Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Happyscape Campaign and Stitching Q&A


Happyscape Campaign '08, originally uploaded by wardi.

Don't forget to vote in the Softie Awards! This is Carina's Happyscape.

It's my favorite in that category, "Embroidered to Death".


I saw this stitching Q&A today at Emily's blog. I like reading questionnaires on blogs, so here's my contribution. Feel free to grab them and answer them too!

1. How do you hold your fabric? In a cheap plastic hoop. Years ago when I cross stitched on aida or hardanger cloth, I never used a hoop.

2. Floss licker? Yes!

3. How do you thread your needle?
Trim neat ends and lick and thread. If the floss doesn't go through easily, I try threading the other way through the needle or I also lick the needle. Is it gross to do all that licking? I lose my needle threaders if I try to use those instead... Did you ever notice that the damp end of the thread secures really easily in the back under the stitching when you are starting a new length of floss?

4. What needle do you like best? Super long sharp needles. I think the ones I go to first are called chenille needles. I'm still using up the piles of supplies from my grandma, so I'm not sure.

5. Are you a needle loser?
Yes.... I had to quit stitching when my children were babies because I couldn't be sure I always got all my supplies up out of reach.

6. What fabric do you prefer to stitch on? Hmm.. I dont like gauzy lightweight fabric and t-shirts are a special challenge...

7. Bobbins or floss bags?
Big bin of floss organized by color.

8. Are you a scissors collector? Sort of. I like to get my kids new scissors for school every year and then I use their old small ones with my projects.

9. Do you do your own framing, and if so, do you lace or pin? I haven't framed a stitching project in many years... I think stitching projects are meant to be handled, so I like making towels, pillows, napkins, sachets, stuff like that...

10. Are you a floss floozy? Hmmm... maybe

11. Silk? Some day!

12. Railroader? I would be if I wasn't a chain stitching obsessive.

13. Are you a pattern or designer snob? Not really. I think it is important to credit designers and pattern makers when displaying photos of stitching on the internet.

14. Do you get antsy when you give someone a stitched gift? Yes! I worry that they will not understand and value the handmade nature. Then I worry that they will think it is "too much" or will feel obligated to like it. Then I wish I would have made another version to keep for myself.... Swapping with other stitchers is much less stressful.

15. Have you reached S.A.B.L.E.? ( SABLE = Stash Accumulation Beyond Life Expectancy) Yes.. sadly.. yes... I inherited my grandmothers SABLE too, so it's really bad.

16. Do you wash your projects?
Yes! DMC floss washes up great and I secure my ends really well in the back. Thank goodness, right? Because I have to lick my thread to get it in the needle.

5 comments:

Carina said...

Hey Susie, thank you very much for plugging my wee Happyscape!! :-)
And you are right, I don't mind one tiny little bit that you used the photo! ;-)

Rebekah said...

YEAH! I am glad I am not the only floss licker around here.

Lily Boot said...

I like questionnaires too - and I love reading other people's answers so I shall post this as well - but first Susie, what's a railroader? I've never heard of the expressions - and is a chain stitcher one who pieces making a long chain without cutting the thread in between? :-)

nasty_wench, AKA sharon-lizette said...

SABLE, LOL. I hadn't heard that one before.

Lisa said...

too fun!!! Never knew there were actually thread licking groupies!!! I am one of them. and the SABLE- I think there is sadly too many of us out there!!!! Great interview!