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Post by bluejeans on Nov 3, 2023 11:31:11 GMT -5
Good Morning Cross Stitchers!
I joined a book of faces stitching challenge starting January 1, 2024, It's called "2024 Blessing Project Challenge". You start a new project on January 1, it can't be a WIP it has to be something new. The guidelines state “any design by any designer as long as it’s not controversial or offensive” and it meets the minimum size requirement of 100 stitches either height or width. If I can find it, the pattern that I want to stitch is a birth announcement for my grandbaby. I like stitching challenges because it keeps me motivated to stitch when some days I don't feel like it and I have been able to get projects finished.
Anyone else like doing stitching challenges? If so, what do you like about them?
Have a good stitching weekend everyone!
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Post by bluejeans on Nov 6, 2023 11:42:44 GMT -5
Good Morning Stitchers! I hope that everyone had a good weekend and were able to find some time to get some stitching done. I did finish my 3rd Little Stitch Girl Buffalo Plaid project, "Happy Fall Y'all". I love how it turned out and am happy with the colors that I used, changed them out to "Make it my own". I didn't pull out the Halloween afghan to work on but did start a new Halloween pattern from La De Da it is a freebie and it's called "Smell my Feet". I had some orange linen on hand along with black Sulky Floss and since most of the stitching in done in black, this should work out nicely and it should be a quick stitch. I love stitching with Sulky floss since it is a thicker floss than DMC and you can get by with only using one strand and you don't have to worry about your floss twisting.
Have a good start of the week everyone and enjoy your stitching!
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Post by bluejeans on Nov 7, 2023 12:04:10 GMT -5
Good Morning Stitchers!
I didn't get any stitching done last night, this time change really messed me up and I went to bed early. I was able to get some stitching in this morning before I left for work. I have a meeting tonight so I'm not sure how much stitching I will get done tonight. I did put a roast in the my crock pot along with some potatoes so supper will be ready when I get home after the meeting. I also remembered to grab a bag of plyarn for a friend who is using it to crochet matts for the homeless. I have a lot of bags that I need to cut up for her. I tried making matts a few years ago but then quit since it took so much time to cut up the bags and it had been a while since I had done any crocheting and my matt kept getting wider and wider! LOL I would rather spend my time cross stitching.
Anyone else have a hobby that they like to do or do you just have one hobby to keep yourself busy?
Have a good day and I hope that you find some time to get some stitching in.
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Post by bluejeans on Nov 8, 2023 11:37:51 GMT -5
Good Morning Stitchers! I was able to get some stitching in after my meeting last night. So glad that I had supper in the crock pot because the meeting ran really late. I even sent a message to my family during the meeting to go ahead and eat without me, just asked that they save some for me. I did get some stitching in this morning, working on a quick stitch and should have it finished by next week and then I need to find some fabric to use, I am going to make it into a pillow. I did find a couple of small freebies that I hope to stitch before Thanksgiving and make small pillows to put into the dough bowl that I purchased last fall. Have a good day of stitching everyone!
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Post by bluejeans on Nov 9, 2023 11:48:47 GMT -5
Good Morning Stitchers!
Well, I didn't get any stitching in last night, watched our college volleyball team play. I'm so glad that the local TV station broadcasts their games since tickets are very hard to come by. I did get some stitching in this morning and still plan on finishing this project by next week.
I also found a couple of free patterns that I am thinking about stitching and making them into small pillows, need something to put in the dough bowl that I purchased last fall and has been sitting in my craft room ever since. I think that I will look for some matching fabric for the 3 patterns this weekend.
Have a good day and hope and keep stitching!!
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Post by bluejeans on Nov 10, 2023 12:05:05 GMT -5
Happy Veterans Day everyone and if you served, thank you for your service.
