Who are we?

Hi! I'm Arnhild. I live in the middle of Norway, a little bit south of the Polar Circle.(65 degrees north) I've recently moved here, on Friday, and am working half time at the high school library. Beginning in September I will also be working half time at the public library. I'm single, but live in a place where it looks like I can possibly have two of the family cats move in with me. :)

I like to read a lot, and go to the movies. I do cross stitch, but spend more time dreaming about what I would like to stitch then actual stitching. At least that's how it feels sometimes! I crochet, knit (poorly), have a Hardanger project underway, and would like to make a quilt. If only I could sew.

I mostly lurk, and have been doing so for a few years, but only this millennium.

Arnhild

I'm Bruce and I post here on behalf of my wife, Maureen, who enjoys cross-stitch and blackwork. We've lived on the island of Stronsay in Orkney, UK (59°09?19?N 002°38?29?W) since 2004. See my blog at

I'm Nancy and I live in Pittsburgh. I spent 25 years as a computer programmer in exploration research for a major oil company in Pittsburgh, Houston, and Southern California. I retired 11 years ago when, once again they decided to move and reduce. Three years later I moved back to my roots here in Pittsburgh. I "keep house" for DM who is 87 as well as serve as chauffeur and gardener.

I've been doing some sort of needlework since I was in Girl Scouts. Along the way I've done crewel, a little crochet, latch hook and picked up counted cross stitch about 30 years ago but got away from it when I was living in Southern California.

I think I started lurking here in early 2005 and started posted some later that year.

Nancy, who realized again she shares her BD with the president. I liked it better, sharing with my

2nd grade teacher.

*ahem* I am nobody, who are you? *duck*

Sorry, that pretty much tells you what you need to know about my alleged sense of humor!

My name is Alayna, also called Lyn or Lynoth. I am 32 years old, and I live in Hayward, CA (across the Bay from San Francisco). I used to be on this group about a decade ago, but lost touch for reasons I can't recall. I thought of you often though, and finally was able to find you again the other day as I "frogged" a section LOL.

My mother taught me to do counted cross stitch when I was about 10 or so; I had the obligatory "too cool for that" pause as a teenager but have only rarely put down my needle since I was about 18.

I tend to heavily favor fairies and dragons, although I have stitched projects all across the spectrum as gifts. You can see a FEW of my completions here:

This is in no way everythingI've done, just what I thought to snap a picture of before I rehomedit LOL I recently completed Dimensions Gold "Elegance of the Orient" and have just begun TW's "Celestial Dragon;" you can track my progress here: When I can be coaxed to put down my needle I am a full-time student at Chabot Community College where I am taking my lower division classes before transferring to Cal State East Bay to complete my BA in Psychology. I enjoy competing with the Forensics (Speech and Debate) team and took 3rd at Spring Fling :)P

My 12 year old son, long-suffering DSO and cat put up with me for the most part :D

Of potential import: I suffer from a fairly severe mental illness (I won't bore you with the details) so if I seem....off....at times I beg your forgiveness and tolerance in advance. I TRY to keep a lid on it, but some days it sneaks up on me, ya know?

I am SOOOOOOOOOO happy to be back!

Oh, and my mum is going to ATTEMPT to teach me to knit this coming week when we go on vacation. Wish us BOTH luck and patience! :D

A

I'm Mary Lou currently in Jeffersonville, IN, but still consider myself a Louisville, KY girl at heart. I root for all the local teams, UK, UL and IN but when and if they play each other, I'm a Louisville Cardinal. I'm single and have two dogs, Jackson (shih-tzu) and Suki (shorkie). Both were shelter dogs.

I've been a lurker for years. I feel like I know most of you personally. I cross stitch, knit, crochet and needlepoint. I have sewn in the past and next Sept when I retire, I plan on doing some quilting. I am also an avid reader of all types of books except for science fiction and vampires. Mysteries are my favorite. My hobbies are getting in the way of my job which is an enrollment specialist for a large insurance company.

I prefer cs patterns with only whole stitches. I hate 1/4, 3/4 etc. stitches. I can tolerate some backstitching. A friend and I were discussing hobbies just the other day and she said she used to cs but, because it is so expensive to frame things, most of what she did is stuck away in drawers. I had to agree. I guess the pleasure for me is in the rythmn of the stitching and seeing the pattern develop. I have passed on several things to family and friends but most of what I've stitched is in a drawer.

