Cross Stitch Cafe 2011

chickywiggle

DOH looks brill - Observer what a fab idea to do the pics individually as cards ... now THATS an idea I can work with!!

JCS1 - know how you feel re job... I've just been to a meeting at work today and although nothing is confirmed there is every chance we will all get notice that we have to apply for our own jobs in a few months when we merge with a couple more teams to make a new team - or be made redundant.

Biker - glad things are going well, your wedding looks lovely.

TMIF - have sent you a message re the Joan Elliott Mag....

I feel like I haven't stitched in ages (tho I got half hour on cut thro palace the other day). Was supposed to be going out tonight to a new fitness class in town but my friend cancelled on me..... GRR ... so gonna spend the night stitching instead and let hubby look after Noah......... oh screw that - he's just announced he's going to the pub if I'm not!!!!!!!!!! men reallllyyy know how to make you feel better don't they!!!

tellmeitsfriday

I've replied Chicky - thank you

Marru

Here update on the Chick Berry.



There are three more birds in this series but with all the half stitches (diagonal, horisontal and vertical) I think I'll pass.

littlemisschocolate

Sam, your DOH is lovely. I can't wait to see it once it's been framed.
Observer, loving your work.
NMM, I'm loving the tiger it's looking fantastic.
Marru, loving the bird it looks lovely.

My June challenge is to finish the Robins, back stitch and all which I hate like most fellow stitchers! There's a fair few french knots and am thinking of substituting them with small beads.

bikerchick1066

Just picked out my new lunchbreak project.

Done a little bit of back stitch on 'too pooped' but been feeling really rough since Sunday so not much progress.

chickywiggle

love it biker!

Well i think i managed an hours (possibly hour and a half) stitching last night.... todays plan was to curl up and stitch while DS1 is at childminders and in between DS2 playing/ sleeping/ eating.

Unforunatly the house is a mess - AGAIN - I sware I am cleaning every week!! and I now have 2 boxes of stuff for sale (is it just me that finds the stuff you want - e.g. toddler clothes - are really expensive on ebay yet when you try and sell something - e.g. newborn clothes - it only goes for pennies???)

Freebay weekend again tho peeps so fingers crossed!! I will post stitchy pic updates soon - promise.

chickywiggle

Hello....
am just writing an e-mail to cross-stitch crazy who are after a cross stitch group to feature in their magazine...I asked them the other week and they said there is no harm in a 'virtual' group applying.....

I was just writing some examples of how we support each other through some of the experiences that have happened (no names are being mentioned - not even screen ones) so i hope this doesn't offend anyone as that is certainly not my intention......

hey we my not even get picked.... but wouldn't it be nice to get our name out there.......again.......

..........argggg sent it..... fingers crossed......

Hi,
Saw the post of facebook (even tho I don't think we aren't listed.....perhaps we could be??) and thought I'd introduce you to our cross-stitch club. With one thing in common (well aside from the love of cross stitch)..... we are best of friends, a shoulder to 'virtually' cry on and...... have never met each other - well not that any of us know of!!

Meet the "Cross-stitch Cafe" on www.moneysavingexpert.com (direct link: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2943532)

With over 58 members I think we must be one of the biggest groups going. Ok so people have a life outside cross-stitch (much to our dismay) but most of the members at least drop in for a virtual coffee and cake once a month with an update on their latest stitching project or family life. We never turn a new member away and they are always made to feel welcome and encouraged to talk to us. We only have 1 rule............ you must share pictures be it of your new baby, new kitten, new husband, latest stitching project.

Nowhere has it been easier to get advice on which "sampler to stitch for my aunties wedding", or "where can I buy blue 12ct aida cheapest"? Need that bit of thread to finish the last 5 stitches of your Heaven and Earth design....someone will happily pop it in the post for you. Need a certain issue of a magazine for that much desired chart.... just ask - chances are someone has finished with their copy and will happily post it to you. Missed the latest special edition of a magazine and can no longer get it online....chances are someone in another city or a small village has just the one you are looking for in their local shop and will happily get it on your behalf. The help by no means stops at stitching.... personally I have experienced members raiding their childrens book shelves and local charity shops to find me books i was unable to get locally.

Unfortunatly with this many members it's not as moneysaving as we would like as someone ALWAYS finds a half price sale somewhere online and tempts you into the world to look around ..... and get out the plastic (except one or two members who shall remain annonomous but know who they are... who know their credit card number and security details off the top of their head.... or if not theirs then their husbands!!)

Just some wider examples of our 'community spirit' that without us around may have had completly different outcomes:
- broadening the search for missing relatives or friends
- seeing people through 'down' times in their life - death of a family member, redundancies, hospitilisation of a loved one
- welcoming new babies, sending congratulatory wishes for weddings and of course we rarly forget a members birthday (if they have mentioned it)
- a 'virtual' pancake day and Easter.... most of us even manage to make it on to say 'happy christmas' in between festivities.

Whether you need to shout your good news, shed a tear, rant about the other half or ask for advice (on anything! - honestly....some of the topics we get diverted into it's a good job we are all women!!) there is ALWAYS at least one cafe member online somewhere to listen..... offer words of support and encouragement...be a shoulder to cry on when you can't voice feelings to family members....nod along if you need a place to rant. Most of all..... we never judge anyone.....we may have very strongly expressed opinions occasionally but never judge!

Last year we got together to create a cross-stitch quilt, we recieved all the materials free of charge from an online shop and got the designers blessing to go ahead thanks well written pleas from members and everyone happily stitched their square/ squares and sent them off to the quilter. Unfortunatly for us this all came unstuck when the quilter couldn't finish the piece due to other commitments and put in the post to someone else to finish off.......only for it to be another of those parcels lost in the world of Royal Mail. This brought us down for a long time all our hard work gone to waste. But then we rememered why we had started it in the first place and how it had brought us all closer together to have one goal to encourage each other to work towards and encourage and the high tempers and accusations of the previous few months was soon forgotton.

We would love to be considered to appear in your magazine (although how we would split the gifts could be a challange... we would have to auction them for the charity who did not recieve the quilt to avoid virtual arguments) and have the kettle on for any new members it brings our way.

If you need any more information please feel free to drop me an e-mail or pop in for a 'coffee'.

xxxxxx
('chickywiggle' in the cafe)
our facebook group.....http://www.facebook.com/pages/MSE-cross-stitch-cafe/103270956388055

vickietm

Awww Chickywiggle, I actually got quite emotional reading that. I know I don't post as much as others but I always read and I think that sums us up to a tee!
Thank you so much for writing that and fingers crossed we get picked xxx
Oh and the idea of using the gifts to raise money for charity is a great one :T

sammr85

wow chickywiggle, that made me well up! I always lurk this board even if I don't post as much as I should. I too love the idea of gifting the prizes to the charity that missed out on the beautiful quilt.

vickietm

Argh Chickywiggle, I just looked on your chickywiggle facebook page and you have a dvd cover of one of my biggest fears on there, I can't even bring myself to write his name here lol. Needless to say I clicked it straight off, I am weird I think