I've been thinking for awhile on stitching speed. I always read that the "average" stitcher can do a one-colored 10 x 10 block of stitches in an hour, or 100 stitches an hour. Then I see all these blogs (not just one, but MANY) where they do an incredible amount of stitching every day and I think, even if I could sit and stitch all day, there is no way I could do that. Am I a (gulp) slllllllooooowww stitcher? I think I must be. If I had more mojo I'd clock myself doing that block of 100 and see. Anyone time themselves? Have any tips? The double ended needles are beyond me, other than that and pre-threaded needles, I don't know of anything to go faster!


Here is my progress on The Sampler Girl Pinkwork Sampler 1837. I've worked on it for two nights for a total of 2.5 hours (while watching the Japanese Ninja Warrior gameshow --who knew there were female sumo wrestlers??) and am probably about 1/5 done with it. I really love the dark red of the Cherrybark on it. I was thinking for the initials inside the heart I might go for a brighter red as a little contrast, not sure yet. I'm really enjoying the fabric except 28 count seems so big. Guess I'd better get used to it, my eyes are getting O-L-D!

Labels: fabric, Pinkwork Sampler 1837, The Sampler Girl

Here you see my new start from 2 nights ago, With Thy Needle and Thread's Simply Angelic. I really have some kind of mental block with starting new projects lately. I've never really been a kit person but perhaps I need to be, I am having a really hard time choosing thread and fabric for anything. Because of this I chose hastily (oh and it was midnight and I wanted to start a little before bed!) and it didn't work. The fabric is really more suited to Halloween (one of my Oops and Oddments) and I knew that but I tried to force it, I guess. Then the thread I dug out of my baggie of stuff that sits in my folder and "made do" with, simply didn't "do", the colors really aren't working for me.

To cap it off, I started in the wrong place and will run out of room at the bottom . Go, me! Hurrah for midnight stitching (like Tanya over At the Honeysuckle Tree, when will I learn, sleepy stitching doesn't pay!).

So last night (yes, midnight) I dug up some new thread (this time running through my Vicki Clayton silks, delicious) and went with another Oops and Oddments, an Attic Antique gone wrong kind of fabric. I had an awful time choosing the silks and by the time Evil Puppy and I had finished the floss toss I was too tired to even think of stitching. E.P. was actually stationary for a bit (I gave her a rawhide), so we cuddled up with DH and watched the Amazing Race season 9 marathon we tivoed last weekend. We didn't figure out till season 13 reruns that all of us really love this show!!! Must hunt down DVDs somewhere. I'd love to sit and stitch to all 12 episodes but have too much bookkeeping work since tax time is upon us. I have a deadline this weekend but maybe I can fit in a restart of Simply Angelic. I am fighting the urge to just scrap it and start on something else--but then I'd have to narrow my choices down and find supplies all over again, ARGH! Maybe I need to pull out a pine mountain or Shepherd's Bush, they are the only kits I can stand...

Labels: amazing race, fabric, simply angelic, with thy needle and thread

Oh the joy of sending off another order, I love fabric dying! And thanks to everyone that's taken a look at my pretties, more thanks to those who have tried them out :)

I had a long whiny post for you about missing the Nashville market but have decided in my benevolence to spare us all. Suffice it to say, Nashville market does not go by unnoticed around here, I'm just now able to bring myself to look at all the new goodies without lamenting that I couldn't see them in person or that I didn't have any of my own new releases this year. End whine.

My stitching mojo has been found!! It only took me herniating a disc in my back and my husband getting in a car accident the same week for me to realize if I expected to survive without my head exploding in a giant ball of frazzled nerves I'd darn well better start flossing up my needle and making therapeutic x's once more. Behold, the last picture of the fruits of my labor...
I actually finished this piece on Saturday night during a Charmed marathon with my sister. She is having the need for therapeutic x's as well so I set her up with L*K's Big Girl Panties. She insists Charmed is our next big addiction for TV and stitching...we shall see. I could just as easily do Las Vegas, Corner Gas, McLeod's Daughters...I'll stop there. Anyhoo, I realized I have to finish this piece into something, and the idea was totally unappealing. And then...it hit me...what if..no, no, I can't think it...what if...I...did...NOT...finish...it...and...instead...put...it...away...for...later? A lot of you do this. Some of you have drawers, some of you have rubbermaid tubs, and the world has not ended. And so, rebel that I am, I give myself full permission to stitch anything I want without having to actually make it into something. Thank you all for liberating me!!

And now, once again, the dilemma, what to stitch next???? I have to say The Primitive Needle seems to be channeling where Birds of a Feather left off and so this and this make me want to scream, "Get into MAH (my) belly!!" which in normal speak = Please immediately fall into my lap now now now now now :) I see they also have a Yule one which might make me break my no Xmas stitching rule. I actually was designing a sampler very similar to the Hallow one but they did it way better!! Seasonally though, I should really stitch this, it's summery and has an awesome ugly bird and BOOBS on the mermaid, I totally have a thing for stitched mermaid boobs.
Ultimately, I think I will stitch this next as I already have it plus I have the ugliest fabric of mine that I am dying to use that would be perfect. But mermaid...boobs...how can I not??

We sent our oldest minion off to San Diego yesterday for the week with his school. He will have a great time, and I have a week off!!! Feeding and walking evil puppy myself and taking out trash is a small price to pay for an attitudeless, know-it-all free week I am used to him being gone on trips since he's been doing that with scouting for awhile. Speaking of evil puppy, this is a completely unedited photo of her from last night. I always thought there was something strange about her...

Labels: birds of a feather, dogs, evil puppy, fabric, finish, kids, LHN Stars and Stripes, the primitive needle, tv shows, with thy needle and thread

Enter my fabric naming contest for our newest color...

Labels: contest, fabric

How did we go from August to November? I have been reading blogs when I can but didn't have much to share on my blog until now.

Labels: fabric, fair and square, finish, freebie, SNS designs

I am seriously grumpy this week, no doubt due to the lack of stitching I have done. To bask in my mood, I bought these great Special Edition Fiskars with skulls on the blades. Make sure you click the pic, these are awesome. I need to find or design a suitably dark fob to go along with these. I picked up a pair for my daughter and then a few extra. If anyone would like one, I picked them up for $10 and would be happy to extend that price plus actual shipping.

Things are a bit grim in my world, my DH's hours have been cut from 40 to 20 per week and with his disability it will be nearly impossible for him to get another job, it took him a year to get this one. This means I need to pick up the slack, hence the fabric dyeing going from wholesale to retail. I think I'm due for a midlife crisis...

Thanks Michele and Karen V. for stopping by yesterday and leaving comments, I am definitely a comment whore junkie.

And on a bright note, I do know I am very blessed with family, friends, etc. so I will try to focus on that and not on the fact that DH is home 4 days a week and making me crazy crazier.

Labels: fabric, grumpy, jobs, scissors

Labels: fabric

We're dyeing fabric for more than exclusive kits now. I would like to stay low key because I've seen so many fabric places come and go but if you like what you see, let me know!

These are ready to go (the pictures are 8" x 14" scans), paypal and checks accepted.

Labels: fabric