I really enjoy hearing about what you're stitching and even read your "arguments" some of the time.

I wonder how many times I have written a "who I am" here on RCTN over the years???

Maybe 10 or so? I've been lurking or posting here since '95 or '96. I forget.

I'm the wife of a retired Army officer and moved a gazillion times in those military years. We live in northern Virginia now, or as the new slang puts it, the DMV - the District, Maryland, Virginia - which sounds snazzy than the oh so stuffy National Capitol Region.

Enough geography. I stitch. Anything. And everything. I don't have a favorite technique, though I sometimes lean one way or another.

My current large projects are: a stumpwork piece designed by Luan Callery, a counted canvas piece by Tony Minieri, the Thistle Threads Goldwork Masterclass, and because it's summer, Michelle Ink "Captain's Rellek" with a pirate ship and a mermaid and treasure, oh my.

I've got at least 35 other projects in some state of completion. And that's too many, I know. But I love to start things, what can I say?

Was going to write more, but DH just called for his pick-up at the Park and Ride.

Donna in Virginia

Arguments, us, said she innocently ?????? lol

I'm Lucille, currently living in Florida but still a Noo Yawka at heart. I have one furkid, a Maltese named Puff. I moved here when I retired some time ago.

I've tried every type of needlework except tatting but mostly enjoy cross stitch. I used to do a lot of knitting but my hands and wrists wont allow too much of that now. I've done some quilting and didn't like it very much, would crochet more but I can't figure out what to do with the finished pieces, tried hardanger, which is very pretty but doesn't fit my décor, did a few blackwork pieces which were fun to do, lots of needlepoint and petit point over the years, made all my clothing, including coats and suits for years but lost interest in that in this laid back informal life style, and hooked some rugs. I'm sure I'm leaving something out, but that's because it probably didn't stick with me.

I'm in a lot in this relentless Florida heat and humidity and without cross stitching and reading I think I would be a raving lunatic.

I love this group. It never fails. If you want to know what book to read, ask here. If you need a needlework supplier, ask here. If you want to know how to raise a chicken, ask here. Someone will know the answer or point you in the right direction. Can you think of anything better?

Lucille

Hi, I'm Sandy, an expat now living about 90 km south of Sydney Australia, in a town called Wollongong (steel mill, mining & beautiful beaches). JB is a high school math teacher who in 1972 asked if I wanted to come to Oz for a 2 year stint...been here ever since. I have 2 sons, 2 wonderful daughters-in-law, 3 grandsons and one very spoilt cat. I work partime at an inbound call centre doing directory assistance. I am first and foremost a cross stitcher, with a love of redwork, but in recent years have dabbled in lots of different techniques.

I came across this site after reading the first 8 Monic Ferris books last year when I was confined to bed and couldn't stitch. Have loved meeting new friends on this site. Sandy

I'm Sara, from Delaware. I've been on RCTN since MarthaBeth published an article about on line stitching resources in JCS about a hundred years ago. I'm about to have a round numbered birthday (yikes!) and live here with my DH of 25 yrs and our 13 yo DS and cat Tony. Mostly I do xs, currently working on Chatelaine's Pompeji Garden, but I also enjoy canvas. I've done a little Hardanger, but I always come back to xs.

I am Jim, one of the few male stitchers around. I started stitching in

1975; I found rctn in the early 1990's. I ran out of stitching patterns I liked to do, and which were on sale in needlework stores. I have finished many UFOs from others. Now that we have software that can change pictures into patterns, I have learned which pictures turn into the sort of patterns that I like to stitch; of course, my maidens. Jim.

I guess it is that time of year again. :)

Hi I'm Margaret, I've been lurking and occasionally posting since 1994 when my BF now DH gave me a cross stitch kit that I needed help with. Thanks to that gift I found a new hobby that I adore and have "met" many wonderful people here some of whom I have been privaleged to meet in real life. I'm originally from Centeral NY but moved to Eastern MA when I changed careers. I used to be a aviation weather forecaster, now I QA Weather Software. That comes from having degrees in meteorlogy and computer Science. I've been married 13 years next month no kids, just two cats. I love to cross stitch and beedwork. I also dable in hardanger and other techniques.

-Margaret in MA

I am Joanne. I live in a quiet suburb on the banks of the Canning River, about 12 miles out of the CBD of Perth Western Australia. I work in a major private hospital. My business card says I am a PA to 2 of the executive team, but my range of activities is wide and varied. I only work 20 hours a week, which I seem to do at a running pace! I have a delightful significant other, probably made more delightful because after 10 years together we still live in separate houses. When we met I had an old dog, and he had an old cat - my dog died in 2004, and his cat has just left us aged 19 years - we're still in deep mourning for her.

