This blog has moved!

After a bit of hair pulling a couple of phone calls to a friend with technical know-how and a big bowl of ice-cream, this blog has been moved and now resides on my server. It’s also been split into two blogs:

Gothtigger – my usual blog, my health, cats, stitching, anything else that takes my fancy

A-Project-A-Day – one post each day discussing a counted embroidery chart languishing in my stash.

Please change your RSS feeds, or your email subscriptions or however you do it to join me at the new sites 🙂

Both sites still need a  bit of cleaning up, but they are both working.

Projects by Friends is still coming but will be here soon.

Doing some tinkering today

Morning all,

I’m doing some tinkering with the blog today – trying to set up and migrate over to my site and seeing if I can split off Project-A-Day into its own blog.  I’m still in two minds as to whether I should so at this point I’m figuring out if I can otherwise “should” is irrelevant.

Later on today, if I’m not a complete screaming wreck of rage and frustration I’ll start the Projects by Friends site – so comment below or email me, Facebook me etc if you want to be an author on that site.

Today’s Project-a-Day will be put up later when I’ve finished tinkering or am a blubbering wreck.

Mel.

Canterbury Cross by Vickery Collection

A Project A Day – Counted embroidery work is my main hobby and I have a huge stitching stash. Some of these projects are huge and take years to stitch, and while others are quick projects, I often spend months without stitching at all. So while I have hundreds in my stash, only a half-dozen ever see attention any given year.  To address this imbalance in 2012 I will each day write about one project languishing in my stash.

Copyright Mike Vickery, 2007.

Canterbury Cross by Vickery Collection

Chart: The chart is printed on two Letter-sized pages. Although there is no indication, I surmise that the chart is in two halves, with each half being on each sheet of paper. There is no overlap. The chart is printed quite small, so I would highly recommend making a working copy. The backstitch is printed in red to make it stand out from the cross stitch symbols underneath. This is quite effective, I wish more designers employed this type of technique.

Stitches: Pattern uses whole cross stitch, fractional stitches and backstitch.

Materials: DMC stranded cotton. Stitched on Charles Crafts 18ct White Aida.

Designer’s Notes: None.

Why I was attracted to this design: I love medieval woodcuts. I love medieval beastiaries and I love Mike Vickery’s designs. This chart is a combination of all three.  These animals are straight out of woodcuts or linotype illustrations from medieval beastiaries and Mike’s put them around his signatory scroll and colour work.  His scroll work is a pain to stitch but looks fabulous when finished.

So why haven’t I stitched it? To be honest I can’t even remember when this one entered the stash; the packet was still sealed when I went to scan the cover sheet for today’s picture.  As much as I love the design, it’s just DMC on white Aida.  I want to jazz it up in some way but I don’t know how.

Where can you buy it? This chart is still in print and can be purchased from your LNS or ONS for $7US. If you want to go through a LOT of old school hassles, and you can send a cheque in US funds, you may be able to eventually manage to buy it directly from Vickery Collection for $9US.

Discussion questions: It’s just DMC on White Aida. I want bling.  What do you recommend?  Change the background fabric?  Add some beads? Do I go Rayon ????

Insane art formed by carving books with surgical tools – Karan Arora’s Posterous

You must have a look at these !!!!

From the website:

“Using knives, tweezers and surgical tools, Brian Dettmer carves one
page at a time. Nothing inside the out-of-date encyclopedias, medical
journals, illustration books, or dictionaries is relocated or implanted,
only removed.”

See the rest of the article and more of these sculptures:
Insane art formed by carving books with surgical tools – Karan Arora’s Posterous.

Imperial Phoenix by Serendipity Designs

A Project A Day – Counted embroidery work is my main hobby and I have a huge stitching stash. Some of these projects are huge and take years to stitch, and while others are quick projects, I often spend months without stitching at all. So while I have hundreds in my stash, only a half-dozen ever see attention any given year.  To address this imbalance in 2012 I will each day write about one project languishing in my stash.

Copyright Carolyn Meacham, 1979.

Imperial Phoenix by Serendipity Designs

Chart: The chart is print on a folded A2 Glossy paper sheet. The sheet is folded in four with the design covering the entirety of one side of the sheet.  The glossy side has four panels: cover sheet, symbol key and instruction sheet, and two panels of advertisements. As this is an older design the symbols are hand drawn. However the symbols are drawn nice and large and some are printed in red so it is an easy chart to follow. Also as a result of being an old chart, many of the symbols printed along the fold lines have rubbed away. As this is a simple design, I can pretty much guess from the surrounding symbols which ones to use.

Stitches: Pattern uses whole cross stitches and backstitch.

Materials: Stitched in DMC stranded cottons and metallics on 14ct Ivory Aida.

Designer’s Notes: The mate to the Imperial Dragon, the Imperial Phoenix was long associated with the Empress of China. This mythical bird also symbolized life eternal, as the Phoenix was thought to be able to recreate itself.

Why I was attracted to this design: I love mythical creatures. I grew up reading  fairy tales, when my local library threw out their collection of Andrew Lang colour Fairy Books I was heartbroken. I devoured those books as a kid.  I still read a lot of paranormal and outright fantasy fiction now.  It’s so rare to see mythological creatures treated as serious subject matters in cross stitch that I tend to grab the patterns when I see them.

