OT----- Who has time to stitch?

I am looking forward to getting back to the Atlantic Seaboard Sampler,(thanks Sheena, Sharon, Mavia and Ruby) now I have two working eyes again! I am stuck on a rather boring little bit of sea, over 1,2 and 3, and was having trouble focussing. Then I can finish that part and get on with the fun lobster traps etc.

Gillian

"lucretia borgia" wrote >

I also like the Pacific Rim one , should do it for a VDF out there who lets me visit each February, and would also like to do the Northern Lights one. I notice the Atlantic one has Green Gables at the top--I have an Anne of Green Gables alphabet sampler chart somewhere that I should root out. Dawne.

Sounds very nice :) I like the sort of rustic appeal of those two pieces. My hat's off to you, I've never had the guts to go with anything other than the recommended linen.

I was referring to e-lists, where it's quite simple to make sure that the e-mail with your question went through, because it shows up on the website or in your mailbox.

A lot of the time, the "flounce off in disgust" message is the only one that we can find that the person *ever* posted. Or they send the listowner a private message griping that the list isn't what they wanted, didn't answer their questions, but, again, we find no record that the person ever posted anything to the list. Just expected us to provide the answers without ever seeing the questions.

I suggested to one who wrote a particularly nasty "my questions weren't answered" e-mail that she should have ASKED her questions on the list. Oh, no, she couldn't do that -- she'd seen too many people on other lists get flamed for daring to ask a question. Not on my list, but she wouldn't take the risk, just wanted us to throw out "In case anyone was wondering, there's a printing error on a chart that none of you have mentioned working on" or "The Great Karini intuits that someone is having trouble making buillion roses, so here are the instructions that no one has asked for."

If you've asked a question and didn't get an answer, ask again. Maybe it didn't post. Maybe it posted the week the only person with the answer was down with the flu and wasn't reading. Maybe you asked your stitching question at the end of a long post about something entirely unrelated, and would've gotten a response if the subject was "How do I wash goldwork?"

But if you haven't asked, just expected us to tell you the answer, then don't *itch that you didn't get an answer to the question you never asked.

I am finishing up (assembling; the stitching is done) several ornaments: Two of "I Saw Three Ships" from the 2004 JCS Ornament issue (just need cording); the Blackbirds Designs Crow ornament from the same issue (for myself! Needs full assembly); an ornament of a quilt shop from a magazine I bought early this year (I did the tea shop for a friend's BD, so she'll get the quilt shop for Christmas. I plan to work through the village over the years)(cording half on as of lunchtime); and the Brittercup Design cat from this year's JCS issue.

The Brittercup cat is adorable, seated next to a Christmas tree. For some reason, I thought he looked French, and told DD that he should be next to the Eiffel Tower instead of a tree. Her eyes lit up and she asked, "Could you make that for my ornament this year?" (she's taking French in school), so my ornament is the cat done in orange (to match out cat) seated next to the Eiffel Tower - with a bright magenta-ish red heart!

Looking forward to working on some UFOs over the Christmas holiday, and will start a new BIG design on January 1st: the Corragio sampler, in silks, from the Scarlet Letter:

The Good Elf Book ..... just the way you've been trying to say something good about everything - keeping any nastiness (or what some consider nastiness) at bay - stuff like that .... just being nice Girl!

Sharon (N.B.) ..............................................................

Elizabeth

This morning I finished my Hurricane - a satellite infra-red image of a hurricane with lots of bright colors against a black background. The colors are sort of burnt oranges going through yellows, to very pale yellows. I have kitted up a new piece; another Tom Thompson (Canadian painter) computer generated pattern. Our Guild is having a big show next May, so I am busy making sure I have three pieces to be exhibited. The lady who will decided where everything will hang needs pictures, so in the New year, I will go over to my son's house, have pictures taken, and update my web site.

Now you see why I'm kind of bracing myself to start it. This week of finishing up little things and a UFO or two is like letting out a long breath. Once I've dived in, it will be all-consuming!

