Cross Stitch Update

I’ve been working on my floors this week.  I still have more to do.  Last night I finished the kitchen.  Next, I’ll start on the living room. That leaves me with less stitching time…but priorities.  Save my floors or cross stitch.  The floors are winning now.

Here are some questions that came in…

Donna asked:
“Do you by any chance have a list of “video blogs” that you listen to on a regular basis? I haven’t listened to any – there are so many to choose from!”

I made the assumption that Donna was referring to Floss Tube.  For those of you who aren’t aware, floss tube is a part of Youtube.  To access it just go to Youtube and type in floss tube and many options will come up.

The thing about floss tube is that there are all sorts of floss tubers.  Some stitch only cutesy things.  Some stitch full coverage things.  Some stitch vulgar things.  Me…prefer to watch someone who is stitching something I myself would like to stitch.  So, the floss tubers I am listing below all stitch things that I might consider stitching myself.  I put a * by the ones I never miss.

*Saltbox Stitcher
*Brenda and the Serial Starter
*Celeste Creates
*Nichole’s Needlework
*Elizabeth Ann Can Stitch
Hands Across the Sea
*Stitching in the Light
The Proper Stitcher
Contented Sticher
Whilst Iris Naps
Momma Loves you GB
Nicky Noodle
Teresa Kogut
Colorado Stitcher
Needle and Flax
*Crosshatch Quilts
*Pumpkin Hollow Quilts
*Lori Holt
*Java Girl Stitches
Mischievous Stitcher

There are LOTS and LOTS more.  These are the ones I have gravitated towards and watched over time.  I am always looking for new ones so if you’re reading this and have some you suggest, please leave a comment.  I’d love to know of more as many of these only post monthly.

Kate asked:
“Thanks for letting us see your beautiful work! I am enjoying the SAL. What is the advantage of using silk floss?”

I can tell you my favorite advantage of silk…It doesn’t knot.  If you’re a cross-stitcher you know that no matter what you do, it seems like a knot can form in you the thread.  It’s a pain to get the knot out.

Silk totally glides through the fabric.  It’s a very different feeling.  I can’t explain the difference except to say is more smooth.

I stitched the pillow you see below at the beginning of the year. It was stitched with silk.  I wanted to give it a try as many just adore silk and I wanted to see what all the hype was.

The pillow turned out great and I was… just thrilled to try silk.  I like trying new things and experiencing new things.   By trying silk on this small project, I was able to give it a try and not spend a lot.  Sadly, silk is more expensive.

I proposed this as a stitch along because so many of you are new stitchers or stitchers coming back to cross-stitch.  I thought like me, you might like trying some new things.  Stitching the chart below in silk would let you all give silk a try at a very low entry cost as this only uses one color.

I sometimes like being “in the know” so I just like to try new things.  I thought some of you might be the same way.

HERE is the link to pre-order the kit for the Redbird Stitch Along if you haven’t ordered yet.

Karen asked about storing floss.  I’ll talk about that in an upcoming post.  This one has already gotten long.

You might remember that last week I started stitching this from Blackbird Designs…

This is the chart that was in the Needlework Market Cookbook.  There isn’t a name for the chart…at least I’m not aware of one.  This is a small piece that I intended to only work on while I was sitting with Gannon or Georgia to get them to take a nap.

I ended up getting more stitching on it than I expected.  If you read an earlier post about my weekend, you’ll know five of my nine grandkids were home last weekend and I stitched on this while I was watching them play outside.

After they all left and the house was cleaned up, I gave myself the luxury of sitting down during the day and I stitched for an hour while I watch the latest flosstube from Carol the Saltbox Stitcher.  It was just the winddown I needed.

I ended up getting this far on this over the week.

I was also busy stitching on All Creatures Great and Small by Barbara Ana.  I really tried to stitch as much as I could on this as I am starting a new project this evening.

Here is where I left off last week with All Creatures…

I almost had the top row done except for some things in the basket above the horse and the leaves of the border.

Here is where I am at this week.

I was really happy with how far I got.  It really gives me hope that this isn’t a hard or even long stitch if I just put my mind and time to it.  I do have to say that cow was a bugger though.

It took me two nights to stitch it.  Partly was because I didn’t stitch long sessions and the other part was because I stitched the spots wrong and had to rip three of them out.

I wouldn’t have cared if I was off a stitch but I was off a thread so that the rest of the x’s in the cow wouldn’t have lined up.  Bummer.

I am stitching this on 40 count Vintage Country Mocha.

I am so happy with it so far.  I’m almost sad to be starting my new project.  I feel a bit like a mom to these projects.  If you’ve had more than one kid, you might remember the last weeks before you go have baby #2.  You are almost afraid you won’t have enough love for two kids.  You wonder what you’re getting yourself into.

I have those feelings towards my new project that I’m starting, A Saviour’s Praise.  Judy from Patchwork Times and I decided to start this on Good Friday.  How appropriate!!

I’m using Anchor floss on the spool which is a first for me.  My daughter Kayla gifted me the threads and the pretty vintage thread.

I broke the bank and sprung for the called for linen.  It is Beach Brew from R&R, 40 count.  I haven’t stitched on this linen.  Many people prefer it so I’m hoping it’s good linen for me.

I am hoping to stitch on this over the weekend and then go back to All Creatures Great and Small during the week.

I am going to try to commit to working on this at least every Sunday…but it might be more.  We’ll see how I like it and what I feel like working on.  I don’t have a huge goal.  I’m just hoping to have it finished by Good Friday next year.  That’s a realistic goal.

Feel free to join us if you’re interested. I first saw the piece when Lori Holt showed it in a floss tube video.

Before you go I thought I would tell you about this video from Lisa Bongean of Primitive Gatherings.  She, like many of us, is trying to jump back into cross stitch.  If you are new to cross stitch or are returning, this video is really good.  It doesn’t tell you much about the sewing method but other than that, it is a great video.

That’s the stitching update for this week.  I plan to work on these same projects.  I’m hoping that I made some good progress.  We don’t have plans for the weekend as we have been together the last two weekends.  I’m sure we’ll have a ham and some type of meal on Sunday but other than that, I’ll have some stitching time!!