Saturday I woke with a nasty cold. It wasn’t bad but progressively over the next few days, it got worse and worse.
My cold wasn’t so bad that I didn’t enjoy a few things but it did call me off of a visit I really wanted to make to see my niece Jody and a visit to see my blog reader Debbie. Instead of visiting I ended up in the chair in the living room cross stitching. I have to admit, although I missed the visits, I loved a chance to cross stitch over a period of a long time.
I finished my first piece of cross stitch in over 25 years.
You might remember that I was sad that cross stitch had become something I no longer did because of my failing eyesight. Then this fall Kelli and I went to the cross stitch shop in Osage, Iowa. Read that here if you missed it. Then I started using my my OttLite K94CP3 3-in-1 Adjustable-Height Craft Floor Lamp with Magnifier and Clip. At first when I used the lamp I ended up with a bit of dry eye…that’s no longer. I think my eyes have adjusted and I have learned to use it so that’s not a problem at all anymore.
I HIGHLY recommend the light for any small close work. It has changed my life in a VERY good way.
As we watched we checked out a few episodes of television. We finished off the next season of Longmire. We tried watching The Pinkertons-it was okay. We started watching Justified…that’s not bad. Being Karl was home we rented Magnificent Seven through Prime and like that lots. We also watched the last couple episodes of Bosch. We loved that. It’s a Prime original. I started watching that as it’s based on a book series I had read.
As you can see…that was a lot of cross stitching time for me and WAY more television than I ever watch. So much time that I also finished this….This one is small….
I love it. I can’t wait to get the two of them framed. Any advice on if JoAnn’s or Hobby Lobby is the better place for that?
I even started another…this one. I’m hoping to finish it up before Valentines Day. I know it won’t be framed and finished by then but if it was stitched by then, that would be great.
I only have the word “Small” finished so far…well that’s not quite the truth.
I started in the middle with the word “with”. Then I realized that I did it in the wrong color. UGH.
I thought I would leave it. And just swap colors with the part that was suppose to be the green. Then I second guessed myself. I started the other lettering color to see what I thought.
UGH. I think I am going to end up ripping out the word “with”. It is supposed to be the tan color that is next to it. UGH. It’s really not a big deal -just tedious. Kayla thinks I should leave it. Be honest. Would you rip it out?
I missed seeing Jody and Debbie but I enjoyed myself in spite of being plagued with a head cold and being contagious.
So all of you who have had things framed….would you go with Hobby Lobby or JoAnn’s?
I’m super fussy about my handwork, so if it were my project, I would either redo it in the specified color, or choose new colors for all of it. No middle ground for me! Lol! You
I’d leave it, it looks great! Pretty color.
Get well soon!
I’ve never had anything framed at Hobby Lobby or JoAnn’s. I’ve only ever had 1 item professionally framed and that was at Michael’s. I was having a cross stitching framed that my mother did back in the 70’s. She had framed it herself and it looked like it. After she died, I brought the project to my home, took it out of the frame and off the self adhesive backing she had used. I soaked it in oxy-clean to get the dust out, dried it and pressed it. I took it to Michael’s. I used a 50% off coupon and it still cost me $200 to have framed. I went ahead and spent the money, this was mom’s and she was gone. I think of her every time I look at it. It now has a glass cover so it won’t get dirty anymore. It looks very nice, they did a good job.
Your little projects shouldn’t cost as much but make sure you ask for an estimate before you committ.
For framing, it really depends on the people they have hired for the department. Personally, I prefer to deal with Hobby Lobby because of their pricing and not fooling us with crazy coupon deals to try and get us to buy overpriced items. I have also had very good service in the framing department.
Hobby Lobby is rather far from here, and my Joann’s doesn’t have a framing department. I’ve used Michaels, but quite a long time ago. I’d have left the “with” alone, personally, but you’re going to have to look at it every day. If it’ll bug you, change the color. Lastly, I’ve heard that “This is Us” is a good show.
Leave it! No one will know and it will grow on you! It’s been years since I had anything framed so no opinion there! Hope you feel better soon!
I’ve had good luck with framing at Joanns but I think it depends on who is in the framing department. I have had three needle work pieces done years ago by my mother framed. They are very nicely done and I’m quite leased with the results. They were not inexpensive, however.
As to whether I’d take out the mistake, it depends on whether it will bother you when it is finished. I think ti will look fine when it’s done but if you see an error every time you look at it, then fix it.
Hope your cold is better soon!
I agree with Kayla, leave it. I prefer Michael’s or A. C. Moore for framing if you have one of those nearby. They both offer awesome coupons/discounts and both do a great job.
I would leave it. No one except you and Kayla. Then do the rest as instructed. I have used Hobby lobby and a “Hang Up” shop for framing. Hobby lobby has always done good work for me. When our beloved lab died, the vet did a plaster foot print and sent it to us. They did a beautiful shadow box for it. They will ask you the cost to replace something and in this case and my son’s diploma from pharmacy school, I tell them it is irreplaceable and they handle with care.
I have only used local framers who have been recommended. That being said, I actually rediscovered quilting right years ago as a creative way to finish my counted cross stitch pieces. You could always finish your stitched pieces as small wall hangings with quilted borders. I have three quilts with counted cross stitch that I hang on my walls and two others that may get finished someday. I’ll email you pictures, if you want.
