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

*Louise*

Regarding stash prices...we are seriously ripped off in Britain.

I try not to pay more than 40p each for thread, unless I am DESPERATE, then I will use Hobbycraft at 99p each,:eek: but that is rare.

My mum was in America a few years ago and found a shop where skeins were on offer at 20cents (!) each so she bought me a couple of hundred:T - I still have loads of them left (the less commonly used ones) but it was 3 years before I had to buy black or white threads :rotfl:

Never priced up fabric, but next time I *need* something from 123stitch, and have to pay the £11.99 postage, I will be getting some fabric sent over.

rhaben

ERICS_MUM wrote: »

yes, definitely true. I go to Florida once a year on holiday and always stock up on floss in Walmart/Joann and Michaels. (plus piles of other craft stuff !!) This Nov when I'm there I want to get a cuttlebug - half the price in Walmarts as it costs here. :mad:

There's another craft store I've never been to - Hobby Lobby. What are your views on it, is it worth a 30 minute drive to visit ?

Linda

I stop in Michaels and A.C. Moore when I am in a city that has them (Raleigh most often). I've never been in a place where there is a Hobby Lobby. I know some people on a different forum that shop there and seem to like it. My guess is, that it would be worth the trip.

rhaben

*Louise* wrote: »

Regarding stash prices...we are seriously ripped off in Britain.

I try not to pay more than 40p each for thread, unless I am DESPERATE, then I will use Hobbycraft at 99p each,:eek: but that is rare.

My mum was in America a few years ago and found a shop where skeins were on offer at 20cents (!) each so she bought me a couple of hundred:T - I still have loads of them left (the less commonly used ones) but it was 3 years before I had to buy black or white threads :rotfl:

Never priced up fabric, but next time I *need* something from 123stitch, and have to pay the £11.99 postage, I will be getting some fabric sent over.

It used to be cheaper to send stuff internationally from the US. Our postal rates went up last year and the international first class (the cheapest method) tripled in price. My husband sells a LOT of items internationally, so we scrambled to figure out how to keep the shipping price reasonable, but it still went up. It hasn't seemed to hurt business, though.

salfordgirl

Argh I hate insomnia!

On the plus side got quite a bit of stitching done

rhaben

salfordgirl wrote: »

Argh I hate insomnia!

On the plus side got quite a bit of stitching done

Whoa, it's late for you! I'm just past midnight here. Try some melatonin, helps me get to sleep.

Mrs_T_M

rhaben wrote: »

Dang it! I just got home from WalMart:mad: Too bad I didn't see this first. I haven't bought aida in years. I have a couple of bolts of it that I bought back in the '90s and am still working on. (before you ask, I used to sell kits of custom patterns)

I did a quick look at their site and for a piece 30" x 36" it is $9.32. You ought to get your mom to send you a "care package" of stuff.

Shipping would eat any savings made by buying it there. I have a few pieces from those kits I found at the charity shop, so enough to last for a bit.

In my opinion, Hobby Lobby is worth the drive, but last time I visited it was before I was into cross stitching, so no clue on what they have for that.

mrs-moneypenny

morning all
another busy night for everyone reading back

sounds like all us crafters sound move to the states they get treated better there.

finished the christmas trees last night, and started placing the emerald city but light was getting bad so gave up. was just going to finish a little piece off and phone rang DS2 has forgotten his pe kit so can i wlak down to school and take it - there my morning gone!!!!

hope everyone has a great day.

tricksie

Flat_Eric wrote: »

I do browse the charity shops but its rare for me to find any stash. I think I spotted some threads in a local shop back along but they weren't branded threads and were vastly overpriced.


Enjoy. I shall be staying up tonight to watch the latest installment. I find too much goes on for me to be able to stitch at the same time but I do stitch in the adverts! I am enjoying it but not sure I like it as much as the original. Considering the original amounting to over 600 episodes, 12 episodes? in series 1 isn't very many !

Somebody had donated a lot of craft stuff to local CS I was in yesterday but they were selling kits for £4 and nothing grabbed me. I have been so good keeping to my no stash resolution but have bought tickets for the stitching show at Sandown Park in January. But that is next year so I can go crazy

DH came in at the end of one episode and now thinks I am watching lesbian !!!!!! :eek: That didn't happen in Cell Block H!

nmm wrote: »

EDIT: I'm having a cross stitch dilemma, I have seen the full set of dmc on bobbins for £115 delivered which is a bargain considering the price is going up in January and ats closing down. I have all I need for BD and it'll take a few months to complete him so I don't really need it just now, should I buy it or wait and hope for some offers later on, HELP :rotfl:

Buy buy buy!

Or there is always this

http://www.leisurecraft-tewkesbury.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=39

I bought a full set from them many years ago when they were sold on thread organisers. Although I have since collected another full set on bobbins I still use them as a top up.

Coxy11

Good morning everyone, shall I pop the kettle on?

My car is broken so no work for me today. Unfortunately(!) I had already booked and paid for DS2 to go to breakfast and after school club, so we got the bus to school and now I'm housebound so shall be stitching for most of the day :j

I have fallen back in love with flower shop, having made some more progress over the past week. I am now backstitching the brickwork which is also highlighting where I have missed isolated cream stitches on cream aida (arrrgh). It has helped that I have been doing some small projects in between including starting on the Christmas card I will be sending I also finally took Santas Clothes to the framers - only finished it in 2009 :rotfl:It's 18 x 20 inches and will cost £40 - I thought that was a bargain, although I did supply my own mount.

mos - lovely colourful design

Mrs_T_M - congratulations :j

rhaben - lovely designs, I particularly like the reindeer

Louise - come on fess up - how long do you spend stitching and is your house a tip :rotfl:I love the dummy and nappy pin design, so cute!

emslovesmickey - great progress on the pirate ship - have had my eye on the haberdashery shop kit for ages, but too much else in my stash for now!

Hippipal - the eagle design is great. Looks so lifelike.

salfordgirl - the snowglobe card is gorgeous. I've never stitched onto paper tho, so can't offer any advice.

sweetcarer - loving the spring sampler colours.

winniepooh - hope you are okay? I agree that something new and fresh might get your mojo back, and if you can use it as a sample for your business it's a win win situation.

Sorry for the long post. Have a good day everyone.

Coxy

Mags_cat

I was sorting through my stash and I've found some kits that I'm never going to stitch.

Anyone want them?

The Cottage card kits is a free cover kit from 2001 :eek: and is missing the tiny piece of aida. I obviously found a better use for it over the years :rotfl:. It's got the card, the envelope, the threads and the chart though.

The Tigger kits are one bookmark and one waste canvas kit (so you can stitch tigger onto another item like a t shirt). They're both complete with everything you need.


Spare kits 003 by Mags_cat, on Flickr

The large kit is a landscape of Polperro in Cornwall. This was a gift a few years ago and not something I'd have picked myself. Every time I open my stash to pick something new to start on I look at it and it never inspires me. I'd much rather it went to someone who likes it and wants to stitch it.


Spare kits 004 by Mags_cat, on Flickr

Let me know if you want any of these. I'd be delighted to declutter some more space :rotfl: