SBQ

This week's SBQ:

How do you secure your thread when you begin a new one? Specifically,
do you or have you ever used a waste knot?

The permalink to this post is:
http://blondelibrarian.net/stitching/archives/2006/11/to-knot-or-not/


I don't use knots, I think when I first started stitching I used knots but then read that it was a naughty thing to do. As for waste knots, I've never used those either, I can't picture how the first stitch would stay in place after cutting the waste knot off...

Kelly Stitched!

I sort of forced him but I think he did a good job. The stitches lay the opposite of mine but because he did them I'll leave them as is :) Here's a picture - he stitched the leaf the last 2 rows.

And this is him - look at that face of concentration! I asked him if he wanted to keep the project and finish it since his stitches are so pretty and he sort of tossed it back at me and said I'll stitch Kobe if you want me to stitch. I would love for him to start stitching, I think it would be cool LOL, but I also know that picture generated patterns are hard and what if it turns him off from stitching? He tried it once and was doing well but then he left everything on the train one morning and got upset about putting all that time in for nothing. *sigh* Well I'm off to my stitching!

P.S. - Please excuse the mess in the background, I just moved all the furniture in my room and my dad needs to move the TV cable to the other side of the room and I refuse to make it look nice because it will only delay the process, so until then we do the limbo to get out of the room LOL

On to the next project! Here's an update picture of Sampler Farm, I would have done more of the border ie. the bottom part and the middle of the top border but who would have known that border was so tedious! It goes fast once you get the rhythm of it but it's like blahhhhhhhhhhh while doing it, so maybe next time I'll get it done, right now I'm excited to move onto the project.

I woke up from my nap to catch my mom placing a box from the UPS guy on my bed today. It was an order I placed last week from this site, it was the first time ordering from it but it came pretty quick and if I can't restrain myself from ordering more magents and fobs I'll order from them again! Here are my new Zecca magnets and Zecca fobs. Aren't they beeeeeeauuutiful??? I love them, you can't choose your own but I think these are wonderful! Thanks to my new stitchy friend for enabling me hehe :)


Shown are my Julia's and Sophia's with their new fobs attached - aren't they pretty :) Well I'm going to look for a new small project to start. I want to pick something from my list *but* I think what I want to start isn't on my list so I guess I'll just add it if I do start it LOL. TTYL!

A Late Happy Thanksgiving!

Just wanted to wish everyone a late Happy Thanksgiving, I spent mine with my family and surprisingly did not eat a lot, just one serving! I did have to go out afterwards for McD's since my cousin's truly ate ALL of the leftovers (if you can imagine!)

I'm back to work tomorrow and Saturday but then I have a week off again. I've been stitching all day on Sampler Farm. I almost bought more stash but thought it over, although one chart jumped in my head that I feel I need to have so I may go back to the internet sales and get my chart.

Well I want to get some sleep so I can wake up early tomorrow to wash my hair. I can't wait until my vacation again, I want to sew my quilt blocks and stitch of course :-)

Here are some pictures before I leave...

I bought this at Bed, Bath, and Beyond last night. I love it! Just wish it would collapse because now I need to find someplace to store it while it's not in use. The desk part goes down and when I'm on my laptop that's where I put it, I guess it's better for me to use it that way, it's easy on the wrists and back. But right now it's being used to hold my chart and remote control and nintendo ds on the side. I really like it and I can also use it to eat!

Here's Sampler Farm. I'm going to try stitch the top and bottom border this time before I move on to my small project. To tell you the truth I didn't think this would be this small but I think it's because of the fabric count that it is.
TTFN!

My Conversation Piece

When I took my hand piecing quilting class the instructor told us "There are no mistakes, just conversation pieces." I solve most of my problems in the shower for some reason (LOL) so this morning while in the shower I figured out a way to "fix" what I did wrong and so my conversation begins.



I said I wouldn't rip anything out and I didn't. Instead I backstitched where the heart was suppose to be and I think it looks ok enough for me.

I'm now going to take a nap since I work tonight, but first I'm going to check the mailbox for stash, I ordered some fabric for my next project. I've packed Sampler Farm for tonight and guess I will stitch the outline of the room later on. Room 1 of Dollhouse is done!

P.S. I have a crush on Julian McMahon - I think he's cute and luv the way he talks LOL

Grrrr!!!!!!

See anything wrong with this picture???

Well if not I'll tell you. I was staring at that window thinking what is that thing that I stitched in the middle suppose to be? I look at the chart and picture and realize that I stitched something in the wrong color!!! The symbol in the chart resembles another symbol which happens to be the symbol of the window and I never realized that it was 2 different colors! In order to fix it I'd have to rip out the entire window and I'm just not doing it, nope, nuh-uh, no sirree! I'm thinking what can I do to fix it. Should I take one strand of the right color and stitch over the stitches already done? Should I just leave it alone? It's suppose to be a heart, which makes sense. *sigh*

Well I'm not stitching anymore, I have work tomorrow (Monday night) and what I was suppose to do today (Sunday) I didn't do since I was stitching so I need rest, I figure out what I'm going to do with this problem later on but I know that I'm definitely not ripping out any stitches!