I am still working on the "quick" project that I started this week. I still think that I can get it done before next week but I need to decide what color to use on the witch's socks. The pattern calls for orange but the fabric that I am stitching on is orange. I think that I have some sulky green that should work. There aren't any stores around that sell sulky threads and I don't want to order something on line and have to pay more for shipping then the thread costs. There is a quilt store close to my DD's that I might stop at to see if they have any threads like sulky thread that I can get. The Sulky thread that I am using is 12 wt so I only need to use one strand instead of 2 like I do when I stitch with DMC threads.
Have a good weekend and remember the veterans in our country, without them we would have no country to live in.
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Post by bluejeans on Nov 13, 2023 11:59:05 GMT -5
Good Morning Stitchers!
Well, I didn't get my project finished this weekend and decided to put it aside until I can find the right floss that I want to use to finished it. Everything that I have stitched on this project was stitched with black Sulky. The project is a witches' boots and socks and I know that I have some other Sulky floss colors around but looked for them last night and didn't find them. Maybe it would help if I cleaned out my craft room.
Does anyone have a craft room and if you do, how do you keep it organized so that you can find what you are looking for. I do have photo boxes that I purchased from different craft stores that I keep my floss in. If I have patterns and the fabric that I plan to use together I have that I zippered storage bags that I purchased off of Amazon but I think that I need more of them. I need a place to store all of the projects that are stitched and waiting to be finished finished. Once I have the patterns finished by either finished they by flat fold or making them into a pillow I have boxes that I have purchased from Hobby Lobby to store them, I have almost one for each month, am missing a month or so but I need to figure out which months I am missing. I plan on taking Wednesday off so that I can get some personal paperwork done and then if I have time start working on my craft room.
Did anyone start or finish a project this weekend? Would love to hear what everyone is working on. Have a good Monday and hope that you can find some you time to do what you love to do.
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Post by bluejeans on Nov 14, 2023 11:40:09 GMT -5
Good Morning Stitchers!
I was able to get some stitching in this morning before I headed into work. Not sure if I will stitch any tonight, since it gets dark out so early in the evening, it's hard to stitch even with good overhead lighting. We have a couple of skylights above where I stitch so I get good sunlight in the mornings and it's easier to see the lighter colors. I am stitching a darker color right now so might try and see if it's easier to stitch then the light colors. The other color is a white and I had stitching white, they stitches never seem to lay nice. Anyone else have trouble with lighter floss not laying nice? If so, have you found anything that helps? I do railroad all my stitches and it has helped a little, still not happy with the way the lighter colors look.
Have a good Tuesday and keep stitching!
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Post by bluejeans on Nov 16, 2023 11:45:02 GMT -5
Good Morning everyone!
I took yesterday off from work to work on my craft room and I didn't even opened the door to the room. I needed to get caught up on some paperwork and it took longer than I thought that it would.
I did get some stitching in yesterday and today. It's a fun stitch but I think that it will take longer than I planned.
I was looking at a counted cross stitch book of faces group that I like to follow and a member was complaining that someone was taking her finished project and posting it to the same group saying that it was her work. This scammer posted 2 very large projects to the page claiming that she started and finished both projects over the weekend. When the original poster called her out about it there was another cross stitcher who claims that cross stitchers would never do such a thing.
I just wonder why someone would claim someone else's work as their own. Any ideas?
Have a good stitching day everyone.
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Post by bluejeans on Nov 17, 2023 11:30:34 GMT -5
Good Morning Stitchers!
Hope that everyone has been able to get some stitching done this week. I have been working on the Little Stitch Girl's Let it Snow. I love how it is going. I will not be stitching tonight, our college girls have a volleyball game that I plan on watching. I do plan on making some plarn during the game. I have a lot of strips cut and plan on looping them together. One of the ladies in my church is making mats for the homeless and I am doing this to help her out.
Have a good weekend everyone and I hope that you can find some to get some stitching in.
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Post by bluejeans on Nov 20, 2023 11:34:24 GMT -5
Good Morning Stitchers!
