Cross-stitch cafe 2010

Flat_Eric

huge hugs spottybutterfly :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: and to everyone else who needs one xxx

I didn't get much stitching done yesterday :mad: as housework turned into spring cleaning which took all day. By the time tea was done and dusted, it was time for 24 and Desperate Housewives and I am not very good at this stitching and watching tv business (prefer to be listening to an audio book). I did some of my bookworm bookmark on the way to work this morning and a tiny bit on the way home but I think I have gone wrong again although I think this mishap is saveable. (this is my third attempt !) I must ensure that I mark the chart and count properly! I mentioned in a previous post that I was stitching the bookworm bookmark using anchor vaerigated thread and one thing I have noticed is how neat the back is turning out which I am putting down to completing each stitch in it entirety as I go along. So this leads me to my question. I have always completed a row of half cross stitches before working my way back across the row completing the stitches. Is this the practice you follow or do you complete each cross stitch in its entirety before moving to the next? I would imagine that completing each cross stitch as you go along would be more time consuming but would be interested to hear your views.:D

ERICS_MUM

Lelc wrote: »

Here is my first piccie of my Chinese God of Wealth that I've been stitching for about 4 weeks. I'm about half way through my second page (which is actually page 10 of the pattern).



Fortunately there are no fractionals and very little backstitch. I'm on holiday this week so, as well as spring cleaning (although the snow is making it feel a bit less like spring), I hope to finish the page.

Ooo that's lovely, one of the best I've seen for a while. Is it a HAED ?

Linda

Flat_Eric

ERICS_MUM wrote: »

Ooo that's lovely, one of the best I've seen for a while. Is it a HAED ?

Linda

what is a HAED ???? and is this what fellow stitchers are stitching when they talk about a chart book of 7/8 pages :eek: ?

Ruth_honey

thifty wrote: »

Don't mean to be rude Maria but is your work a series of fancy bras?
Have done no stitching yet today as have been entertaining friends and later my son doing easter crackers. Me- time here I come!
Thanks for the advice about posting pics and for the rust advice, mine is in the border so I'm sure my mount will hide it too thank good ness!

Sorry for butting in & answering for Maria, but yes, the kit is of bras! I stitched it last year. It's called Dictionary Of Bras is it's made by Bothy Threads. I loved stitching it and I also have another 2 from the series to stitch-Boots & Cakes. The pic of my finished 'bras' is below.


Maria-the top bit is really boring, but good to stitch whilst watching TV as it's a big block of the same colour. I alternated some of that with a bit of bra to keep me interested. You're doing really well with it. Keep it up! :T

kezbabybabe

Flat_Eric wrote: »

So this leads me to my question. I have always completed a row of half cross stitches before working my way back across the row completing the stitches. Is this the practice you follow or do you complete each cross stitch in its entirety before moving to the next? I would imagine that completing each cross stitch as you go along would be more time consuming but would be interested to hear your views.:D

Personally I love to half stitch and then work my way back. But it depends really cos I use the stitches to 'travel' around the aida (as I do mostly Winnie the Pooh designs) I understand with the Variegated ones you will get different effects from the two ways of stitching, so it'll depend which way you'd prefer in the end of your work.

Flat_Eric wrote: »

what is a HAED ???? and is this what fellow stitchers are stitching when they talk about a chart book of 7/8 pages :eek: ?

It stands for Heaven and Earth Designs and they take digital art and convert it to cross-stitch. The reason it's so many pages is that it has a high detail scale, so it's more realistic. A number of stitchers on here have completed them. Louise being the most recent with her painted lady. The designs can be found here:
http://www.heavenandearthdesigns.com/

Most people purchase the charts from here: http://www.across-town-stitching.talktalk.net/ (Edit: I don't think this is right, but I'm sure someone will correct me. )

I think that's it. I've not done one myself as I've only recently heard of them myself, but I would love to do one one day...

