Showing posts with label laying tools. Show all posts
Showing posts with label laying tools. Show all posts

Thursday, August 14, 2014

A Busy Week

So, it's been a busy, busy week for me.  So busy that I neglected to post a pic of my latest finish.  After finishing American Pride for our anniversary, I went back to my Janet Carsels (by The Scarlet Letter).  I really have a thing for Scottish samplers.  I love the illuminated alphabets and the fact that they usually are full of bold reds and greens is also an attractive feature for me. 
I'm trying to get ready for the Counted Wishes online needlework show in September.  So I was making laying tools since I was really low on inventory.   So I decided to post this pic of all my new ones in a needlepoint group on Facebook.   Let's just say that not only do I need to make some more, I need to order more supplies.  What a great problem to have! 

Saturday, April 30, 2011

Gotta Love Great Service

I almost waited too long to order my frame for The Yellow Rose Sampler! But thanks to email and the amazing service from Tamara and Bob at The Stitches in Time on-line shop I am ready to wrap this baby and give it to Mom! They went out of their way to get it to me quickly since they are at the Celebration of Needlework show in New Hampshire this weekend, but knew I wanted it for Mother's Day. Big thank you to them.

So I'm back to working on the Moroccan sampler. It's been a little slow this week, but I'm still making progress and still loving it. 
I've been busy making laying tools for an order from the on-line needlework show a couple of week ago. Tracey at Threaded Needle Designs distributes my beaded needlework tools and she's kind enough to show them when she does the show. This is just one of the ones I have listed in my Etsy shop. If you love pretty stitching tools, check it out. All my scissor fobs are one of a kind and lots of them have counting pins and/or laying tools to match. And I love to do custom sets too. Just ask!

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Stitching Time is Sooooo Wonderful

I've been making an effort to stitch every night this week. Having houseguests, as fun as it is, really puts a crimp in my stitching time. Since I finished Abigail's Wisdom, I'm back on Shores of Hawk Run Hollow. Block 10, the ship in a bottle, is done and I started on Block 11 last night. Letters are soooo easy and they go so quickly.

During the day I am spending all my time getting ready for the Oak Island craft show. I started spreading the finished things out on the dining room table so I could get a feel for any gaps in the inventory. I like to have color coordinated sets of fobs, counting pins and laying tools. Plus when, possible I coordinate some stitch markers for knitting and crochet with some fobs too. 

I have a few bookmarks ready, but not nearly enough! I haven't even started on extra laying tools yet! So I may not come up for air for the next week or so!

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.