I didn't get as much stitching in as I would have liked this weekend, need to start getting ready for Thanksgiving. We also have a house guest that has brought their 2 cats with them, no idea how long they will be staying. The one cat is a fraidy cat and we have only seen her once. The other cat is a 18 week kitten who was left home by himself for the first time since they arrived. The kitten did come and check out what I was working on this morning, sitting on the back of my recliner and sniffing my hair as he watched me stitch. I have to make sure that I put my stitching away so that neither cat can get into it.
We will be hosting Thanksgiving on Thursday, most of the family will be coming over. I haven't even purchased my turkey yet but plan to tonight after work. I am working my on grocery list and menu and hope that I don't have to stop at the store after tonight.
Have a good start of the week everyone and I hope that you can get some stitching time in sometime today.
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Post by bluejeans on Nov 21, 2023 12:17:36 GMT -5
Good Morning Stitchers,
I'm not getting much stitched the past few days, good thing that what I am working on is a January project. I did get a little stitching in this morning before I left for work and I hope that I'm not too tired tonight to get just a bit of stitching done.
I now have a stitching partner. Our house guests brought with them 2 cats, one is just a kitten and the other is an older cat. The kitten likes to sit on the back of my chair and watch what I am doing, so far he has kept out of my basket and I do need to make sure that I am putting my stitching away so that he can't get at it. I am worried about his black cat hairs getting into my stitching. Any suggestions on how to keep the cat hair out of my projects?
Have a good day everyone!
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Post by bluejeans on Nov 27, 2023 12:16:39 GMT -5
Good Morning Stitchers!!
I had a nice long weekend, took Wednesday off to get ready for Thanksgiving. Our family was all home on Thursday and we had a nice time. I don't remember if I got any stitching done on Thursday but did get a little in on Wednesday. Friday my DH and DB went to the college football game so I had alone time and get some stitching in. I'm am getting close to finishing the January "Let it Snow" by Little Stitch Girl. There is one color that I am thinking about changing, she used red for the lettering and I'm scared that it will bleed so I am thinking about stitching the wording in the dark blue that is used in the rest of the pattern. I know that I could try to "set" the red but soaking it in a water vinegar mixture but I'm still worried about it bleeding.
Anyone ever "set" a red and then have it bleed? If you have had good luck with setting a color, what did you use? Have you done it with DMC floss? Any ideas would be appreciated.
I did take advantage of Fat Quarter Shop's black Friday sale. I ordered a couple patterns that I have been looking at. I also ordered some items that Stitching with the Housewives use to finish their projects. Now I have no excuse on not working on getting started on finishing some of my finished cross stitch projects.
Have a good start to the week everyone and hope that you can find some stitching time.
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Post by bluejeans on Nov 28, 2023 11:38:26 GMT -5
Good Morning Stitchers!
I got a lot stitched this morning, last night, not so much. I would like to finished this project this week so will need to make sure to do some work on it in the evenings.
DH and I are going to a wedding in December which is 3 hours from home. I need to find a project that I can take with me so that I have something to do while DH is driving. I love it when we take road trips since I can get some uninterrupted stitching in. I do have a small Thanksgiving pattern that I was able to download for free that I think I will kit up, I know that I have fabric that will work well with it and should be able to find the different floss colors in my stash.
Just wondering in anyone else loves stitching on road trips as much as I do? I can't read in the car but stitching hasn't been a bother. I think it's because I look up every couple of stitches to look around and also check out the pattern so I am not just looking at my stitching.
Have a good Tuesday everyone and hope that you can get some you time in and stitch.
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Post by bluejeans on Nov 29, 2023 11:44:36 GMT -5
Good Morning Stitchers!
So glad that it's the middle of the week already. I plan on taking Friday off to bake for our Church's bake sale this weekend. The baking will cut into my stitching time but that's OK. The last couple of years the church ladies have asked for any used cookie tins, they use them when they sell the cookies. It's a good idea and I know that last year I cleaned out my stash and donated them to the cause.
I stopped at the grocery store last night and picked up some kisses and couldn't believe how much they have gone up in in price. I usually make a couple batches of peanut blossom cookies with a kiss in the middle but this year I think I will only do one batch, some for the church and the rest for my family.