Ruth_honey

23rdspiral wrote: »

I lost my nan at christmas. i feel really lost too. we were close, and i helped care for her towards the end. I miss her terribly and now feel i have to apologise or stay silent infront of people because i get the impression people think i should be over it by now - ok so 97 is very old but it just meant i had longer to get to know her! (good job there isnt a crying smilie.)

Thanks for sharing. With my Grandma it was quite sudden, which is probably why I'm finding it especially hard. She was one month off turning 90.
4 weeks before she died, I pretty much saved her life. She was doing really well in hospital and was all set to come home when she got a chest infection. She died a couple of days later, and I was with her.
I just feel like my friends are avoiding me. One close friend I have nearby is having marriage problems, so I understand she's got other things on her mind, but even she is still emailing me almost every day. My friends back in Gloucester haven't really been in touch and even my Dad hasn't called me since the funeral.
I've read on several sites that the grieving process can take 2 years. How are we supposed to cope for that long??? Every day seems like an eternity. It's been 6 weeks today since she died. On Thursday I'm going to Shrewsbury with a friend. I'm dreading it because that was the last place that I spent time with Grandma. We went on a shopping trip there with my mum & cousin and had a lovely day. It's going to feel so strange being in the same place and knowing she's not there to offer to buy me things (she did that a lot! Grandma always spoilt me rotten!).

Can I ask you something personal? Feel free to reply by direct message if you'd prefer. Have you been to a bereavement counsellor? I'm considering it, but I'm still scared to pick up the phone & speak to people. I'm not good at talking about my feelings anyway, but I'm willing to try if it'll help me feel better.

I want to say thank you to everyone for letting us go off topic a bit and sharing more of our lives apart from stitching. Other forums-or even other sections of MSE-would get funny about it, but you're a really kind & supportive group and it's makes a huge difference.

On the subject of stitching, I have been doing a fair bit of my tulips today. The flowers are finished (apart from backstitching) and I'm now stitching the vase. No pics yet as my camera had to be sent back to Amazon as the lens keeps playing up. The replacement I am eyeing up is a new one that doesn't come out until April 12th. Might have to dig out DH's camera to take photos until then.

Off to bed now. Been so tired recently.

kezbabybabe

Ruth_honey: *hugs* for you too. I lost my dad 12 1/2 years ago now and it wasn't till I went to see a counsellor 10 years after he passed for something different did I really let it go.

I appreciate that it would be difficult to begin with, but it might help you to help, even if you get really angry or upset, it's all part of the process.

Anyway what are friends for? Even though we are in different parts of the country, we're still able to listen and offer some advice.

shelly

23rdspiral wrote: »

:T Wow Shelly, its really beautiful! the rose is perfect, the backstitching fits and she is dainty and not over the top, IYKWIM. very lovely work! :T

Thanks! I'm pleased with her too. I started the Fuschia fairy today and am really enjoying it already.

*Louise*

kezbabybabe wrote: »

Ruth_honey: *hugs* for you too. I lost my dad 12 1/2 years ago now and it wasn't till I went to see a counsellor 10 years after he passed for something different did I really let it go.

Um....if you don't mind me asking - how did you go about finding one? Do you get referred by a GP or do you just find one and pay yourself?

It's something I have been thinking about for a while but have never wanted to face up to actually doing

kezbabybabe

*Louise* wrote: »

Um....if you don't mind me asking - how did you go about finding one? Do you get referred by a GP or do you just find one and pay yourself?

It's something I have been thinking about for a while but have never wanted to face up to actually doing

Hi Louise. I was referred to a counsellor through my GP, as it was in relation to a bicycle accident I'd had in 2005, which caused my depression when I returned to work in 2006.

Two friends of mine was also referred by their GP, so I think you'd be okay to chat to your GP about seeing one. Mine actually visited my surgery on set days, so it was easy for me to visit.

There are ones you can pay for, but I found my NHS one was just as good and helped me to get things off my chest.

Good luck and don't forget we're here for you *hugs*

On the stitching front. I got a little bit done last night but not as much as I would've liked, so I'm looking forward to getting stuck in on Friday (my office is closed that day as well as Monday)