September Smalls ~ The Return of the Microkit

Howdy, y'all~ A timely and actually stitched Smalls piece from me this month! Whatever is the world coming to?  Better weather, that's for sure.  Right now it's a beautiful 54°F (12°C) and some fog rolling in the valleys and on the rivers.  It finally feels like fall!

I've ended the giveaway a little bit early due to picking such a popular design that several people have already haha~  So, Leonore, you are the winner and I already have your address.  It has been sent on its merry way across the puddle~  :D

click for info!

Halloween stitching is quite fun and I decided to stitch another of the little microkits I found on carand88's blog (search by tag: cat) years ago.  Today's featurette is the spooky(?) ghost microkit with bonus glow-in-the-dark thread.  A year is apparently long enough to forget how "fuzzy" glow-in-the-dark floss is!  Such a weird one to work with.   Ghostie joins Witchy Kitty and Mr and Mrs Frankenstein in the completion pile, woo!

to you

Technical Details

• "Ghost Microkit" freebie pattern by Carolyn at carand88.
• 2-over-1 on 14 count black perforated plastic..
• Started: September 21, 2018; Finished: September 25, 2018; unknown hours.

So what's up with that bit of floss still attached if it's finished? Well, I'm not sure if I like the "boo" placement/existence. It felt like there was a large amount of empty space in the upper right.   Maybe I need to shift it up a little more?  I don't want it extending out past the stitching though.  Any opinions on the matter?

witchy kitty is with the Halloween stuff!

This was also the first experience I can recall where I've broken a (brand new!) needle while stitching (#22... I think).  Perhaps the perforated plastic was just too thick for it and I switched to a fatter #18.

Kind of sparse post!  There's still time before Halloween to stitch another of these little guys but I dunno if I will or not.  I'm feeling kind of whimsical about stitching since it got cooler.  I keep having the urge to bury myself in yarn!  This is becoming a regular autumn feeling.....

August Smalls ~ A Mystery Solved

Howdy to you all~ I'm a little late this post due to me not paying attention this week whatsoever!  The weather was all weird and threw me off my regularly scheduled life.  Looking forward to this nice, long weekend though.  I've not done much actual stitching lately but it's times for the Smalls SAL update where a mystery(?) has been solved!

click for info!

I had a number of amusing guesses as to what the mysterious little brown things were. Everything from finger/toe warmers to kitten mittens (kitten mittens were tried by my husband ahaha). Only one person guessed correctly -- chair boots! The reason why the opening is so small is because I crocheted over elastic.

suddenly the correct amount

I can never get the little felt sticky things to actually stick to our dining room chairs as they come down at a strange angle and aren't flat on the bottom.  After going through my collection of older craft magazines, this pattern looked easy and functional!  And they certainly are easy; each one takes around 20-30 minutes to hook up, including making the elastic loop.

weird legs

Unfortunately, they wound up being a tad too small for the chairs (you'd think I'd test this after making one)!  But, we have wood floors everywhere in our house and ample other things to put them on.  Plus, they were hugely attractive to a certain small-item-stealing kitty so it's safe knowing that even if they fail as chair boots, they make a fantastic cat toy.

Technical Details

• "Chair Boots" pattern Crochet World Omnibook, Fall 1981
• Hook: 5.5mm
• Yarn: Peaches & Creme Solids; Colorway: dark taupe.
• My ravelry project page here.
• Unknown start/end as I didn't make a note in my crafty calendar!

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unknown variety -- 'peace' or 'garden party' maybe?

I've been working on this rose bush a bit more this year.  I gave it a very drastic haircut in February and have been giving it some fish fertilizer once a month.  Basically just trying to love on it after its obvious neglect.  I think it appreciates the attention because it rewarded me with a few more very stellar blooms this year.  It's like it was glowing!  I hope that next year I can achieve even more from it. It's planted in a spot that receives wonderful morning sun but after about 10-11am it's shaded for the rest of the day. I'm thinking of trying to get a cutting started so I can move it to somewhere with a lot more sunshine.

