This month's question is "How do you get yourself out of a stitching drought?" and I really wish I had an answer!
I have been in a stitching drought since October 2016 --- initially becsaue of a broken wrist (that was roughly 4 months stitchery-free during healing and therapy) and then because my hand wasn't strong enough to hold my Q-snaps for any extended period of time without cramping or shaking. I think I am better now but... getting the motivation to pick up those two WIPS/wannabee UFOs is really, really hard. The "Love Is..." sampler is simply way to late for my niece's first anniversary and I don't like it enough to keep for myself. The Elizabeth Arnold blackwork sampler is way to big to attempt right now: even with my wrist totally healed, I hesitate to try blackwork on such a large handheld piece. I am tempted by three small needlepoint canvases I purchased a year or two ago but it is a matter of actually picking them up and starting one of them, know what I mean?
Anyway, I think you can guess from the above paragraph that I didn't stitch at all again this month. Sorry...
Monday, August 28, 2017
WIPocalypse 2017 - July check-in
It's that time again, and I still haven't a thing to report on the stitchery front. My wrist is better but the hand cramps if I try to hold on to my Snaps for any length of time. Still I will preservere!
This month's discussion topic is: "What are your oldest and your newest WIPs?"
Well the answer to that all depends on what you call a WIP! I'm going to arbitrarily define WIPs as what I was working on when I had to stop stitching and here are the photos:
Oldest: Plan Tree Elegance, my needlepoint traveling project which was started on a cruise (I think in the fall of 2011 but I'm not really sure). My earliest photo online is July 2014 and the last stitches were taken on a road trip in July, 2016.
My most recent WIP was started in October, 2016, intended as a first anniversary gift for my niece but, broken wrist got in the way and it was last reported on in February, 2017.
As to whether these will maintain their status as WIPS or revert to UFOs, that is anyone's guess.
This month's discussion topic is: "What are your oldest and your newest WIPs?"
Well the answer to that all depends on what you call a WIP! I'm going to arbitrarily define WIPs as what I was working on when I had to stop stitching and here are the photos:
Oldest: Plan Tree Elegance, my needlepoint traveling project which was started on a cruise (I think in the fall of 2011 but I'm not really sure). My earliest photo online is July 2014 and the last stitches were taken on a road trip in July, 2016.
My most recent WIP was started in October, 2016, intended as a first anniversary gift for my niece but, broken wrist got in the way and it was last reported on in February, 2017.
As to whether these will maintain their status as WIPS or revert to UFOs, that is anyone's guess.
Monday, July 3, 2017
WIPocalypse 2017 - June Check-In
A little late here --- we were working the admissions table at Crosby Festival of the Arts yesterday and were exhausted after our four-hour shift!
This month's question is "Show us your stitching space! Where do you sit, and what is going on around you while you stitch (TV, audiobooks, etc)?"
My stitching space is my bed, I'm embarrassed to admit. I have my basic supplies in two storage cupboards in my crafting area (these photos are four years old and they are a lot more messy now):
This month's question is "Show us your stitching space! Where do you sit, and what is going on around you while you stitch (TV, audiobooks, etc)?"
My stitching space is my bed, I'm embarrassed to admit. I have my basic supplies in two storage cupboards in my crafting area (these photos are four years old and they are a lot more messy now):
But when I am working on a project, I take project bags with all supplies up to my bedroom (you see my project bag on the floor there next to my dresser in the photo on the left), move my Ott light over to the bedside and sit there while I stitch:
I wing the magnifier are of the lamp around so it is between me face and the fabric in my q-snaps or hoop and focus the light on the fabric. And I stitch...and rip... and swear sometimes!
As for what is going on around me when I stitch... at the foot of the bed is my television with the satellite hook-up and DVR and I tend to have it on while I stitch.
As for what is going on around me when I stitch... at the foot of the bed is my television with the satellite hook-up and DVR and I tend to have it on while I stitch.
Sometimes, one or more cats are also on the bed... so I suspect that the odd cat hair ends up incorporated in my stitching, but I try to keep them at some distance from the floss (which one loves to chew on) and charts (which another loves to sit on)!
This area hasn't had a whole lot of stitching, however, since I broke my wrist last October. It is getting better and every once in a while I tell myself I'm going to get out a WIP and work on it but... my mojo isn't awake yet and I don't. Maybe this month?
This area hasn't had a whole lot of stitching, however, since I broke my wrist last October. It is getting better and every once in a while I tell myself I'm going to get out a WIP and work on it but... my mojo isn't awake yet and I don't. Maybe this month?
WIPocalypse 2017 - May Check-In
Another WIPocalypse check-in where I can't report a single stitch placed in fabric. This wrist is taking longer to strengthen that i had expected!
