April 5th SBQ is:

Do you stitch "on the go?" (On the commute to and from work, during your lunch break, waiting for the kids, etc.) If so, do you have a specific "travel" project or do you just grab whatever you happen to be working on and take it with you?

No, I never stitch “on the go”.  But when I travel, I will take something small, quick and simple to stitch on that doesn’t require a lot of color changes.

April 12th SBQ:

For those of you that stitch while riding in the car or on the train, how do you cope with the bumps and the motion? Do you have any tips for others?

Motion is not something that bothers me when in the car, whether I stitch or read.  I know it does bother others, but I can’t think of any tip, I think it’s an individual thing.

April 19th SBQ:

Do you do obligation or deadline-based stitching? Why or why not? If you do, do you tend to get in over your head and why?

Once upon a time, I used to belong to quite a few Round Robins.  I don’t anymore.  I found that I was spending a lot of time stitching for others and not enough time stitching for myself. Knowing that others are stitching for me while I stitch for them is good, but in the end, I prefer the satisfaction of having MY finished pieces rather than the finished pieces of others.

This is not to say, however that I will never again participate in a Round Robin or stitching exchanges.  They are fun to do when you know the people you are stitching with.