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Lastly, I have a poll for you all regarding your preference for leaving comments on blogs.  I am not asking what setting you use on your own blog!  Just wondering which you like best when you visit another blog.

Which comment setting do you prefer to use when visiting another blog?

Embedded (appears at the bottom of the post)

Popup Window (the small box opens)

Full Page (a new page opens)

No Preference

 

pollcode.com free polls

Thanks for taking the time to answer! There's no real point other than curiosity on my part. You can ramble about your choice in the comment section if you want to expound or possibly rant. :D

Happy September!  Let the Autumn festivities begin~

June Smalls: Maybe Stuff That Doesn't Quite Fit but Still Fits

Hiya! It's official. We're halfway through 2018. Maybe you don't want to think about that so let's think about Smalls instead!  We haven't had a linkup post in a while; I assume life just overruled blogging like so often happens.  I'll have to do a bit of shoehorning for this one; there's something new for this blog. ;b

click for info!

First up, the sparkly red floss has been delivered and incorporated into last month's Smalls "finish" so it goes from Finished-Until-Floss-Acquisition to Finished-Finished which is always exciting in the stitching world.

finished for reals

Kind of a simple little felt "frame" for it.  Not quite a flatfold, not quite an ornament.  There seems to be an overwhelming abundance of felt in my stash so I decided I should make use of some of it.  I really like the dark blue felt; it sparkles!  It's also very stiff so I can just prop the whole thing up.  I need to get one of those little picture stands.  Plus a few random pearly buttons for the corners.  Stars would've been nice but maybe too much for a simple design...?  I dunno, STASH BUSTING.

Americana collection grows~

★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★

Next up, a "small" washcloth. I wanted to make another of those star stitch cloths, but this time for our use. Plus I used up the last bit of the moondance yarn which resulted in a smaller and not square washcloth.  I got a little carried away making the i-cord loop so it looks absurdly large on this little cloth hah. It's a little wonky in the picture since I didn't bother blocking it.  But!  I used up the rest of the yarn!  And used up a portion of a small ball of white leftover cotton.  STASH BUSTING.

it will still function!

Technical Details

• "Simple Star Stitch Cloth" freebie pattern by A J S King on ravelry.
• Needles: #9s.
• Yarn: Lily Sugar'n'Cream Ombres; Colorway: moondance.
• My ravelry project page here.
• Started: June ??, 2018; finished June 25, 2018, unknown hours.
  

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Lastly, apparently I have small or possibly alien feet.  I have accomplished something magical for me -- my first pair of socks, YAY.  This was an adventure in seeing how many times I could restart these things before binding off.

fun colors

The first sock I think I ripped back three times.  The first time my gauge was so far off it wasn't even funny.  The stitch gauge was almost double and row gauge was more than double (!!!) what was called for (yes, yes, tight knitter, we've been through this before).  Once I figured that out and switched to appropriate needles, the sock as written was a bit too big so I had to rip it out and readjust.  The third time the sock actually started looking like a sock and fitting like a sock until a certain kitty decided it looked more like a toy and pulled it off of the needles out and undid half the darn thing.  It was easier to murder the cat start over.

Add caption

Since I did one at a time, I tried doing the second one on double points in an attempt to address the ladders between the circulars.  I think maybe five needles would've been better than four but you do your best with what you got.  I didn't like working with the DPNs so after turning the heel (of toe ups, hah) I though meh, and ripped it out to restart on the circulars.  I was curious to know how they would turn out with #6 needles but didn't want to chance them being drastically different sizes.  They are still a little different as I was playing around with the stitch counts on the heels.

Technical Details

• "Basic Knee High Toe Up Socks" freebie pattern by Leslie (Single Stitch) on ravelry.
• Needles: #5 circulars/DPNs.
• Yarn: Premier Yarns Wool-Free Sock, Colorway: oasis.
• My ravelry project page here.
• Started: February 16, 2018; finished June 14, 2018, unknown hours.

I really liked making socks even though these took, like, 8 billion years to finish.  There will definitely be more in my future but I really hope that I can address the ladder issues.   They bug me. But, ALSO STASH BUSTING.