So why haven’t I stitched it? I find the colours a little muted for my taste.  I don’t know enough of Chinese mythology and Chinese art aesthetics to know if these muted tones are appropriate for the style of the piece or whether Carolyn was having a sad day when she designed this.  She’s designed some other brightly coloured pieces so these muted colours are a distinct choice on her part.  I just don’t know if it’s the right choice.

Where can you buy it? This chart, first designed in 1979 is still in print.  You or your LNS can order it from Serendipity Designs for $6US.

Discussion questions:  Do I brighten the colours or keep the muted tones? I’m tempted to use silks – which silks would I use?

Juliet by Papillon Creations

A Project A Day – Counted embroidery work is my main hobby and I have a huge stitching stash. Some of these projects are huge and take years to stitch, and while others are quick projects, I often spend months without stitching at all. So while I have hundreds in my stash, only a half-dozen ever see attention any given year.  To address this imbalance in 2012 I will each day write about one project languishing in my stash.

Copyright Yvonne Horn, 2006.

Juliet by Papillon Creations

This chart was bought as a pdf file.  The pdf file does not have the traditional cover sheet of designer name, project title and project cover photo. Rather the design illustration is on the same page as the key to chart symbols, backstiching instructions, fabric sizing and stitching information, beading instructions etc.  As I don’t feel it proper to scan that entire page as I do with the entire cover page, I have instead just put up a scan of just the design illustration.

Chart: The pdf chart pack comprises 12 pages.  The chart is printed over 6 pages with a two-row overlap on each page. Symbols are printed nice and large. In addition, there are four pages of stitching instructions including a step-by-step guide to stitching each section in order. Also Yvonne includes detailed maps and instructions for double running stitch and backstitch, allowing you to decide which stitch to work the border.

Stitches: Pattern uses whole cross stitches, fractional stitches, backstitch, satin stitch, double running stitch and beading.

Materials: DMC stranded cotton, DMC Perle #8 cotton, Kreinik Blending filament and Mill Hill beads. Stitched on Lakeside Linen 28ct “Attic Lace” Linen.

Designer’s Notes: Surrounded by a blackwork frame of Celtic knot-and-keywork, Juliet proclaims her love for Romeo with the famous question “What’s in a name? . . . . . “. The cut-glass vase sparkles, love’s red rose lays waiting to be given, and the stage is set for the world’s most famous star-crossed lovers to meet their destiny.

Why I was attracted to this design: I first saw this design and its companion Romeo, on a friend’s Wish List and bought them both for her as a gift. I then bought a second set for myself. I love Shakespeare, and although Romeo and Juliet is not one of my favourites, I do appreciate the sentiment in this soliloquy.   Also the design has blackwork, specialty stitches and a beautiful red rose, what’s not to love? It hits my sweet spot by not being so saccharine and pink that everything deemed “Romantic” is drenched in these days.

So why haven’t I stitched it? As much as I love my pdf designs, I’ve recently realised it’s a case of “out of sight, out of mind”.  Whenever I go perusing among the stash for a new design to get me out of a funk, its to the physical stash I go. Or more likely, I’m searching the stash for one thing and something else jumps into my hand. This doesn’t happen with the pdf charts.  They weren’t even included in this A-Project-a-Day until a few weeks ago.

I’ve now printed out all of my pdf charts (or at least the first couple of pages of each) and put them in with my physical charts to remind me that they do exist. So they too can be a victim of serendipity.

Where can you buy it? Papillon Creations is very much still in business and this chart can be bought in paper form from your LNS or ONS for around $18US. Otherwise you can purchase the pdf directly from Papillon Creations for €8 Euro.

Discussion questions: The Balcony Scene. One of the most famous in all of Shakespeare’s repertoire. As such, would you stitch this design as a Valentine’s Day gift, or would you stay the heck away from it, knowing how the play ends ….

The Friendship Tree by The Gathering Place

A Project A Day – Counted embroidery work is my main hobby and I have a huge stitching stash. Some of these projects are huge and take years to stitch, and while others are quick projects, I often spend months without stitching at all. So while I have hundreds in my stash, only a half-dozen ever see attention any given year.  To address this imbalance in 2012 I will each day write about one project languishing in my stash.

Copyright Sherry Johnston, 2006.

The Friendship Tree by The Gathering Place

Chart: The chart is print on the inside of a folded A3 cardboard sheet. The symbols are small but it is a very simple design so there’s no undue problem with the symbol size or similarity.

Stitches: Pattern uses whole cross stitches only.

Materials: Stitched in NeedlePoint, Inc silks on Lakeside Linens 32ct  “Vintage Exemplar” Linen.

Designer’s Notes: None.

