I WILL finish it today.

I'm determined. I've been less than a thousand stitches away from finishing Romy's Austrian Spot Sampler for almost a week now. I'm now down to one motif and the corner of the borders. But as usual when close to a finish I can't concentrate on stitching for more than a minute or two at a time. Well that and the Olympics being on, it's hard to tear myself away to stitch. Canada had a fantastic day yesterday, my voice is definitely suffering after last nights spectacular game against Russia.

So much was made about the game against the US last week, that I think people forgot about Canada's decades old rivalry with the Russians. Canada dominated hockey for decades until the Russians took it over in the 50's. Even with the fall of the Iron Curtain, Russia has always been a squad to be reckoned with, and they went into this Olympic tournament ranked first and were a favourite to win it. The Canadian team did what they have been unable to do for over 50 years last night - beat the Russians in the Olympics. Way to go boys. You looked fantastic. Keep it up!

I still haven't gotten my materials for my models. It's sad that my ability to do my job as a designer largely depends on our deplorable postal service. I've decided that once I get my sample threads I'm going to decide on colours for the next 8 designs all at once and get them all ordered. Since I won't be needing them right away (given the next 8 designs aren't totally complete yet, but in various stages) they might arrive in a more timely fashion as it only seems to be the times that I really need things that they take forever to arrive. To say I'm frustrated would be an understatement. I know I keep grumbling about it, but I can't help it.

Back the spot sampler - I love this piece, it is so beautiful stitched up. Romy has a wonderful style, her designs have a very timeless elegance. I've really enjoyed stitching this one, and will no doubt enjoy stitching the rest someday. Not sure what I'll work on after I finish this one, I might just close my eyes and grab a project bag. I got my perle silk for the Whitework sampler yesterday, but I'm not gonna start it just yet, I want that to be my reward for finishing my hearts model!

Well, off to shower, then a quick trip into Brantford to get my new contact lenses, and back home to watch more Olympics!

Excitement waning... frustration growing!

Why is it when I really need something to arrive in timely fashion, it takes weeks and weeks????

My fabric and NPI threads for my hearts sampler... still not here. 3 weeks now. My Belle Soie? 3 weeks on Monday. My personal stash? Still AWOL after 3 weeks. ARGH! It's annoying that USPS First Class mail doesn't include tracking!!!

While I'm ranting I'd like to include a few more for good measure...

First, ebay. What the heck is up with ebay? I was trying to bid on an item the other day. It took so long for the page to refresh and bring up the bid now option, that the auction ended before it loaded. It's been really slow like that since they changed their display format a few months ago. I have the latest versions of IE, Firefox and Google Chrome and it does it on all of them. I have a quad core, 3GB of RAM and a 2GB video card running Windows 7 - so it isn't my computer speed. It also did this on XP, so it's not the operating system. And I have a 5 meg internet connection, so that's not the issue either. It's ebay. Why the heck did they have to ruin it???

While on the topic of ebay, I have a few pet peeves about sellers on ebay.

1. I buy a fair number of silk threads and yarns on ebay, so most of my searches include the word "silk". Rayon is not silk. Anchor is not silk. DMC is not silk. Why the heck do people list something as a lot of "embroidery silks" and then in the description say "100 skeins of anchor cotton threads". Cotton isn't silk, it's misrepresentation and it's annoying as all get out. Further to this point - don't list "art silk" as 100% silk thread. Art silk is rayon, sometimes containing a small percentage of silk, but generally mostly rayon. Lugana, Jobelan and Aida are not linen. Linen is not a broad spectrum term for cross stitch fabric. Linen is linen. If you truly don't know what it is you're listing, then put good closeup pictures of the labels and/or what the labels have written on them in the description.

2. Shipping. What does it matter if you have to ship outside of the US? I'm paying for the shipping, so what's the issue? International shipping generally involves a little slip of paper that you have to fill out - what the item is and it's value. Less than a minute to fill out. Apparently this is too much of a hassle for some people to do. It annoys me because lots of times I'll see an auction I'd like to bid on, then see "no international shipping" and the item goes for a lot less than I would have bid on it. I figure it serves the person right, if you won't ship to me, you deserve to get a piddly amount for your auction.

Finally - 3. List things in the right category. If I want to look at cross stitch kits, I'll go to the category called cross stitch kits. I get so sick of going to check out cross stitch floss only to have a huge section of listings for cross stitch charts or kits - most of which are from a couple of Chinese companies, and most of which are copyright infringing rip offs of other companies' designs. If I want machine embroidery thread, why the heck would I click on hand embroidery thread? Put the stupid listing in machine embroidery thread!! GRRR