Well not much has been going on for me, Kelly had 3 teeth pulled out on Thursday so I've been pretty much watching over him since then. He's ok now, it was funny when he got out on Thursday, he doesn't drink so I've never seen him drunk but on Thursday after taking his pain medication he was sort of silly and it was fun to see LOL.

Had my quilting class today, because of the trains I was 20 minutes late, but I had fun there too. I love the sewing machines they have at the stores, I went to see them at the sewing machine store and like I've said they are expensive, but they are so nice that I may give it a second thought.

I have some pictures of my latest blocks. One is just a block from a bigger block that I didn't get a chance to finish yet. And I FINALLY was able to start Dollhouse *yea* although I started with one of the beds and omg it's sooooo much stitching in one small space that I feel like I'm never going to finish *but* I'm near finish with the bed so soon I'll go back to Sampler Farm and believe it or not I'm looking forward to a change :)

I must go now, Kelly and I are going over to my cousin's house so he can see the UFC fight tonight. I get to sit down and watch him watch the fight since it doesn't really interest me. Wish my quilt piecing was more portable so I can take it but instead I'm going to take maybe Dollhouse or something smaller but I doubt it I just amped myself up to stitch on Dollhouse without even knowing it LOL. TTFN

This is my pinwheel, I need to make another one and then piece it all together to make a bigger block.

I don't know why the fabric looks so neon-ish but it's really not this bright.

This is the bed from Dollhouse that I'm talking about. Just maybe 6 more stitches on the quilt and the bed posts and it's done. After that it should pick up.

SBQ

Today's SBQ is:

Do you stitch Christmas ornaments? If so, how many do you stitch each
year and for whom? If not, why not?

The permalink to this post is:
http://blondelibrarian.net/stitching/archives/2006/11/tis-the-season/

I've tried to stitch ornaments in the past but never got pass the point of actually making them into ornaments, plus I don't have the space for a tree so I can't hang them once they're actually done. Maybe one year I'll actually have a tree and will be able to make some to hang.

There is some force that is preventing me from starting Dollhouse, when I was suppose to make my working pattern I left the original at Kelly's house, yesterday I ended up running around all day so I had no time. Today I have plans for the entire day so maybe tonight I can start it, or I can start for the hour I have between now and getting ready to leave.

My concerts have been great! I regret not taking my camera to the Modest Mouse concert Monday night. They put on an AWESOME show. There are tickets available to their concert on Thursday and I think I want to go again that's how good it was :) Bloc Party wasn't there last night *tear* I hope they come back to the States soon. I really love them.

Here's a better picture of Winter Snapperland framed


Off to stitch!

i <3 concerts!

Just wanted to say that...sad that Bloc Party wasn't there tonight since I really <3 them, get better soon Matt!!! I'm going to watch Roseanne now, more later on!
Nighty night :)

I Failed!

I knew I would LOL, I went to WVAS in NJ (my not so LNS) to buy floss and some fabric for some of my challenge projects. I did well at first, while Tawny was cutting my fabric I was getting my floss. I also wanted to get 2 gifts for 2 stitcher friends of mine so I wandered to the back. I was doing good, I wasn't looking for anything for myself but then I stumbled across this Brightneedle book of small projects (freebies they've put out), I've been dying for small project like these in the book so I can try to make small little things and this was like perfect so I bought it. I also bought the same chart I bought for a friend (it's really nice) and while checking out there was a kit by the register and I bought that too. I love my new purchases and will try not to buy anymore but who knows. The best part of cross stitching is buying stash and I guess I have a lot but I really love my new purchases, maybe my challenge should be that I will stitch what's on my list and think REALLY hard about future purchases before buying them. I actually put something back, Janette Douglas' Winter Stitches, it's so pretty but I've tried to stitch her Take Time to... and they just frustrate me, so maybe thinking over purchases may work.

My framing wasn't done yet, well one was and I'm really happy with it. My dad already hung it on the wall but my mum didn't like the framing, she said it was nothing special and looked old, she didn't understand that I was going for a rustic look. The picture I have is sort of shabby and I'll try to take a better one when the the sun is out tomorrow. My father "gave" me a wall when I brought home my frame and told me to get more things framed so he could hang them. Considering where the wall is at I'm sort of happy. It's a main wall where whoever that comes inside will see it :-) I regret not taking Spring Snapperland to get framed today, I most definitely will next time I go though. My "wall" only has 2 things on it and it looks horrible lol.

