Finally, Cross Stitch!

Yes, I did this teeny tiny project just to finish something. It's about 2x2 inches. Just something cute.

Our kittens are now (drum roll) cats! Yes, they were one year old yesterday. They got extra people canned salmon in honor of their birthday (they don't like cat food salmon). Of course, they have no clue why, but they were happy. It's been dark and gloomy for several days, so photos come out pretty bad just now.

Links To Interesting Items

A poster asked if I could do the ladybug afghan in crochet. Yes, but the chart needs to be converted. However, Maggies Crochet does have a crocheted ladybug afghan. I am posting a link to the page here:
http://www.maggiescrochet.com/pages
/Afghans/K273_ladybug_afghan_main.htm

I have ordered directly from Maggies Crochet twice and been very happy with my service.

There are always new knitters, so I'm taking this opportunity to point out the 5 Hour Baby Sweater. There are several versions of this pattern all adapted from the original provided by Anne Stoddard, who was given the pattern by two ladies who ran a yarn shop back in the 50s. When she posted the pattern, she asked that if you made a sweater, make a second and donate it. I donated all of mine to local hospitals.
http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/kp3.html
I've made Lorraine's version a couple of times also.
http://www.minidata.co.nz/major/freepatt/patt01.htm
Includes booties, bonnet and attached hood patterns.
http://www.fibergypsy.com/patterns/5hrpatt.shtml

Since I'm posting links, here's one of my favorite quilting scrap patterns links:
http://scrapquilts.com/basket.html

Oh, and not to leave out the cross stitchers, here's a link to calculators and converters
http://www.findstitch.com/resources/
Oh, and my recommendation for very cute.
http://www.sanmanoriginals.com/free.html

Closing Ceremonies

The Closing Ceremonies of the Olympics are now complete. Unfortunately, my UFOlympics project is not. I really underestimated how long it takes to do these ladybugs and the 35 rows between them! However, I do have 8 out of the 18 complete now. It is still looking very cute. My attenae look odd on some of them, but that will straighten out after it's been washed. I'm going to keep on knitting and maybe, just maybe, I can get this project done during March.

What I did finish during the Olympics was the Anubis cross-stitch that I was doing for my other sister's birthday. A birthday that was delayed because everybody here was sick (and several still are 14 days later!).

Design by Julie Hasler. Stitched on 18 ct ivory Aida using DMC floss.

Here is Thoth and Anubis with the frames that they will be installed into. I was really happy to find these so quickly and inexpensively. These designs are by Julie Hasler.

UFOlympics Slowdown

I finished the first panel on the Ladybug afghan! I started the next one, but decided, instead, to work on Anubis and get him done so that I can buy frames for the pair this week. This was, after all, a birthday present. So, I worked until Midnight and am about 75% done. I hope to finish tonight. Here's my progress. I should have taken photo before the sun disappeared. That eliminates this moire stuff.

Getting Through The Qualifying Rounds

Fellow UFOlympians! We have now completed Day 8 of the games and I am happy to report my stalled progerss is moving forward again. Much to my astonishment, I found the missing Cherry Red yarn and was able to finally finish the last ladybug on the first panel. I still have another 15 or 20 rows of white to finish off the panel. Today, I get to go right to a ladybug as I had already knit the beginning of the next panel. I'm having trouble getting the darn knitting not to roll, but here's the panel. In the center is the beginning of the next panel. Where are the red panels, you might ask? I've got all of those as well! Safely in a box next to my knitting chair. This cold is still dogging me, but I just continue to do what I can. My concern is that I still have 12 ladybugs to get through. It took 8 days to finish 4. Hmmm....

Anubis is also coming along well. He is more than 60% done. I got an awful lot done on him yesterday (before I found the red yarn) including all the backstitching and the symbols on the side. I figured out yesterday that the Aida is photographing the way it is due to a fluorescent fixture directly above. Why the lines of Aida are distorted today is a mystery as it is straight in the frame.