Why I was attracted to this design: I wasn’t.  During an Online Needlework Show in 2006, I cut and pasted the titles of the designs I wanted from the web pages straight into an email and sent that off to my then LNS.  Unfortunately, as well as the text of the titles I wanted, my cut ‘n paste efforts had included some invisible html coding from other charts listed in the lines above or below.  This gobbledygook showed up on my LNS’ email but not on mine.  She assumed I wanted all the charts referenced in the email regardless how the formatting was and ordered them all on my behalf.  I politely paid for them all as the error was made by me. I ended up with three charts I didn’t want and an object lesson to retype or send plain text only!

The other charts have been given away as RAKs years ago but this one somehow stayed lost in my stash.

So why haven’t I stitched it? I did have vague thoughts now and then of stitching it just because it is so different to what I normally stitch, but the design really does not interest me. So free to good home. Usual conditions apply 🙂

Where can you buy it? Although some Gathering Place charts are still in print, sadly this is not one of them.  Nor does The Gathering Place have a viable website anymore.  You can pick this chart up at a LNS or ONS that has older stock, or comment below to receive my chart.

Discussion questions: Have you ever been tripped up blithely placing an order and then being surprised when you saw what arrived?

Sleeping Dragon Sampler by Dragon Dreams

A Project A Day – Counted embroidery work is my main hobby and I have a huge stitching stash. Some of these projects are huge and take years to stitch, and while others are quick projects, I often spend months without stitching at all. So while I have hundreds in my stash, only a half-dozen ever see attention any given year.  To address this imbalance in 2012 I will each day write about one project languishing in my stash.

Copyright Jennifer L. Aikman-Smith, 1995.

Sleeping Dragon Sampler by Dragon Dreams

Chart: The Chart is print on a coloured, folded A3 cardboard sheet. Being an older chart, the symbols are hand-drawn. The grey/green cardboard, chosen for its ability to confound photocopiers at that time, is hard on the eyes. The designer does not give permission to make a working copy. However there are large swathes of single colour; little confetti stitching so with some study or a good light, the chart is useable.

It’s serendipitous that mum walked out with this chart just after I mentioned these grey/green charts in a discussion on a previous post. I know that Jennifer has tried different mechanisms to balance the long running battle of copyright protection for her livelihood vs ease of use for stitchers. If memory serves (so I may have some details a little wrong) if you were using these grey/green charts and completely mucked up the chart part way through stitching your WIP, you could send it in to Jennifer and she would send you out a fresh chart.  Later she moved to white cardboard charts and I think at that time, you could post in your grey/green charts and she would swap them for free.  I know in the end it was the amount of illegal copies that disheartened Jennifer to the point that she stopped designing at all for a long time and shut Dragon Dreams.  Thankfully for us, she has started designing again in a small way with a few teaching pieces and ornaments. I believe she will be releasing (or just has) new large designs this year.

Stitches: Pattern uses whole cross stitches, fractional stitches, backstitch and beads.

Materials: Anchor stranded cotton, Kreinik blending filament and Craftworld International Colour Beads. Stitched on Zweigart 28ct “White” Quaker Cloth.

Designer’s Notes: This dragon was designed because so many stitchers kept asking me for a dragon “just like your logo. The funny thing is … sometimes designs end up having a life of their own. As I began to chart this fellow out, he seemed to be asking for a pile of gold and treasure to nap on rather than a cozy pillow. Thus this Sleeping Dragon Sampler was born. I may still chart our logo someday … but in the meantime, this dragon sleeps and guards his treasure pile above a gold and burgundy alphabet. The oak leaves and acorns used in the border and throughout the design are part of my Aikman mythology. Aikman literally means “Men of Oak”, and our whole family stands tall like oak trees.

Why I was attracted to this design: I love Jennifer’s Dragons!  I love her artwork. Her style is unmissable. I have so many of her designs in my stash; I love her dragons and castles most of all.  Like Teresa Wentzer, Jennifer Aikman-Smith is an artist and stitcher who translates her own drawings and doodles to floss and fabric.

So why haven’t I stitched it? I have so many Dragon Dreams charts in my stash that I haven’t really paid much attention to this one. It was bought without thinking “Ah a Dragon Dreams, into the basket!”. The high priority designs are kitted up or already WIPs, so I haven’t paid much attention yet to those still in chart form.

I find it curious that this chart was stitched in Anchor threads instead of the ubiquitous DMC. She does offer a conversion list of her own choosing to DMC.  Also the beads can be substituted with “1 pkt iridescent purple, green or gold size 11/0 glass beads”.  Ok so which Mill Hill bead range would those be in?

Where can you buy it? This design is Out of Print at present. Some of Dragon Dreams designs are being sold through Hoffmans and some through Patterns Online.  So you could try eBay or you could contact Jennifer via her website and ask if she would make this one available again?

Discussion questions:  Well I’ll be substituting Kreinik #4 braid for the blending ilament. Once I figure out which Mill Hill bead range to use I’ll be right to go on those.  Which fabric would people recommend?  I’m actually tempted to use Wichelt’s Queen Anne’s Lace.  Any other thoughts?  Go wild!  Lavender? Peach?

Spellbinders by Cross My Heart

A Project A Day – Counted embroidery work is my main hobby and I have a huge stitching stash. Some of these projects are huge and take years to stitch, and while others are quick projects, I often spend months without stitching at all. So while I have hundreds in my stash, only a half-dozen ever see attention any given year. To address this imbalance in 2012 I will each day write about one project languishing in my stash.

