SBQ’s Thursday, Mar 8 2007

I seem to have missed a few SBQ’s, judging by them arriving in my inbox and left undeleted (aka unanswered).

- What is the smallest count fabric you have ever used? Did you stitch
over one? Conversely, what is the largest count fabric you have ever used?
I can’t brag about being a “small count-holic” because the smallest one is 18 (Aida). There were times when I managed on it quite well but now am finding the holes too small for my eyes. I did stitch over one - on Aida The largest count I ever used was Aida 11 and it was awful.

- Do you find yourself stitching faster when you are getting to the end
of a design?
By all means. “Darn. Just a little bit more left…hands ache. Persistence, here it comes…comes……whola, baby delivered! Pffff.” I recall I did the whole backstitching of The Castle in one evening. LOL.

- Do you use your needle, a seam ripper, or something else when you have
to frog stitches? Why do you use the method that you do?

I have a very handy seam ripper. Why use the needle and scissors, risking to cut the fabric, when you can have a secure cutting and ripping tool in one place.

The question influenced me to do some googling and it resulted in window-shopping: Handcrafted needlework tools.

Today husband, for the first time in many years, brought me flowers. I was thrilled.

Happy Woman’s day!

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Tuesday, Nov 14 2006

This is a post without pictures so you’ll have to imagine what I am talking about.

Yesterday I (very much in advance) bought a frame for “The Castle”. There were two things a bit out of the ordinary - the frames sizes available were quite different than my project’s size, finally measured as 42/45 cm. But I was mainly looking at the frame’s prices because if to order one esp. to be made for me would mean I *cannot* have a frame at all, so much they cost. Basically the difference between a ready frame and custom ordered is almost double cost, which is IMO ridiculous because they’d use absolutely the same materials. I decided a more standard 40/50 size will have to do, too. It’s yet to be seen how exactly the project will be positioned and if I’ll have to hide some parts of it so to fit well in the frame. But this is to be seen after it’s finished. The good thing is I have a frame for it and a very nice one.

The colors: taking a photo with webcam will not do any good. The interesting thing is I initially came in with an idea for a dark and “classic” type of frame but after I saw this one I just thought “this one is pointing itself to me.” I of course took the stitching with me to compare colors. The chosen frame is very different than anything I have by now because by now I was keeping to a more “Victorian” style in my room. The frame is more modern and bright colored - it’s light green with a small inside part left uncolored - light (almost ecru) wooden plank. Looking at this frame by itself it would fit to a more modern interior, but when I compared it and the project, both fit to each other quite well. By now I was imagining that the frame should be darker and the project brighter, here it’s the opposite and it is (at least IMO) bringing a very refreshing feeling.

Anyway, the final verdict is for when everything is finished and framed.

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Other people and CM Sunday, Oct 8 2006

How about this.

http://svetta.multiply.com/photos/photo/83/13

A bit puzzling why it’s put on the side but with such stand I’d go the other with double speed than usual (minding that my speed is already known as “illegal” ;))

/note to self: have husband finally make a stand. If there wasn’t so much work we have to do this days…

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Threads organization Tuesday, Sep 19 2006

Yesterday I for the first time thought of the advantage of kits vs charts: you just take it and start working on it, and when you get bored store it away and take another. That’s because I decided to (finally) try the new method of keeping *all* threads I have in one place while working on a project, taking out the color I need and then returning it back to the “number group”. “One place” didn’t worked out. They ended in two boxes, one large and one small and so this spoiled the intention. The speed with which I’d reach for and find a thread is related to the overal stitching speed. And having to open a second box is already spoiling it. But there’s no other way out. I did saw a storage rack similar to those in needlework shops. But it was 1. smaller than needed so it might not take all 400+ bobbins 2. horribly expensive for just a plastic box with drawers.

Anyway, hope for now the system will still work somehow. For TW projects I also left some space for keeping blended threads. I have to buy more threads for “The Castle” (20 skeins), and hope with this the “thread flow” will stop for a while

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counts, types of fabric Thursday, May 11 2006

…and me being an idiot, or rather uneducated brat. It is good that I didn’t do more trouble; being unfamiliar with evenweave count numbers as by now I only worked on Aida, I firstly bought 25 count evenweave only to discover that it equals to Aida 14 (mean: too big). I’ve then went and started torturing the needlework shop owner to find me count 28 as they don’t have it currently in stock. Good that she’s also my friend otherwise the amount of mentral preassure I am putting on her would be too much if done to a stranger. You see, I naturally expected that if there is 14 and the next step is 16, with 25 the next step should be 28 (what kind of logic is there? not sure.) Only today I accidentally discovered that Aida 16 equals to count 32. …suppose so. At least next time I will know that it is better to ASK first. There are people who after all know. ..I suppose

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DMC needles Saturday, Apr 29 2006

These days I am more concentrated on gaming (Age of Wonders II) rather than stitching, but there's something to mention - an aquisition of a new type of needle. An original DMC number 28. They're neither a double-needle or anything special but are doing a great job. Initially I chose them because of the beading - such size of needles have a very thin eye and since I am using very small beads I bought them for this purpose.

 

It seems in US there's a different numbering system (not sure), but I wasn't able to find this needles online (on the US DMC site). Their article number is 1693.

This needles are a bit difficult to thread again because of the eye size. But to my surprise they appear to keep the thread so tight that they allow you to stitch without being afraid that the thread will go loose at some point and having to pull it back. In other words the thread stays like glued in the eye *g* I was a bit concerned that the tightness of such grasp might cut the thread in half while in the eye, but by now nothing like that happens.

All this makes you able to keep stitching with bit more of the floss than otherwise, so it creates less leftovers.

Very comfortable to use and perhaps even money saving. Recommended.

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