This totally clears me for buying more stash right? \:D/

May Smalls: July!

Hiya! I know I mentioned last post that I didn't have anything prepared for Smalls but was going to go rummaging in the digital stash to see if there was anything exciting in the hoard.

click for info!

Success!  Although maybe it's not exciting, this was a simple, cute stitch that will give me something else to hang/set out for my favorite holiday.

more 'merica

I changed a few things and am fighting a hard battle over trying to not change another.  I added the white in the flag.  It felt incomplete without it.  The fireworks position and shape were altered a bit.  The sparkly floss did not want to be straight but I guess that's okay as fireworks aren't straight...  I tend to like symmetry in my patterns and I am struggling with myself over whether or not to frog "appy" and move it over one stitch.  It bothers me that there is not a "one-space" gap between the H and the rest of the word!

Technical Details

• 4th of July by Tiny Modernist, found here on her freebie page (not a direct link, scroll down a few patterns)
• Two over one on white 14-count Aida.
• Approximately 4 hours stitching. 

what to do, what to do

Mine is technically not complete as I wanted to do the little fireworks (there are supposed to be four total) in sparkly floss and I did not have red like I originally thought!  I had my "odds and ends" box out on the table when my husband returned home and he questioned what I was doing with it (thinking organizing).  I lamented that I didn't have sparkly red and being the good enabler he is, promptly told me to go buy it haha.  Unfortunately none of the local stores carry DMC Light Effects...  I am hoping to venture out sometime this weekend to the Big City and maybe I'll have better luck there.

Also I am still waffling over how to finish-finish it.  Originally, I thought to make a felt ornament but I also think a flatfold would be nice beside the little flag finished during last month's Smalls!  I do not have any patriotic fabric though.   I usually watch the remnant bins for holiday cottons but gosh, it's hard to find anything but Christmas!  Maybe after this weekend or the 4th of July there will be options.
 

See you next time! :D/

April Smalls: 'Merica

Hello to you all!  Here we are for a proper Small SAL post at a proper Smalls SAL time.   I rummaged through my Drawer of Wonder and chose this little kit to work up.  I did not notice it was double-sided even though it says it in plain English right on the front of the package.  Luckily even double-sided it is quite small sooooo...

click for info!

Of course this kit was found in a thrift store, this time by my mother.  I thought perhaps I could cheat on the French knots with little glass beads but alas, they turned out just a tad bit too large.  I don't hate French knots but this plastic canvas was so tough to get the needle through with just stitching.  Then to go on after with the knots... eh, I persevered.  100 little knots later, I had a completed American flag.

Klondike, don't eat that

Boy, they knew what they were doing with this kit!  Each length of floss was just enough to finish one line of a stripe.  The plastic canvas was cut to size which led to a terrifying second flag until I knew it would fit!  The kit also came with the tiny dowel and stand so it could be displayed upright.  And the front and back were mirrored images so it can look correct no matter which way the wind blows.

little LEGO dude, don't eat that

This is actually my first Americana anything if you can believe that.  I'll set it on the little shelf beside the door all by its lonesome self (and the ever-present candy for guests and a husband coming/going) during all the flag-y holidays.   Yay!

Technical Details

• "Stitch 'N Hang kit #2001: American Flag
• Three-over-one on white 14-count plastic canvas
• Approximately 8 hours stitching.

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This is obviously not for the Smalls SAL as it is very much not small (although they certainly had a lot of "small" issues).  I took Final Fantasy III and VIII back to the framer to address some of problems.  She straightened out III and VIII got a new cutout design entirely. In case you've forgotten the speech bubble:

before, plus bonus VII

after - the difference

I am still not happy with the workmanship of this framer and unfortunately I do not think I will be going back to her.  There was not the attention to detail that I guess I was expecting.  III never should have been presented crooked although to be fair, when they are viewed at a flat angle, it is not noticeable.  But wouldn't a framer set them upright?  Or notice the fabric is warped?  I mean it's not like cross-stitch fabric doesn't have "lines" to make sure things are even...  I can still tell it's a bit crooked in the "fixed" version. Is this something only a stitcher (particularly the one who did the work) would notice?  I will say this (again) though: The fabric for III was horrible and could have very well contributed to this drama.