But, enough about ebay. My next rant... customers. One of these days I'm going to snap and say one or all of the following:
1. I only have two hands, and I'm already using them with the customer that is three people ahead of you in line, but if you insist on butting in and interrupting, I'll gladly sprout a third arm out my butt to slice your meat for you right this second.
2. Clearing your throat six times, crossing your arms and tapping your foot isn't going to speed me up, especially when I've already told you that I'll be with you in just one moment, I need sanitize the equipment. I have food safety standards I have to adhere to, but if you want e-coli, I'd be happy to serve you right this second.
3. I work in the deli department, as indicated by the big huge sign over my head that says DELI. Much as I'd like to be omnipotent in this store, I can't slice your bread for you. See that big sign over there that says BAKERY? They'd be happy to help you with that. Nor do I have the equipment to core your pineapple, steam your lobster or cut you a prime rib roast. I'm good, but I'm not that good.
4. The fact that all the lights in the department are turned off and you don't see any staff in it is a good indication that the department isn't open yet, but by all means, stand there and peer into the dark counter for the next fifteen minutes until someone notices you're there and informs you that the department isn't open yet.
5. I don't even have the time to empty my dangerously full bladder at the moment, but sure, I'll give you a guided tour of the store and be your personal shopper for the next half an hour. It's what I live for.
6. Please continue talking on your cell phone while I'm trying to take your order. While you're at it, can you hold your hand up to me or shush me so that you can talk? I really love it when you do that. I live to serve you and have nothing better to do than to wait for you to finish.
7. No, the chickens aren't ready. It's six o'clock in the morning. If you'd like one right this minute, I can use my trusty blowtorch and cook one for you. Just wait right there a moment. OR No, the chickens aren't ready. I'm terribly sorry, in future I'll plan my day around your need for chicken at six o'clock in the morning. OR Yes, the chickens are right in front of you, but they're only visible after ten AM.

There are lots more of those, but those are the ones that spring to mind at the moment. I have actually used the last one about invisible chickens before. Luckily the customer had a good sense of humour!

I'm in a bad mood. I had a rough day at work, and a couple of us are getting really ticked off with other people not pulling their weight. To make matters worse, said person then had the nerve to complain about how tired she was after a very busy day. What busy day? You served 10 customers and made a couple of pizzas in 7 hours. The rest of us served a hundred or more each and did 3 times the production you did!!!!

I'm sleep deprived too - I blame the Olympics, I have to see what happens even though I know I have to be up early for work. I figure it's only once every 4 years, so I'll live with being grumpy for a couple weeks. Thankfully, I have a day off tomorrow and I can sleep in.

And I don't know what I did, but my right shoulder is screaming in pain. I want to go relax and stitch, but I have a feeling it's going to hurt too much. :( I'm sure as heck going to try though.

In honour of the Olympics...

First, I just have to get this out of the way.... what a heart stopping hockey game that was. I literally have no voice left - I'm one of those people who seem to think the players can hear me screaming at them through the television. But thankfully, Canada got it done in the end. We really have to pick it up again if we want the gold - performances like tonight just aren't going to do it. And what the heck was up with Iginla? I hope he's not injured, I know he got an elbow to the head but he seemed to be okay, but he sat out most of the 3rd period. The next game is going to be a tough one, so I hope he's fine.

GO CANADA!!!!!!! Having just watched the medal ceremonies for speed skating, I'm all choked up. :') Very proud to be Canadian.

Anyway... In honour of the Olympics, I've decided to have a contest. I've been thinking about what kind of contest for a while now, and I thought this would be a great opportunity. :)

I've been dying to see some pictures from stitchers - finishes or even works in progress, so the contest is just that! Send me pictures! Contest details here: http://northernexpressions.blogspot.com/p/contest.html

A couple more stitchy parcels have arrived! Unfortunately none that I need for model stitching, but some nice ones just the same. :) And order from HDF of Delphinium and Ocean Pools. Now, these aren't standard thread colours, they are new additions to the ribbon line, but I ordered them in silk thread because they're just so pretty - and IRL they are more than pretty, they're breathtaking! Now I know these aren't "official" colours, but the beauty of HDF is that if you want it, and you can convince others to want it, you can always request Vikki dye more of it in her Custom Spool forum. :) Just beware - that custom spool forum is very addictive!

I also got a wonderful order from Traditional Stitches - Janice has started carrying Weddigen linen in 36 count (well I counted it out to 35 count) in a gorgeous creamy colour. It's got a lovely soft hand to it, and it's very affordable. I'm dying to give it a test drive, but it will have to wait a little while, I have waaaay too much on the go. But I am almost finished the Austrian Spot Sampler - just a small bit at the bottom to go now. Been working on this one as my take to work piece and here and there at home, but I think I'll try and finish it before I rotate it out again, it's so close!

And now I'm rambling... been up since 4:30 and my brain just isn't working anymore. I really need to go to bed, but how I'm going to sleep tonight is a mystery - I'm so wired after that game! I suppose I'd better try though, I have to work at 6am again!

Getting excited...

My first package of goodies arrived on Friday, and I'm awaiting several more packages of goodies to come as I prepare to dig in and do some serious model stitching over the next few months.

