SBQ Catch-up

I'm serial posting, but haven't done these questions for a while.

Do you stitch Christmas ornaments? If so, how many do you stitch each
year and for whom? If not, why not?
Yes. I've started stitching some every year to give to coworkers and friends. I create the designs and use little tuck ornaments from Amy's Cross Stitch Corner. That way I don't have to do any extra finishing and I can stitch a bunch of them in a week. I think I stitch anywhere from 15 to 25 a year, but I don't give them all away for at Christmas. Some of them can go into non-seasonal tucks and be given at any time to hang on doorknobs and such.

How do you secure your thread when you begin a new one? Specifically,
do you or have you ever used a waste knot?
I don't use the waste know usually, but have in the past when I'm working a lot of specialty stitches. It's easier for me to secure the back of the thread that way. I usually use a loop start, but if I'm working with two separate strands I work the floss into already stitched stitches, then start stitching. That way I don't have to hold it on the back for the first few stitches.

Do you have any good internet links to tutorials for your favorite
finishing techniques that you would like to share?
I've seen some, but I haven't used any of them yet because I'm lazy about finishing. Instead, I'll post Ames' website. This is where I get my tuck ornaments, but she has lots of cool stuff for finishing projects -- banners, gift bags, wine bags, bookmarks and more.

SBQ

It would be nice if I'd remember to keep up with these each week, but I do always get to them eventually.

For those of you who use hand or over-dyed floss, how do you store it? I store mine in floss bags on a ring. I keep WDW on one ring, Sampler Threads on another, Needle Necessities on a third, etc.

What do you keep your WIPs and other stitching supplies in when traveling? I have a bunch of organizers I bought from Dyeing4U a few years back. There are made out of placemats and have freezer bags inside to hold materials, as well as some pockets for charts and other items. I absolutely LOVE them and use them mostly for keeping all my WIPS even at home. I have one that is relatively empty and use that one for traveling, as the others are pretty full.

How do you share your finished pieces with others? Do you frame them,
scan and/or photograph them, or do you have another method that you
would like to share? Well, this blog is one way I share my finished pieces with others. I also post pictures on various stitching boards I visit and email photos to my mom and sister. I used to use a scanner at my old job but I now have a lovely digital camera that Tim bought me and I use that. My local friends see them in person.