VIII... I'm not sure how I feel about it though it certainly looks better than before.  It was not re-stretched so there is an outline of the previous cutout mats' shape on the fabric.  There is some sort of water damage on the red mat, under the glass.  The red mat was not supposed to have the little "flairs" at the corners.  Apparently the mat cutter available could not do the curve all the way?  She did not discuss this with me and instead just left it (this is the second time I felt like I was "supposed" to like it so she wouldn't have to do anything else).  I did not want to argue the point so I just went with "they're fine" to be done with it.  They may grow on me as I do not hate them, just the surprise that they were.  The water staining and the outlines aren't acceptable.  That doesn't inspire confidence on how the actual stitching was handled.

All-in-all, kind of an underwhelming experience especially for projects that I get SO OVERLY EXCITED over.   Maybe these pieces are just too weird in the cross-stitch world to be easily framed.  I have saved the information and will keep future finished stitches until I can do the 200 miles (~320km) drive to my old framer.  I will probably bring these two with me and see if she can do anything to fix them.  I am incredibly patient, but on the flipside, incredibly picky.  Or maybe my pickiness is justified this time.

Okay, I've complained enough hah~ Tune in next time for another edition of Ishkabibble Babble! :D

Easter Treasure Hunt - A Blog Hop!

Hooray, it's time for Jo's Easter Blog Hop! Please start at her blog and hop around like the little bunny you are and collect the letters.  Spring is Best Season so of course any excuse is good to work up more seasonal goodies for this hop.

old readers - remember these guys?

Here is my contribution for this year! I actually wasn't sure I would be able to get anything done due to a whole lotta life happening this past month but I did manage to squeak in a finish just in time for the hop and last-second-begged asked to be included.

some flowers for you

Beads!  It is not my first beaded piece, though it is my first fully beaded piece!  What a fun thing to try.  This little kit was picked up in a thrift store (are you familiar with that phrase yet?) and has an option to make the piece into a brooch.  I do not think I am going to go that way as it is quite large for a brooch, at least, larger than I'd wear without fear of it getting damaged!  Instead I finished it off into a little hanging ornament to put out with other Easter decorations.  I like ornaments.  And seasonal decorations.

sparkly

There were a few small issues with this kit.  Veterans of older Mill Hill kits may know this but there was no way to tell what colors were what and of course they come all jumbled together.  I had to make Educated(?) Guesses about the differences between the various pinks and blues which all look mighty similar in the container although their differences are obvious worked up.  I found out early on I couldn't rely on the finished image either!  Oh well, we all like winging it, right? :D

Technical Details

• "Floral Bouquet" #MHSB10, a counted glass bead ornament kit by Mill Hill
• Perforated paper, glass beads
• Started: March 20, Finished: March 27, ~4 hours.  

And here's what you've all been waiting breathlessly for -- the letter!

the letter S

Thanks for stopping by! :D  I am the last stop so you should be heading back to Jo's blog to assemble your collected letters!  I hope you all have (had) a lovely Good Friday and a Joyous Easter!

As usual with these blog hops, I've scheduled this post to appear overnight here so the people in the future (read: the rest of the world) can have the post in a timely fashion.  I am also linking up with the Small SAL as this is really quite small!

February Smalls: The Birds and the... Cats?

Allo, world~ Already the end of February, egad.  It's time for another installment of the Smalls SAL and I'm actually timely with both finish and post.

click for info!

