SBQ from http://blondelibrarian.net/stitching/archives/2006/11/to-knot-or-not/ :

How do you secure your thread when you begin a new one? Specifically,do you or have you ever used a waste knot?

The short answer to this is: depends. If I'm just doing plain counted cross stitch, then I will either use a loop start (for pieces I'm stitching for myself) or I will hold the tail at the back and cross stitch over it (when I'm working on models). If I'm doing specialty stitches (such as on the ornament in my previous post) then I will usually use a waste knot simply because there is no easy way to secure the thread and have sufficient tension to make the stitch look 'nice'. I try to ensure that the thread from the waste knot will lie in the path of my stitching, then when I'm done a particular stitch I don't have to bury the thread from my waste knot - it's already done. Clip and go! Makes it quicker at the end. I don't really like to bury threads.... :-)

The rest of my world keeps spinning - my youngest DS is now on some groovy drugs that are helping with what we now know to be a bronchial infection, we go to school tonight for parent-teacher interviews for both boys and somewhere in there we need to fit in dinner and getting oldest DS to his cub meeting. The fun never ends!

I'm still stitching Christmas ornaments, but no pictures today. :-)

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What a Week!

Well, for the first time in a week, I finally have a minute to sit at the computer and do something *I* want to do! It's been busy between shuffling the kids around to their various activities, volunteering at the boys' school (it was pizza day this week), another trip down to Sick Kids with my youngest and then having that same youngest come down with a nasty bug (everything on my bed is presently in the washing machine - can you guess why??????) and just to add that little extra something - DH is off at his parent's place this weekend helping them move! Just another week in paradise!

I have managed to stitch though and have a couple of progress pictures to add. The first is a design by Patricia Ann Designs called Sapphire Star. It's from the 2004 JCS Ornament issue (I think). It's really pretty and a quick stitch. It'll get finished in the next couple of weeks or so - the stitching is done tho' (although I need to pick up some rondelle beads to put in the empty spots - I had the wrong coloured ones here at home)!

My other progress picture is Teresa Wentzler's Needle Guardian. This is from a class I took at the CreativFestiv al in Toronto this past October. I haven't been able to put in as much time on this as I'd like, but it is coming along slowly but surely.



And my model went back into the post to the designer!!! Yay! I can't wait for her to see it as I really liked the finished product. For me though, it's now head down, nose to the grindstone to get Christmas stitching done!

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Okay, I admit it. I found a quiz that I just had to post my answer to. My question to everyone out there is simply this: How Canadian are you?

You are 100% Canuck!

You rock, you are an almighty Canadian through and through. You have proven your worthiness and have won the elite prize of living in a country as awesome as Canada. Yes I know other countries think they are better, but we let them have that cuz we know better than they do, eh?

How Canadian Are You?
Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

Needlework-wise I've just about finished the model I've been working on (yay!) and will soon get back to working on my own projects. I'm about 1/2 done TWDesignworks 'Needle Guardian' from this year's CreativFestival in Toronto. Can't wait to finish that piece. Then I need to get motoring on some ornaments.

But first, off to pick up some supplies for my youngest son's Beaver troupe - they're making balloon airplanes today... :-)

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Someplace new to visit:

http://find.mapmuse.com/interest/stitch_shops

Ever wonder where to find a needlework shop in the US? Mapmuse has a map of needlework shops all through the US. If you know of a shop that isn't on the map, add it! Know of a shop that has closed but is still on Mapmuse? Let them know so it can be removed.

Isn't that neat? On the rare times I head to the US it would be nice to know where to find an LNS.

Here's a picture of 'Dragon's Tea Party' by Dragon Dreams. I gave this piece to my niece when she was baptized. This also got entered in a couple of local fairs this year and took first place at one fair and was completely ignored at the other! My guess is that fantasy designs didn't go over well with the judges. Oh well, no harm done! :-) My niece still likes it....

Off to finish cleaning - oddly enough the floors haven't yet learned to wash themselves..... Guess I'll have to do it - again! *sigh*

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Alas, no pictures again today as I'm still model stitching like a crazy person in between dentist appointments (me), counting pizza day money (kids school) and primary literacy helper (also at kids school). And groceries and toilet scrubbing need to happen somewhere in there too.

The weather has been nasty, evil, damp and wet today so I'm feeling highly unmotivated to do anything besides curl up in a warm corner.

Since I've decided to be a stitching blogger, I elected to do the SBQ thing since it'll at least get me posting *something* once a week... :-)

From http://blondelibrarian.net/stitching/archives/2006/11/tis-the-season/

Here's this week's question:

Do you stitch Christmas ornaments? If so, how many do you stitch eachyear and for whom? If not, why not?

I do stitch ornaments but I couldn't say how many I do. Many are given away (see the post below.....) to friends and I've done some for family as well. It depends on what ornaments grab my attention and whether or not I have the materials at hand. I like to have ornaments around and kitted up as a portable project for myself - you just never know when you'll need something to stitch, right?

Here is a non-ornament Christmas-y picture though - Marilyn Leavitt-Imblum's Celtic Christmas - we call her CC for short. I stitched this piece for my MIL some time ago now. It hangs proudly in her hallway. CC has one first prize in a couple of local fall fairs this past year. I miss having her in my house.... (and yes, I cut off some of her dress in the picture - sue me, I'm not a photographer!!!!!)

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Things I Have Learned:

1. I should never answer the phone when I'm in the middle of something else.

2. I should never place 2 gallons of paint on top of a running washing machine.

3. I should never, never, never answer the phone when I'm in the middle of something else.

4. I should never buy a new rug that has white on it and place it in the laundry room.

5. I should never, never, never place 2 gallons of paint on top of a running washing machine.

I am now short 2 gallons of paint (just couldn't be a couple of little quarts, could it????), my laundry room floor is cleaner than it has ever beeen, my new rug no longer has any white spots on it (they're now paint-colour brown) and I'm never going to answer the phone again when I'm in the middle of something else.

So, how's your day going????

Stitching wise I'm still working on my model for my designer, so again no pictures. However, here is something I finished last year. Some friends and I get together every holiday season for an old-fashioned cookie swap. Last year I not only made cookies, but managed to stitch a Christmas ornament for each person in the exchange. Now I've got to work on this year's ornaments, but that's a problem for another day.

I'm going back to my corner to whimper now....

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Well, here I am. I seem to have fallen into the blog universe after many years of avoiding it.

I've been a stitcher for over 15 years now doing everything from counted cross-stitch to needlepoint to canvaswork to everything in-between. You name it, I've probably tried it at least once (crewel didn't stick - anyone want the project????).

Currently I'm working on a model for a brand-new designer, so I can't share photographs. Perhaps once it's released I can, but right now it's all hush hush. :-)

In the meantime, here is a picture of an ornament I finished a little while ago for my oldest son. With a bit of luck it'll be made into an ornament before Christmas - some year!

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