Stitching Salster

New Month, New desire to keep a blog again

2005-02-01T15:36:00.000Z

Another month has gone by without an update. Yes I know I'm bad.

I've started my maths course (MST121 with the OU) and so far I'm really enjoying it. It’s a refreshing change to the Latin which by the way I failed miserably at. I went to my first tutorial on Saturday, things went well an interesting bunch, plus someone from work was there. So I'm hoping to get with her occasionally to go over work with her.

Had a lovely evening on Sunday my sis and her hubby came over for the evening. We've been planning the evening for a few weeks, and I was intending to do a fondue night. We all had a lot of fun; the food went down amazingly well considering I cooked it. (Not that it took much effort to cook; it was just a case of preparing the ingredients before hand during the day then 5-10 minutes in front of the stove).

Stitching wise I had a lovely surprise last night I came 3rd in the small category of Silkweaver.com Stitches Showcase. See here for my entry : GingerBread House by TW Designworks. Unfortunately I don't win any prizes but I was very impressed I placed at all looking at some of the other entries. So I'm feeling very smug and proud of myself.

I've already finished 2 items this year Dragon Dreams'Night time Wizard' and a small (very small) Designer Stitches Piglet card. I'm concentrating on TW Designworks Egyptian Sampler at the moment I would like to finish it for my DBf, for Xmas 2005. We shall see if that is too ambitious or not later in the year.

I'm upset I'm missing a GTG with my stitchy pals this weekend in Bath, but as I have a tutorial for Maths again on Saturday I can't do both, and the OU course has to take priority. *Sigh*

I've signed up for a City and Guilds Level 1 Bead Weaving course starting on the 23/2/05 I have no idea what to expect, but I'm looking forward to it. If for nothing else a qualification in doing something I love is such a rare thing to achieve.

Question of the week Catch up

2004-09-20T14:02:00.000+01:00

August 16, 2004
Heirlooms

If you were to stitch something to be passed on to future generations
of your family as an heirloom, what would it be and why?

I would like to stitch any of the Teresa Wentzler large dragons, and for them to be kept as a heirloom. Not that I’m intending to have children myself to pass them on to, but I would hope when I die they aren’t just binned, that someone will love them as I do. I haven’t as yet stitched a large dragon only Tempest, I started The Castle but it was on aida, and never got very far. I intend to stitch on a loverly hand dyed fabric deep green sea and blue sky.

August 23, 2004
Designer wishes

What would you most like your favourite designer to design next?

I would love Teresa Wentzler or Jennifer Aiken-Smith to design a large ornate Phoenix. I like this one a lot but it doesn’t quite fulfil what I had envisaged. So hopefully between them TW or JAS could design it for me.

August 30, 2004
Patience is a virtue

Firstly, thank you to Valerie for her question suggestion:
Do you feel cross stitching requires patience?

Of course it requires patience; it is not something that can be done instantly. It takes time to complete a design. The larger the project the more time it takes. The more projects you want to do, the longer it takes to work through them. Yes at times I would like to blink and then have a completed project in front of me, but most of the time it’s the stitching that is just as important as the end result. When I stitch for other people I usually think of them as I stitch, so I end up putting a lot of love into the design.

September 06, 2004
Er... what do you do again??

How do you explain cross stitch to non-cross stitching people? Do they
get it or do they say "Oh, right.. you do knitting then (or sewing, or
needlepoint)"?

I don’t normally need to explain it all. I get asked what am I doing now, followed closer by my mum/grandmother does that. Yeah I know the majority of people think its an old lady pastime, but I’m not an old lady. So don’t dismiss it.

September 13, 2004
Small or large?

Thanks to Renee for this week's question:

Do you stitch small projects one at a time that you can finish quickly,
have numerous large projects going at once that you rotate,
or both? How does your current system work for you and have you
thought about changing it?

I’m normally a screaming rotator, what screams the loudest is what I work on. But usually what screams the loudest is my current gift stitching, which means I rarely get any time to stitch on something for me. This will change come the end of October when my Latin exam is over and done with, and I’ll have more time to stitch.

September 20, 2004
Shop Dreams

If you could design your dream needlework/cross stitch shop, what would it be like?

My dream shop would be large, it would have a large selection of hand dyed fabrics to fondle. It would have lots of yarn, silks and floss, a large range of patterns arranged logically. The best shop I seen for this was Wye Needlecraft, it also had a chair and table to allow easy browsing. There would be an area where you could sit and stith. There would be crochet and knitting and quilting and cross stitch supplies available. Friendly and knowledgeable staff, who are preferably easily distinguishable from the crowds of shoppers. It should be easily accessible with large free parking and be local to Milton Keynes. 

Stitching QoTW

2004-08-09T17:10:00.000+01:00

What would your stitching confession be?

I can't say I really have a confession as such. I don't automatically think no to aida. I'm more likely to swap out the fabric becuase its in the wrong colour, rather than the fact that its aida. My backs are never as neat as I would like them to be.

Other than that I dont really have any confessions.

Limited Luxuries

2004-08-06T11:56:00.000+01:00

If you had to choose between the services of a cook, maid, chauffer, or masseuse absolutely free, but only for a year which one would it be? Why?

My initial thoughts would be a chauffer as I hate to drive. But I know if I didn't drive for a year I would probably never drive again. So I would opt for a maid. Dave and I aren't the most tidiest of people. Yet we do enjoy a clean and tidy house for the few days we can keep it like that. Maybe if I had a house that was very clean and tidy for a year I would be able to keep it up for myself afterwards, as I'd become used to it.

Stitching Blog QotW

2004-08-05T11:22:00.000+01:00

If you could only finish one of the pieces in your stash as it is at the moment, what would it be and why?

Hmm Now this is a hard one, my thoughts will vary day by day hour by hour on this. My initial thoughts says Dinky Dyes 'Celtic Sister Sampler' that I'm sewing for my wonderful sister. Not for the design itself, becuase although I like the design, it is a bit tedious to stitch. I want to finish it becuase its for my sister.

If its to start and finish something in my stash with no input from me, it would be the Pheonix firestand Dave wants me to sew. I like it but becuase its a computer generated chart it has way too much noise hence confetti stitching to be an enjoyable stitch.

Welcome

2004-08-05T11:05:00.000+01:00

Welcome one and all to the life of me. I'm currently stitching on a birth sampler with a difference for a friend. B means a lot to me, and after years of trying she is finally pregnant. The lil one is due the day before my birthday.