Stitching the pieces together
Comments
-
OK - May go into WalMart tomorrow but big city will have to wait until at least next week or later. My 99 snowflakes should get here next week. What do I need to buy to get started at least?? I know they have just the basics, did see thread/hooks last week. Michaels is just too far at the moment. I'm still fininishing paperwork from my previous job and going somewhere big (LOL Ft. Worth) will be my reward for finishing. I don't think Ft. Worth has much beyond Michaels/Hobby Lobby and JoAnns. There is a specialty needlepoint store that came up when I googled crochet. I actually thought it was closed. Have needlepointed (Bargello) but not really my thing. And also another specialty thread store I didn't even know about.
Sheila - Separating the threads and putting them back together was the way I was taught to do counted cross stitch too. Will need y'alls expert help.
Oh, sparkly thread!!! Of course, Amazon sent me another crochet book suggestion today. Coulda/shoulda/woulda ordered it too if I had seen it. Oh, well, DH does like to use his Discover cashback that way so when Season 8 of House comes out cheap I know we will be ordering again.
We have "dug out" of our 2 inches of snow. But, by golly, the long range forecast on Weather.com shows snow again late next week. Strange winter. We just need moisture here for pastures/hay. Hear the price of milk may double without the tax bill. Goat milk here we come.
Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday whatever you celebrate. Barbe, I know you're still waiting for yours later this week. (((Warm HUGS))) to all.
0 -
Luvmygoats, where are you? I used to live in Grandview & Cleburne.
0 -
Oh my Melissa. I graduated from HS in Cleburne, though not really raised around here. NW of Ft. Worth now, north Parker Co. Most of my family was from Alvarado.
0 -
Are you by chance the goat milk supplier for the folks out your way that make that terrific goulda cheese I've been buying at my farmers market? I remember the farm & the cheesemaker were out your way, but in different towns. Don't remember the name of the cheese.
0 -
NOO - That's probably Anne ??? (can't remember her name) from Flower Mound. If it's the one I'm thinking of she also supplies Central Market at least around here. Latte Da is her brand. In Texas to sell cheese/milk you have to have a Grade A dairy license not easy to get and must have separate milking parlor, water, electric. I just eat hers but it is expensive. I have 2 goats bred and might try to milk one for us next year. DH will be thrilled (NOT). But if there is another supplier would sure like to know about it.
0 -
It is this one I was thinking of: http://www.eaglemountaincheese.com/
0 -
Luvmygoats, Let me tell you what I have as my basic supplies, (but remember, I have been doing this a long time) instructions, a ball of crochet cotton (I use size 10 - bedspread weight), the correct hook (size 6 or 7 steel hook), a small pair of sharp scissors and some large eye sewing needles (I like size 22 tapestry) to weave the ends of the thread in, a plastic DVD storage crate to hold the thread on the floor when I am working to prevent it from rolling around on the floor. You may even have the scissors and needles around the house and don't need to purchase them. My needles came in a multi pack of craft needles in the round dial pack. I keep that pack, scissors and hook in a recycled zipper plastic bag I purchased pillowcases in with my finished snowflakes waiting to be stiffened and when I use the needle, I make sure that I put it right back so I have it the next time, I dare my husband to touch my hooks, scissors or needles and that bag is stuck in the crate with the thread when I am not working on them as well as my mini clip board with the directions I have typed out. My cloth zipper tote bag close by to grab-stuff-n-go when I have an appointment that requires me to wait. By keeping things organized in one location, it does make it easier when I do have to grab-n-go. Then when I am ready to stiffen them after I get several dozen crocheted and ready to stiffen, my stiffy stuff, plastic wrap, print out of the blocking pattern (like a bulls-eye with 8 arms extended from the center) one for each snowflake but reusable, large styrofoam board or cardboard box, and pins to hold points when stiffening.
I didn't mean to overwhelm you with the supplies but when I started I just had the instruction book, hook, thread, scissors, needles, and ziploc bag to store them in to start. The rest of the items just started growing as I had additional needs.
Sheila
0 -
Well, I finished my snowflake, stiffened it, and hung it on the tree. It looked better than the paper ones the kids had made. While I was crocheting in the car, I kept thinking "is this the way to make this stitch"? The day after Christmas, I looked up crochet stitches on the web. The only one I was doing correctly was the chain st! So I'm going to try it again using correct stitches. It held together and looked pretty good, so very forgiving. I looked online for patterns and found some smaller ones for downloading. My tree is little.
0 -
Wren, sometimes the mistakes make prettier snowflakes. remember no two are alike.
Sheila
0 -
Thank you Sheila.
I discovered I could put the snowflake into a zip loc sandwich baggie, make sure it was tight over the thread and then let it untwist.
