Cross Stitch Cafe 2011

mrs-moneypenny

louise the cards looks lovely,

chicky and 23rdspiral sending you hugs and hope things sort themselves out for you both.

Ailsb when my eldest ds was at high school he totally embraced talk like a pirate day and his 'pirate' seemed to morph into jack sparrow meets the highlander so he went on to talking scottish for a couple of weeks the teachers thought it was hysterical
whe you are feeling ready you may take comfort from finishing yourtiger so keep it safe and see what turns up

no stitching done here as was out last night and did some knitting this morning (got up early) and i can see where knitting needles are in bed but dont want to risk losing a sewing neelde in the sheets

have a good day all

shelly

Thanks for the comments on my Tiger kit. It was very kindly given to me by a lovely lady on here, no names mentioned but she knows who she is
After I had started it yesterday a thought occured to me. When doing a design like that that has white next to black, which one of those colours (white or black) should you stitch first?
I read the info on the chart but it didn't say.

chickywiggle

i think white shelly so you dont accidently pull black ones thro....i never bother tho.

no stitching done last night :-(

*Louise*

shelly wrote: »

When doing a design like that that has white next to black, which one of those colours (white or black) should you stitch first?
I read the info on the chart but it didn't say.

You are meant to do lighter areas before darker areas so that when you pull the light threads through the darker fibres next to them don't attach to them and discolour the threads.

I must admit....I don't always follow that advice myself If it's white on white...I'd choose colour first every time!

Marru

Chicky: Please could you contact either THESE or THESE people, at least you would be getting support from people who understand your situation.

So I started my biggest project so far and found it sooo difficult with a big frame. I am using this one: http://www.sewandso.co.uk/ran549-0.html in size 17"x17"

So my question is that which floor stand I could use it with. I would like it to be easy to turn to see the back especially when finishing a thread.

Would this work: http://www.sewandso.co.uk/Products/Posilock-Floor-Stand__FLO-POSI.aspx

nykied

Marru wrote: »

So I started my biggest project so far and found it sooo difficult with a big frame. I am using this one: http://www.sewandso.co.uk/ran549-0.html in size 17"x17"

So my question is that which floor stand I could use it with. I would like it to be easy to turn to see the back especially when finishing a thread.

Would this work: http://www.sewandso.co.uk/Products/Posilock-Floor-Stand__FLO-POSI.aspx

No help sorry, but oooooooh! I've got two of those scroll-type frames and I gave up on them because I hated holding them. I wonder if you can use those stands with any of them?

I've gone back to my hoop on a stand that you put under your leg but it doesn't quite fit my current design in and I'm squashing stitches.

shelly

chickywiggle wrote: »

i think white shelly so you dont accidently pull black ones thro....i never bother tho.

*Louise* wrote: »

You are meant to do lighter areas before darker areas so that when you pull the light threads through the darker fibres next to them don't attach to them and discolour the threads.

I must admit....I don't always follow that advice myself If it's white on white...I'd choose colour first every time!

Thanks for the advice. That's kind of what I thought but typical me started with the black first The thread is kind of fluffy too so no doubt when I do the white I will need my tweezers handy to pick off the black fibres. Tomorrow I might try a few white stitches and see how it goes. If I get a lot of black fibre transfer then I'll probably forget the black and switch to stitching the white first. The fabric isn't white so stitching the white first won't be a PITA

Marru wrote: »

So I started my biggest project so far and found it sooo difficult with a big frame. I am using this one: http://www.sewandso.co.uk/ran549-0.html in size 17"x17"

So my question is that which floor stand I could use it with. I would like it to be easy to turn to see the back especially when finishing a thread.

Would this work: http://www.sewandso.co.uk/Products/Posilock-Floor-Stand__FLO-POSI.aspx

I have the stand you link to and quite possibly* it would hold the frame you want it to as I believe your frame is quite lightweight? The stand is also good when you want to finish off a thread. You just loosen off a bolt at the top, flip the frame, do what you need to and flip it back. I do this a few times at the end of a thread as I like to get as many stitches as I can out of the thread. When finished the 'flipping' tighten the bolt back up again.

* that's not a guarantee

nykied wrote: »

No help sorry, but oooooooh! I've got two of those scroll-type frames and I gave up on them because I hated holding them. I wonder if you can use those stands with any of them?

I've gone back to my hoop on a stand that you put under your leg but it doesn't quite fit my current design in and I'm squashing stitches.