I'm going to a concert tonight (Modest Mouse), although its really rainy out so I really want to stay in. I still have to make my working copy of Dollhouse so I'm going to do that now. I hate the last few days of my vacation, it's like things pick up and I end up going tired to work. My days are planned until Thursday I think. Tomorrow night is another concert I'm going to which again I want to stay home because the band I want to see won't be there, the drummer has a collapsed lung and since it happened Friday, I know from my RN experience they won't be there Tuesday, although the not RN part of me still hopes for a miracle LOL. Wednesday I'm going to the Bodies exhibit with my cousin's and then to the dentist with Kelly. She's actually my cousin's husband's mother so I can just go there a relax since it's her home office we are going to and Thursday Kelly wants to go out again. Monday it's back to work for me *sigh* but then the following week I'm on vacation again LOL, but just 1 week this time. I'm off!


This is something I've had framed before it's Elizabeth's Designs In the Garden of My Heart

These are my new things. The top is BNs Small Samplings, the middle is Milady's Needle Needles & Pins (the saying is cute it says Needles and Pins Needles and Pins When a girl marries her trouble begins) and the last one is Blackbird Designs Moonlit Garden, then Q-Snaps, fabric, and tons of floss!


This is something else I've had framed for a while. Since it's red it can't go downstairs on my wall. It's BCs Love and I used the Crescant Colour conversion for it.

And this is my Winter Snapperland! It's plain jane but I like it and I think it goes. For Spring I probably won't opt for plain jane but not too fancy either.

A Small Finish!

I've decided on a rotation. And I'm hoping I stick to it and it keeps this antsy feeling I get about this project list away. I finished one of three patterns from one of my leaflets. It's Gasper Ghost from Just Nan's Crow Jackers.



Next I'm going to stitch a room from Dollhouse and then go back to finish some of Sampler Farm, then another small. I really hope I can stick to this and it keeps me happy.

I had fun in Boston, some thing did upset me but whatever, in the end Kelly and I had fun and I'd go back to stay longer. I won't bore you with pics, most of them are of penguins from the aquarium hehe.

I've had a lazy Sunday *yea* stitching and catching up with the Tivo so I'm now off to watch Lost and then take a shower.

I'm going to Boston and today's SBQ

I'm only going overnight, not a big trip. I'm going to the aquarium with Kelly, my cousin wants to visit her friend so we're just tagging along. I need to pack and wash my hair so I can be ready but before I do I just wanted to share two pictures with you. One is of my finished quilt block and the other is of my WIP.

I'm thinking maybe I should have made this with the darker blue instead of the green. I may get more fabric and try it again, but I may not.

I'm thinking if I should take this or a small project with me to Boston for the night.

As for today's SBQ, the question is

How many different brands of "complete" embroidery floss sets do you
own? How do you keep track of it? (i.e., spread sheet program, index
cards, palm pilot, etc.)

I, sadly, own no "complete" sets of any embroidery floss sets, not even DMC. Whereas, I own most of WDW, DMC, and GAST, I don't own all of them. I wish I did though and with this stupid challenge I doubt I can start collecting them now LOL.

Who would have known, as a first-timer, that over 1 stitching would take so f-ing long?!?! I swear I'm so over the excitement LOL. It does look nice though so I guess I'll keep on stitching. Ever since making this list for my 15 project challenge I've been getting this antsy feeling everytime I stitch. Like I have to hurry up and finish this so I can move on to the next project and get rid of the list. I don't think I'm going to stick to this challenge at all, it's just stressing me out instead of helping me out. I'll keep it though just in case I get over the feeling.

I've decided what may help me out is having a few projects going on at the same time. Like a small, medium, and large one. That way I'll get my instant gratification when I finish a small project and still be happy about making progress on the other 2 projects. Or maybe I can just have 2 projects going at the same time. The way I'm going to split up Sampler Farm has already been decided like days ago. I'll do it in four parts and I'm already almost done with part 1 if I decide to do this so one small "almost" finish for me :-) I'll share a picture when I'm actually done maybe in a few days.

My sewing machine is fixed! Like I've said I'm a newb to everything since I'm self-taught so I didn't realize that the wind a bobbin setting was on, hence the motor going but the needle staying put. Good thing I realized this before taking it to the store. I still went since I wanted to check out a new machine. The machine I want is like 3k, I could buy a decent watch for that amount or put a teeny down payment on a car so I decided to give it some thought, plus as I've mentioned before my cousin is having a baby and I told her I'd buy her a Bugaboo and with 3k I can buy her 3 LOL. It was a nice machine if ever I should really get into quilting. It's a nice machine for anything, IMO, period! The store we went to was small but so friendly and nice. My cousin, Jorge, loved it. Which was a surprise, he's supportive of what I want to do but never happy about it, so when I asked him to go with me he sort of rolled his eyes, smiled and said yes. I think what he liked is that it was like a little community and he's all about the closeness, which is why he'll come with me regardless if he likes what we're going to do.

