Clothes Clips, Styrofoam, Clipboard

Yes, you're reading it right, clothes clips.  And what do clothes clips have to do with stitching?

I don't use hoops, scroll frames or lap stands.  I just stitch in hand and here's how I do it:

With this way of stitching, I can't do without these:

Mini wooden clips that I bought from the bookstore

And when I found these at the supermarket, I almost jump with joy.  Because it's so hard to find these nowadays.  All I see are those plastic clothes clips which I used before but they slip from the fabric.

Regular-sized wooden clips

I laughed when I saw in the label "Strong Lumber Clip" because the words "strong" and "lumber" is, for me, synonymous to muscles and masculine, so much the opposite of "cross stitch" which brings to mind the word "feminine" and "slender or nurturing hands".  Sorry for the babble :D

Now what about the styrofoam?... 

I use plenty of needles when I cross stitch because I don't like the process of re-threading a needle everytime I change colors.  And before, I just stick the needle to the bobbin like this:

Then I saw in the forums that some people use this Pako Needle Organizer 

and they said that it's a big help specially when you're dealing with confetti stitches.  So, I thought that I will need it when I start doing my HAED (Heaven And Earth) and Golden Kite patterns.  But everybody knows how much colors a HAED or Golden Kite chart requires.  So, if I will buy this Pako organizer, I would probably need two.  And it cost around $20 each.  So an idea came to my mind.  Instead, I bought this, again, from the book store:

Styrofoam, 1 inch thick, around $.50

And these are my needle organizers that I cut from it:

Needle organizer for Homebound

Morning Lake needle organizer

I just taped to the styrofoam the symbols page and voila, instant needle organizer.  So there, I was able to save around $40 or more.  And there's still more to use for future projects.

And last but not the least...another thing that I can't stitch without - my clipboard!

I'm so happy when I found this at the Japanese store.  I like that it is bigger than the average clipboard that you can buy from the book stores.  Its size is:  15 inches x 11.5 inches.

This is all for now.  Thanks for dropping by and happy stitching weekend everyone!

Heavenly Stitchin' Moment

Last year, I featured in a post about my favorite needlecraft store.  And now, here's another LNS (local needlecraft store) that I frequently go to:  Heavenly Stitchin' Moment.  Again, please be reminded that I was not being paid by the owner/store to feature them, I just want to post about the stores that sell cross stitch things here in our area so that people will know where to buy their materials.

Whenever I'm in that store, I feel like a child in a toy shop.  I don't want to leave.  I can stay there for hours and hours and just look at all the things that they are selling.  Actually, it's a hobby store because they sell things from cross stitch, origami, latch hook, scrapbook materials, miniatures, paper tole to big, big boxes of puzzles.  (I once get addicted to puzzles but I got overwhelmed by all the pieces that to me seems all look the same that I eventually ditch that hobby.) Okay, let the pictures do the talking:

Cross stitch

Cross stitch

 

 

 

 

 

Adjustable cross stitch scroll

Miniature

Puzzles

Cross Stitch Kits

 

 

 

I hope you enjoyed the photos.  Thanks for drooling :-D :-D :-D and happy stitching everyone!

For those residing in the Philippines, the store featured above is located at the SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City.  For inquiries and to ask about their other branches, you can call them at: 556-0133.

My Prayer Finished!

I'm so happy "My Prayer" is now finished.  I tweaked the lattice work (those criss-cross stitches) by adding a blending filament to the thread.  It is supposed to be one strand light green floss only, but I wanted to test if I can tackle the blending filament easily and thankfully, I did.  I would like to keep this but I think it is meant for my friend who has a diabetic retinopathy.  I wanted to have it framed but she said not to.  Her reason is that, if eventually she becomes blind, she won't be able to see it anymore, and when that time comes, she wanted to be able to touch the piece, specially the letters, the Prayer.

Here's to show you the lattice work.  I am sorry I am not good in taking photos.

As I mentioned in my last post that I will be posting some of Bobbie's photos here, she sent me these, her Hummingbird-Flowers project.  This is one of my favorite designs from Kustom Krafts:

Her finished piece:

Isn't it beautiful?  Such an excellent job by her.

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog and also a big thank you to those who write comments on my posts.  They mean so much to me!

Hugs to you dear friends and readers.  Happy stitching!

My Prayer and My Friend's Cross Stitches

Although I have set a stitching goal of finishing up my WIPs and UFOs this year, I wasn't a good girl and started the "My Prayer" kit that I bought along the DMC threads and Teresa Wentzler patterns.  Why is it that most stitchers have STARTITIS in their system? :D

Anyhow, here's my progress:

All the cross stitches are finished, just the lattice work and words to be done.  It should have been finished last night, but I watched Fringe and I cannot concentrate watching the TV while stitching so I choose the TV.  If it's not Fringe, it wouldn't be a problem, but I love that TV series so much that I can let my stitching wait.

On another note, recently I met a stitcher friend, Bobbie, through the cross stitch forum at about.com.  She's very thoughtful, friendly and an excellent cross stitcher.  We exchange emails everyday and she shown me wonderful photos of her projects.  I even suggested that she create a blog but she is very busy, they are breeding english bulldogs and sell the puppies, and maintaining a blog won't be easy on her schedule.  By the way, here is their website, http://bjsenglishbulldogs.com/, where you can see all those adorable, cute puppies.

Anyway, since we cross stitchers love seeing photos, I will share some of her's here.  She will be doing this HAED (Heaven and Earth Designs) pattern:

Lady In A Garden

And here are the threads that she bought for this project:

Oh, I love looking at piles and piles of threads!  And the framed "I Love Cross Stitch" is so cute, isn't it?

Whenever possible, I will post more photos from her whenever I update my blog.

That's all for now friends!  Have a nice week ahead and happy stitching everyone :-)

Bargain and Steals of SINS

Yes, you're reading it correctly, SINS!  As in:  Stuff I'll Never Stitch.  This cross stitch net language is very popular among stitchers, specially to those who have so much stash that one lifetime is not enough to stitch their acquisition.

Last Wednesday, I was in a hurry to buy DMC threads because I wanted to beat the February 1 price increase and to my big surprise, the store where I usually buy my threads because their price is the cheapest already imposed the increase.  I was so mad because they didn't even inform me.  So I called my stitching friend who is also planning to buy plenty and told her what happened.  She then called another store and told me to go there because theirs is still the old price.  So off I went to that store.  And here's the DMC threads that I bought, almost 500 skeins (my wallet was crying):

 

Here's showing the metallic threads:

And while the owner was attending to my list, I browsed through their old stocks of patterns and some kits and I almost jump with joy when I found these Teresa Wentzler's charts:

 This is only P60 ($1.30) while the price at Patterns On Line is $6.99.

This is P80 ($1.80  )  Patterns On Line's price is also $6.99.

Aren't these two are steals?..  But upon seeing that it contains so many backstitches, I think that it will become SINS!

And this kit is so cute that I grabbed it immediately, costing only P200 ($4.50).

My Prayer

That's all for now friends!  Thanks for dropping by :-)