Theme-a-licious

Posted on May 2, 2012 by Heather

May! My favourite month, and not just because it is my birthday month. (I’m pretty sure I say this every year, so I’ll just skip to the good stuff.)

Last month’s Theme-a-licious theme was Amazon April, where we were to work on our largest projects. I did haul out 12 Days of Christmas a few times, but it has been put into hibernation as I pursue another plan for my mom’s cross stitch gift this year. IĀ  haven’t worked on it since I posted this picture last week.

12 Days of Christmas by Joan Elliott (WIP)

This month is May Memories, where the focus is on pieces that hold some significance (like a special class) or commemorate a significant event. My plan this month is to dig out Summer Keep/Winter Keep, designs from Teresa Wentzler and Jennifer Aikman-Smith which I took at the Creativ Festival back in 2008 (I think…). They also fall under WIPocalypse, since at least one of them is started.

I’m also hoping to work on Enchanting Lair’s Watch Dragon, which is about 60% done, but I’ve run out of silk. šŸ™ And moar socks!! (Surprise!)

That still leaves some stitching time. I’m not sure what I will work on. This morning I hauled out all of my craft stuff from the closet, so I’m a little overwhelmed. Maybe once I have everything better in hand I’ll be able to make a decision.

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…And Its Head Popped Off

Posted on April 27, 2012 by Heather

Several times last year I wrote about how much easier tasks are when you have the right tool for the job. At that time, I was mainly talking about getting the right feet for my sewing machine and serger. The cording foot for the serger made making a pillow for the little man a breeze, and the 1/4″ for my sewing machine has helped to make so many sewing projects look much neater.

When it comes to my knitting, I’ve got a whole lot of tools. I’ve got a forest of knitting needles since different yarns and different projects are all better done with different types: metal dpns for top-down socks in cotton yarn, wooden circulars for toe-up socks in bamboo yarn, plastic circulars for sweaters in blended yarns, etc. I’ve also got piles of stitch markers, stacks of scissors and there must be some tape measures around here somewhere… (I’ve lost two this week alone).

Terrible webcam picture of broken ball winder

While not in regular use, I couldn’t knit many of my projects without my handy ball winder. I had (past tense) a lovely purple and grey one from Knit Picks. I bought it back in April of 2009, about six months after I learned to knit. It has probably wound enough sock yarn to go around the Earth at least once, and I’m sure I’ve wound some other kinds of yarn on it too. šŸ˜‰ (Honest, I do knit things other than socks.)

This morning it died. The entire top part of it popped off and I just can’t reseat it properly.

And you’ll never guess what I was winding… sock yarn. lol!

Update: Knit Picks has agreed to replace the ball winder for free! How wonderful is that? This isn’t the first time that I have received wonderful customer service from them. I am most definitely a happy Knit Picks customer.

 

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Followin’

Posted on April 26, 2012 by Heather

As you may or may not know, Google shut down Google Friend Connect for all non-Blogger blogs back on March 1st. Personally, I think this was a terrible decision, but there isn’t anything I can do about other than either switch to Blogger or find another solution. Hosted blogs like Blogger are a really great option, but I like the freedom of a self-administered blog (and I love WordPress a whole lot).

So, that leaves me with the need to find another solution. If you like following my blog through your Blogger dashboard, you can still do so by adding my blog to your blogroll manually. Just go to your Dashboard, scroll down to Reading List, click on the big Add button and enter my URL (https://stitchinglotus.ca). You can also follow me through one of the widgets on my sidebar (you might have to scroll down a little). One is Networked Blogs, which works a bit like Google Reader, and the other is my Google+ for the blog (not my personal page). And, of course, you can always read my blog here or through any RSS aggregate reader (like Google Reader).

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Small Stitches

Posted on April 25, 2012 by Heather

Petit point, why did I wait so long to try you? You are only needlepoint on a small scale. You are half a cross stitch, so you are twice as fast. You are lovely.

Tea Time petit point (WIP)

Unfortunately, you are also tricksy. Before I started filling in the background, you were even and lovely. Now you slant. Not much (yet), but I see you leaning.

Well, no worries. I’ll whip you into shape when I finish you. Maybe a magnet would be a good idea. I’ll lace you tightly to some card stock, and that will take care of your unsightly slant.

Now, to look for another petit point project…

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Duuuude

Posted on April 24, 2012 by Heather

I just love knitting toys!

Duuuude the Sea Turtle by Cheezombie

This cute little guy is Duuuude The Sea Turtle, designed by Cheezombie and included as a free pattern in the Summer 2011 issue of Petite Purls (an online knitting magazine specializing in childrens’ patterns).

Cheezombie patterns definitely have a distinct look. Giant eyes, cute little bodies. It is funny how they look almost normal until you add the crazy eyes.

This guy was knit from some yarn who’s label I have now lost, but it is a rayon blend of some sort. I thought the colour was just right for a crazy little turtle. Hopefully the recipient agrees.

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WIPocalypse Check-In ā€“ April 2012

Posted on April 23, 2012 by Heather

WIPs? What are those? All I want to do is start my new projects. Wheeeee!!

Okay, seriously, I have worked a little bit on Joan Elliott’s 12 Days of Christmas. See:

 

12 Days of Christmas by Joan Elliott (WIP)

I have, however, come to an important decision. I want to give my mom a cross stitched gift this year. I’d love for it to be 12 Days of Christmas, but there is no what that is going to be possible. I have obligation knitting and stitching to do, other big projects, and I’ve got to sleep once in a while. (Although, someone really needs to tell my insomnia that.) So, 12 Days will be hibernating until I can finish up all my obligations and stitch my mom something smaller. I may or may not share pictures, since my mom likes to peek.

My other important decision regarding 12 Days is that I am going to replace all the DMC metallic with PTB. I know I said I was going to tough it out since I didn’t want to spend any more money on this piece, but DMC metallic sucks. I just can’t torture myself with it any more. šŸ˜›

Now, onwards to small WIPs and new projects full of promise!

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TUSAL – April 2012

Posted on April 22, 2012 by Heather

Look at that! Only a day late with my TUSAL post. Wow! (I still need to do my WIPocalypse post though…)

TUSAL - April 2012

Lots of lovely blue and green yarn this month (I still need to share those projects!), and a little bit of floss too, mostly from 12 Days of Christmas and JBW’s Wedding Announcement.

I’d also like to write a little bit about a blog post written by Cynthia of The Drawn Thread earlier this week. She is very proactive in searching out designs that have been shared illegally and doing what she can to shut down the sites that host them. Sadly, she discovered that her design The Bra Band has been shared on one of these sites. What makes this doubly sad is that the design was created to raise money for breast cancer research. In response to numerous requests from stitchers (who respect copyrights), she has made the design available for digital download purchase on her website for $5, all of which will go to charity. So, if you’d like a copy of this lovely design, head on over and buy yourself one and help to offset, in a small way, the damage done by people who steal cross stitch charts.

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