Never made it to see Borat, it was SOLD OUT everywhere we went. Maybe I can go today or tomorrow when Kelly is off. We saw Marie Antoinette instead. Kelly was not happy but we (my cousin and I) teased him and said maybe he'd like it the best out of the 3. Last time he went to the movies with my cousin and me, we went to see Pride and Prejudice with him huffing and puffing and guess who shushed us because he was so into the movie? LOL. The soundtrack to the movie wasn't bad but the movie itself confused me. It was like all over the place initially I didn't like but today I decided it was a good movie, crazy huh?

I'm going back to stitch, I want to finish this part of Sampler Farm so I can do my quilting homework. TTFN

Quilting Time

My first class went well. I'm a shy person and thought I'd feel uncomfortable being there by myself but I didn't. The person who sat next to was left handed also so we sort of smiled at eachother after learning that. We didn't do any piecing, it's a beginner's class so all we did was learn how to rotary cut. It was pretty easy since I've done it before BUT all that I know about cross-stitch and sewing was pretty much self taught so I tell everyone I don't have any experience and see if they teach me the "right" way instead of the way I already know. And to give myself some credit I usually have been doing it the "right" way.

The instructor gave us homework, our first block is the log cabin and we're suppose to cut the pieces for it and *if* we have time we can try to piece it together. My machine is broken so that ain't happening. I'm taking it tomorrow to see if they can repair it, my mom is coming with me, so it's girl day out tomorrow. :-) The website said most repairs take 72 hours but knowing my luck it'll take longer. Maybe I'll plug it in later and clean it, it could be just that.

I found the "missing" color to my fabric collection. I'm not too sure I like it but I guess we'll see later on. I can always choose another color. You can judge for yourself whether it's good or not. One of the employees helped me find it, I figure they have more experience picking out fabric and would do a better job at it.
This is the fabric with the 4th color added in. I think it takes away from the black print but maybe when it's pieced together it will look nice...

Kelly gets the BF of the month award, I got this in the mail today. Of course I had to leave little notes that a "surprise" cross stitch present would be nice and had to email him the place to get it from but instead of ignoring it he ordered it for me :-) Didn't realize that this project is so big! Brightneedle usually makes small things no? Well anyway, I can't wait to stitch it. It was already on my 15 project challenge list so this doesn't count as new stash and it was a gift! I'm thinking of maybe starting a rotation so I won't get bored since buying new stash is what makes me excited about finishing my current project so I can start a new one. Well I'm off to stitch/sleep. Good night!

Vacation - Day 1

Hahahahahahaha I'm on vacation. I'm delirious with the feeling of not having to go to work! I haven't taken a "real" vacation where I use vacation days since February, because of my schedule I can fit in up to 9 days off but just being about to say I'm on vacation makes me feel less stressed. So far the only thing I've done is sleep since I worked last night and didn't come home until this morning.

On the agenda for my vacation is attend a couple of concerts, start my Saturday quilting class, stitch, look into knitting classes, and umm try to relax. I think I'm going to take my sewing machine to get fixed also, maybe look into buying a new one - I've had this one for years and can always give it to my mum since I think she's the one responsible for the machine not working in the first place.

Picture time!



This is how far I've gotten on Sampler Farm

Couldn't wait to do that over 1 so instead of leaving it for the end I decided to stitch it as I go along - here is a close-up

Finally a picture of the fabric for my quilt - took me forever to pick it out and I went to the store thinking I'd make a pink or purple quilt, I still need another color I was thinking maybe a yellow? I guess we'll see...any suggestions?

I'm going to see Borat tonight - looks hilarious and hopefully won't be a let down. Kelly already went to get the tickets - one of the perks of having a movie theater across the street :-)

I'm off to get ready!

This is Halloween!

I love the song "This is Halloween" from the Nightmare Before Christams. I sang it all day yesterday. The weather here is really warm. Not summer time warm but too warm for October. Kelly always gets sick when there's a drastic weather change and last night I had to poke him a few times so he'd stop snoring. It looks like its going to rain now though, which is weird because it was just bright and sunny a few minutes ago. My vacation ticker was wrong I actually have 2 more days to work until my vacation. *sigh* I'm dreading going back after being off sick, I don't want to see my supervisor...

I put together some pictures from last night's party. It was fun, lots of cute costumes. Kelly was V, I was Sally, and my cousin Jay was my Jack :-) Enjoy! I'm off to stitch a little before getting ready for work.

Get Your Own! View Slideshow