The WIP that was on this month's May-nia project list is now (finally) complete!
What also challenged me this week was my refrigerator! The repair technicians had been here the week before last to diagnose the problem (the compressor had died) and order new parts which came in Friday. When I logged onto my service account, it said an appointment for installing the new parts had been set up for Saturday.
Well, my DH and I waited around during the two hour arrival window but they were a no show! I tried calling the service vendor but was only able to leave a message. Yeesh! Another call this morning confirmed that the reason they were a no show was that they don't work on the weekends!! Why the system scheduled an appointment for then I don't know. Now it will be another two days of living in the 1920's hauling in ice to keep things cold until our (confirmed) appointment on Wednesday. Maybe I should be stitching this one next.....
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| Pattern available at 123Stitch.com |
On the plus side, having finished the WIP and while waiting for the appointment I didn't know wasn't going to happen, I worked on further setting up a project I want to start on in June.
I had purchased this pattern and kitted up the threads and fabric last summer. It will be the biggest CS project I've attempted to date as well as one with the most colors I have ever used at one time and my first "full coverage" piece. I had waited to organize the threads until I was ready to work on it. I only expected to get some of the threads onto drops but it turns out that waiting on technicians who will never show is good for floss preparation:
They are now all set up on a ring --- another CS tool that I now have a new appreciation for. For a project that uses a lot of floss like this, a ring of drops is definitely the way to go! When I started stitching, I thought I really liked floss cards, especially when designers included one in the pattern:
I even considered purchasing one of the fancy heirloom ones.
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| Made by WonderlandUkraine on Etsy |
However, I decided I wanted a system where I could prep the floss once and then be able to move it from project to project as needed.
As I checked that I had all the floss for the project, I thought I was missing one. It turns out I had actually put the missing skein with another "smalls" project I had planned to stitch as an embellishment for another finish.
I think I put that floss with that other project because at the time it was close to the "called for" color for it. However, since then, I had kitted another project that had the actual color I needed! So I decided to put that floss on a drop and stitch up the small project real quick so I could return the rest of the floss to the kitted project.
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| As noted, you can find this pattern on Etsy. |
Ironically, the other two colors of floss for this little stitch were also in kitted projects so it was helpful that this little thing could be finished up quickly and all the flosses could be returned to where they will be needed in the future.
The plan for this little piece is for it to be added to the embellishments for this project finished last year:
This little piece will be a memento of our trip to Maine last summer and is one of the projects on the May-nia list for finishing. We will be returning there in a couple of weeks and I had hoped to have this finished to take with us.
For it I have an ambitious plan: I saw a cute miniature lobster trap on Etsy and I'd like to figure out if I can translate it into fabric and combine it with the lobster stitchery as an embellishment.
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| Unfortunately, this item is no longer listed. |
I don't know if I will be successful but I hope to have some May-nia finishing fun while trying!
2 comments:
Oh how fun, Vivian!! I wandered into a new-to-me needlework shop last week and my eyes nearly popped out of my head. When I tried cross stitch years ago, as a child and then later when one of my sons was interested in learning, it was from JoAnn fabrics with kits that had one kind of floss, blank fabric (is it called Aida cloth?? It has been a LONG time for me!), and a black and white diagram full of different symbols for different colors. My son got really confused and frustrated with making mistakes and having to pull out stitches due to the chart, but the shop I was in yesterday had all of these fabulous designs and projects in all sizes, with designs preprinted in full color on the Aida or whatever that grid fabric is called. And all I could think is what a game changer that would be!!! On top of that, they had tons and TONS of threads for stitching, the usual DMC floss but also wool and silk and shimmery... They even had a wide assortment of those skinny silk ribbon "threads" for ribbon embroidery, something that I've admired enough to buy a book about, but never tried because I couldn't find the silk ribbon to do it with anywhere. If I hadn't been late to an appointment when I popped into that shop for a peek, I would have stayed for hours and left a lot poorer than I arrived! Anyway, your idea about adding the lobster cage is intriguing and I hope it works out for you!
The lobster trap will be a fun project!
It is interesting to know that repair technicians are the same everywhere - never come at the arranged time! How frustrating for you, but good you could use the time to get your next project all organised. Hope your fridge is working again now.
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