The question of the month is: "Which designer’s projects do you absolutely love, but are too intimidated to try?"
Not sure I'd call it intimidated. More like reluctant. I have the complete series of charts for the cats by Kats by Kelly (no longer being produced in cross-stitch; despite the promise for more in 2016 on the website, there weren't any issued to my knowledge) and I haven't stitched a single one because I can't decide which one(s) I want to do, and to do them all is a VERY impractical idea (for one thing, I have no place to display them!). How's that for a run-on sentence?
See y'all next month, hopefully with better stitching news.
The question of the month is: "Which designer’s projects do you absolutely love, but are too intimidated to try?"
Not sure I'd call it intimidated. More like reluctant. I have the complete series of charts for the cats by Kats by Kelly (no longer being produced in cross-stitch; despite the promise for more in 2016 on the website, there weren't any issued to my knowledge) and I haven't stitched a single one because I can't decide which one(s) I want to do, and to do them all is a VERY impractical idea (for one thing, I have no place to display them!). How's that for a run-on sentence?
See y'all next month, hopefully with better stitching news.
Sunday, April 30, 2017
WIPOcalypse 017 - April Check-in
Another month without stitching. My wrist is getting better but I still have flexibility and strength issues in my left had so holding a frame steady for any length of time is dodgy at best. I live in hope!
Meanwhile, the topic for the month is “What projects are in your UFO pile?”
Sadly — a lot.
Back in 2012, I itemized the UFOs in my cupboard. They were
Not itemized, but hiding out in a bin were a crewel-work pillow and six or seven needlepoint pieces needing backstitching and other “top work”, all predating 1992! And there were a slew of piece-worked tops from quilting classes in Saudi that required backing and binding... And then there is the Round Robin stitchery piece from 2006, were all the participants finished their parts but I have yet to finish it off...
Currently ALL of these pieces are still unfinished, stitching-wise.
And this doesn’t begin to count the two major pieces languishing in my project bag: the Elizabeth Almond “Save the Stitches” sampler and the “Love Is..” wedding sampler. Also, back in 2012, a WIP was Palm Tree Elegance, my traveling needlepoint piece and that is still active! And also in my traveling back is a "small" piece from a trip to North Carolina back in August 2014 ...
OMG, that wrist has to heal faster, or… because I’m not getting any younger!
There are also projects finished since then that lack the finishing touches, all itemized in early 2017: at least four quilt tops need to be backed and bound and one needs to be pieced (it’s roughly 3/4 put-together right now), backed and bound; my first Bead Journal Project needs assembly as does my Take a Stitch Tuesday sampler, and there is a “slew” of bargello and Learn-a-stitch needlepoint exercise pieces (freebies from Napa Needlepoint - she has pasted many more but I am resisting starting any until I clear my cutting table of the finished ones!) that should be sewn into ornaments! These don’t really require wrist strength — just the courage to turn on my machine or get out my sewing kit, rethread the needle(s) (and the bobbin on the machine -my LEAST favorite thing of all time), and sit down to work. But that means I need to motivate!
Any tips?
Meanwhile, the topic for the month is “What projects are in your UFO pile?”
Sadly — a lot.
Back in 2012, I itemized the UFOs in my cupboard. They were
Not itemized, but hiding out in a bin were a crewel-work pillow and six or seven needlepoint pieces needing backstitching and other “top work”, all predating 1992! And there were a slew of piece-worked tops from quilting classes in Saudi that required backing and binding... And then there is the Round Robin stitchery piece from 2006, were all the participants finished their parts but I have yet to finish it off...
Currently ALL of these pieces are still unfinished, stitching-wise.
And this doesn’t begin to count the two major pieces languishing in my project bag: the Elizabeth Almond “Save the Stitches” sampler and the “Love Is..” wedding sampler. Also, back in 2012, a WIP was Palm Tree Elegance, my traveling needlepoint piece and that is still active! And also in my traveling back is a "small" piece from a trip to North Carolina back in August 2014 ...
OMG, that wrist has to heal faster, or… because I’m not getting any younger!
There are also projects finished since then that lack the finishing touches, all itemized in early 2017: at least four quilt tops need to be backed and bound and one needs to be pieced (it’s roughly 3/4 put-together right now), backed and bound; my first Bead Journal Project needs assembly as does my Take a Stitch Tuesday sampler, and there is a “slew” of bargello and Learn-a-stitch needlepoint exercise pieces (freebies from Napa Needlepoint - she has pasted many more but I am resisting starting any until I clear my cutting table of the finished ones!) that should be sewn into ornaments! These don’t really require wrist strength — just the courage to turn on my machine or get out my sewing kit, rethread the needle(s) (and the bobbin on the machine -my LEAST favorite thing of all time), and sit down to work. But that means I need to motivate!