Anubis and UFOlympics

I've been working again on Anubis, the cross-stitch Egyptian set that I've been doing for my sister (the one who doesn't read this blog). Thoth, of course, was finished and this is the companion piece. I'm doing it on 18 ct Aida. Easy and fast to do. A lot of experienced cross-stitchers forsake Aida once they try new and finer fibers. I find that you simply have to look more carefully for a more sophisticated design that works with it. Aida is perfect for travel as it can easily be done in most motel rooms. If I could actually finish by a deadline, this should be done before Feb. 16 (her birthday), but we all know my ability to meet one of those!


I joined the UFOlympics knitting group (see button on side panel) with the plan to finally finish the Ladybug Afghan! All the red panels are done, but the ladybugs were so complicated for me, having never worked with color like this before, that I keep putting it off. So, during the Olympics, that will be my major project (in between trying to finish Anubis). Once I finish the project, I will be putting up a link to the instructions. I have had quite a few requests for it and Family Circle gave me permission to do that.

Finish, Process and Stuff

Here it is! My finished Thoth! My first 2005 cross stitch finish! Easy to do, looks great. I can hardly wait to start the companion piece (Horus)! I would also like to stitch Anubis and Bastet, but alas, I don't have charts and haven't found any online either. No reason why you can't do this project on 28 ct, but I wanted a travel piece and 18 ct Aida is what worked in most lighting conditions.


Design by Julie Hasler. Stitched on 18 ct ivory Aida using DMC floss.

In addition, I thought I would provide some step by step on doing crocheted topped towels. It's very easy when you have the proper tools. I start with a good quality towel, although even the cheaper ones at KMart have stood up well to repeated washing. I currently use this marvelous awl that my BIL gave me. You can buy one at a hardware store. This is the best way to make the holes. Alternatively, I used a small nail and a penny nail. The small nail made the initial hole and the penny nail made it large enough to crochet through. There may be other ways to do this (knitting needle comes to mind). Many women use scissors to make the holes. This is a mistake, IMHO. It is NOT worth $150 emergency room visit co-pay! I know 2 women who ended up with stitches and 1 woman who lost the feeling in her finger by using scissors which slipped. So, be warned. Finally, use any acrylic yarn. Test it by making a swatch and throwing in washer and dryer. If the results are acceptable, use the yarn. Even that eyelash stuff works if you like the result after it's been washed and dried. Cotton or cotton blends work also. I did not like the result using wool-but you might. Red Heart is often stiff going through that first row-just use a smaller crochet hook.

To make a crocheted topped towel, cut the towel in half with sharp scissors (you will be making 2). Then fold over a small part of the cut edge and either zig zag (better) or straight stitch. If you don't own a sewing machine, then just hand stitch this over. I do not know if a serged edge will work (I don't own a serger). Test one towel in the washer and dryer--if it doesn't fray, no problem.

Front and back of towel after sewing.

Next step is doing the holes and the first row. I make about 5 holes and then single crochet through using an F or G hook. Once that first row is done, I typically switch to an H Hook. I just picked these sizes-they give me the results I want. Experiment. These are fun to do and once you've established a pattern, you can do several in an evening. I don't do all the holes at the same time as they are hard to find in the fabric. Terry is sortof 'self-healing'.

First row in progress

Once you are done with the first row, use whatever pattern of stitch that you want. I hit on one that I particularly like (it doesn't need a button in deference to my Mom's bursitis), but I occasionally see others that I really like that are unlike mine.

Other notes of interest-my sister asked me to housesit for almost 3 weeks. That means I can not only get my rural fix, but finish quilting at least one quilt (she has a table that makes machine quilting easier) before the end of the year. Now, I already got my partial fix by traveling in rural Texas, but it's so much easier getting things done when I don't have to stop and make meals unless I want to. As some of you know, I'm disabled, so don't have the time constraints of a job (just everything else). Generally cheaper too as the closest quilt shop is 45 miles away. On the other hand, Grubers is right on the way. Happily, sis/BIL have made arrangements to have someone else with a tractor plow if it snows. I just wasn't up to get up close and personal with John Deere.

Bullriding!

