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

Stitching case done

DH got the stitching case all done. Here it is full of stuff-

Shopping-New Stuff!

Went shopping over the weekend, I now have nearly all of the DMC line. I am quite pleased about that, I am slowly bobbinating them all, what a pain that is, yet somehow it is enjoyable as well.

I currently have floss in containers in a larger container, It is driving me nuts- so I bought 2 of these-

My plan is to move all my bobbinated thread to the top drawers, While saving the larger bottom ones for storing silks, and other things, like Kreinik, needles, scissors, etc.

Hubby is going to modify them so they are stuck together back to back and put a handle at the top so I can move them easily.







Today I ran out of bobbins so we ran to Jo-ann's where they had some charles craft Monaco cloth on clearance ( .97 cents a piece) They are great size to cut for small projects or for HAED quick stitches.

I have other things coming soon in the mail, You'll have to wait until they get here, to learn what they are.