Any tips?
Sunday, March 26, 2017
WIPocalypse check-in: March 26, 2017
This month's question is: "What stitchy blogs, groups, or flosstubes do you follow and why?"
OK, The only stitch blogs I really follow (if getting digests each week or month is the same as following) are:
The one "group" I belong to is a closed Facebook group called Cross Stitch Crazy which is limited to members of Yuku's (pretty inactive at present) Cross Stitch Crazy Board which, in turn is a descendant of the old iVillage forum "Cross Stitch Crazy" (now totally lost in the ether thanks to NBC-Universal's mismanagement). I am registered as a follower of the "WIPocalypse SAL" Facebook group although I don't really "follow" it that closely. I do "follow" (very loosely) a couple of other Facebook groups, like "Take a Stitch Tuesday" and "Ink Circles Mandala Stitchers", but only in that the occasional notification from them appears on my newsfeed.
And to be honest, I had no clue what a "flosstube" was until I just looked it up! No, I don't follow any flosstubes!
Now, as for my WIPocalypse progress in March --- nil, none, zero. I didn't even pick it up today when I decided to see if I had indeed done nothing since my last check-in! I don't WANT to stitch while my hand still aches when holding the Q-snaps (and no, I WILL NOT use a frame --- I HATE frames). And the piece I am working on, "Love Is..." really isn't calling to me, nor are any other pieces in my WIP/UFO pile. My stitching mojo was practically done in by that arm break and I don't know if it will ever recover.
But we live in hope... there is a trip or two in my near future where I may take my traveling needlepoint. No frame, no Q-snaps --- it's being stitched in hand. We shall see if that rekindles the stitching flame.
OK, The only stitch blogs I really follow (if getting digests each week or month is the same as following) are:
The one "group" I belong to is a closed Facebook group called Cross Stitch Crazy which is limited to members of Yuku's (pretty inactive at present) Cross Stitch Crazy Board which, in turn is a descendant of the old iVillage forum "Cross Stitch Crazy" (now totally lost in the ether thanks to NBC-Universal's mismanagement). I am registered as a follower of the "WIPocalypse SAL" Facebook group although I don't really "follow" it that closely. I do "follow" (very loosely) a couple of other Facebook groups, like "Take a Stitch Tuesday" and "Ink Circles Mandala Stitchers", but only in that the occasional notification from them appears on my newsfeed.
And to be honest, I had no clue what a "flosstube" was until I just looked it up! No, I don't follow any flosstubes!
Now, as for my WIPocalypse progress in March --- nil, none, zero. I didn't even pick it up today when I decided to see if I had indeed done nothing since my last check-in! I don't WANT to stitch while my hand still aches when holding the Q-snaps (and no, I WILL NOT use a frame --- I HATE frames). And the piece I am working on, "Love Is..." really isn't calling to me, nor are any other pieces in my WIP/UFO pile. My stitching mojo was practically done in by that arm break and I don't know if it will ever recover.
But we live in hope... there is a trip or two in my near future where I may take my traveling needlepoint. No frame, no Q-snaps --- it's being stitched in hand. We shall see if that rekindles the stitching flame.
Sunday, February 26, 2017
WIPocalypse check-in - February 26, 2017
The question for this month is: "What is your favorite stitch other than the standard cross stitch?" Well, I'm not sure I have a favorite stitch other than the cross stitch. In fact, I'm not even sure any more that the cross stitch is my "favorite" but... the stitch I use as often as the cross stitch is backstitch, although I'm pretty sure I'm not doing it correctly when I do blackwork. As for how-to, here is the best link I can provide for regular backstitching and here is how to do it (aka the Holbein) in blackwork.
This was another stitch-free month, except for 50 minutes last night trying again to work on "Love is..." I managed to get six letters in backstitch and French knots stitched when I found out that I had stitched the last two one stitch off! AAACK! Frogging backstitch with French knots is NOT fun, I wasted an entire strand of floss in doing this, and now I have some restitching to do to cover the stitched-out linen where the old stitches were.
This was another stitch-free month, except for 50 minutes last night trying again to work on "Love is..." I managed to get six letters in backstitch and French knots stitched when I found out that I had stitched the last two one stitch off! AAACK! Frogging backstitch with French knots is NOT fun, I wasted an entire strand of floss in doing this, and now I have some restitching to do to cover the stitched-out linen where the old stitches were.
Still, the left wrist held up better than the last time I tried and I think I will be stitching some more, although taxes take priority this afternoon.
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