19 Comments
/ By Jo
/ February 4, 2023 February 2, 2023
When I first started cross-stitching, I was completely and totally a monogamous stitcher…meaning I only stitch one piece until I was finished. Then I found floss tube (a part of Youtube for cross stitchers) and wow! These people were not like me. I was picking a project. I was sitting down. I was stitching only that project from start to finish. I didn’t have a stash of cross-stitch stuff…maybe a pattern or two. I didn’t have extra linen. I was all in on one project. That’s what I thought a person should do.
Seeing floss tube and then seeing people stitching on a couple of things over a month’s time, I thought wow!! Who knew?? Who knew a person could do that? I enjoyed watching them but quickly dismissed that way of stitching as not for me. I wanted to get stuff done. I wanted to see progress…none of that flitting around for me.
Then I slowly warmed up to stitching one small project and one large project at a time. I really liked that. I could accomplish something and not have to wait four months to see a finished project.
In June of last year, that all changed for me. I decided to expand a little and stitch on a few more things. I started Come to the Garden by Teresa Kogut.
What prompted me is that I had seen the stitch-along on Instagram. The host divided the chart… …
9 Comments
/ By Jo
/ February 3, 2023 February 3, 2023
Wow…what a fun week on the homefront with my cross stitch. I can’t wait to tell you all about it but first…I want to remind everyone of the upcoming stitch along. Once again, Stitchery Nook is helping us by offering kits. You can find the kits for purchase HERE.
This is the piece we will be stitching…Spring Messenger from Scattered Seeds Samplers. I’m so ready for spring and by the time I get this little piece stitched, we’re going to be MUCH closer to spring. It’s going to mark the days for me and hopefully you too. Of course, everyone is welcome to join in on the stitching. If you’re new to stitching it’s a good piece to start on. Ask questions and I’ll do my best to answer them.
On the website you will need to order
1-the pattern if you don’t have it
2-the threads if you don’t already have them
3-ONE type of linen/Aida if you don’t already have it
Me, I’m getting the pattern, the DMC threads, and 40 count linen. I love this linen…it’s one of my favorites. I’ve talked to you about it before. It’s called Vintage Country Mocha. If you are brand new to stitching I suggest possibly stitching on 28 count linen or 14 count Aida. This will make your project a little larger but will help you get the hang of stitching. You are welcome to call the shop and they can help too. Again, HERE is the link to the website. If the site looks a little different, no worries. Liz has been working super hard to update and re-work the entire site. Congrats on a great job Liz!!! You all are going to love the new look to the site. Everything is very clean and much easier to navigate.
My plan is to start this as soon as it comes in the mail. I’m hoping for an April 1st finish so I can still enjoy this over spring.
14 Comments
/ By Jo
/ January 27, 2023 January 26, 2023
Here is my Apostle’s Creed. I am stitching this on a 40-count Thornfield by Needle and Flax. It called for Harvest Basket by Gentle Arts for the words but I am using Trail Dust by Classic Colorworks for the lettering instead. Here is where I was last week…
8 Comments
/ By Jo
/ January 20, 2023 January 19, 2023
I’m going to answer a few reader questions before I get into what I’ve been stitching.
Linda asked:
“What is your favorite linen (or linens) to stitch on and where do you get it?”
What linen you like is kind of like asking what brand of car you like. There isn’t an answer that really tells you which is the best. There is only an answer that will tell a preference.
I love all things Picture this Plus. It’s my favorite linen. It’s hard to get though. Whenever I see that someone has it in stock, I buy a piece. I have their linen in pretty much all of their good sampler colors. I stitch my Floral Motif Sampler on the Vellum.
It’s my guilty addiction. The linen has mottling so there are darker and lighter spots in it. If you read to the end of the post, you’ll see my We Live in Hope piece. That is done on Picture this Plus linen. That is on the color Legacy though. It’s also one of my more affordable hand-dyed linens.
I like Lakeside Linen but that is even more elusive than Picture this Plus. I have more or less given up on this linen. I stitched this piece on it. This colorway is Vintage Meadow Rue. It’s a darker linen.
I have recently been working with Needle and Flax linen. I have my Apostle’s Creed that is being stitched on the colorway Thornfield. I have another piece in the wings that I’ll be stitching on her colorway Steinbeck. I have liked that linen.
I stitched this on Fox and Rabbit Eureka linen.
I really like their linen. Eureka is a great color too.
I stitched my Red Bird Sampler with Shrekie’s Tan from Needle Bling Designs. I very much liked that.
The linen I’ve used the most is likely Vintage County Mocha. I love it. It isn’t hand dyed. It is spray dyed. It’s the perfect color for a sampler like Newcastle Bouquet pictured below. This is the cheapest of the linens I’ve used. It is also the most widely available. You can go pretty much anywhere and get this at any time. It’s standard linen that is always in stock…and I like it.
As to where I am purchasing linen at…I stitch with 40 count and that is a little harder to find. Lower counts like 28 and 32 are easier to find.
I buy from Stitchery Nook. They are local to me but I don’t get there often. It’s an hour away and in the “wrong” direction. Sadly they don’t list linen online. BUT… I can call and ask what they have in stock and they will let me order that way.
I have bought from:
123Stitch
Victorian Rose Needleart*
The Attic-have to call the shop
Hollis Hands Create on Etsy*
Colorado Cross Stitcher
Kitten Stitcher*
Stitchery Nook
I starred a few of these. They are the ones that I find have the best selection of the linen I like and have about the best selection.
I really can’t answer this for lower count linens as I don’t buy them but I do think it’s similar across the board.
I do want to note…I like linen with tighter holes. Some people like linen with loose holes. If the holes are loose, I think it’s easier for me to accidentally put my needle in the wrong hole.
Speaking of needles…
I’ve had several people ask me what I like for needles and what to use for what.
Typically
28, 30, 32 count linen or 14 and 16 count Aida people use size 24 needles
36-count linen and 18 count Aida people use size 26 needles
40 count and higher people use size 28 needles
I mostly own and use size 26 needles. They can be used with most anything. Then I don’t have to worry about needle sizes. I LOVE Sullivan Ball Tipped Needles. You can find them HERE. They are more expensive but I don’t care. I only keep one needle in each project and I don’t have that many projects going. I don’t regularly lose a needle and I reuse them from project to project.