Sue (it was love at first sight)

That sounds really beautiful- I can't wait to see it :) My hat is off to all of you that have the creativity to make your own patterns. I keep trying to fiddle around and do a few halloween pieces, but they never seem to gel together.

due to advanced arthritic hands -and finishing crocheted scarf taking too long- i bought one of those "simple scarf mesh" kits and am half done after just a few hours!

its so kewl-you just cut lengths of various yarns and weave them thru the 85" long mesh.....

mesh is black; am using oatmeal Homespun w/red eyelash yarn to go w/black coat.

its lovely and will add some beads to fringe for more pizzazz!!!

i have a dumb question; why do most cross-stitch kits not have the picture to be CS STAMPED in color on the fabric?

I have seen several i'd like to try-but am flummoxed as to how to DO them w/out a stamped pic printed right on the fabric, as a guide!

anybody????

Now that sounds fascinating. Where does one find the instructions for such an item?

Gillian

snipped-for-privacy@webtv.net wrote:

You need to make certain you are buying kits labeled as "stamped cross stitch" instead of "counted cross stitch". I know I prefer counted work because, to me, one of the most annoying things in the world is when the stamping is just slightly off from square and there is nothing you can do to make the finished piece look right.

It takes practice to do counted work. You will want to carefully measure your fabric before you start to ensure the kit included a large enough piece for you to have decent margins--some kits get this wrong! An easy (but time-consuming) way to get used to it is to make a photocopy (working copy--usually legal) of the chart before you start. As you make each stitch (or block of five or whatever you can keep track of), mark them off your working copy with a highlighter. As you get into the rhythm of your work, you will find you can stitch longer segments without having to mark your working copy as often. Using a highlighter makes it easier to still see the stitch symbols just in case you need to go back and correct some stitching. Reworked areas can be highlighted with a second ink color to show they have been completed again. Just remember to shred or otherwise destroy your working copy when you have finished the piece to keep within the copyright laws.

That leaves where to begin stitching... If you are very comfortable with your measurements for the margin you can just measure in from a corner and start stitching. You can also find the center and stitch out from there since the center should be marked on your chart and the fabric center can be easily found by folding corner-to-corner and lightly finger pressing the center of those folds. The folds cross in the center. Or you can do what I normally do which is locate the center of the fabric and count out to your preferred starting corner (usually upper left for me) and start stitching.

If I've left anyth> i have a dumb question;

HALLO Chris It seems that lately, many people forget or forgot that Needwork has more to it than `just` choosing a pattern and either complain or brag about how long it takes them to finnish it .. I do wonder where the discussions are about Art of needlework , about the creativeness of choosing colors, of choosing a certain pattern ,, etc,,, mirjam

Lucille that black work you do sounds interesting

What does a KOI POND show ? or mean ? mirjam

Oh DORA i think Ribbon embroidery is great i read about it played a bit , but have no time to do it now ,,, but i wish you much joy with it . mirjam

Koi are goldfish and this is a picture of several fish swimming around, surrounded by lily pads. It's a very interesting project because there are

12 different blackwork stitches used and a lot of couching. It's a mixed media piece using silk, kreinik metallics and beads. So far it's been fun to do.

But it's going to take forever because I really have to finish the baby set and that's taking forever.

Lucille

>

I am not sure if this is relevant, but most stamped cross stitch I have seen tends to be done on ordinary, not evenweave, fabric. If you have crosses to follow, stamped on the fabric, you can produce square stitches with a non-evenweave. Which leads me to wonder what fabric has been selected for the stitching. If it is aida, then things are realtively straightforward, but if it is non-aida evenweave, we are in to the whole process of "vertical thread" etc. I know there are web sites which explain how to do counted cross stitch, and maybe someone can post one, which may or may not help. However, many kits give fairly good instructions as to what to do. If it really is counted cross stitch, then if you have any questions, ask away. You will get lots of answers; loop starts, etc. HTH.