I received a parcel from Gloriana of GORGEOUS Vanilla, in silk floss and silk perle for my hearts sampler. This is one of those "must have" colours for any silk enthusiast. It's a soft variation from a light cream to a deeper, richer cream, and is wonderful for soooo many things. I'll be using it for the lace in the design, but I really forsee several designs in future using it. It's so versatile, it could be used on a dark fabic for monochrome stitching, on light fabric for whitework style stitching, and that tiny bit of variation just adds an antique elegance I can't explain in words. Now I have to wait (not so) patiently for the NPI threads and Lakeside linen to get here so I can dive in head first! I still haven't officially named this design, and I'm open to suggestions. Temporarily, I've been calling it "Victorian Hearts", but that might change yet.

I'm also awaiting a BIG parcel from Arizona... I finally ordered the Crescent Colours Belle Soie silk set and I'm eagerly anticipating some serious silk fondling. I've been picking up a few colours of this thread here and there, and I'm in love with Sharon's style. She's got a real eye for sampler colours, her threads have a beautiful flow from light to dark shades and are just awesome to use in substitution for solid colours. While I love the bold colours from Dinky Dyes, and I love the dramatic colours from Gloriana, I think this series will make a lovely compliment to both of these in future designs. And since I have sooooo many new designs coming, what better time to increase my arsenal of thread colours?

On the design front - I'm waiting for my Belle Soie to pick colours for a few more new designs. Forget me nots are ready to stitch, Tulips and Daffodils are almost there, and Daisies are well underway. Still to come are quite probably Violets, Roses, Tiger Lilies and Bluebells. I'm going to have so much fun picking colours for these! And I'm excited, because the aida stitchers out there will finally be able to stitch something of mine, because this whole series is just plain old cross stitch. Of course I'll be stitching mine on 40ct Magnolia. ;)

I've also started work on a new band sampler. It will be a monochrome and quite probably be stitched in Gloriana's Vanilla as well. I really, really, really want to stitch this on a burgundy red fabric, though I'm having a tough time finding one in 40ct. I've found a couple, but they're either not widely available to stitchers or they're just plain too expensive to justify using. I may have to just accept that 40ct might not happen this time and just go with 32ct, since Ruby Wine Belfast is exactly the colour I'm looking for. This one will be a combination of cross stitch and specialty stitches as are most of my designs, and what I really want to play up in this one is texture. I anticipate that this will use silk floss, silk perle in two weights and quite possibly wool thread to accomplish this, but who knows until I really get going. :)

I'm also expecting some personal stash... I ordered a whole bunch of Carrie's Creations silks, I've been itching to try them out. I also finally caught up my collections to the most current colours - of course with Nashville this weekend, I'll have to catch up again in a week. And I ordered something "just for me". I finally kitted up Alpine Garden. Of course, I won't be starting it until I finish up with the two Chatelaines I already have on the go, and I'll be doing a whole lot of model stitching in the next while, but at least now it's ordered and I CAN start it when I finish my other two Chatelaines. Alhambra and Romantic Rose Garden are both about 2/3 done now. And I ordered a hank of silk perle #12 from HDF for my Whitework Sampler, and a couple of custom colours in really bright blues. I also really want to order the Mini of the Month colours, as Vikki's added a couple new reds that look interesting and I'd like to check them out, but that will have to wait until later in the month as I have a ton of model threads I need to buy first!

On another note, and touching back on my ever growing "thread arsenal"... I'm going through a bit of a dilemma, which is, "how much thread do I really need?". First, here's what I have... an NPI colour card, and full collections of Gloriana, Dinky Dyes and soon Belle Soie. I also have an almost complete tag set from HDF, a colour sample set from Eterna, and a full set of Sassy's Strings but I use those more for conversions than anything else now, simply because of their lack of availability to stitchers who don't use the internet to get their supplies.

Here's my dilemma. In doing some business planning, I've been trying to figure out what I still want/need to get to complete my thread arsenal. I know I have a decent collection going on, and that some may see future collecting as overkill or me being greedy, but I like to have my bases covered. I'd rather have ten choices for "the perfect blue" than have to search for one through pictures over the internet! I also know that not all threads are available at every shop, and it's important to me to be able to work with shops and stitchers alike to find colours that will work well for them in whatever is readily available to them. My decisions on what sets to buy largely depends on three factors. Do they have colours that are different enough from other companies? How easy is it for me to get samples and/or model threads? And finally, are they widely available to stitchers everywhere?

I'm fairly sure that at some point I will pick up the full line of Silk n' Colors, I do love the colours in this line, and I can see using them often. They're widely available in needlework shops everywhere and have a great array of colours. The company makes it very easy to purchase threads for models and colour samples. However, it's a big set - about 350 colours - even for a sample set it's a bit on the expensive side for me to purchase all at once. So I've already resigned myself to the fact that this will have to wait a while, but it will happen eventually.

I want an AVAS colour card, but I have a huge debate raging in my head about it. I love AVAS, and I love the huge selection of colours that they do. I use them frequently in my own personal stitching so I generally have a good supply on hand. The other benefit is that the shades that I find NPI's range lacks, AVAS has, so it's a good supplement to the solid colours I already have. I would also like to have it so that I can do conversions for shops that do carry AVAS instead of NPI. As far as how easy it is to aquire threads for models, I simply don't know at this point, I haven't yet needed to investigate this avenue. So I will probably get one when I come across a colour I need that NPI is missing. I do have a pretty huge collection of these already in my stash, so I might not need the card anytime soon.

