Showing posts with label needlepoint. Show all posts
Showing posts with label needlepoint. Show all posts

Friday, January 13, 2012

I Want a Day Off!


Okay, this is one of those days where I can't find the motivation to do anything but stitch. But I feel guilty for not doing something 'productive' so I haven't even picked up my stitching. I am such a goon. I deserve to do what I want to, right? Actually, I did go to the grocery, so I think I'll count that as my productivity for the day.

Here's where I left off last night on The Cranberry Sampler. By Monday, you'll be able to tell how self indulgent I really am!

On another note, did you get everything you wanted for Christmas?  Did anyone actually look at your wish list? Somebody looked at mine and I got these precious Pineapple Scissors from UncommonScissors.com.

I haven't decided on a fob for them yet, but you know I will! Feel free to browse my shop for a treat for your new scissors or to spruce up your old ones!  There are some new fobs and counting pins available, like this one in my favorite color combo. Lime Cobalt Beaded Scissor Fob
















and Small Lime Cobalt Counting Pins for Cross Stitch and Needlepoint

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Do You Love Bargello?

Most people think of Bargello as a family of stitches for canvas work, but lots of designers use it in their samplers on linen. And I became fascinated with it several years ago. You may remember the needlebooks I made for gifts for my stitch group last Christmas. So many patterns and variations allow you to indulge your creativity. Anyway, I discovered. this site dedicated to bargello and wanted to share it with you. Enjoy. You should probably bookmark it because you'll be coming back time and time again.

Monday, June 21, 2010

Are you a Gadget Person?

Just wondering. There are so many great gadgets available to stitchers these days. I remember when I first got a Boo Boo stick. Hated when I had to use it, but loved how it got out all the fuzz from ripped out stitches. There are cute little painted magnets for keeping those loaded needles handy (and not in the couch cushion). And don't forget chart magnifiers and line markers...all very helpful in making your stitching time more efficient. And we all know that's important because we have a pile of projects lined up until doomsday!

Of course, I'm partial to scissor fobs. Even before I started making beaded ones for my Etsy shop, I collected and stitched them for my scissor collection. Besides being pretty, hopefully when you drop your scissors, the fob hits first so the points are damaged. Counting pins are helpful too. Even though counting is the easy part for me, it's still helpful when you're starting a row of 200 stitches to mark every 50 or so. That makes me not so paranoid about miscounting that I count the entire row 8 times! Because you know you'll come up with at least 4 different counts. LOL And if you are doing a big bargello area on canvas large counting pins can be used to mark the top of the row and the bottom to ensure that you don't get carried away with the ups and downs of the pattern.

Now, I've added beaded laying tools to my shop. Great for canvaswork since you are usually making larger stitches with more strands of fiber. So many opportunities for them to get twisted. Laying tools or stilettos are a big help.  They're also helpful on cross stitch project because it's amazing how easily two strands of floss twist just as they slip through the linen. I'll be adding more on a regular basis, but I'd love to hear your thoughts on them.