I don’t cross stitch so I guess you should go with your gut, is it pleasing to look at? if not change it. I think framing comes down to who is working in the shop hope you post the finished framed items. I’m so glad that you enjoyed Debbies in Osage. Hope you are feeling better and glad that you got so many goodies in the mail.
I would fix the word “with” to the right color. You are so early on in the process that it won’t take long. I have left mistakes in before, but sometimes regret it as I get closer and closer to having the project done. If you fix it now, no more stewing.
I have had a couple of things framed at Hobby Lobby, and they were well done, but quite expensive. I miss our local independent stitching shop. I used them exclusively for framing until they went out of business. I have never used JoAnn’s.
I’ve used them all over the years. I like Michael’s and use the
store coupon. I finally got brave enough to frame my own.
And I am happier. I buy old pretty frames, buy the glass I prefer
backing (acid free), tape, spacer bars so picture won’t hit glass,
glue paper on back of frame to protect it…etc. I got more
enjoyment out of doing it myself…
I would take it out carefully and redo it…too bright…like the
other color better…😊
I would leave the color green. I think it looks nice but then again Green is one of my favorite colors. However, I’m with the others in that you are the one that has to look at it all day.
Everyone seems to convey my thoughts…it depends on who is working in any of those shops. Years ago at Michaels in Texas one of my cross stitch projects was to be framed. It was in the wrong frame with the wrong “cardboard piece” (can’t remember what the thing is called. After my explaining this the person took it apart, ripped my work off the sticky board and handed it to me. The manager was to be my next stop!
Hope you are feeling better soon. Your gandog is so cute. If it was me, if it is not connected to something else, I leave it in to the end to see if it fits ok with the rest of the pretty. Then I make that decision. Sometimes, I will make the other words different colors to make it all different and “me”. I do like to play with some count cross stitch patterns. Have fun. I love these.
I would leave the stitching in and maybe mix up the other colors to your liking :) About framing, you might want to keep an eye out for old frames at the thrift stores and auctions. Because you have such a handy husband, he could take a larger frame and use it to make the size you need. You could get glass cut to fit if you wanted. The tutorial I followed for stretching cross stitch indicated you should lace your piece over foam board with, of all things, dental floss (not the waxed kind). I think you’ll be happy with the results. Framing at any place is expensive!!!!
Never done crossstitch but I couldn’t bear to rip out all that work. Just make the other words in a different colour. I’m sure it doesn’t matter if the word “small” is in green!
The last time I checked out framing-even with coupons—Hobby Lobby has better prices in our area…..I would love to try cross stitch—is it obvious how to do it or would a class be helpful????
I can tell from your post that every time you see it you will think about how its the ‘wrong’ color – so go ahead a rip it and get it done !!!!
No matter where you get this piece framed or how big a “discount” is given, it is still going to be expensive. For that reason alone I would rip it out. Even if only you know about the mistake it will bother you, and paying big bucks for framing will probably make it seem worse. Still, it’s disheartening to have to frog any work.
I would leave it. That way my work looks different from everyone else’s and I will be able to recognize it. With that design, it isn’t like you made anything unrecognizable because of the color. You can mix and match all you want!
To rip or not? My Danish grandmother, who lived in Graettinger, Iowa, always said, “Once to make it, always to look at it”, as she ripped. If someone said, “Nobody will know”, she’d say “I’LL know, and it will bother me.”
If there is a local independent frame shop, use them instead of one of the chains. I found out long ago that they are cheaper than the chains, even if you use a coupon!
Now I think I am going to have to look in my cross stitch totes and dig out some of those projects and dig in. . .
I would wait until you’re done with the whole piece and see if the different color still bothers you. If it does, rip it out. If not, you’re done! As for framing, I have always had very good luck with Michaels. Our Joanns doesn’t have a framing department. Our Hobby Lobby has a framing department, but it’s never staffed! Our local cross stitch shop in town does framing, and stocks a lot of cute frames, so you might check if you have some place local. Some of the cross stitch patterns list what frame they used, and you can order them online and frame yourself. Just takes a little bit of learning how, and it ends up a lot cheaper.
I got a a 65% coupon from Jo Ann’s with my purchase last week. But I haven’t had anything framed in a long time so I don’t know the quality. I need to get my mother’s 3 cross stitch pieces done for her.
Fix? You are the one that needs to love it so if it bugs you change it.
Framing: as handy as hubby is, could he make your frames? My hub makes mine and buys the glass at the home improvement store. i don’t care much for matting so this is a HUGE money saver. If you have to buy, go where the coupon is best….each shop is only as good as the staff that do the cut/glueups. you’ll figure that out through trial/error.
I have done a lot of cross stitch in my life and whether or not I take something out is based on a couple of things. Does the change in color dramatically change the visual that you want (the does it bug me factor) and most importantly – will taking out the stitching warp the fabric so that when it is restitched the new words/image will appear warped. Some cross stitch fabric just doesn’t have the strength or stability to take out stitches and then restitch something else. The holes in the fabric become much more apparent and noticeable, not what I want in a cross stitch picture. If you are worried about not having enough floss in the kit, they aren’t that expensive to purchase.
I agree with most, if it bugs you, switch it out. As for framing, either try it yourself or find a local shop, they end up being much less expensive (for us frugalistas). makes me want to drag something out to cross stitch. I did the 2-step cold also, second round worse. Take care and hunker down if you can!