Oh my word…it happened. I went overboard!
I’ve been pretty good with my cross stitch stuff. Of course, I buy more than I’ll ever stitch but in the scheme of things and from what I see on Floss Tube, I have always thought I was pretty good. Yes, I had extra linen…yes, I had extra patterns…but I always thought I was in pretty good control.
Then not too long ago I was watching Rachel from Needle and Flax. She is a linen dyer and also has a Floss Tube channel. She had said in the past that there were shortages of linen. I mostly heard her talk about 32 count linen. I don’t use that so thought nothing of it.
Then she started talking about shortages of 40 count linen. Well, that’s what I stitch on so that got my attention. Still, I didn’t think a lot about it…but then I decided that maybe I should try to buy a couple of extra cuts of my favorite linen just in case the shortage got worse.
My favorite linen is Vintage Country Mocha (I had two pieces of that so felt okay) or linen from Picture this Plus. I started looking online and oh my. There was no Picture this Plus linen to be found. I ended up looking over the course of a month or so. I finally found some at Spun Sugar Quilts on Etsy. I ordered a couple of pieces. I found the colors Fog and Vellum. I love Vellum and used it on my Floral Motif Sampler. I had not tried Fog but I heard a couple of Floss Tubers mention it as one they liked.
The linen came and I thought Fog was a great color. I went to order another and then saw that they had Legacy which is a color often used by Blackbird Designs. I had a piece but you guessed it…I ordered another.
About then I heard from yet another dyer on Floss Tube that 40 count linen was hard to find. AHH!! I was nowhere near that but the thought of not having linen was one I didn’t like at all.
Well, then I watched Olivia at Pumpkin Hollow Quilts on Floss Tube and she had just finished The Winter is Past by Blackbird Designs. I just loved hers and she used the called for Picture this Plus Oaken linen. Darn. I had lots of other colors but not Oaken. I ended up calling around trying to find the linen. No luck. I decided to call The Attic. They didn’t have it and then told me that if they order linen from the company Picture this Plus, the wait for linen is about 10 months. She said they were at about month 5 of their waitlist. UGH. In the meantime, I ordered the chart and floss from them. They told me it would be a bit before they got my order out.
I hunted around trying to find the linen…then… I heard of a cross-stitch shop going out of business. Everything was 25% off so I ordered the Oaken linen I was looking for and ordered a couple of others.
Whew. I found it. I was so happy.
Then a couple of days later I got a notification that they were sold out. There was no Picture this plus linen. I would get nothing that I ordered.
So…I was bummed. I still wanted to find the color Oaken.
So then I saw on Instagram that Tinka from Victorian Rose Needleart just got in a shipment of Picture this Plus linen. Yahoo. Went there quickly and ordered it and of course…I also order another linen I didn’t have, Ale.
Oh my. I now had a healthy stock of linen.
I was so happy because by now I had watched Rachel from Needle and Flax on Floss Tube again. She said the 40-count linen shortage was worse. She put in a huge order and they only sent her 5 yards. Ahh. That’s not much. She said she keeps putting orders in but there is no linen for her to dye. Hmm.
That’s when The Attic called me. They said were putting my order together to ship and as they were doing that, they were looking in my file and noticed that I had ordered linen from them last summer. I had ordered Lakeside linen. That’s even harder to find than Picture this Plus. They just got a shipment in. Did I still want the linen? YES. I decided to just get it while the getting was good.
Also, a pattern that I ordered last fall was in, and did I want that?? Sure. I don’t even remember what it was. AHH!!!
I always thought the people who ordered things and didn’t remember what they ordered were crazy…and now here I am one of them.
About then I got a call from the local cross stitch shop and you guessed it. They just got a shipment of Pictured this Plus. Did I want some?
Oh my word…with all of the work I have done trying to track down linen and now to have it land in my lap, how do I say no?? So, I ordered Oaken (the one I needed for The Winter is Past chart) and some of Wren which I had looked for so I could stitch this…
If that wasn’t enough…
Another order of linen came…I had ordered this in March, had forgotten about it as well, and it just came.
These linens were called for linen for this chart…
and this chart…
So…needless to say, I do not need a single piece of linen. Not a single piece. I was talking to one of my kids and said I likely have gotten in enough linen to stitch for the next two years all within the last six weeks.
It’s a good thing I just had a quilt published in Quilts and More. I purposely submit quilts for publishing so I have “mad money” to spend on my crafty endevers. I’ll tell you more about the quilt in tomorrow’s post.
The plan is no more linen this year. None…zero. No more linen. But if I finish a project and linen falls in my lap, I’ll admit, it will be hard to say no to it a piece to replace what I used…. BUT…I’m not hunting linen down as I did. Nope, nope, nope. I am going to be content with what I have in my linen stash and keep reminding myself, I have enough linen to last for two years!!
I gotta admit though, it’s quite comforting to know I don’t have to worry about linen shortages…I know it’s “just a hobby” but truly, it’s my therapy.
Thanks for writing about the red tulip quilt at Pella Tulip Time. It’s beautiful! I forgot that quilts are in the windows on the Mollengracht, so I was glad for the reminder.
