I decided to pick up Japanese Garden. Someone in one of my groups is stitching it as well. I like the idea of stitching the same thing as someone else.  I worked on it a bit last night. I may have made a mistake though, I have to look at it closely and see if it is something that will require frogging. I am stitching the rock gardens right now. If it is not going to be noticeable I will leave it, as I usually do with mistakes.   I changed some of the called for materials on this. Actually I changed all of the NPI for a more affordable option. I left the other threads the same as I had never stitched with variegated and wanted to know what they were about and all that stuff.  I like them, but I am not sure I will do the same again. I will likely change some of the threads out to cotton variegated.  I like the silk and all, but not enough to spend that much again.  I joke that JG is my million dollar cross-stitch project but really it is. It is definitely my most expensive one.  I got hand dyed fabric, and all those threads. I haven't even bought the beads yet.  

I already have my next chatelaine project, but I won't start it until I finish this one.  No budging on that one.  I am going to convert as much of it as I can, as I feel comfortable with.  Make it more affordable. Plus I dye my own fabric now, so that will help as well, a lot.    Speaking of which I priced dylon dye today. It wasn't bad at all.   A dollar or so more than rit dye. I will try it next time.  


I have been unhappy with my current floss organization.  I have DMC on bobbins in the smaller drawers on the top. That is where the problem is. When I slide the drawer out, they get stuck. It annoys me for sure.  I have specialty floss in floss-away bags in the larger bins on the bottom. I really like that. I love those bags.  Especially being able to keep my thread bits. 

So I am switching to floss-away bags for all of it. I won't need that bin anymore. I will repurpose it with art stuff I think.   I am in the process of switching all my floss to the bags. It's a lengthy process.   My plan is to put the DMC onto rings.  A ring for each 100 series.  For specialty floss I will keep that on rings too- a ring for each brand- until I have enough to separate it further. For now I will keep the rings in large ziploc bags. 

I also started using the rings for projects. I pull all the floss for project and put it all into bags on the rings. I love it. Makes it easy to find as opposed to keeping it just loose in the project bag.  I have been pulling lengths of floss and putting it onto floss cards. You know those ones that come in kits?  I hate it.  


I found some bags and rings at Hobby lobby today. They are having a 30% sale as well, on the bags and fabric, and other cross stitch things (not floss or kits).  Of course you know where this is leading right????  I picked up some fabric as well.  Never can have enough fabric stash right?

I finished up my valentine's exchange shopping as well today.   I have to see if I have a mailer here or if I need to pick one up.   Then I want to go ahead and get that out.   I just love exchanges. My goals for the year is to participate in 4 this year.   This is one down.  

Sierra