The little bird I had started for GG has been completed~  There was a day when I felt quite bleh so I just took a mental health day and finished stitching it up.  The actual finishing was completed another day, or rather over a series of days to allow the fabric glue to fully dry.

before

after

I did make a few changes.  Some of the gingham didn't match up for my liking so I adjusted some squares.  The original pattern is actually for a Christmas heart but I felt I have a decent start on Christmas decorations and hardly any for Valentine's Day.  So I adjusted the green and red heart to be pinks and reds.

stitch by stitch

I haven't put up one of these little "Stitch Movies" in a while and seem to have forgotten my settings for making them!  Sorry it's a bit wobbly with terrible colors hah.  I used ezgif this time around; it'll do the borders and add any text you may want.

Finished-Finished

Since all the floss, fabric, needle, and finishing bits were provided with the magazine, it was quite easy to know what to do with it after stitching, hooray!  I added the heart buttons though, instead of the round ones provided.  Yay, I have a new Valentine's Day decoration to put out next year!

Technical Details

• "Gingham Bird", pattern found in Enjoy Cross Stitch, Christmas 2012.
• Designer: Maria Diaz.
• 2-over-1 on white 14-count Aida.
• Finished size: approximately 4" x 4" (~10cm x 10cm).
• Started: February 13, finished February 20, ~6 hours.  

⊱ ────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ────── ⊰
I'm not sure if knitting is allowed for Smalls (it's stitching, right? with two [in this case, four] needles, riiight?). But I had to put this little guy in and he is certainly small!

Tiny Cat

Do not be deceived by his close up; Tiny Cat is a whopping 2" tall, if that. Such a fun, if fiddly, knit! I have never made an amigurumi anything before so this was a great learning experience. Especially picking up stitches. On wooden DPNs. When you're a tight knitter. I really shouldn't use wooden needles. I didn't break any but they certainly bent.  I'm not sure I knit the top of his head correctly either but it worked out in the end.

Tiny Cat watches you sleep

I am pleased to say my husband was Greatly Amused at Tiny Cat and took it to work with him to live on his desk.  This one was roughly modeled after Klondike so I suppose I should make Oreo and Peanut at some point.  Then he can have a little (literally!) herd of cats on his desk.

Technical Details

• "Tiny Parlor Cat" by Sarah Kellner, freebie pattern found here (ravelry).
• Yarn Used: random scrap leftovers.
• Needles: Size 4 (3.5mm) DPNs.
• Started January 28(?), finished February 6, ~3-4 hours.

That's all, folks!  See you next time!  I hope it will involve an awful lot of exclamation marks. :D

A Surprisingly Not-So-Small(?) January Small

click for info!

Well isn't this embarrassing! I am apparently too used to posting at the end of the month that I completely forgot the first check-in for the Smalls SAL is NOT actually at the end of the month, oops!  I suppose it worked out in the end as I didn't finish stitching until yesterday. :)

before

after - much better light!

I guess it might be obvious it's not a cupcake now.  This was a very happy little stitch, and one of those that magically come to life when the miles of backstitching go on.  I did make a few changes: I did not add the second chimney, nor the majority of the French knots.  Nothing against French knots, but they just looked odd on this piece.  I also left off the "Thinking of You" sentiment and all the random blue dots which I think are supposed to be raindrops.  I didn't want raindrops, thank you very much.

Technical Details

• Cross Stitch Greetings #911 "Birdhouse", a kit by Design Works Crafts
• Designer: Joan Elliot
• 2-over-1 on white 18-count Aida.
• Finished size: approximately 3.5" x 5.5" (~9cm x 14cm).
• Started: January 8, finished January 30, 16 hours.  

The floss supplied was not so great. It tangled very easily and when trying to untangle, it would break! This was incredibly frustrating.  It also is a bit larger than I expected!  I think for the next Smalls, I should go Smaller.

scissors for weight

Here is what it will look like in the card. I was puzzled as to what the recipient could do with the stitching afterwards. What could be done with it and still be sent as a card?  Solution(?): I have a very thin magnet (think of those that come stuck on things as advertising) that should work to attach to the back.  It won't be able to hold much but would look nice on their fridge or filing cabinet... maybe?  I might be the only goofball who loves magnets all over everything.  Any other ideas out there?  It has to be very, very flat.

Okay, that's all I have this time~  I shall endeavor to remember the SAL date is not the end of the month next time haha~