Finally, Justin McBride won the PBR Bullriding Championship! Right down to the wire too--he finished up his 8 seconds nearly upside down on that bull, but held on to the end. You might wonder, what does Bullriding have to do with crafts? Absolutely nothing except that I crocheted while watching it for the last year, so that I could root for Justin (he was the leader last year and broke his leg just before the finals). Now I can move on to other things on Saturday night (especially since my Netflix account has reactivated after vacation).

I spent most of the weekend looking over digital pictures to decide what to print as well as working on my cross-stitch of Thoth. That is going very well. I'm a scrapbooker as well as needleworker, so many days are about to be spent at Archivers, getting these photos into a book pronto. I don't have table space at home to spread out, so I get page packets together and just work on them at the store. Although I own most of what I need, sometimes it helps to be at the store when you find you don't have just the right thing.

I stitched on Thoth while watching the bullriding. Here he is in his current state. I've done all of the figure and just started on the backstitching. I also have the pedestal started. This is quite a fast project, but if you hate color blocks, skip this project! This particular one comes from Julie Hasler's Fantasy Cross Stitch: Zodiac Signs, Mythical Beasts and Mystical Characters. If you really like Egyptian designs in cross stitch, I would recommend purchasing Egyptian Charted Designs by Julie Hasler (printed by Dover). These are lovely, uncomplicated designs that can be done by any cross stitcher on either Aida or some other fabric (over 2 threads). If you prefer more detail, Teresa Wentzler has a great design. As for the book, Fantasy Cross Stitch, I don't recommend it for a beginner. It happens to have some beginner projects, but most require more experience. I bought it mostly for the phenomenal (and complicated) Zodiac designs. I plan to start on Leo (my sign) sometime next year.

Back from Texas

Hi y'all! Just letting you know that I'm back from Texas! Ready to go back to West Texas already. Will be posting more information later, but I did go to the quilt show in Houston, quilt and needlework shops and traveled around West Texas a lot (as far west as Ozana). Got quite a bit done on a cross stitch project also. In the meantime, here's one of my favorite photos from the trip. These cows were in the Boerne, TX area (By the gate for the Triple R Bar Ranch)


For the crafty part of today's post, here's the start I made on the Egyptian God Thoth, a design by Julie Hasler. This is a very good travel project. Design uses 18 ct Aida which is way easy to see in most lighting. It is also all whole stitches. I've completed virtually all the body and have started on the pedestal.


These are some motifs I made on the scrap afghan on the plane. Note that there seems to be some difference in gauge due to different yarn. I don't usually worry about these too much as they seem to work out when put into the afghan. Travel lesson learned. BLUNT scissors. Mine were too sharp ended and had to be dumped before airport security would let me through (they were only $2). So, bought child blunt scissors at Walmart. No problem with security and they cut through yarn and floss fine.

So Many Squares

Finally, I have cut and sewn enough HSTs to finish my Depression Quilt (http://www.quilterscache.com/D_F/DepressionBlock.html). I now have enough for 59 blocks. Originally, I was going to have a pieced border surrounded by 2 narrow borders. I may skip the border entirely as the blocks themselves will result in a full/queen sized quilt (84x96 inches), which is as large as I make them. Decisions, decisions. Blocks will be made when I return from vacation, so I've time to think about it. By then, I will also have decided if I want to quilt it or tie it. Here they are in a box that is now too small taken with my new digital camera (Kodak Z700). I haven't quite the hang of the software yet. Trying to sharpen the image results in these little white crackles along the fabric edges.

I'm getting the hang of using my bifocals, although they still don't help with needle threading much, darn it! I have nearly finished the individual rows for my apple core charm quilt. (charm quilt- no two fabric pieces are alike). This is a lap quilt that I started in 1996 and is hand sewn. Unfortunately, I seem to have permanently lost 2 rows of this quilt, so need to figure out what to do about that. When I get all the rows laid out, I can then determine what fabrics I need to supplement with. I have hundreds of charm squares to fill in, so it is not a problem.

I chose the Kodak Z700 because it was recommended by several cross stitchers. Most automatic cameras don't do closeups very well and scanning has resulted in some very weird colors. Here's my finished Peanuts project. Shows every thread! Now I just have to get this thing framed!