Copyright Jeanne Rye-Zettel, 1999.

Spellbinders by Cross My Heart

Chart: The chart is printed in an 18 page A4/Letter sized stapled booklet including cardboard cover. The Wizard chart is over four pages; the Sorceress chart is over six pages. This is an older chart. It is computer-drawn, but many of the symbols are quite similar and used adjacent. This is a pity when the publisher expressly forbids the making of a working copy. They do provide a full page of instructions how to complete each of the different types of stitch used in the design.

Stitches: Pattern uses whole cross stitches, fractional stitches, backstitch, longstitch and beads.

Materials: DMC stranded cottons, Kreinik blending filament, Mill Hill Beads and Mill Hill Treasures. Stitched on Zweigart 28ct “White” Linen and Zweigart 28ct “Wedgwood Blue” Lugana.

Designer’s Notes: None.

Why I was attracted to this design: I bought this chart so long ago. At the time there were so few serious fantasy charts on the markets that I bought every chart I could find when I managed to visit an LNS.

So why haven’t I stitched it? I bought the chart due to a dearth of charts in the fantasy field at that time. I wasn’t happy with the Sorceress’ face but felt I had to compromise my tastes to have some fantasy to stitch. I was wrong, because I never picked up a needle on this. Every time I looked at this chart, I wrinkled my nose at the Sorceress’ face and put the chart back down. It’s time I let this one go.

Free to good home. Mention in the comments why you would like it and how you found your way to this blog. I’ll close this part of the comments in one week.

Where can you buy it? This chart is long out of print. There are several copies currently selling on various auction sites as well as eBay.com

Discussion questions: Tell me about a chart you bought as a compromise once – you couldn’t find the exact chart you wanted so you bought something close but not quite right. Did you stitch it? If not, do you think you ever will?

Flying Dutchman by Dragon Fire Designs

A Project A Day – Counted embroidery work is my main hobby and I have a huge stitching stash. Some of these projects are huge and take years to stitch, and while others are quick projects, I often spend months without stitching at all. So while I have hundreds in my stash, only a half-dozen ever see attention any given year.  To address this imbalance in 2012 I will each day write about one project languishing in my stash.

Copyright Sherry Schons, 2000.

Flying Dutchman by Dragon Fire Designs

Chart: The Chart is printed over four sheets, but there is unfortunately no overlap to help line up the sheets. The symbols are a good size, but many are of a similar shape so I would definitely be making a working copy to stitch this design. There is a fair bit of confetti stitching in that moon but it should look stunning when completed.

Stitches: Whole cross stitches, fractional stitches, backstitch, French Knots and Beads

Materials: DMC stranded cottons, Kreinik blending filament and Mill Hill petite beads. Stitched on Wichelt 28ct “Midnight blue” Linen.

Designer’s Notes: Several hundred years ago, in the year 1729 to be exactly, there lived a Dutch sea captain of fearsome temperament. With his ship he sailed through the stormiest seas, and fared the hardest routes. One day however, despite all his efforts, a storm prevented him from rounding the steep cliffs of a headland. He swore to the Devil that he would never give in to Nature, and that he would sail on until he rounded the headland, even if it took him till Judgment Day. The Devil took the Captain at his word and dammed him, that he must stay as captain of his ship, now a ghostship, sailing the seas, until Judgment Day should come. The Devil left him just one small hope. Only through the love of a woman could he be released.

So, the Flying Dutchman became the curse of the seas. Any ship that met him became a ship of ill fortune. No sailor would sail on her, any trader would refuse to deal in it’s wares. In order to protect themselves against an encounter with the ghost ship, ships took to nailing horseshoes to their masts, which was said to bring luck, and prevent an unhappy meeting.

Why I was attracted to this design: As previously mentioned, I love Gothic tales and what is more Gothic than the tale of the Flying Dutchman! Stitched on Midnight Blue linen with metallics and beads, the only thing that could make this chart better would be the addition of Glow-in-the-dark threads (which didn’t exist when this chart was created). Does anyone know of any other Flying Dutchman charts?

So why haven’t I stitched it? From memory this was another chart in the 40 charts for $40 bundle I won on eBay a few years back. I spent a few years stashing faster than I was stitching and I had a very small fabric stash for a long time. So any chart that required an unusual fabric (not pastel or black) tended to languish longer.

Where can you buy it? Dragon Fire Designs seems to be out of business these days. Their website seems broken and I cannot find a distributor for their designs.  I suggest you try your LNS if they stock older charts, or try eBay as I did.

Discussion questions:  The irony of course, is that now I actually have a piece of midnight linen in my stash, I am tempted rather to use a hand dyed like DoveStitch Black or Polstitches Bewitched and not the plain Midnight Blue.  What do you think? What would be the perfect fabric for this design? By the way, that chart photo looks black, not midnight blue to me. Cover photos hey?

Blog admin musings about the Project-A-Day

Sometime soon I’m going to be migrating this blog from WordPress to my Gothtigger site.  I just need a working brain and my technical support guy to have some free time (Hi Stephen!).