Sorry I couldn’t figure out how to reply to the original post.
Many years ago I went to the fabric store and bought plain linen off the bolt. It was a natural, kind of beige linen and it worked great. I guess this other stuff is better but my picture was fantastic when I finished. I really liked doing cross stitch but it’s too difficult now with my left eye having poor vision. I do enjoy seeing all your work and obviously you love it too.
I don’t cross stitch, but you did exactly what I would have done — if you’ve come across something that is very short in the supply chain (and sure to become shorter), BUY it if the opportunity arises. You’ll be so glad in the future, as I’m sure the supply chain is going to get worse. I’m sure you do the same things with certain items in your pantry, just as I do. I’m a quilter – of nearly 5 decades….the cost of fabric is horrifying to me. But, I also have nearly 5 decades of scraps from the 20’s to current day (all pre cut, sorted by color, number of each blocks, etc…) and those scraps take up one whole super organized cabinet. No new fabric looking for me as I have more fabric that I could ever use till I go out “toes up” between those scrappy pre cuts and the 4 Billy cabinets FULL of stash (plus the extra wide backings in my double wide closet). But….I still look at Goodwill, yard sales — because if I can find some low volume fabrics, or some REALLY good deals (think $2-$3 yard) on fabric I absolutely love, I’m buying it! The quilts I make – over 98% of those are given to others, so I don’t feel bad. I think you and I think about the same way — as do many quilters. We’re frugal, but we need to have adequate supplies for the things we love to do.
Jo I am so glad you got your linen fix. We have to have something to keep our minds happy and hearts lifted.
I have quite a stash of fabric and I’m glad of that as costs have gone up so much. My quilting buddy and next door neighbor and I are making scrap quilts together, sharing fabrics and cheering each other on.
We have both completed tops for a Carolina Chain and working on the Two Step quilt now.
I have had two tops made of the Disappearing 9 Patch completed forever. In the last two weeks I have pieced batting together, found backings, sandwich and quilted them. One is completed and the other just need the binding to be done. I will be giving these to my 2 grandsons when we get together for a week in Minnesota.
Also completed is the top for a 98 x98 top of the Antelope Canyon. This is at the longarm quilter as that is just too big for me.
Hoping we get a little bit of the rain forecasted for Eastern Iowa tonight and tomorrow.
Sweet dreams girl.
The name of the pattern is “antelope canyon? Please Where can I find that pattern?
Judith the pattern and the quilt is at
https://www.fabricessentials.com/iishop?form_version=2&showSearchResults=1&search_keyword=Antelope+Canyon&image_x=0&image_y=0&image=Search
I made mine in the beige and black.
I just googled it. Type in Antelope Canyon quilt pattern and the info will pop up. Happy stitching!
LOL So understand!!
Bahahaha!!! This post just cracks me up! I swear we are all the same, whether it be linen, fabric and a zillion other things. Glad you’re stocked up!
Way to go, Jo! One can never have too much of a needed item. So glad you found many different colors.
I was excited for you just reading about your search! LOL I totally understand. When I want certain colors I go on a tangent. It’s so much fun. Hugs,
Good for you! With so many things in short supply these days, I have learned to get things when I find them. So glad you are all set for linen for a while!!
32 count linen is the highest I have ever gone. It wasn’t fun for me because I was so stressed trying to see the threads. I guess if I use it again, I will need a magnifier. How do you stitch on 40 count?! Love your blog! I love to cross-stitch and read. I write down all of your book recommendations. I used to quilt but I don’t seem to have the time. But with retirement around the corner… :)
You go, girl!! Strike while the iron is hot, as they say!
Years ago, my local shop went out of business and sold their cross-stitch fabric at a huge discount. I have a ton of it, but that’s okay – I can work on all kinds of charts when I feel like it!
This post made me laugh. I think we can all sympathise though, if I was short of fabric I would have done the same thing. X
There is a peace of mind when we have what we anticipate needing. Whether that is crafting supplies or food. I had never before really thought of crosstitch patterns going out of print, but once I did I made sure to think carefully about which ones I really want to make. Then, I bought them. I did the same with the linen, but I think I’m still in need of a few pieces so I’d better jump on that. Nothing wrong with being prepared.
Glad you stocked up! Could you please share how you store your line and charts?
I sat here reading this and chuckling, seeing you were becoming “one of them” and may I say welcome!! Lol! I order patterns that I’ll probably never get to and my dd will inherit. You made my day!
Love and prayers
It’s kind of like stocking up on water and trash bags and sanitizer and easy to fix foods before a hurricane….anticipating a shortage. It will be fun watching you use it. Don’t you know you will be “needing” a linen that you didn’t get….
I had to laugh as read through your post! It sounds sooooo familiar. I actually just ordered a tee-shirt that says, “It started out as a harmless hobby. I had no idea it would come to this.” LOL!! Sad but true.
And that’s exactly why we ran out of toilet paper 2 years ago.
Next thing you know, people will be trying to sell it on eBay at 2 and 3 times the price.
Love you Jo. You reminded me of a “Crazy Cat Lady”. Just one more and now her house is filled with cats. HeHeHe.