The posilock floor stand that Marru linked to is made for scroll frames. I have one and it's excellent, I wouldn't want to be without it now!
If you want to have the frame held the way it is in the picture (attached to the stand by the longest sides that scroll) then they sell what they call 'helping hand' and they really are good. If you don't use a helping hand but attach your frame to the stand as in the pic then your stitches will get squashed.
Here's a link to the largest size they do which if you are going to get one I'd recommend getting the biggest because you can use smaller frames on the biggest helping hand but not bigger frames on the smaller HH's (they come with different size piece of wood that you attach to the stand so the bigger the better)
http://www.sewandso.co.uk/Products/HH24---Helping-Hand__FRH-HH24.aspx
Also you can attach your frame to the stand the other way round which is by the smaller arms (the arms that have the bolts in) I stitch this way as that's how I am used to, I like to stitch from the side not from the bottom.

ejs2311

Hello,

I am totally different to you all and do dark colours first, finishing with white. Figure I'll get the white less dirty if its on there the least amount of time possible! Might try it the other way round on my next project.

Shelley oops, just realised its 23rd with the work problem, sorry- I had the same sort of problems with work before I was forced to leave. They knew I was ill when they took me on yet used to call me in for meetings when I was too dizzy to walk let alone even drive then when they rushed me for an MRI as they thought I had MS work told me if I wasn't back in the next Monday I was fired. This went on for about 2 years in the end when the Occupational Health woman was on my side not theres i was paid off to leave quietly. Now I'm working for myself, but as it's only small I'm very lucky to have a supportive husband. It's all flaired up again over the last few days so I'm worried there's no money coming in from me but at least I don't have the added stress of a boss on my back about it. Anyway, rant over - I really hope it all went OK for you and if you do want to talk about it feel free to PM me.

Have done most of the girl in the Faye Whittaker card today as I've been sofa/bed bound but realised it has to be in the post tomorrow so better get a move on! Will try and remember to take a pic and post it when its done.

catchooky

Just wanted to say thank you! to Alisb for the magazines they cheered me up today as I was in hospital yesterday and was feeling really sorry for myself this morning - a million thank yous

In other news.......


Finished! Just have to wash and iron it and it's ready for my colleague tomorrow now to start gridding and organising mIchael Powell Wedding Sampler for my friends wedding on 6th August aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh lol

23rdspiral

hi everyone, THANK YOU SO MUCH for letting me worry at you, for saying such supportive things, and for the hugs. I had a quick read before and it really did help my moral, and my plan of action.

chicky - at least i was due in today. i was pounced on first thing, wanting to know why i hadnt replied... erm i got in late and it only arrived yesterday?... i told her of the 5 days policy and she actually apologised for not knowing that. i said i liked the rules and was devastated i might have inadvertainly broken them. that really helped actually. they offered to delay but i decided to have the meeting today, after i'd had time to check my dates ect. i'm sorry to hear you've a disciplinary hanging over you, that's horrid.

Louise - i went and annotated the actual letter with postage date/ recieved date and the relevant bit in the policy, thanks. 1 thing in my favour is that i have to use a calendar for work so have clear records.

Observer - i took time to work out my own stats myself and make a note of everything, thanks for the advice there, and we came to the conclusion that as it was so far in the past we should blame my old boss! (in fact 1 of the issues had already 'expired' as it was over 3 months without a further sickess day). we also blamed admin for not realising i was part-time so days i wasnt due to work anyway couldnt be counted against me.

Aslib - you were right, one of the issues was that something hadnt been done right back in march. i've made a full note of everything so if it comes up again i know where i stand.

the review will still be on my permanent record, but i'm not on report as the days didnt stack up anymore (sheesh, sounds like an american school kid!). i do have a further query to look into with admin but feel confident my boss isnt actually out to get me.

i didnt sleep much last night (still awake at 2.30am), so am soo glad i can see an end to it. that is of course i dont have any sick days till xmas! in a funny way i think this acutally boosted my confidence as i knew, well hoped, i was right so could stand up for myself. THANK YOU for egging me on.

ejs - i'm so sorry to hear you had such problems.. you've reminded me of a lady we had at work a couple of years ago. genuinely ill, genuinely loved her job... but hounded till she had a breakdown. she's working somewhere else now and is fine as they help her manage her illness. i guess that's in the back of my mind as although there is a very formal sick policy i've seen it not work.

~~~

Louise - those cards are lovely. i really like the red flower.

ejs - i've usually done the white last for the same reason as you

mrs Money - Love the story about your son! bless him!

Chicky - Please dont apologise. please do rant and vent and worry at us. i know from personal experience (see above!) that it really does help to 'chat' things through here.

catchooky - that is so lovely. its so cheerful - i love the giraffe :0)