Thinking about moving is a great time to evaluate how things are going on the blog: is it working, where can I add some fun elements.  So I’ve been noodling around with some ideas and I really would like input.

A-Project-A-Day – separate blog?

I feel like we are building a little community around the A-Project-A-Day blog posts.  Should I hive these off into a separate blog? Have the two blogs running side by side. A-Project-A-Day simply gets all the Project blog posts in a nice clean place by themselves.  All other posts including meta ones like this one stay on my main blog. What do you think?  Yes?  No?  Advice?  Advice and thoughts eagerly sought please?

Building a community?

A few people have now commented here and on lists that they’d like to do something like A-Project-A-Day for themselves, but they are worried about the time committment of locking themselves into a schedule.  I do feel like we are building a community here so I would like to offer space here where other people can join in and add their Project posts on an ad hoc basis.  So you can join in if you want without time pressure. I figure I can offer this in two ways – guest blogging or a separate blog.

Guest bloggers?

For example if I made every second Saturday “Super Blogger Saturday” and that day’s post would be put up by someone other than me. Either you could email your content to me ahead of time and I can format and publish it on that day or I could make you an author on the site and you can put the post up yourself. This would be open to any of my friends – a way to post irregularly without any time hassles. This could widen the pool of charts being discussed on the Project, but could conversely be seen as a cop-out as the content wasn’t all coming from my stash anymore.  Again thoughts, ideas, comments, would *you* be interested in being a guest blogger?

A new communal Blog?

Yes potentially a third blog.  A copy of the Project-a-Day format but open for all friends to use as a communal Project-A-Day blog.  So you upload your Project posts when you want to; regularly or when the mood hits. If no-one posts, the blog lays quiet for a while, but it is still there for anyone who wants to have a go.

There would definitely need to be some rules such as no product/designer-bashing, designers don’t review their own charts etc but we could work on these if this comes about.  What do you think?  Is this a good idea?  Or a spectacular failure?

So thoughts, ideas, would you be interested in taking an active part in this or are you happy just reading what I put out?  Is this ready to put out in polls or should I noodle it about some more? Talk to me please. I want opinions 🙂

Blog admin musings about the Project-A-Day

Sometime soon I’m going to be migrating this blog from WordPress to my Gothtigger site.  I just need a working brain and my technical support guy to have some free time (Hi Stephen!).

Thinking about moving is a great time to evaluate how things are going on the blog: is it working, where can I add some fun elements.  So I’ve been noodling around with some ideas and I really would like input.

A-Project-A-Day – separate blog?

I feel like we are building a little community around the A-Project-A-Day blog posts.  Should I hive these off into a separate blog? Have the two blogs running side by side. A-Project-A-Day simply gets all the Project blog posts in a nice clean place by themselves.  All other posts including meta ones like this one stay on my main blog. What do you think?  Yes?  No?  Advice?  Advice and thoughts eagerly sought please?

Building a community?

A few people have now commented here and on lists that they’d like to do something like A-Project-A-Day for themselves, but they are worried about the time committment of locking themselves into a schedule.  I do feel like we are building a community here so I would like to offer space here where other people can join in and add their Project posts on an ad hoc basis.  So you can join in if you want without time pressure. I figure I can offer this in two ways – guest blogging or a separate blog.

Guest bloggers?

For example if I made every second Saturday “Super Blogger Saturday” and that day’s post would be put up by someone other than me. Either you could email your content to me ahead of time and I can format and publish it on that day or I could make you an author on the site and you can put the post up yourself. This would be open to any of my friends – a way to post irregularly without any time hassles. This could widen the pool of charts being discussed on the Project, but could conversely be seen as a cop-out as the content wasn’t all coming from my stash anymore.  Again thoughts, ideas, comments, would *you* be interested in being a guest blogger?

A new communal Blog?

Yes potentially a third blog.  A copy of the Project-a-Day format but open for all friends to use as a communal Project-A-Day blog.  So you upload your Project posts when you want to; regularly or when the mood hits. If no-one posts, the blog lays quiet for a while, but it is still there for anyone who wants to have a go.

There would definitely need to be some rules such as no product/designer-bashing, designers don’t review their own charts etc but we could work on these if this comes about.  What do you think?  Is this a good idea?  Or a spectacular failure?

So thoughts, ideas, would you be interested in taking an active part in this or are you happy just reading what I put out?  Is this ready to put out in polls or should I noodle it about some more? Talk to me please. I want opinions 🙂

In the Bag by Calico Crossroads

A Project A Day – Counted embroidery work is my main hobby and I have a huge stitching stash. Some of these projects are huge and take years to stitch, and while others are quick projects, I often spend months without stitching at all. So while I have hundreds in my stash, only a half-dozen ever see attention any given year.  To address this imbalance in 2012 I will each day write about one project languishing in my stash.

Copyright Kathleen Kelly, Linda Connors, 2005.

In the Bag by Kats by Kelly

Chart: This small chart is printed on one side of a double-sided A5 cardboard sheet. It’s a small design and fits quite nicely on that card size. The chart could easily be stitched without the need for a working copy.