As far as solid threads go, there is also the Splendor angle to consider. While I really like the threads, and the colours I've used are very pretty, do they offer anything that NPI or AVAS don't apart from being a bit more affordable, and how widely available are they to stitchers? I know they offer a colour card, which is a bonus. However, I find that their ranges are pretty limited - some only have 3 shades in the range, so I don't know how helpful they'd be. I don't know how easy they are to get for models, again, I've never needed to. And, the bulk of my designs use variegated threads, so another set of solid colours might be a little redundant and unneccessary. So these are a maybe, but probably not.

Next dilemma. Do I bother with a set of Northern Lights silks? I have several, and I love them. I also love that they co-ordinate beautifully with the NPI solids. Here's the dilemma - NPI doesn't do a colour card for them like they do for the solids. They also don't offer a discounted sample set, which is a bit expensive given that I won't actually be stitching with them and would just be using them for colour consideration. They are also currently very limited in their colours, with only 70 in the current set, and of those 70, most aren't that unique that I can't find something similar that would work just as well in another brand. However, I can get model threads easily and as I said previously, I really like them. Pondering their usefulness at this point in time, as I think this would be more of a personal stash aquisition than one I would frequently use for models.

And on to one of my biggest dilemmas. Caron Soie Cristale and Waterlilies. They don't do colour samples as far as I can see. They do printed cards, one for solid and one for variegated, both of which I have and both or which are pretty useless as far as determining what a colour REALLY looks like. I have tried on several occasions to contact them about designer samples and I never get a response, so I've resigned myself to the fact that if I want these, I'm going to have to get them at retail price, for both samples and model threads. On top of this is the fact that there is a huge variance in dye lots, so colour samples really aren't going to be that useful given that I might pick a colour based on a skein I already have, only to find that when I buy threads for a model that it doesn't look anything like what I wanted. And finally, one of the things I dislike about Waterlilies is that on a lot of the colours, the colour repeats are really, really long - like 18" per colour or more. That forces me to have to use seriously long threads to stitch with to get the variegation in my stitching, or to cut several lengths and work from several at a time instead of just one, else my stitching looks looks like blotches of solid colour all concentrated in specific areas. So why do I want them? Well, a LOT of shops carry them, especially the Waterlilies, so they're a good thread to have on hand for that reason. They're also very pretty, with some fantastic colours. And finally, they're a dream to stitch with. I really love how they stitch up. But does that justify the negatives? Right now, mostly because of the cost factor, I'd have to say no.

And I'm debating a set of Carrie's silks. I love her cotton colours, and I have some silks on the way to play with to see how I like the thread itself. If I like the thread, this might be a good set to own and use for models. The positives - Carrie has a great range of colours some solid-ish and some heavily overdyed. She also has some very unique colours that aren't similar to other companies. Thread samples and model threads are relatively painless to get and Carrie is lovely to work with. And they are affordable for stitchers, more so than some of the other threads on the market. The drawbacks though are the same as those for some of my other favourite threads. The availability in shops is pretty limited. If a stitcher doesn't have an internet connection, they might have a tough time finding them, depending on how willing shops are to order them. That's really the only major drawback, but is a relatively big one. If a stitcher can't find the materials, it's usually a pretty good bet that they won't buy the chart. I've said lots of times that I'm not in this to make a forture, but I would like to see people stitching my charts!

And finally, how far do I go to offer conversions? My last considerations are sets of overdyed cottons, namely Weeks Dye Works, Crescent Colours and Valdani. Maybe Gentle Arts. If I were to buy these, it would strictly be for conversions, as I don't really stitch in cotton and can't really see using them in models. However, I know lots of stitchers like cottons and would love to have conversions to overdyed cotton instead of just solid DMC. So more just pondering. I'd have to say probably not, at least not right now.

Some insight into the inner workings of my mind. Helps to understand why I ramble the way I do with so many things bouncing around in this skull of mine, no?

Designer's Block Officially Over!

Well that was frustrating and annoying, but my bout with designer's block is now officially over. Unfortunately the block didn't end in time for the Nashville Needlework Show, but I will say, it's ended with quite a bang! 2 new designs ready to begin model stitching, 2 more getting close and at least 3 more on the drawing board. Keep an eye on my blog over the next couple of months for sneak peeks and stitching progress!

Now begins the equally frustrating waiting for materials game. Cursing the post office and lots of swearing are par for the course. As is the inevitable "did I pick the right colours?" constant questioning that will continue up until the point when the first stitches are inserted and I breathe a sigh of relief that all fits together well. Well hopefully anyway!!

