Stitching Bloggers' Question of the Week

Do you do anything special to your threads before putting them throughyour fabric to make them more manageable?

I've tried Thread Heaven and don't know why, but it just doesn't do well for me. Personally, I've found the most effective way for me to get thread to lie flat and not tangle is to lightly wet the tips of my thumb and forefinger and run the threads through them, twisting them flat as I go, then run them through the dry portion of my fingertips the 2nd time. I've never had any trouble with even hand-dyed threads running colors this way, and I like the manageability it gives me on the fabric.

Back to the races! And a finish!

Here is a new PS leaflet I love, and to the right, a piece of 32ct lambswool linen for the larger sampler. I'm really in love with that fabric. It has such a homespun look. The next pattern is one I've shown before---Remember Me by My Big Toe Designs, and the spring green meadow linen it calls for, that, in combination with the 3 skeins of WDW Soot, and the 1 skein of WDW of Currant (all at right of chart), looks for all the world like an antique, and I love it.

I'm still throwing out, putting away, inventorying, taking pix (think I need a new digital camera), and stitching away.

Above you see one of those nice expensive Zweigart magazines (this one is fallish), of which I'm not buying anymore, LHN Scripture thread pack Faith, Peace, and Country Cottage Needleworks' Home Sweet Home. They're all so beauriful stitched up. Barely discernable because of my crummy camera, on top of the magazine are 3 little plastic boxes of Doodles (by Hobb-Nob) charts with buttons to use on fabric scraps.

These are a couple more stash pix I overlooked before, but I just received more in the mail since then. Got some things from a girl named Barb, I met at retreat who buys old charts, makes these great pillow covers, wallhangings for you to insert your own needlework, and Q-Snap covers. Now I see she has frame covers she designed for pieces left on your stitching stand when not working on them. Besides her Q-Snap covers (on sale this month), I found 4 old charts I was thrilled to get. She has a shop on eBay. Pix of that purchase later. I got my birthday order from Needlecraft Corner, and a very exciting order from Mary Kathryn, who wraps orders up like a present. All these things to be shown later. I'm working with my camera, which I'm ready to throw out the window.

I finished a piece for my DD, which is being framed, probably ready tomorrow. This is Trilogy's "Winter Line Up." Vanessa is a snowman and penguin collector. This one killed 2 birds with 1

stone.

Stitching Bloggers' Question of the Week

What tips would you give to a new stitcher to help her stitch faster and neater while still keeping it enjoyable?

First of all, I would tell a new stitcher to count, count, and count again to save time frogging in the long run. If stitching a faitly simple stitch border around, I would tell her to cross every 10th stitch to help her keep track without having to count every few stitches, then go back and stitch back the other way, making sure the count is still coreect as she goes. I would also tell her that stitching the border first is a great way to get a foundation on which to use as a guide for the placement of the stitching inside. Railroading makes a big difference in keeping stitches flat, untwisted, and very neat. Another tip to share with her is not to cut her threads over 18" long to prevent fraying and knotting. The backs shouldn't be dwealt upon, but backs kept neat will also affect the good looks on the front. Using the loop method to start when possible keeps down bulk; also anchoring vertically as well as horizontally sometimes works better in some areas. To keep it enjoyable, practice these tips till they get to be automatic, and the speed will come naturally after a time. Look at the tachniques as a art to be mastered, and it will be more enjoyable than turning out a piece with twisted threads, messes on back, and miscounted mistakes that drive you nuts.

I think I need to follow my own advice, LOL. I have a piece right now on which I'm trying to deal with a counting mistake so that only I will know. My redemption is that it's a gift for my DD, and I know for sure she'll never know the difference.

Just Too Tired....

to take any more pix of stash or WIPs, or anything else, for that matter. I'm so disappointed in my pix of the framed pieces I got back, and I don't understand why the thumbnails don't lend themselves to larger pix instead of the opening or saving of the images, as they are now. I've tried to delete and start over, but it came out the same. I don't know what the hell I've done wrong, and I'm just burned out!

I've spent the whole day at the computer, entering piled-up stash, visiting blogs, leaving comments, and trying to catch up with emails. It's overwhelming, and I must take a complete day off tomorrow to just relax and work on my stitched gifts. No pix, no computer tomorrow. I have laundry to do to get Richard ready for his work week north of here, and I have a few little chores here at home, but my meals are simply planned, and it's going to be a "me stitch" day. Maybe from that, I will have some WIP pix to show at the first of next week, along with the remainder of my still-ample stash to show.

I can barely see the monitor, and I'm looking forward to going to bed and forgetting about my sewing room and organizing for at least 24 hours. Oh, soooooo tired..... off to bed.... in the wee hours. As you may, or may not, know, I'm a night owl.