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.

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Quaker Diamonds Lives!

I realize I may have to reintroduce myself to some of you because I haven't posted in almost three weeks! I've been traveling back and forth to my mom's since her shoulder surgery. Her balance was really messed up for a while and we were afraid to leave her alone because she fell so often. But she's out of the sling and improving daily. Physical therapy has begun...not to be confused with anything one would look forward to.

Anyway, I figured out long ago that I don't get a lot of stitching done when I'm away from "my nest", but apparently I have nothing to blog about if I'm not stitching. Does that mean my life has a narrow focus or is stitching just the only interesting thing I do. Hmmmmm.

Quaker Diamonds has grown, but not as much as I would have wanted in this period of time. But here it is and hopefully I'll have more to show more frequently now. My mental health really suffers when I don't get to stitch every day.  So you should probably be glad that I haven't filled my blog with immense whining! LOL

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DMC knows about TJBdesigns!

Have you checked out DMC's blog? Well, this weekend they are featuring cross stitch related Etsy shops in a Memorial Day Street Fair and TJBdesigns is one of the shops chosen! I'm very excited and honored. Tell all your friends!

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I'm not back yet, but I'm on my way

I know I've neglected my blog this month. It just couldn't be helped. Mom's shoulder surgery went well, but we're not comfortable leaving her alone because her sense of balance is not good. So I've been running back and forth. When I'm there, I don't really have much to say and when I'm home I'm busy trying to catch up with all the daily stuff, plus my Etsy work. Hopefully, I'll be back in the swing soon.

I have made a little progress on Quaker Diamonds.  My stitching time is more limited than it's been in twenty years! I'm not used to going so slowly, but at least it's fun. As you can probably tell, my usual method of stitching every stitch of a particular color has been altered a little. I'm going page by page on this one, but still stitching by color on each page.

And on the Etsy front, I have added the first of my new line of beaded laying tools.  Stay tuned, more to come!

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My Great Find!

Ever since Faye and I went on the big flower frog hunt a few weeks ago, I've been thinking about one I saw on Etsy. The size wasn't included in the description, so I kind of forgot about it. I finally contacted the seller and found out it's exactly what I wanted so...I bought it! It's different from any I've seen and I love it. I filled it up with some of my scissors and I guess I'll just rotate others every now and then.

And on the stitching front, I didn't get a lot done while at my mom's but I have made some progress on Quaker Diamonds.  Hopefully, now I can get back on track and stitch every day like I'm used to doing.

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Stitching Withdrawal...Not

I haven't stitched a lick in three days now and frankly, I'm too tired to even care.

Mom's surgery went well. And as directed, we are trying to stay ahead of the pain. The meds make her loopy, but NOT sleepy.  She's keeping us on our toes trying to figure out what to do and how to help. So don't expect too much out of me blog-wise for a little while.

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Recognize Your Limitations

Sometimes show-and-tell just gets me in trouble. A couple of weeks ago a customer at Anglewing Needlearts brought in some placemats she had made using four different fabrics cut into triagles for the fronts and a fifth for the back. They were beautiful and, according to her, "so quick and easy". (Remember this later.)  Mom's been complaining about not having any spring/summer placemats.
So I immediately thought this would make a great make-up present for last year's Mother's Day.

I went to the quilting fabric room and starting playing with fabrics. Came up with a gorgeous combination. Went home. Procrastinated a week or so. Finally laid the fabric out and starting cutting. Took the pieces up to the sewing machine. (Should have remembered the only thing I like to use it for is zig-zagging the edges of my linen.) Started sewing the triangles together.  After much cussing and swearing, got all four tops assembled and VOILA...they are SQUARE!

What a doofus. I forgot when I was cutting them out that they should have been rectangles. DH says we can use them because he thinks all our placemats are too small. What a guy! I can always count on him to make me feel better, even if he's lying.

So I went back to the shop and picked out different fabrics and started the whole process over. However, getting the correct triangle pieces together with the correct edges together, then sewn to the backs with the batting smoothly between the layers proved to be a long, arduous, and seam-ripping fiasco. Finally got them done. Oh, and the small pieces left over that I cut out for coasters?...still sitting on the sewing machine.  Hope they don't dry  rot before I get them made.

In the meantime, remember how excited I was to start "Quaker Diamonds"?  Well, I started it on some 40 count Lambswool that I had distressed some with the liquid spray stuff.  I worked on it for a couple of nights before I finally realized the fabric was too darks to effectively showcase the Valdani floss.  Soooo, I ripped it all out. (If I left if for whenever I decided I needed that piece of fabric, it would never get done.) I cut a piece of 40 count Pearled Barley, zig-zagged the edges (only thing I should EVER used the sewing machine for), and rubbed some old coffee grounds in a couple of spots to mildly distress it.  So this is what I've managed to accomplish since the restart.

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