Speaking of the post office, here's a little off topic insight into the Canadian Postal System. A couple weeks ago, I ordered a new monitor from New Egg, shipped via UPS, though the shipping was free. I ordered it on a Wednesday evening around 7pm, the monitor was delivered on Thursday morning, just before noon. I also ordered a graphics card from Hong Kong (cause the one I wanted was unavailable everywhere else in the world it seems!), it was shipped the same day I ordered it, a Tuesday morning. It arrived at Canadian Customs in Toronto on Wednesday morning. It cleared customs in Toronto on Thursday morning. I received it... Monday afternoon. Now tell me, how can it take one day to get from Hong Kong to Toronto, and 4 days to get from Toronto to here? It's not even a 2 hour drive!! Canada Post sucks. Still, less than a week from Hong Kong, not too bad right? The same day I ordered the graphics card, I ordered a power supply from a company in Mississauga - less than 2 hours away. It shipped the same day as the graphics card, though it came via Canada Post all the way. It reached me the day AFTER the graphics card did. I'll reiterate. Canada Post sucks.

Still on the postage topic - I have to send some models to Nashville for the upcoming show. I should have done so Friday, but I got caught up at work and couldn't get to the P.O. in time, so I'll be sending them tomorrow morning. Anyway, I checked out prices. The best Canada Post can do is 3 day delivery guarantee, and that costs almost $60. For $40 at Purolator, I can get a 2 day guarantee, though likely it will be there by the next morning. Yet, every single year, we incur postage increases so they can give us better service. I'd LOVE better service - heck, I'd take ANY service. ;)

And back to stitching... It's been a fun and furious couple of weeks, and I know poor Jon will be very happy once materials are in hand and I'm working away, as I'm sure he's sick of hearing "what looks better, this... or this?" To which he always answers "why do you even ask, you know I suck at colours." Plus, it means I'll be busy model stitching, so he can have the computer to play games more often with the new HUGE monitor and the super duper powerful graphics card.

Both new designs are very different from one another, and as yet, neither has an "official" name.

The first, will be the first design in a series of geometric florals inspired by my mother. She's a gardening fanatic, and her gardens always help me find peace. This one features a cheerful little flower, the forget me not. I haven't yet picked colours for this one, I ordered some thread samples and I'm waiting for their arrival before I decide for sure. I was planning to use the same green throughout the series of designs, but I also thought as long as the whole series works together, that doesn't really matter. Plus, knowing me, I'm likely to get sick of the same green for at least 4, if not 6 designs. ;) Keep an eye out here for peeks at the follow up pieces... Tulips, Daffodils, Daisies and maybe Violets, Tiger Lilies and Roses... could be more, I haven't gotten that far yet!


The second, is worked in a combination of cross stitch and a whole lot of specialty stitches. It will be stitched in dusty rose and a soft wintery green from NPI and Gloriana's Vanilla on Lakeside Linen Light Examplar. Highly unlike me to choose solid colours, but I felt that the textured stitches would have lost their impact in variegated thread. Of course I couldn't go ALL solid, so I went with a very soft variegated cream. This was a tough choice, I really toyed with the idea of dramatic colours, like a deep red and forest green, but I love the soft antique feel of the lighter colourway. However, when I do release it, I'll fiddle and do a mock up of the darker one, because I'm sure others would love it just as much! I'm dropping down to 36 count for this one, I'm guessing that I will go cross eyed trying to do some of the stitches on 40! I'll be including some ideas for customizing this one, as I feel it would be a lovely wedding or anniversary sampler.

I'm so excited about all these new models to stitch that I can't seem to concentrate on stitching anything else!

What's New and Exciting?

Well, to be honest, not much of either really. Long story very short, It's been a very rough couple of months. Between illness, a death in the family, and Jon being laid off for two months, I just haven't been feeling very creative. It's frustrating, I have lots of ideas in my head, even sketched on paper, but as soon as I sit down at the computer they all seem to disappear. I just attribute it to being down in the dumps. I promised Jon that I would have fun with designing, so I'm trying very hard not to stress over it and just stitching what I want and when I feel like it. Plus, anything I design I have to have at least the fabric on hand for, since I'm too broke at the moment to buy fabric for models. lol You'd think with the enormous amount of stash I have, I'd be able to do that but alas, the three I currently have almost ready to start I either have the colour but not a big enough piece or don't have the right count for the type of project. I could substitute, but then the project isn't what I envisioned and I know I wouldn't be happy with it. So that's where the designing stands at the moment.

I have been stitching when I can - with Jon's layoff I've been picking up as many hours at work as I can, and we've had so many people out sick that I'm working lots and lots to try to make ends meet. We'll get through it, we always do. :)

So what have I been stitching? Well I've had a few finishes. 1 big one, 1 pretty big one, and 2 small ones.

The big one is Drawn Thread's Toccata 4. I loved this piece so much I just can't tell you how much fun it was, words don't express it. It was sheer joy from the first stitch to the last - well except maybe the boucle stitches, but once I got the hang of them, they weren't so bad. Just took lots of practice. This is a wonderful piece for anyone wanting to learn new stitches, and is also a great piece for playing with colours. I used my own colourway, though I stuck close to the original colours I used things I had in my stash, but you could use almost anything you wanted! This did use a fair amount of floss, and if you're planning a start, make sure you have lots of the greens and creams! I used 34 ct fabric and went well above the recommended amounts. It's done in a combination of Soie D'Alger, Gloriana, Silk N' Colors and HDF on 34 ct Cafe Au Lait linen.

