Cross Stitch Cafe......where your "to do" list gets longer by the day

Ruth_honey

Just got home from the Creative Stitches and Hobbycraft show at the Excel, where I met up with Subtle_minx. Thanks Tricksie for sending us the tickets. Had a lovely day. Bought some pretty fabric, a thread organiser/cutter, a very small kit of a gingerbread house, some wooden cut out shapes to do Decopatch (http://www.thedecopatchplace.co.uk/ ) and yes, some fudge! Lol!
Did a Decopatch workshop, which we both really enjoyed. Was simple, but fun to do and very relaxing.
Subtle_minx says hi to you all, btw. She's moving house in a few days, so hasn't been able to keep up with our chatter, but she'll be back soon.

thifty

Hi ladies:wave:
long time no speak, not even sure if anyone will remember me but I can see a few familiar faces! I have just updated my signature and it was still on 2012 so that shows how long it has been.
I have still been stitching but have been knitting quite a lot too. I am still doing the millennium sampler but it has been parked for a while as I have been doing other bits and bobs.
Hope everyone is well-
love Thrifty:A:

brednall

Morning all

Off to stand at my local craft fair this morning. They have now told us we might need our own insurance. Not good if you don't sell anything - out of pocket straight away!!!

Keep your fingers crossed I sell some of my lovely goodies please

Emma

winniepooh

Ooh I've only just noticed a shiny new thread. Hope your all well. X

Ive not done any x stitch this week. Struggling to find motivation to carry on. Any tips?

blue_eyed_girl

WoodyAllenJesus wrote: »

Hi All,
I am new here but an avid cross-stitcher. However since the birth of my DD I've barely done a stitch (she's now 18mo :O ). I work full-time and am pregnant atm and I barely have the time or energy to make a cup of tea once DD is in bed. I just have a couple of questions really:

1) For those of you with toddlers, where do you keep your stitching in order that tiny hands don't interfere with it? I keep my stitching in a bag which isn't doing it any good, and is a faff to keep getting out. I think if I had it in my frame I'd be more inclined to do it as it would be ready to go whenever the mood took me. But I just KNOW my DD would be all over it like a rash!

2) I'd like to design my own ... designs and I wondered if any of you could recommend some good software for this? I'm after something contemporary with lots of modern fonts.

Thanks! I hope to stick around and perhaps even find the motivation to finish some UFOs!

Welcome to the Cafe WAJ - don't forget we are a [STRIKE]nosey[/STRIKE] interested bunch here and we love to see pics of anything you're working on/complete. Sorry I can't offer much advice re toddlers or software.

Julie0511 wrote: »

Hello All,
As far as actual stitching goes, I've been doing a few bits and pieces which needed done for birthdays and other things. It's quite satisfying getting these started and finished in a few days, but at the same time it's stopped me working on my big projects. Anyway, I'm back to my horses pattern again and really want to get it done.

Julie - I have decided to cut down on the number of stitched cards/gifts this year so that I can spend more time on a couple of large projects (so that I dont put them to one side for a while and they become really old UFOs - so far its working, I'm just switching between two of them so that I don't get too bored).

Tricksie - Loved Time Travellers Wife - so much better than film. Wish I could find more free time to read - atm that would have to mean less stitching :eek: Enjoy Dirty Dancing.

FoS - love the piccies especially your 12 Days (whoops you've just reminded me I've got a 12 Days one on the go albeit a different one).

maria - love the underground map.

:hello: pap lovely to see you popping back into the Cafe. 'Course we'll have you back (I think you become a life long member once you join). I think it was you're London pic that swayed me to do the London wallpaper in DS's bedroom - if I'd done a xstitch it still wouldn't have happened.

Ruth - sounds as though you had a lovely day with Subtle. Hope move goes well btw Subtle.

Thifty - lovely to see you too

brednall - hope you manage to sell lots this morning.

Still on with page 5 of SB but I'm getting there.

Hope you all have a lovely weekend with lots and lots of stitching time.

b_e_g

PS Chicky - enjoy your hols.

Craftyblue

blue_eyed_girl - That's really good. That was what I was doing too and it was working well, but then a few things came up that I felt I had to stitch for (plus it was cheaper to stitch things with my stash than buy other things)!
I'm definitely sticking to my two larger projects from now on. I've said it here, so if I mention starting other projects you all have permission to give me a hard time!

tellmeitsfriday

Aha, I found you - don't think you can escape that easily xxx

WIll have sensible things to say at some point I am sure - just sleepy and fighting off this pesky cold (again) at the moment x

Flat_Eric

Morning all :wave:

Hope this finds you all well. I'm glad its the weekend and looking forward to doing some stitching this afternoon/this evening.

To comment on some recent posts....

I haven't read the Time Traveler's Wife but I think I have the book somewhere and its on my to read list along with many other books! Cross Stitch and reading are my favourite hobbies and I never seem to have enough time to do both so usually one dips out although sometimes I'll be listening to a book while stitching (either a cd audio book hired from the library or a book bought with my @udible subscription).

Emma - I hope the craft fayre goes well for you today. It will be interesting to hear how you get on. I've decided to start stitching some bits to sell at a coffee morning that's planned for the autumn and I think one is planned also for xmas time - so will be stitching some bits for that too. It will be hard to know how to price things - I know people won't want to pay very much but at the same time I would like as much money to be raised for the charity as possible. Its my plan to donate at least 50% of any sales to the charity. Its interesting because if you pick up a card [from a card shop] and it has even a hint of a hand made embellishment then price-wise, you are looking at £3.75 plus .... yet I can't see someone paying that for a lovely hand made stitched card .... What kind of things are you selling and for how much? I'm on card number 1 at the moment !! but plan to stitch bookmarks, gift tags, other greeting and xmas cards, coasters etc.

TMIF - I hope you feel better soon. I woke this morning with a stinking headache (2 saturdays in a row) very rude when I want to be doing things (stitching!)

Someone mentioned about losing their stitching mojo. I wouldn't say I've lost my mojo but time always seems to be against me and stitching always seems to take a back seat. Now that I'm set on making some bits for the coffee morning, I feel inspired to stitch at every opportunity. I just hope it lasts !!

sweetcarer

WoodyAllenJesus wrote: »

2) I'd like to design my own ... designs and I wondered if any of you could recommend some good software for this? I'm after something contemporary with lots of modern fonts.

Thanks! I hope to stick around and perhaps even find the motivation to finish some UFOs!

Welcome.

Here is a site that might be able to help -

http://voices.yahoo.com/top-five-free-cross-stitch-software-programs-463984.html


I am still plodding on with my hearts for Sandy Hook - if I work hard enough I might finish the blue one.

Was in home bargains last night and they had some nice frames for £5.99. Was thinking of them for purple work. Guess its not a bad price. They were square - approx 40cm (didn't have a ruler - but they had a spirit level for sale that was that size so used it lol) - and it was wood painted silver - so not too shiney.

Was trying to think of the online place where you can buy mounts, as I think 40cm will be a bit too big as it will leave a border of approx 8cm all the way round.

Well the sun is out so doing a wash - should be done by now and get it outside. Then onto some stitching.

Keep well everyone.

sweetcarer

Ruth_honey

Ikea has square frames at a good price. I think they might be called Ribba? I used one for my Dictionary Of Bras. Also they have bright coloured ones with clear plastic instead of glass, which makes them lighter and cheaper to buy. Not sure if they do square ones, though.
Also try Wilkinsons if you have one nearby. Don't forget to look at frames with pictures already in-sometimes they are just what you're looking for and the print is easily removed.
Can't think of the place that sells mounts online, I'm afraid. But any framers will be able to cut one for you.