I did get some stitching time in this morning before I left for work, the project is coming along nicely.
Have a good hump day everyone and hoping that you can find some time to stitch!
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Post by bluejeans on Nov 30, 2023 11:46:43 GMT -5
Good Morning Stitchers!
I'm getting closer to a finish! Hoping that I can get my WIP done over the weekend and then start a pattern that I hope to take with me next Saturday when we go to a wedding that is 3 1/2 hour away.
Just wondering if anyone has ever entered their stitching in the local fairs or even State fairs? If you do, does the judge just slap a ribbon on it or do they give your feedback on your stitching? I have entered in our County fair but not happy that the judge just slaps a ribbon on it, no feedback or anything. The state fair judges do give you some feedback but it's harder to get my projects to the fair since it's in the middle of the state and I live on the east side. Last year I didn't enter anything because I was busy working on baby projects but hope to have a couple things finished to enter this year.
Have a good day everyone and enjoy your stitching!
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Post by bluejeans on Dec 5, 2023 11:51:41 GMT -5
Happy Tuesday Stitchers!
Well, I ended up having a 4 day weekend. I took Friday off to bake some cookies for my church's bake sale and then yesterday ended up taking the day off because I wasn't feeling well. I slept most of the morning and was feeling so poorly that I didn't even pick up my stitching! I am feeling better today and did stitch for a bit this morning before I left for work. I should have finished the project that I was working on this morning but had to take out most of what I stitched, not once but twice. Hopefully I can finish it tonight.
I did bring my next pattern to work today to make a working copy of it. It's nice that I work for my husband and that he doesn't mind me using the copy machine for my hobby. I always enlarge the pattern so that it is easier for me to see it when I am stitching. I did get this next project all kitted up and even had all the floss colors that I need to complete it.
Hope that everyone is feeling well and that none of you catch what I had yesterday. Happy Stitching Everyone!
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Post by bluejeans on Dec 6, 2023 12:07:04 GMT -5
Good Morning Stitchers!
I finally got my January Little Stitch Girl "Let it Snow" finished. This morning I got organized to start the next pattern in the series (I'm not even sure what the name of it is). It is stitched on light pink linen and I'm not sure that I like the fabric, it's a bit see through. I will have to be careful how I finish it so that it doesn't come through. The fabric that I have for this pattern is the called for fabric so I'm sure that it will be fine.
Not sure if I will get any stitching done tonight, I have to make a salad to take for a funeral tomorrow morning at our church. It's a new recipe so I hope that it's good. I got the recipe from a friend and I really liked it so I hope that I can do it justice.
Have a good Wednesday everyone!
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Post by bluejeans on Dec 7, 2023 11:22:55 GMT -5
Good Morning Stitchers! No stitching for me last night or this morning. I had too much going on after work last night, Bible study, grocery shopping at 2 different grocery stores and then I needed to fill up with gas before I headed home. I still needed to put everything away and make supper and by the time I got everything done I was too tired to start the new pattern.
This morning I didn't have time to stitch since I promised to make and drop off a salad at our church this morning for a funeral. I don't get called that often to bring something for a funeral luncheon so I don't feel like I can say no when I am called. I do know how much the families appreciate the meal after the service so that they can have time to visit with everyone who took time to come.
DH and I are going out of town this weekend and I still don't have a project to take with me, top of my list when I get home is to check out my stash and find something to bring. I do have a free pattern that I am thinking about but need to find the fabric that I know that I have somewhere in my mess of a craft room. I am also planning on using Sulky Thread to stitch it with so I wont have to worry about my stitches twisting.
Have a good Thursday, (I can't believe it's almost the weekend).