Second, the pretty big one - I finished Ink Circles Cirques Des Carreaux. Dimension wise, it's not so big, as I stitched it over 1 on 28 ct, but there are a lot of little x's in this one, so it still qualifies as a pretty big one. lol This one started out as a test piece for one of my own designs, testing out Gloriana colours for Easter Flowers. So yes, it's all stitched in Gloriana silk, on black Jobelan. I'm already plotting out my colours for Triangles, which I'm thinking I'll do the same way, but in ultra bright colours, again on black. This was a fun one, I do so enjoy over one stitching - though I've learned that 28 count is best for me, 32 and up I don't have as much fun with.

And finally the two little ones - I had already finished Chilly, about 2 years ago, but I stitched up Milly and Willy over Christmas. These stitch up so quickly - about 2 days each. I actually used cotton for these... cause I already had them kitted. They're stitched on 28 ct Bluebell Jobelan over 2, primarily in Weeks Dye Works, and a few DMC colours, though I snuck in some HDF white on the last couple. :D The chart is called Snowman Trio, from Stitchy Kitty, and I just can't say how much I love these little guys. They're so cute!! Eventually they'll be finished up as ornaments or something - haven't decided what yet - and will be for my mom. She's a snowman addict.

With all those finishes, who could resist a new (or a few new) start? As I said previously, I knew that when I had Quaker Diamonds in my hot little hands, I would have to start it... and I did. I changed my mind on colours so many times it was silly, and finally settled on using HDF for the whole thing. It's not exact to the model, which doesn't really bother me that much at all. I chose to use a fairly new series of colours that Vikki created, the "Be" series, plus a couple of other bits and pieces I had. If you're interested in my conversion, let me know and I'll post it. :) I ended up going with Sassy's French Vanilla in 40 ct for the project - it's a fantastic colour of fabric! This is a nice project, and it looks fabulous stitched, but I'll give a warning to anyone planning to stitch it - there is a LOT of colour changing. One stitch here, one stitch there... and if you're like me, you like to stitch all of one colour in a section before moving to the next, which means a LOT of counting.

And of course I also said I'd be starting Romantic Rose Garden, which I also did. I replaced the evil nasty DMC colours with Eterna for this one, and I'm using some of the recommended colours for the variegated. I found the SNC Forest and the Waterlilies Periwinkle just were too overpowering. So I'm using a Northern Lights Green for the Forest, and HDF Dark Wisteria for the Periwinkle. I'm still debating changing 2 of the DMC greens, the 472 and 581 - the 472 is neon bright against the others and the 581 is too olive - it really clashes up close. Though from a distance they all seem to fit together well so we'll see when I plug the rest in. I'm doing this one on 34 ct Cafe Au Lait from Legacy Linen. And of course, blogger strikes again and rotates my pics!

And I had to have a new start for the new year (as both of the previous starts were in November/December), and since I'd finished Carreaux, the plan was to start Triangles... but that didn't work out like I planned. I was flipping through my Ink Circles charts, and I came across Kaleidescope. I'd forgotten how pretty it is, and I started it instead. This has been such a fun project! I'm using HDF for the black, and HDF 40 ct linen, but for the colours I decided to experiment. I had this big box of filament silk threads from China. Probably about 500 colours in there, 20 or so yards each. I could have gone with an exact conversion, I did have colours close enough to all of the DMC used, but I thought "what the heck, it's a fun piece, I'm going nuts with it." and I turned all of the colours up a few notches on the brightness scale. The picture really doesn't adequately show how bright or shiny these threads are. I'll have to get a really good picture when I finish - hopefully we have some sun for a change. The one thing this project HAS proved to me - the HDF linen is NOT even. I had suspected this, as I had started a different project on it and sort of noticed it, but I hadn't gotten a full square stitched yet, so I couldn't confirm. I measured this one out, and the width is 7 3/4 inches, the height is 7 inches. For reference, the design is 145 x 145, so it should be 7 1/4 square. And no, the linen isn't washed or dyed, so it's not a shrinkage thing. That's a pretty big difference. It doesn't bother me that much, but it's just something to be aware of for anyone thinking about using this stuff! I thought maybe I had gotten some of the unevenweave linen she was selling a while back, but I'm pretty sure it's not since this was from a brand new shipment and I ordered after she had sold out of the uneven stuff. Oh well - it still looks great! I just know not to stitch anymore square designs on it. lol

And my last WIP, another Ink Circles, is Blackstone Fantasy Garden. I so wanted to start this over again in silk but so many people told me to stick with it, so I have. I'm almost finished all the cross stitch and have the last half of the blackwork to go. Now that I'm nearing the home stretch, I'm pleased with how it looks and I'll finish it, but it's been a labour of love getting this far.

There ya go fudgey - I know I promised this yesterday, but I got sidetracked playing playstation and doing laundry. And now I have to run off to work. No idea yet when I'll have another day off, but I will try to update again when I do!

Okay, time for some updates

I've been really, really lazy about taking WIP photos lately. So today I decided to take pics of all of them. Be prepared - this is photo intensive!

