Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Turtle Trot March

A finish wasn't shared prior to this post because it is on the Turtle Trot list so I figured why not wait to share? So today I share a small finish for the Quaker Ornaments.

Side A was finished in January and Side B was finished on March 4th.  

There is nothing in the directions for this pattern stating that I must put these together as front and back (it doesn't even call them side A or side B or anything at all).  The leaflet shows two separate patterns and treats them as individual patterns which are even on different pages of the leaflet.  I'm clarifying as there has been some confusion about whether or not this is as it should be or did I make it so.

It was my choice to (and A-type personality) have them as "front" and "back" and that is all.

Now that I have completed two of the six patterns, the fabric for the next two are picked out and now all I need to do is discuss with myself which colors of floss to use.

I'm going with a 14 ct hand dyed with tea (by me) Aida I just happened to have two equal squares of (If I remember correctly they were going to be for a biscornu but that time has passed).

This is a completely different everything for this ornament and I haven't decided if it will be just one pattern for the ornament or the positive and negative patterns like the first one.  Hopefully inspiration will strike!

I still have not touched Celtic Goddess, English Cottage Sampler and No Drama, nor have I started Celestial Dragon.  

Those beginning stitches for Cosmos and Butterfly Forest are still pretty much right where they were from January, however I did have to take Cosmos off the scroll frame it was on...one of the badly split rod things and tried to glue soft fuzzy Velcro to the bars.  That did not work out so I'm ordering new scroll bars from American Dream and then sewing some of the hooked side of the Velcro onto the fabric and putting it back on the frame properly.


It kept loosing tension and finally it looked unrolled all together, so after the yelling and screaming had subsided I began thinking of how to fix the situation....there really wasn't any yelling and screaming....really, there wasn't....more like "Oh, I'd better fix that"....not even a heavy sigh of annoyance....all was calm...really.


I have the fabric ready for the February Bookmark set up, so that can be worked on and cross your fingers I can finish both February and March by the end of this month....or get close!


Day 2 has part of a Turtle Dove and a bit more green so progress has been made!

This is another one I'm a month behind on and need to finish Day 2 AND Day 3 this month...or get close.

I'm thinking it is a bad idea to re-watch every season of Supernatural while stitching.  More watching and less stitching happens.  Or rather, less arguing with Sam and Dean and more stitching...either way I'm confident my family wonders what is going on up here in the attic.

It's my secret and I'm not telling.  Darn good thing they don't read this blog!

Finally, I made the Executive Decision #228...I hate Aida so I'm changing the fabric.

You are asking why I'm using Aida for the Ornament and yet here I am NOT using the kit provided Aida for the Panda?  Please see Executive Decision #228 above and somewhere scribbled down is Executive Reason #93...Because I can.

Besides, the Panda will look cute on the sparkly fabric.  ALSO because I have been trying to use this particular piece of fabric for five freakin' years!!!  I was going to stitch a bunny with an egg on it back in 2009....that didn't happen.  Then I had some goofy idea about a Nouveau Butterfly Biscornu that seriously did not want to be on that fabric so I had to rip it out a year ago.  It is time to give this fabric another chance!  New life!

Now, I know some of you out there love Dimensions kits and will almost faint when you read what I have to say about them...I do NOT like them.  I love some of the patterns which is why I have the stupid kits.  I do NOT like the kits.  So there, I said it. Having said that, not only am I replacing the fabric, but I'm going to (oh no!) use DMC floss and not the kit floss.  I have no idea where the stupid needle went but those break so easily I'm not sad about that at all since I'm using my gold plated eye needle...it is sturdy and hefty and won't bend or break.  AND....just to add further insult to this kit...I might even throw in some sparkly flosses to jazz it up a bit...how do you like them apples??

Dimensions slam is now over.  Hopefully I don't get flogged when I leave the NCC to find sustenance.  What the hey...I'm going for it!!  Catch me if you can!

Until next time....better run quick because I'm spry for an old lady!



16 comments:

  1. I am in total agreement about Dimension kits. I love the patterns but don't like aida. Plus I have all the DMC threads at home. Really wish they'd sell their discontinued patterns.

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    1. Wouldn't that be lovely? They do have some really nice patterns I would be more than happy to stitch!

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  2. I don't mind the kits, absolutely loved them when I started, after all it was seeing Magnificent wizard that started me on the who stitching thing, But they are hard to get around here and I've since been taught much better ways.
    Yes Sam and Dean are distracting, bad boys.
    I also have taken the needles from all my kits, so it's entirely possible that I stole yours as well.

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    1. Ahhhhhhhhh, now why didn't I think of that? I've known for a long time that you sneak needles from kits...which reminds me! I have a few I'll throw in your squishy! I just found three that are still in their protective plastic (why they do that I just don't know...maybe in case they break in transit no one will hurt themselves?) :D

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    2. Yay more needles, I may need an intervention someday, but not yet. I am going to order that pako organizer probably today, possibly two of them.

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    3. I hope you did order the pako or two! You know you will use them constantly since you like BAPs AND you can practice using them on the last leg of Cindy :D

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  3. I love the way you did your ornament. It came out beautifully!! As for your rant about the kits, I am in complete agreement. I wish they would sell the charts alone. So many more stitchers would stitch their designs. I absolutely refuse to buy them because I m not paying for a kit where only use the design.

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    1. Right??!! I'm glad I haven't offended too many people. I was lucky with the few Dimension kits I own, I managed to find them on super sale or yard sales so I've never paid full price and refuse to! Thank you for knowing exactly how I feel about those darn kits!

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  4. Although off topic I thought I would answer the question you asked me here. Mardi Gras is a discontinued ANG Correspondence Course. A few of us in my ANG chapter ordered it before it was discontinued and are stitching it for evaluation in June. The design was drawn on the canvas when we received the kit. The designer and teacher, Dorothy Lesher provided the kit. You may want to try and contact her to see if she has the rights to the design and can sell it to you.

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    1. Once you are done with yours I will see...I'm on a pattern buying fast for the rest of the year since I currently have three years or more worth of stitching and have been trying to downsize...but I see you are an enabler like myself and cannot resist! ha ha!

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  5. That ornament finished very pretty, I'm sure the next one will be just as awesome. I don't have a problem with kits personally, although I have yet to start my first Dimensions one...but yay for pnda-revival, I was wondering what happend to those :)

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    1. Would you like to have the pattern leaflet when I'm done with the Quaker Ornaments? And thank you, it IS about time Panda came back on the scene :D

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    2. I'll have to look up the leaflet to see the other ornaments, but I'm not saying 'no' now :D

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    3. I will share a picture of the leaflet after work today so you can see all six of them :D

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  6. I love your two sided ornie. I hadn't noticed it was the same pattern but in positive and negative. What a difference it makes!

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    1. Right??!! It makes it a completely different pattern and I love that :D

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