The "no frills, no gremlins (hopefully)" cross-stitch cafe

moments_of_sanity

flowerofscotland wrote: »

MoS Donna Kooler is an American designer who runs the Kooler Design Company. I remember a round robin I did which was one of her designs with teddies celebrating the 20th Century
She has done lots of designs for US cross stitch magazines so there will be no shortage of choice if you want to stitch another of her stocking designs

So sorry to hear about your daughter but pleased that she is making good progress - being young she should recover faster.

Oh dear, I have just searched her name and found a beautiful book of Christmas stockings :eek: this may well be added to my 'want' list as I love her style of design.

mrs-moneypenny

fos i love those dancers and the thought of all that work being binned is just:eek: i agree it needs finishing. i would finish the area in cross stitch like around her head and maybe consider doing the areas that are meant to be left blank in half cross stitch in a cream or paler pink so that its all stitched. or would that just add more work - it does look gorgeous, cant wait to see it finished

shelly

Hi ladies.

pm2326. Welcome back! Sorry to read of the loss of your Dad.
That's a lovely design you are stitching, look forward to more updates of it.

Sweetcarer. Very nice update pics, both coming along lovely.

Mrsmp. Nice name finishes.

MOS. How scary! Glad your DD is now sorted though and on the road to recovery.
re your question on having a lamp on in the daytime. I have a spotlight above me in the ceiling that I use to stitch and I have got so used to using it that even on a bright sunny day I switch it on. The only time I don't use it is when I have a particularly bad headache. If that happens I use a clip on Jansjo lamp from Ikea though if I see one of those that sweetcarer posted about I might get one of those too as mine is mains powered and I need an extension lead to use it
I think I have got so used to having that extra bit of brightness from the spotlight that I don't like to stitch without it now.

FOS. I agree with you, I think the background would have been half crosses. I think the background that's been done looks ok so I would finish it in whole crosses and if the dancers are to have some backstitching then they will stand out fine.
Look forward to seeing it finished.

flowerofscotland

moments_of_sanity wrote: »

Oh dear, I have just searched her name and found a beautiful book of Christmas stockings :eek: this may well be added to my 'want' list as I love her style of design.

Always happy to help feed someone's else's stitching stash addiction

flowerofscotland

mrs-moneypenny wrote: »

fos i love those dancers and the thought of all that work being binned is just:eek:

That's what I thought and that's why I took it off my friend

i agree it needs finishing. i would finish the area in cross stitch like around her head and maybe consider doing the areas that are meant to be left blank in half cross stitch in a cream or paler pink so that its all stitched. or would that just add more work - it does look gorgeous, cant wait to see it finished

What a good idea - I thought the blank areas looked bit odd and they definitely don't have a symbol on the chart but I will try your suggestion.

And if I finish it for Christmas maybe I could frame it and give it to my friend :rotfl:

Hippipal

flowerofscotland wrote: »

Hippipal Welcome back. A lot of us use and like the plastic snap on frames with the table/lap version being highly recommended - linky

People have mentioned this before, does the fabric stay tight on it if it is just held by a clip? I'm being fussy because I have wasted money in the past on frames that do not do the job I want.

mrs-moneypenny

i have a small r&R frame and find it brilliant, while working the fabric stays nice and taught, and if it does loosen slightly its very easy to adjust, i find if ive left mine for a while ill turn it slightly to tighten it up again but apart from that its always been fine

*Louise*

flowerofscotland wrote: »

I also don't want to unpick it but do you think it will look OK if I complete the background in 2 strands of xs?


The blank areas on the right are meant to be unstitched; the area on the left is what needs to be completed in the same colour as the stitching around the lady's head. The dancers will be back stitched so they will stand out a bit more from the background. So should I finish it or not?

Honestly....even though it's twice the work of half stitch, I think you should carry on. I don't think anyone would know any differently when it's finished.

There's not really all that much left to do, so it would be a shame not to finish off that last section.

*Louise*

Hippipal wrote: »

People have mentioned this before, does the fabric stay tight on it if it is just held by a clip? I'm being fussy because I have wasted money in the past on frames that do not do the job I want.

I have the same frame and it's a few years old now. If I want my fabric rigid I just slip a piece of white paper between the fabric and the clip and it does the job just fine

I love my frame, I recommend it to everyone

*Louise*

moments_of_sanity wrote: »

Hoping to get some stitching done today. Grandad is visiting DD this morning and she has text to say the catheter and drain have been removed this morning so she has been able to get up and have a little walk.

I haven't received my magazine yet, hope it hasn't got lost in the post :mad:

I am finding the day light quite dull at the moment and need to have my lamp on to stitch even in the day time, is anyone else finding this a problem?

Your poor DD :eek: Glad she is on the mend though, what a worry

I have found myself with the light on a few times in the past week, but only when it's really dull outside. I'm definitely going to ask Santa for a free standing lamp with chart holder for Christmas....I been good this year

Okay, maybe not that good...I started another new project I haven't felt in the mood for working on large pieces for months now (plus side is my improved ready made card stash) but I got a chart called A Baby, A Manger which is a vintage style with only two colours so I don't need too much concentration. And it's Christmassy :j