First up, Chatelaine's Alhambra Garden. I'm stitching this one on 35 ct linen using all silks - as everyone who knows me knows, I don't do cotton, especially DMC. Blech! I converted the DMC colours to Hand Dyed Fibers - it's easy, given that Vikki does all of the DMC colours, and they're relatively close to the originals. This is soooo much brighter and sparklier up close and personal, but it's so hard to capture the shimmer of silk in a photo. And another note - the beading DOES fit on 35 ct fabric. I had to fudge the centrepiece a tiny bit, but the rest of the beads sit perfectly. Would I recommend 35ct for heavily beaded pieces? That totally depends on how much you're willing to fudge and if the beads are scattered or clustered. Scattered beads are perfectly fine. Clustered beads you might have to fiddle with a little bit. I love this piece, but I find it tough to work on for more than a day or two at a time. The massive amount of colour changes and having to use two strands of thread all the time can drive me a bit bonkers. But it stitches up fairly quickly - what you see is about 3 weeks of stitching in total.

Next up, Romy's Austrian Spot Sampler. This one has become my take to work piece since I finished Kaleidoscope Flower. Most of what you see here has been stitched on my lunches, or before work - long story short, one car and my boyfriend and I often start at different times, so I get to work pretty early some days. This is stitched on 45 ct Graziano linen, 1x2 using a custom spool colour of HDF, Double Dusty Rose. Since Dusty Rose was discontinued, this equates pretty much to the lightest of the Ultra Maroons. I'm enjoying this one, but I'm just about ready to rotate my take to work piece for something new. I'm thinking one of the Flourish series from Sampler Cove (or as I call them, Di's Divas), or maybe Sampler Cove's Amtrack, given that I've got that one kitted up. Just for a change. The pink is lovely, but I don't often do well with monochromes - I get bored of the same colour day in, day out! For some strange reason, the photo keeps uploading rotated 90 degrees. It's the right orientation on my computer and yet it is wrong both here and in photobucket. Stupid computers. I'm too sick to care at this point. And now my bloody cursor has disappeared too!! Not having a good day.

Oooh my cursor came back! Okay, next is Ink Circles Blackstone Fantasy Garden. This one is fast becoming a UFO. I HAVE worked on it, but not for long - an hour or two here or there. I LOVE the colours, hate the thread. I'm using the Carrie's Creations threadpack in cotton. Ugh. It's nasty. I'm about ready to chuck it and re-order the same colours in silk and restart it. Plus, it's on 32 ct lugana and I'm using 2 strands. Again, ugh. I really love the design, and I really love Tracy's choice of colours. I even like it on the fabric I chose, which is Silkweaver's Parkland. So the question is, do I persevere, or restart? I'm almost halfway done, and I really loathe the thought of doing all of that all over again. If I restart, I'm afraid it will never actually get started. On the other hand, two hours every couple of months doesn't get much done either. For now, I'm persevering in hopes that someday I'll actually finish it. But I will never, never, never again use cotton thread for a new start!!! Thank goodness Carrie is doing silk now. And my cursor has disappeared again!! Grrr. Not having a good day.

Oooh there it is. Every time I insert a pic, it runs away and hides for a while. Anyway... another Ink Circles design is next, Cirques de Carreaux. Haven't picked this up in a while - not because I don't enjoy it, but because I couldn't find it. :oops: I located it recently when I cleared out and rearranged all my stash drawers! Now that it's found, I'll probably be working on it soon. I love the design and the colours are yummy. It's done in Gloriana silks, which aren't the greatest threads for over one, but they look nice. Yes, it's 1x1 on 28 count black (obviously) Jobelan. Ignore the cat hair - black fabric is horrible for showing it all!! I think the cats must have slept on this one at some point - when I have no idea, but it's well coated!!

Rosewood Manor's Great British Sampler is the next to get a turn. I worked on this one last week for a few days, until all the bloody backstitching got to me. It seems like every motif is full of quarter stitches and backstitched outlines. I started stitching samplers to escape from this lunacy!! It almost feels like a Dimensions project. I like Rosewood Manor's designs, and I just hope this isn't a common thing in all of them, as I have several that I either have already and haven't kitted up, or on my wishlist. I suppose I should pull them out to check. This project is stitched 1x2 on 40 ct Chantilly Cream by Lakeside Linens using the suggested colours converted to HDF.

Plodding on... this is Needlemania's Jardin d'Jour. I started this one to test out Vikki Clayton's 40 ct linen. I think I posted about it a while back, but this stuff is really lovely to stitch on. It's got a wonderful hand, is nice and thick and has really easy to see holes. If you've ever wanted to try a higher count but were afraid you wouldn't be able to see it, this is the perfect linen for you. Plus the price is great - for hand dyed colours it's still less than $50 a yard. Yes, a full yard. But I digress. It's stitched in HDF silk, the colours are two of Vikki's newer additions, BeMused (purple) and BePopped (pink).