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Post by bluejeans on Dec 8, 2023 11:36:47 GMT -5
Happy Friday Stitchers!! I was able to find the fabric that I need for this weekend, it was in my craft room and it didn't even take much time to locate it. It's red Aida and I unfolded it and there must be 3 yards there. I only needed a piece 12 x 14 so I cut what I needed and then whip stitched the edges so that it doesn't ravel while I am working with it. I have no idea what I will do with all the rest of the fabric. This is a piece that my Mom's cousin gave me at our last family reunion. She said that she was cleaning out a closet and came across it and couldn't remember why she purchased so much fabric and what in the world she was going to make with it. She remembered that I cross stitch and gave it to me along with a couple of patterns and other cross stitch items. If this is an easy pattern to stitch I might stitch it again and make a small pillow for my cousin as a thank you for remembering me with her stash. I also had time this morning to thread 10 needles so that I don't have to worry about doing it while we are on the road tomorrow. I found this a while back and really like it for traveling, you can thread 10 needles and it keeps the threads for tangling, really works well. It's made by clover and I posted a link below. www.joann.com/clover-dome-thread-needle-case/2184992.html?gad_source=1Have a good day everyone!
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Post by bluejeans on Dec 11, 2023 12:09:42 GMT -5
Good Monday morning Stitchers!
I have a finished project!! The small Christmas project that I kitted up and took with me this weekend was finished this morning. I did learn that Christmas red Aida is not easy to stitch on while you are going someplace in the car. The fabric was too stiff and then holes were hard to see. I did get a good state on Saturday and then on Sunday, while coming home, I was able to get quite a bit stitched. I did find it much easier to stitch on while sitting in my place at home with an overhead light. I finished it this morning before coming into work and even had time to put my initials on it.
Just wondering if anyone else initials their work and if you do it the same every time or mix it up a bit. I just stitch my first and last initial and the year that I completed the project. I have only been doing this for a couple of years and looking back at what I stitched I wish that I would have started putting my initials on my projects from the very beginning.
Have a good week everyone and enjoy your stitching time!
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Post by bluejeans on Dec 12, 2023 11:27:55 GMT -5
Good Morning Stitchers!!
I started my next project this morning and got a good start to it. I'm working on another Little Stitch Girl pattern, it's the February buffalo plaid hearts pattern, not sure what the name is. The designer stitched it on linen and I'm not sure that I like working with the called for fabric but hoping that the material will be easier to work with the more that I stitch. This will be the 5th in the series that I am doing, would like to get them all finished and then get back to a couple projects that I have put aside.
I really should put all my WIPs in one place, just to see how many of them I have. Do any of you have more than one project started at a time? Or are you a one project at a time stitcher?
Have a good day and keep on stitching!!
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Post by bluejeans on Dec 13, 2023 11:15:12 GMT -5
Good Morning, I am looking for some fabric for a project that I would like to start. I reached out to my cross stitch supplier back in April asking for help and she replied saying that she would get back with me. She is having a huge on line fabric sale, her supplier isn't going to print some of the fabrics that he has in the past and I'm afraid that what I am wanting will be one of his designs. I do hope that she gets back to me in the next couple of day so that I can get what I want ordered.
Where does everyone get their fabrics, on line, at a local stitch shop, at a larger hobby store? Just wondering where I might find what I am looking for if my supplier can't get what I like.
Have a good stitching day!
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Post by bluejeans on Dec 14, 2023 11:34:34 GMT -5
Good Morning Stitchers!
I am still waiting for my supplier to get back to me about some fabric that I really would like to purchase. Not sure if I should send her another message, I hate to be a bother to her but it would be a sale if she had what I wanted to purchase.
Have a good day of stitching everyone!
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Post by bluejeans on Dec 15, 2023 11:08:52 GMT -5
Good Morning Stitchers!
Today would have been a good day to stay home and stitch, it's cloudy and wet! Oh well, at least I got some stitching in this morning.
I didn't stitch any last night, instead I watched the Volleyball semi finals. Both games were very good, I can't believe how hard those girls play and how fast they move after the ball. The finally will be on Sunday and it will be a fun game to watch.
Have a good day stitching everyone!
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