Stitching Techniques I don't particularly like :-)

Hi!

My last post was about new techniques I like, so I thought I'd make this one about ones I don't like - or don't like to do.  I'm not a huge fan of the lazy daisy stitch - I've become decent at it - thanks to you tube - but I'm not a fan.  Here is a link that helped me.

http://crochet.about.com/library/weekly/aalazydaisy.htm

My other least favorite is the French knot.  It took me so long to learn to do it correctly - but what really did it was the gazillion I did on a stitching for my sister.  It was truly beautiful when completed - but putting French knots on top of cross stitches was hard to do.  I now see that putting beads on is far easier than doing the French knot - I'm so lazy!  Here is a link on how to do a French knot.

http://crossstitch.about.com/od/frenchknot/ss/fakefrknot_2.htm

Here is the picture of the stitching that I did for my sister with the French Knots:  The dress detail has French knots all along the bottom - from the roses down. 

Beading is a newer technique that I learned for a stitch I did for Lianne.  I enjoy it.  Here are some quick & easy instructions for beading:

http://crossstitch.about.com/od/tipsforbetterstitching/qt/seedbeadtips.htm

Here is the cross stitch I did for Lianne with beading:  the beads are on the saddle of the horse.

Well, I'm off.  I need to see if Lianne is awake.  She's been teething and keeping her Mama & Dada awake at night :-)

Stephanie

New Stitching Techniques I've learned

Hi!

Well, they say that you can't teach an old dog new tricks - but it's so not true!  I've learned a new way to keep my stitches nice & neat - it's called "Railroading".  I've copied the link for you to follow - About.com has a great cross-stitching site and they have detailed instructions on how to do it.  Basically, the way I do it is this - I bring my thread up at 1 and then I insert my needle between the 2 threads before I bring it down at 2.  It makes the thread lay neatly - so you don't get your individual stitches all twisted.
http://crossstitch.about.com/od/learnhowtocrossstitch/ss/railroadingtech.htm

I really do like this new technique - but sometimes I forget and yes, I can notice when I don't do it!

There are 2 methods of cross stitching - the stab and the sew.  I am firmly in the stab camp - sadly, I've tried & tried, but I can't use the sew method.  Here is a link to the about.com site with how to do both methods:
http://crossstitch.about.com/od/learnhowtocrossstitch/a/stabsew.htm

Have fun taking at look at the about.com site - she really does have some great material!

Stephanie

Funny Lianne Stories

So, Lianne is growing like a weed.  Still not talking much, but man, can she make connections.  Sunday we were at church & everyone got palm crosses for Palm Sunday.  Lianne was playing with hers, Daddy's & mine & she would point to the palm cross, then point to the palm of her hand and back again.  Pretty smart!  I tried to coax her into saying "palm" but no such luck.

She's also pretty sneaky - she's discovered how to open peanut shells.  So she pretends like she wants to feed the squirrels - she'll have me open the container and get some out to feed Mr. Black & Mrs. Grey and then she'll break the shells open & eat them.  She even fakes me out - she pretends like she's going to feed me and then swoops it into her mouth!

I've finished one of 12 bookmarks for my mother-in-law - I'm 90% done the 2nd design and then I'm going to show them to her & ask how she wants them finished.  Then I'm going to start on my sister's butterfly breadcloth.

Well, off to see where Lianne is!

Stephanie

First Job Completed!

Hi!

I'm so sorry I haven't been posting lately - I've been busy @ work with my first job.  Here are the completed bookmarks!

What a busy March - Lianne took up most of my time.  Temper Tantrum central!  She's certainly testing our resolve as parents.  She'll be sooo good & then bam - she turns into a typical 2 year old tantrum thrower.  I think most of the problem is communication.  She understands everything we say - but she's still lagging behind in verbal skills.  So she tries to tell us what she wants/needs but it comes out as grunts & pointing.  I'm still not that great at sign language :-)  We're working through it - encouraging her words.  She's added some new words - "uppy", "open", "yes".  So we're making progress.

I've started my 2nd job - 12 bookmarks for my mother-in-law.  I'm going to make the 2 designs she picked & then see how she wants them finished.  After the 2 "samples", I'll start my sisters breadcloth - butterflies!

Well, I'm off to the post office to mail my first completed job to Judy!

Stephanie