Next up is my Frankensteined version of Dinky Dyes Irish Blessing. I made it taller and added in the flourishes from the top and bottom to both sides. I also changed the words, as I'm stitching it as a tribute to my cousin, Rachel, who passed away in January. I'm using three different Gloriana purples in it - Purple Night Sky, Purkle Fred and Ultra Violet. I don't know why I can never get the colours in this to photgraph right - they're much, much more vibrant than this. When I finish the stitching, I want to insert a photograph of my cousin in the middle of the design - IF I can figure out how to do it. This is another that doesn't get worked on a whole lot. In my wisdom, I decided to stitch it on 45 ct linen (Sassy's Crescent Cream) which after dying is more like a 48-50 ct, because I wanted to save on framing costs later on. Why was that such a stupid move? Well this design is full of fractional stitches and backstitching. I'll admit, the finished product looks fantastic, the knotwork is nice and smooth and rounded, but OMG what a PITA on high count fabric.

My next project is my token Drawn Thread design - I always have to have one of these on the go at any given time. They're my sheer joy pieces. Why? I love, love, love specialty stitches, and these are FULL of them. This one is Toccata Four, and I'm nearing a finish on it. I'll be putting it back on the frame today I think, unless I change my mind before then. I only took it off to take pics. It's stitched on 34 ct Cafe Au Lait linen from Legacy Linen. I love this stuff, it's my go to linen when I have a project that needs something in a lower count. It's not much smaller than 32 ct, but it's sooooo much nicer than Belfast linen. Very few, if any slubs, and very, very even. I know the Legacy and Graziano linens are much more expensive than Zwiegart, but it's sooooooo worth it in the end. They're just so much higher quality. If you compare Zwiegart to the horrid Wichelt linens, Zwiegart seems great. If you compare the Zwiegart to Graziano or Legacy, it's crap in comparison. And there I go off on a tangent again. lol This piece is stitched in a bunch of different fibers - Soie D'Alger for the greens, Gloriana for the blues, Silk n' Colors for the burgundies, and HDF for the creams. Just a note to anyone who is or is thinking about stitching these. I am following the thread usage recommendations to the letter, and there is no way that one skein of each will be enough. I'm on skein #2 of the light green and each of the creams, and skein #3 for the dark green. The blues and burgundies I'll only use on skein of, but they're 12 stranded, 6 yards, so basically 2 full skeins of the recommended. And I'll have used most of each of those by the time I finish. The only one you'll get away with one of is the spool of Soie 100/3 - it's hardly used. To be safe, I'd recommend grabbing 3 skeins each of the greens and creams, and 2 skeins of each of the blues and burgundies.

And my token Sampler Cove design - though I usually have multiple SC's on the go, but I finished two not so long ago. Well okay that's not exactly true. I do have about 1/3 of the Rhapsody in Red Ribbon Sampler finished, however, that one has made it's way into the UFO pile, for two reasons. My first colour choices were Black Iris Bloom and Dried Roses (both HDF) but when I decided to start it, I changed my mind and went with Rum Cherry instead of Black Iris Bloom, simply because I had spools of it already. While the Rum Cherry is lovely, I soooo want to stitch it in my originally planned colours. And the second reason - I started it over 1 on 32 ct Jobelan. It's lovely and delicate, but I'm really not enjoying it. I really prefer over two on high count or over one on 28 ct. It just feels very crowded. I don't mind if it's a small amount of a design, but I just can't face another 2/3 of the sampler this way. So I've decided to bit the bullet, order the spools of Black Iris Bloom and restart it. Man, I'm just rambling like mad today, aren't I? THIS is Tuscan Rose. It is stitched 1x2 on 40 ct Hayfields from Sassy, but this is dyed on Graziano's 40ct linen. The fibers are HDF silks in the recommended colours. This one is fun to stitch. It's wide enough to get a nice flow for each band, but narrow enough that each band stitches up very quickly. And the colours are just lovely.

And finally (bet you thought it would never end, huh?) this is Tuscany Hearts by Needlemania. It's stitched on 40 ct Hayfields as well, and also uses HDF silks - in pretty much the same colours as Sampler Cove's Tuscan Rose. That works well, because I can frame them the same way as matching pieces. lol This one stitches very quickly - what you see is stitched in about 2 sittings.

There are at least 3 more that will be added to this (not including my own models, though I'm not stitching any right now). Rosewood Manor's Quaker Diamonds is getting started as soon as it arrives, though I've decided to stitch it in Dinky Dyes silks, and of course on 40ct. The Valdani might be pretty, but it's cotton. As mentioned, I'll be restarting Rhapsody in Red as soon as I get around to ordering the threads. AND I really want to start Chatelaine's Romantic Rose Garden. However that one is posing a problem. I have the chart. I have the fabric. The overdyed silks and beads are on their way to me and should be here this week. However, instead of converting the DMC to HDF as I usually do, I decided that I hadn't used Eterna silks in a while and I really wanted to. So I ordered the Eternas instead. On October 21, paid for on October 21. Still not shipped. I've emailed 3 times and gotten no response. If this keeps up any longer I'm going to paypal for a refund. This is ridiculous. If there's a delay, I can live with that, but being ignored is something you just don't do if you want my business.

And now I think I need a nap.