Stitches: Pattern uses whole cross stitches, fractional stitches and backstitch.

Materials: Stitched in DMC stranded cotton and Crescent Colours cotton on Charles Craft 14ct White Aida.

Designer’s Notes: None.  This is part of the Mini-Kats monthly series of Kats by Kelly designs.

Why I was attracted to this design: I love all the Kats by Kelly designs. One of my goals is to collect and stitch all the main designs. This was the first of the Mini-Kats series and of course I loved it – it is sooo adorable. The tiny black cat reminded me of Hemingway so much.

So why haven’t I stitched it? I bought this chart when it first came out (was it really so long ago?) and looked forward to the rest of the series with grand ideas of stitching a whole calendar. Unfortunately I forgot that some designers are very parochial and include themes each month that are not global or indeed do not even translate out of the USA. So showers in April and Fourth of July were useless to me and I felt bitter in my disappointment.  The bitterness was probably aimed inwardly as I should have expected the parochialism. So I didn’t do anything with the Mini-Kats charts I already had.

Where can you buy it? All Kats by Kelly charts are out of print.  But this has been a recent development, so you may be able to find these in LNS that keep older stock. They also appear quite regularly on eBay.

Discussion questions: Is there something that appears regularly in monthly themed  designs that doesn’t apply to you. Does it stop you collecting or stitching these designs or do you work around it?

In the Bag by Calico Crossroads

A Project A Day – Counted embroidery work is my main hobby and I have a huge stitching stash. Some of these projects are huge and take years to stitch, and while others are quick projects, I often spend months without stitching at all. So while I have hundreds in my stash, only a half-dozen ever see attention any given year.  To address this imbalance in 2012 I will each day write about one project languishing in my stash.

Copyright Kathleen Kelly, Linda Connors, 2005.

In the Bag by Kats by Kelly

Chart: This small chart is printed on one side of a double-sided A5 cardboard sheet. It’s a small design and fits quite nicely on that card size. The chart could easily be stitched without the need for a working copy.

Stitches: Pattern uses whole cross stitches, fractional stitches and backstitch.

Materials: Stitched in DMC stranded cotton and Crescent Colours cotton on Charles Craft 14ct White Aida.

Designer’s Notes: None.  This is part of the Mini-Kats monthly series of Kats by Kelly designs.

Why I was attracted to this design: I love all the Kats by Kelly designs. One of my goals is to collect and stitch all the main designs. This was the first of the Mini-Kats series and of course I loved it – it is sooo adorable. The tiny black cat reminded me of Hemingway so much.

So why haven’t I stitched it? I bought this chart when it first came out (was it really so long ago?) and looked forward to the rest of the series with grand ideas of stitching a whole calendar. Unfortunately I forgot that some designers are very parochial and include themes each month that are not global or indeed do not even translate out of the USA. So showers in April and Fourth of July were useless to me and I felt bitter in my disappointment.  The bitterness was probably aimed inwardly as I should have expected the parochialism. So I didn’t do anything with the Mini-Kats charts I already had.

Where can you buy it? All Kats by Kelly charts are out of print.  But this has been a recent development, so you may be able to find these in LNS that keep older stock. They also appear quite regularly on eBay.

Discussion questions: Is there something that appears regularly in monthly themed  designs that doesn’t apply to you. Does it stop you collecting or stitching these designs or do you work around it?

Spooky House by Xs and Ohs

A Project A Day – Counted embroidery work is my main hobby and I have a huge stitching stash. Some of these projects are huge and take years to stitch, and while others are quick projects, I often spend months without stitching at all. So while I have hundreds in my stash, only a half-dozen ever see attention any given year.  To address this imbalance in 2012 I will each day write about one project languishing in my stash.

Copyright Sandra Parlow, 2008.

Spooky House by X's and Oh's

Chart: The chart is printed in a 12 page A4/Letter sized stapled booklet with cardboard cover. The chart is over six of those pages with two extra sections on the back inside cover as closeups of areas that have large amounts of backstitch and longstitch. Although there is no much confetti stitching, there is a lot going on with this chart so I would make a working copy and enlarge some sections for ease of progress.

Stitches: Pattern uses whole cross stitches, fractional stitches, backstitch and longstitch.

Materials: DMC stranded cotton and Kreinik #4 Braid. Stitched on Zweigart 32ct “Thunderstorm” Linen.

Designer’s Notes: As you walk down the tree lined street at midnight, you’re likely to cross to the other side of the street to avoid getting too close to the Spooky House, but you can’t help but stare up at it as you go by, even though you know you should look away.

The moon is so bright and it glows in the darkness … then you see the tree and the hairs on the back of your neck stand up … Is it a tree, or a spirit, perhaps a soul that is not dead, yet not alive either?

You can see that the house has resident … are they still and intense, or trapped, issuing silent screams? Are they trying to call for help, or are they warning you away?

Maybe next time you should take another way home, and avoid this street altogether. But then, you’ll never learn all the secrets of Spooky House if you never return. Perhaps next time you’ll discover some new secret …

Why I was attracted to this design: With the nickname Gothtigger you can tell I have a penchant for all things Gothic and what is more Gothic than a Haunted Victorian House?  The tortured tree spirit is sooo elegant, and yet the whimsy of the stick figure in the ground floor window just makes me smile. Unlike other well-known recent Haunted House designs, this one uses no buttons or beads – everything in the design is stitched.

So why haven’t I stitched it? This is a relatively recent addition to my stash, only purchased in a sale late last year. I’m still kitting it up.  It requires 8-10 spools of Kreinik #4 Braid 052F alone – that’s the Glow in the Dark for the Moon. The fabric was ordered in the Needleworker’s Delight January sales and arrived today while I was typing this entry!  Serendipity strikes!

Where can you buy it? This chart is a relatively recent release and still very much in print. You can buy this through your LNS or ONS for $12US.

Discussion questions:  I don’t “do” Halloween, but I love Gothic Horror stories, Ghost stories and the occasional Bodice Ripper. So Halloween is great as it inadvertently produces charts that I find fabulous!  What major stitching event accidentally fits your reading or art genres?

Spooky House by Xs and Ohs

A Project A Day – Counted embroidery work is my main hobby and I have a huge stitching stash. Some of these projects are huge and take years to stitch, and while others are quick projects, I often spend months without stitching at all. So while I have hundreds in my stash, only a half-dozen ever see attention any given year.  To address this imbalance in 2012 I will each day write about one project languishing in my stash.

Copyright Sandra Parlow, 2008.

Spooky House by X's and Oh's

Chart: The chart is printed in a 12 page A4/Letter sized stapled booklet with cardboard cover. The chart is over six of those pages with two extra sections on the back inside cover as closeups of areas that have large amounts of backstitch and longstitch. Although there is no much confetti stitching, there is a lot going on with this chart so I would make a working copy and enlarge some sections for ease of progress.

Stitches: Pattern uses whole cross stitches, fractional stitches, backstitch and longstitch.

Materials: DMC stranded cotton and Kreinik #4 Braid. Stitched on Zweigart 32ct “Thunderstorm” Linen.

Designer’s Notes: As you walk down the tree lined street at midnight, you’re likely to cross to the other side of the street to avoid getting too close to the Spooky House, but you can’t help but stare up at it as you go by, even though you know you should look away.

The moon is so bright and it glows in the darkness … then you see the tree and the hairs on the back of your neck stand up … Is it a tree, or a spirit, perhaps a soul that is not dead, yet not alive either?

You can see that the house has resident … are they still and intense, or trapped, issuing silent screams? Are they trying to call for help, or are they warning you away?

Maybe next time you should take another way home, and avoid this street altogether. But then, you’ll never learn all the secrets of Spooky House if you never return. Perhaps next time you’ll discover some new secret …

Why I was attracted to this design: With the nickname Gothtigger you can tell I have a penchant for all things Gothic and what is more Gothic than a Haunted Victorian House?  The tortured tree spirit is sooo elegant, and yet the whimsy of the stick figure in the ground floor window just makes me smile. Unlike other well-known recent Haunted House designs, this one uses no buttons or beads – everything in the design is stitched.

So why haven’t I stitched it? This is a relatively recent addition to my stash, only purchased in a sale late last year. I’m still kitting it up.  It requires 8-10 spools of Kreinik #4 Braid 052F alone – that’s the Glow in the Dark for the Moon. The fabric was ordered in the Needleworker’s Delight January sales and arrived today while I was typing this entry!  Serendipity strikes!

Where can you buy it? This chart is a relatively recent release and still very much in print. You can buy this through your LNS or ONS for $12US.

Discussion questions:  I don’t “do” Halloween, but I love Gothic Horror stories, Ghost stories and the occasional Bodice Ripper. So Halloween is great as it inadvertently produces charts that I find fabulous!  What major stitching event accidentally fits your reading or art genres?

A note on OOP charts

As has become evident in A-Project-A-Day, many of the designers I have bought from are no longer in business or those particular charts are no longer fashionable.

I’ve noticed this year especially that Hoffmans no longer carries a designer’s complete backlist. For example, they carry some Black Swan, Dimples Designs, and Cross Eyed Kat, but not the charts that I have featured as my Projects.  When I first created my Lust Lists a few years ago, I used Hoffmans pages extensively because they seemed a one-stop-shop for a lot of designers. This is no longer the case 😦

In my Project pages, I list an item as easily available if it is listed in the Hoffmans Pages or on the designer’s website.  If I cannot find the chart in either of these places, I list it as Out of Print (OOP).

Where possible, I link directly to the purchase page of large established Online Needlework Shops (ONS) such as 123 Stitch or ABC Stitch Therapy or Silver Needle or Nordic Needle.  Shops that I have purchased from, that I know.  I do not receive any kickbacks or any rewards from these stores. Frankly I don’t think any of these stores know my blog even exists.  I link to these stores because if you want to get trigger-happy and buy the chart, I know you’re in safe-ish hands and you’re not likely to send me a screaming email saying “I went to that link and got ripped off and it’s all your fault”.

So if you find the chart elsewhere – go for it. Do it!  Noodle around the web and find these charts at places that suit you and you feel comfortable buying them from.  If you find a better price, brilliant! If you find an OOP chart even better! Just use your trusted sources.

