Stitching Blogger
Wow, I haven't posted to any of the Stitching Blogger questions in a long time. I guess I'll go back and answer a bunch of them, but will try to keep it brief.
Have you hand-dyed your own fabric? Why or why not? Would you like to try to do so?
No. I just don't have a lot of space and have a knack for making messes. This sort of thing just sets me up for disaster -- and to own a blue and purple cat. There are so many beautiful hand-dyeds out there that I feel better buying from those who know what they are doing.
What do you do with the framed stitching that you keep? Do you hang it up and leave it in one place, never to move it? Or do you have a rotation, where you have one place for stitched pieces and switch them out according to mood or season? Maybe a mixture of both?
It depends on why I stitched the design. I keep many, but I give some away to friends and family for whom I stitch and who appreciate the time and the look. Eventually I will probably have a rotation, but I have several that haven't been framed yet so haven't had to deal with that problem. Some I will have made into wall hangings so I can change them out according to the season.
How often do you wash your fabric for each project? Do you wait until the very end until to wash it or do you wash it more than once?
I only wash my fabric once, sometimes twice if it's a hand-dyed and I want to be sure it won't bleed. I tend to only wash it at the end of all stitching and beading.
What’s the largest project you’ve ever done? What’s the smallest?
I'd say Mirabilia's "The Kiss." She's not very wide but is tall and without a lot of unstitched area. Once Sleeping Beauty and Lady of the Flag are done I think one of them would be considered the biggest. The smallest is probably the little snowflakes I first stitched when I was a kid. They are only about 1.5 - 2 inches in diameter. I know a lot of people stitch tiny things on silk gauze, but that's not for me.
What do you use to hold your fabric while you stitch? A hoop, a Q-Snap, a scroll frame, something else, or do you stitch in hand? Have you always used just the one thing or have you tried one or more of the others? Which do you like best? Why?
I mainly use Q-Snaps and I love them! I used to use hoops and am so glad I don't anymore. Once I started using linen I noticed that it would pull the threads unevenly when I used a hoop. I tried scroll rods but can't get them as tight as I like. I don't use a lap stand as I like to hold the stitching pretty close to my face.
Which way do you stitch (/// and then \\\ or \\\ and then ///)? Can you (or if you haven’t done it before, do you think you could) change the way that you stitch temporarily if it is asked of you?
I stitch /// then \\\. I could change if I had to, my stitching would just be a little slower while I got used to it. The weird thing is that last Christmas I looked at ornaments I made when I was about 12 and I used to stitch the other way. Don't know when I changed or why.
Do you stitch for events like weddings, engagements, or other things that might not last? If you have been unlucky and the two people broke up, what happened to your stitched gift?
Yes I do, but I don't always do samplers with names and dates. The last thing I made for a wedding is when two male friends of mine had a commitment ceremonty and I made Mirabilia's Deco Spirits for them. For the most part I've been pretty lucky. I had one that I was a little late with, but by the time I'd finished it they had already separated -- and I'm talking about 6 months, not years or anything. So, I still have that sampler and I guess I could replace the names and dates for another couple some day, but I feel it would be bad luck for them. So, it sits in my stash where it's been for about 5 years.
What is the most challenging specialty stitch you have ever stitched?
Well, the most challenging specialty stitch I've ever ATTEMPTED to stitch is the Queen Stitch. I actually pulled out the first few and used an entirely different stitch because I just could not get them to look right. The most challenging stitch I use often is the French Knot, just because they don't always look uniform. I really should try that Colonial Knot I've seen people talk about, but I keep forgetting about it.
Have you ever just quit a project while in the midst of it? (We’re not referring to UFOs here, rather projects that you know that you’ll never work on again.) Why? What did you do with it - throw it out, give it away, put it away?
Yes, a few times. One I remember was the first time I used rayon. It would have been beautiful but I couldn't take it. It was on black fabric and was some sort of Lovebirds pattern when the rayon flosses first came out. I stitched a little, then tossed it and made something entirely different for the couple I was stitching for. They never knew the difference :)
About a year or so ago I gave away a Dimensions kit I was working on. I hated the chart and knew I would never finish it and had barely started it, so I found a taker online and sent it to her.
There's no point in struggling with a pattern that I just don't enjoy stitching. Some, like TW, are challenges and take me a while but I like the challenge. Others are just a pain in the butt and not worth it for me.