I've embroidered, stitched, sewed etc since I can remember. For the last 20 years I've also made bobbin lace. I love counted cross stitch, and seem to be drawn to bags and boxes. I also adore pulled work, and have a number of amazing Italian books on Punto Antico that are waiting in the wings for me to get to. I have no sense of colour, and hide this behind working in monochrome a lot!

Joanne in Western Australia

I'm Joan. I live on the eastern edge of North Dakota. I work in a university library and have been here for over 30 years now (somewhat shows my age!). I'm married, have 2 sons, 1 daughter, 1 brand-new granddaughter and a yellow lab (Jasmine) and will soon to become caretaker of DD's horse for the winter.

I mostly do counted cs but also knit, crochet, have done some crewel, needlepoint, canvaswork and needle tatting. Some day I'm going to learn hardanger, mostly so I can do justice to some of Thea Dueck's (Victoria Sampler) designs that I have. I'm getting near the end of a set of stuffed pieces for a Nativity set (Carol Emmer designs) that I've been working on for a couple of years. Currently, I'm doing the cover for a cs baby book (designed by Ellen Maurer-Stroh) for DGD.

I've been on this *wonderful* group since the mid-90s, I think.

Who's next?

Joan

I'm Sue from Baltimore, Maryland. I grew up in NJ (NYC burbs) and came to Baltimore to attend college and never left. Married for 35 years (yikes!) with three grown kids. Youngest is about to leave for college in Hawaii, which will leave us empty nesters for the first time in 32 years.

Until recently, DH and I worked together producing a folk music magazine, but recently the plug was pulled on that endeavor. Now I feel like a full-time Job Applier, turning over stones looking for a new job while trying to decide What I Want to Be When I Grow Up. I'm the quintessential jack of all trades and master of none.

I've stitched for pretty much as far back as I can remember. I was never really taught by anyone...just would pick up things myself. Started with crewel and surface embroidery kits, then Hardanger (modeling on pieces handed down from one of my Norwegian grandmothers) and cross stitch. Now I do mainly cross stitch and crochet, some Hardanger. I always have multiple projects going. Over the years, most of my projects have been rehomed, but now I'm getting selfish and making some for my own self! I also sew, and this week I'm working on a rather wild Raggedy Anne doll for a baby gift. (What can I say, I like COLOR!!)

I'm also an avid reader, and love the suggestions I've read in this group. I read - as I think it was Ellice, who said it - "promiscuously" across many genres, though mainly fiction.

Other stuff that fills my time: active in church (I edit the monthly newsletter and teach confirmation), singing (started lessons two years ago, bel canto style), addicted to daily Soduku M-F (never on Sundays, how odd is that?), chaffeur DM to dr. appts. (she moved to Baltimore from NJ last year and lives nearby in a continuing care retirement community.) And RCTN, of course...been hanging out here since sometime in the mid-90s. Have met a few of you IRL and feel like I know a lot more of you! Great community here.

sue

I am Liz from southern Oregon, USA. I grew up in the SF Bay Area but we've been here for 19 years and I'm definitely an Oregonian by now! I do mostly XS but also enjoy Hardanger & canvas work as well as crochet -but only scarves or afghans. My real obsession is/are Claudia Dutcher's Dutch Treat Designs tabletoppers. My stitching fantasy is to have an entire bolt of Anne Cloth and ALL of Claudia's charts. I have a fair number of them already and they make great gifts (for those who "deserve" to receive something stitched by me. :-)

I am married to DH (28 years at the end of the month). No kids but three nieces & two nephews who will come to visit me and bring me cookies when I'm old. We have a cat (Fichu) and a dog (Oddear) and, with 15 acres of oak, madrone, pine, fir, poison oak and blackberries, we have LOTS of "foster" critters who also call the place "home". We don't mind sharing the property but we DON'T feed any of them except for the hummingbirds and finches. We did actually feed the bear back in 2008 but that was because we had a flock of chickens and a very determined bear who seemed to know our work hours. Oh well. Bears have to eat too, we just need to build a more resistant enclosure. :-)

Right now, DH is home (disabled/retired) and I am unemployed but getting ready to start the mail order entry season at Harry & David.