0 -
OK - Suppposed to get book sometime next week. Did not get to big WallyWorld today. Too cold/damp. But do have to go to Ft. Worth the end of next week and then skip one week and then the last 3 weeks of January weekly for fun things - mammo, my BS appt and DH's colonoscopy. So I can make my list to shop.
Got a Herrschners catalog in the mail today. I must get one once a year, what great timing. Also a catalog called "The Stitchery" beautiful things needlepoint, cross stitch, wearables and just lots of pretty tempting things.
Thanks Sheila for the shopping list. General embroidery supplies I have. Does anyone use a magnifier or a light source they could recommend? I do think Femara is contributing to ongoing eye issues. Have glaucoma controlled with drops but optometrist just mentioned cataracts in June. Not surprising as I was raised mostly in the SW.
Can't wait to get started. Forecast for next week now has no mention of snow. My, how things change.
Wren, I bet your snowflake is gorgeous. I'm planning for a tabletop tree. Saw someone with a smallish pink tree in WalMart last week. What do you think? Or maybe black tree/white ornaments?
0 -
I don't need a magnifier doing the crochet but I don't have glaucoma or cataracts (yet), I do have a good floor lamp (ottlite) next to my chair that lights up my lap very well for the crocheting as well as my hand quilting.
Wren, did you mean you put the ball of thread in the plastic bag when making the snowflakes? When I take my crocheting with me, I put it in another recycled zipper bag but at home I find it easier to keep it in the box where it can unroll easily.
Sheila
0 -
No, I put the snowflake in the bag, tighten the zip top to hold the thread, then hold the ball and let the zip lock bag do the turning. I've also done the way pulling out a long loop and letting the snowflake turn. Wouldn't work with something heavy.
0 -
luvmygoats, I use a table top Ott light. They are expensive but worth it. My bulb has lasted since 2000 so it's worth the cost! (If my bulb blows tonight I'll have a fit!) hehehehehehe I use it on the end table beside my side of the couch.
0 -
I just looked into the Herrschners catalog on line!!! Haven't seen it in years. Did you guys see the whole crocheted winter village????? AMAZING!!!!
0 -
OOppps, they're not crocheted, they're plastic canvas. Sorry, I just got SO excited!!!!
0 -
How funny... I just got that Herrshners catalog for the first time a few days ago! They must have gotten my name and address from one of the quilting magazines I subscribe to.
I knew when I saw the huge selection of jigsaw puzzles that this was a catalog for the crafter with PATIENCE!!!!
0 -
and tenacity.
0 -
I ordered the Herrschner catalog to be sent to me, but the Stitchery one won't accept my postal code!! They captured my email though, even though that page wouldn't "continue" and sent me a welcome email!! I told them about the postal code issue and wonder how they're going to resolve that one. I don't always like looking on-line at stuff...
0 -
Wren, I was confused about using the zip lock bag, I didn't see the line, to let it untwist.
0 -
I have not seen a Herrschner catalog so I will have to go online to see what it is. Hope you all are having fun with your snowflakes. Wish my hands would let me still do all the needlework I used to do. I mostly do machine peicing and quilting and machine embroidery now.
Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and has a Happy New Year. AJ
0 -
Elisimo, would those snug gloves help your hands with stitching? My knees are my main proble, well along with my back. I haven't gotten going again and I didn't do much handwork to startwith. I just so admire handwork.
I have to tell you about a tiny embroidery of an English gardeon on the top of a jar cover. It was SO beautiful and SO SO tiny. I love English gardens and this was simply exquisite.
I hope you all have a good New YEar and whatever tradition you might have to go along with it.
Hugs GInger
0 -
I am fortunate that though my fingers have arthritis (I just came back from putting a ring in to be re-sized from an 8 to a 9!!!) I can still do small work. It's my eyes that are getting worse first! Sheesh!
0 -
I have terrible arthritis in my fingers....I just wish those gloves came up higher...it's the top joints in each finger that swell the most, and the gloves always cut off lower....
Perhaps I should find some gloves with full fingers and just cut the tips off!!!
barbe - after my weight loss, my watch just spins around my wrist. But my wedding ring still fits tight, thanks to the arthritis...waaaaa.
0 -
Happy New Year to all the great friends that love to stitch the pieces together!
Sheila
0 -
Looking for the "LIKE" button Sheila!
0 -
This has always been one of my favorite Mary Engelbreit pictures...it makes me think of this thread!!!
0 -
I can't find the 'LIKE' button either for Blessings picture.
Sheila
0 -
Love the picture, too, Blessings. I have a whole envelope of stuff I saved when I took her magazine before sadly the economy got to it and she stopped publishing it. I've also bought misc. things, like an engagement diary partly used, for the pictures in it. They are in the "someday" pile.
My snowflake book is due to be delivered tomorrow. Appropriate since its been darn cold all day and gray. Yuk.
0 -
I LOVED her magazine!!! Was hoping someone like Oprah would save it...sigh.
0