Have you hand-dyed your own fabric? Why or why not? Would you like to try to do so?
No. I just don't have a lot of space and have a knack for making messes. This sort of thing just sets me up for disaster -- and to own a blue and purple cat. There are so many beautiful hand-dyeds out there that I feel better buying from those who know what they are doing.
What do you do with the framed stitching that you keep? Do you hang it up and leave it in one place, never to move it? Or do you have a rotation, where you have one place for stitched pieces and switch them out according to mood or season? Maybe a mixture of both?
It depends on why I stitched the design. I keep many, but I give some away to friends and family for whom I stitch and who appreciate the time and the look. Eventually I will probably have a rotation, but I have several that haven't been framed yet so haven't had to deal with that problem. Some I will have made into wall hangings so I can change them out according to the season.
How often do you wash your fabric for each project? Do you wait until the very end until to wash it or do you wash it more than once?
I only wash my fabric once, sometimes twice if it's a hand-dyed and I want to be sure it won't bleed. I tend to only wash it at the end of all stitching and beading.
What’s the largest project you’ve ever done? What’s the smallest?
I'd say Mirabilia's "The Kiss." She's not very wide but is tall and without a lot of unstitched area. Once Sleeping Beauty and Lady of the Flag are done I think one of them would be considered the biggest. The smallest is probably the little snowflakes I first stitched when I was a kid. They are only about 1.5 - 2 inches in diameter. I know a lot of people stitch tiny things on silk gauze, but that's not for me.
What do you use to hold your fabric while you stitch? A hoop, a Q-Snap, a scroll frame, something else, or do you stitch in hand? Have you always used just the one thing or have you tried one or more of the others? Which do you like best? Why?
I mainly use Q-Snaps and I love them! I used to use hoops and am so glad I don't anymore. Once I started using linen I noticed that it would pull the threads unevenly when I used a hoop. I tried scroll rods but can't get them as tight as I like. I don't use a lap stand as I like to hold the stitching pretty close to my face.
Which way do you stitch (/// and then \\\ or \\\ and then ///)? Can you (or if you haven’t done it before, do you think you could) change the way that you stitch temporarily if it is asked of you?
I stitch /// then \\\. I could change if I had to, my stitching would just be a little slower while I got used to it. The weird thing is that last Christmas I looked at ornaments I made when I was about 12 and I used to stitch the other way. Don't know when I changed or why.
Do you stitch for events like weddings, engagements, or other things that might not last? If you have been unlucky and the two people broke up, what happened to your stitched gift?
Yes I do, but I don't always do samplers with names and dates. The last thing I made for a wedding is when two male friends of mine had a commitment ceremonty and I made Mirabilia's Deco Spirits for them. For the most part I've been pretty lucky. I had one that I was a little late with, but by the time I'd finished it they had already separated -- and I'm talking about 6 months, not years or anything. So, I still have that sampler and I guess I could replace the names and dates for another couple some day, but I feel it would be bad luck for them. So, it sits in my stash where it's been for about 5 years.
What is the most challenging specialty stitch you have ever stitched?
Well, the most challenging specialty stitch I've ever ATTEMPTED to stitch is the Queen Stitch. I actually pulled out the first few and used an entirely different stitch because I just could not get them to look right. The most challenging stitch I use often is the French Knot, just because they don't always look uniform. I really should try that Colonial Knot I've seen people talk about, but I keep forgetting about it.
Have you ever just quit a project while in the midst of it? (We’re not referring to UFOs here, rather projects that you know that you’ll never work on again.) Why? What did you do with it - throw it out, give it away, put it away?
Yes, a few times. One I remember was the first time I used rayon. It would have been beautiful but I couldn't take it. It was on black fabric and was some sort of Lovebirds pattern when the rayon flosses first came out. I stitched a little, then tossed it and made something entirely different for the couple I was stitching for. They never knew the difference :)
About a year or so ago I gave away a Dimensions kit I was working on. I hated the chart and knew I would never finish it and had barely started it, so I found a taker online and sent it to her.
There's no point in struggling with a pattern that I just don't enjoy stitching. Some, like TW, are challenges and take me a while but I like the challenge. Others are just a pain in the butt and not worth it for me.
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