Liz from Humbug

I'm in the city, with plenty of city wildlife around. Today I left the house with five nicely ripening tomatoes growing on my upside-down tomato plant on the deck...the first time I've tried growing tomatoes. I was just allowing myself to get excited about them, as they only started ripening in the last 48 hours. Well, DH just went out to pick a hot pepper for dinner, and there's only one tomato left on the plant. One half-eaten tomato on the deck railing. One in a flowerpot a few steps away the deck. (Rearranging the produce??) One on the ground, two dropped from the second-story height. Who knows where the fifth one went. And several knocked-over pots.

Who would do such a thing? There are always squirrels about on the deck (a reason to get another cat, I tell DH, but he's not buying) but would they be able to "carry" a good-sized tomato around? The tomato found in a flowerpot several steps away has a bare indentation, possibly but not necessarily from teeth. I'm wondering if it could have been raccoons.

So two tomatoes end up costing about $5.00! I bought the plant for two and a half dollars or thereabouts at a plant sale, bought a Trader Joe's recyclable bag for a buck to plant it in, and a lot of potting soil. They'd better be delicious!

sue

We had similar experiences last year with tomatoes in the back yard. We don't know if it was squirrels, other land animals, or the wretched pigeons which appeared here after Katrina, when the rest of the city was flooded so they all moved up to the high ground where we are, and it is not possible to evict them.

We grew quite a number of veggies and LOTS of fruit in the yard in Ohio, when we were in Florida we had grapefruit and othe citrus plus an avocado tree, here I just buy it all from the Farmers' Market.

Olwyn Mary in New Orleans

Who am I - well, some days I wonder about that.

I'm Cheryl, in southern NH. Which is close enough to a bunch of other RCTN'rs for get-togethers.

Hmm, in no particular order, mom to DS, aka K, who leaves for college in a few short weeks. An event I alternately dread or chill the champagne. (Gawd is he a cranky cuss of late). Also Mom to DD, aka E, who is 11, soon to be

12 and my second hockey player. In about a month, I will be spending many hours at a rink or driving to a rink. She plays on "ladies team", the middle school team and when ever else she can get some ice time. Age 50+, married for 22 years. No pets, but we do pet sit for a friend and DD pet sits for the neighborhood. Until DD's arrival, I was an engineer at a defense contractor.

I stitch - mostly counted but do surface work, trying my hand at needlepoint, like hardanger, beadwork and really really want to learn pulled and drawn thread. My current project is a bit strange. Using plastic canvas and a wide variety of stitches and fibers, I'm creating a case for my portable Ott lamp. I should add, DD is stitching a "glow worm" for one panel. And showed some ingenuity by coloring the area -just like those pieces on the wall at Susan's (aka Contoocook Needlework Gallery) Mom.

I also read and garden. A lot. Current book, The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen. (BTW - go get any of her stuff, I may just have to buy my own copies of her stuff). I range between mysteries, certain romance authors, science fiction, some fantasy and some historical fiction. And something

Garden - 90% ornamental, with some tomatoes most years. I'm currently in the middle of a multi-year project of re-designing my bed. Meaning I'm thinning my daylily collection, adding shrubs and moving lots of plants around.

I should also add, I collect ladybugs in many forms which is why you'll see people post links all sorts of ladybug items. I also collect antique needlework tools when they are affordable.

Those of you who are on Facebook, I should be an easy find!

C

My name is Susan and I've been lurking since the 1990's. Depending on life sometimes less than more.

I've been married for 22 years and moved to the Pittsburgh area from a farm in North Central Kansas. I'm 48, but don't tell my kids, they still haven't figured it out, lol. I have three kids, DS 19, DD 16, DD 11. All who've been taught to cross stitch and some to quilt.

I've been cross stitching since my grandma taught me when I was 5. I sew most of my girls clothes since they're such odd sizes and I also quilt some. I also knit and crochet, but I must admit my first love is counted cross stitch. Right now I'm working on a half dozen different projects but most seriously on a sailing sampler for my DH birthday. He loves sailing and I thought he might like the sampler. It's been tough though, because I have to hide the darn thing every time he comes near.

I love to read and will read almost anything although mysteries are my favorite.

Right now I have more time as I'm job hunting. I've just become one of the unemployed due to the Census finally winding down.

Can't think of anything else, but if there any questions, let me know.

Susan

Do you have a dog? My coworker caught her dog eating her tomatoes!

Joan