Always ask your LNS!  They may have contacts too or stock in the back room! A friend bought a long discontinued spool of Kreinik blending filament for me a couple of weeks ago.  I couldn’t buy it over the net, but her LNS obtained it for her!

Summary: I link to large ONS Because they are a safe option. If you find these charts at other places that you are happy to buy from, go for it! Do it!  Share them in the comments field!  Just don’t send me any shouty emails or comments if sales go bad please.

Final note: No this hasn’t happened yet. I’m being proactive 🙂

Question: Am I being justifiably cautious or too timid?  Should I link to more out-of-the-way place and add a “use at your own risk” clause?  I found one place that still says it has Clearstar designs in stock for example …

A note on OOP charts

As has become evident in A-Project-A-Day, many of the designers I have bought from are no longer in business or those particular charts are no longer fashionable.

I’ve noticed this year especially that Hoffmans no longer carries a designer’s complete backlist. For example, they carry some Black Swan, Dimples Designs, and Cross Eyed Kat, but not the charts that I have featured as my Projects.  When I first created my Lust Lists a few years ago, I used Hoffmans pages extensively because they seemed a one-stop-shop for a lot of designers. This is no longer the case 😦

In my Project pages, I list an item as easily available if it is listed in the Hoffmans Pages or on the designer’s website.  If I cannot find the chart in either of these places, I list it as Out of Print (OOP).

Where possible, I link directly to the purchase page of large established Online Needlework Shops (ONS) such as 123 Stitch or ABC Stitch Therapy or Silver Needle or Nordic Needle.  Shops that I have purchased from, that I know.  I do not receive any kickbacks or any rewards from these stores. Frankly I don’t think any of these stores know my blog even exists.  I link to these stores because if you want to get trigger-happy and buy the chart, I know you’re in safe-ish hands and you’re not likely to send me a screaming email saying “I went to that link and got ripped off and it’s all your fault”.

So if you find the chart elsewhere – go for it. Do it!  Noodle around the web and find these charts at places that suit you and you feel comfortable buying them from.  If you find a better price, brilliant! If you find an OOP chart even better! Just use your trusted sources.

Always ask your LNS!  They may have contacts too or stock in the back room! A friend bought a long discontinued spool of Kreinik blending filament for me a couple of weeks ago.  I couldn’t buy it over the net, but her LNS obtained it for her!

Summary: I link to large ONS Because they are a safe option. If you find these charts at other places that you are happy to buy from, go for it! Do it!  Share them in the comments field!  Just don’t send me any shouty emails or comments if sales go bad please.

Final note: No this hasn’t happened yet. I’m being proactive 🙂

Question: Am I being justifiably cautious or too timid?  Should I link to more out-of-the-way place and add a “use at your own risk” clause?  I found one place that still says it has Clearstar designs in stock for example …

For New Visitors …

Updating the sticky post 🙂  Welcome to my blog 🙂

If you are looking for the A-Project-a-Day posts, click on the tab in the black strip above ↑ these words, or find it in the categories drop box on the right hand side.  Over there →

If you want to catch up on my health and migraine stuff. look for Health in the categories drop box on the right hand side →.

This blog was created on 24 March 2011. I had older blogs on Multiply from 2006 and Livejournal from 2008. I exported the LJ blog, but Multiply wouldn’t play ball, so I’m slowly moving everything over from there manually. Post by post. Picture by picture. So now and then, I get motivated and you will see a flurry of very old posts come through. You have been warned 🙂 If something looks really odd, check the date on the post.

If you want to see all of my older stitching, wish lists etc, check out my Multiply blog until I finish getting it all moved over. Blog posts 1 Jul 2006 – 24 March 2011 currently unavailable.

Finally the warnings:
Do not drink coffee while reading these blog posts.
Do not have a credit card within easy access if you are a stitcher
Mel encourages bribes of chocolate or kitty treats
Housecleaning services and donations to brain-pain management research also encouraged.

For New Visitors …

Updating the sticky post 🙂  Welcome to my blog 🙂

If you are looking for the A-Project-a-Day posts, click on the tab in the black strip above ↑ these words, or find it in the categories drop box on the right hand side.  Over there →

If you want to catch up on my health and migraine stuff. look for Health in the categories drop box on the right hand side →.

This blog was created on 24 March 2011. I had older blogs on Multiply from 2006 and Livejournal from 2008. I exported the LJ blog, but Multiply wouldn’t play ball, so I’m slowly moving everything over from there manually. Post by post. Picture by picture. So now and then, I get motivated and you will see a flurry of very old posts come through. You have been warned 🙂 If something looks really odd, check the date on the post.

If you want to see all of my older stitching, wish lists etc, check out my Multiply blog until I finish getting it all moved over. Blog posts 1 Jul 2006 – 24 March 2011 currently unavailable.

Finally the warnings:
Do not drink coffee while reading these blog posts.
Do not have a credit card within easy access if you are a stitcher
Mel encourages bribes of chocolate or kitty treats
Housecleaning services and donations to brain-pain management research also encouraged.