Needlework Shop Closing and Ebay Rant

I found out over the weekend that the needlework and framing shop closest to me is closing at the end of this month. The owner just decided it was time. Apparently their reduction sale has been going on for a couple of weeks, so there wasn't that much left that I really needed to buy. However, what I did buy was 60% off! I will share it with you!

My first item was a Shepherd's Bush seasonal project entitled "Happy Heart" that includes all the buttons. I liked it and it was a little different from what I'm accustomed to doing. Bees seem to be popular again.



I bought a very few threads. I really liked Treasures braid and loved the fuzzy Alpalca. I resisted buying any of the hand dyes, silks and such easily since I just really don't get into using them. They are nice, but often don't show up well on my backgrounds. I miss a lot of the subtlety unless I have bright sunshine. Could be because I'm red/green color blind? I don't know.


This next one is just a little project called "Dizzy Busy Bees" by The Sweetheart Tree. It also includes a tiny bee to be added to the stitching. I don't hesitate to buy these types of things used as it's relatively easy to get the little figures mail order.



I would have loved to have purchased a couple of the stitched models, but with my Texas trip coming up, I really jumped on myself to stick to my budget. As such, I still spent $26 today! I want to stop at some of the stitching shops in Texas as well, since I'm sure they carry an assortment that isn't readily available here (catcus, cowboys, western, for instance).

EBAY RANT (you can skip this if you want, but if you are a small seller, keep going!)

On to the rant about Ebay. A year ago, several people that I know predicted that Ebay planned to run off all the small sellers (these are the folks that brought Ebay to where it is today). They are currently doing this with new rules at Paypal. Many of you might not know that Ebay purchased Paypal a couple of years ago. I have a Paypal personal account. This has restrictions such as I can only receive $500 in any month, limited number of transactions (I think it's 30) and can't accept credit cards. That's fine--I'm not in business. I sell 25 things roughly 4 times a year. I am typical. I am also being run off.

Two months ago, Ebay started notifying folks that used the Paypal icon that you could only use the icon if you accepted all forms of Paypal payment (in other words, no personal accounts). It confused people. Fine, they have to respond to buyers, even if it's because the buyers refuse to read the payment information. This allows buyers to list only auctions that took Paypal credit cards. The latest thing is to cancel the auctions of folks who do not take credit cards, and do not use the Paypal icon, but accept Paypal bank transfers (e-checks). In other words, personal accounts. You aren't even allowed to list in your description that you accept Paypal cash or e-checks. Now, if you are in business, accepting credit cards is simply necessary today. But as an individual who is selling her personal stuff, why should I have to pay fees for accepting money when I have a PERSONAL account? Several others have predicted that those who don't offer Paypal at all (just money orders or Bidpay) will eventually be knocked off. Ebay greed probably to pay for their billion dollar mistake. Let's look at a recent example applying the new rules. Since I am not a business, I don't have enough transactions to generate any discounts, so would be paying full fees. A used cross stitch booklet which sold at auction for $2 plus $1.50 shipping. Fees are:

• Ebay Listing Fee: .35
  Ebay Final Value Fee: .35
  Paypal fee for accepting money: .30
  Paypal % fee for accepting money (includes shipping): .09

That's $1.09 in fees for a $2 booklet. There is an additional hidden fee. You also get charged for cash transactions as well as the credit card transactions. I have a personal account for a reason. I am not in business. Guess what. Come November, I'm not going to have an account at all because I'm going to cancel both Ebay and Paypal accounts unless Paypal removes their restrictions. It's a little like the fox in the henhouse with a fiduciary dictating what occurs in a sellers' environment.

Now, quitting Ebay isn't such a bad thing. I have noticed, in the last year, that there has been a HUGE dropoff in the market for most used cross-stitch, knitting, quilting and scrapbooking books and patterns. I think it's called market saturation. The only thing I can get on Ebay that is difficult for me to get elsewhere are punchies (for scrapbooking). But those businesses will mostly disappear as well. How can you keep offering punchies for $1.25 when much of it goes for fees? ok..off my soap box. I guess I'll go back to trading charts (or offering them free for postage).