Thursday, July 12, 2012

Elevensies

Anna over at Stitch Bitch posted these 11 questions, and since I have no stitching to share, I figured I'd make you all read my answers.

How many cross-stitch patterns do you own? (Insert evil cackle)
Oh, VERY funny.  Let's see.  I know my pattern database (hey, I'm a librarian -- of course I have things *mostly* organized!) has about 225 entries...but more than a few of those entries are for pamphlets with more than one pattern in them.  I also have about 1000 files in my "Freebie" thumb drive.  And then there is my full run of The Gift of Stitching and random issues of various other magazines, all my bound books, and a smattering of kits and chartpacks. 

Hmmm.  Is "lots" an answer???  LOL

What's your ideal stitching retreat?
A weekend in a solitary cabin in the Adirondacks with a lovely porch.  In the morning I'd sit on the porch - which would provide a bit of shade, of course - on a warm autumn day, sip some coffee with a ridiculous amount of flavored creamer in it, admire the gorgeous foliage on the mountainsides, listen to my "Wandering Gypsy Ren-Faire" Pandora station, and stitch my heart out.  By afternoon I might have burnt out a bit, so maybe I'd go exploring and have a sandwich on crusty homemade bread for lunch.  Then back to stitching.  For dinner I'd head out to a local restaurant or hole-in-the-wall diner and try some unique and local.  Back to the cabin, where I might stitch a teeny bit more before hopping into the jacuzzi tub with a good book.

Have you been or does it only exist in your head?
Only in my head.  I have been to Celebration of Needlework in NH three times now, and while that is nice for learning, shopping, and the camaraderie of other stitchers, this mom of a 2-year old would loooove a weekend of no schedules, no demands, and pretty leaves and flavored coffee.  :D

What are your favorite stitching tutorials? (Link please!)
I am always on the hunt for finishing tutorials, but I'm (in)famous for finding a finished product I like, reading the instructions, and then doing it my own way.  LOL  I do like some of Vonna's tips and tricks, though) - http://tts-learntofinish.blogspot.com/
I don't really have any favorite tutorials for actual stitching -- if I come across a stitch I'm unfamiliar with, I tend to rely on the pattern and the instructions that are usually included.  I like the diagrams provided by The Sweetheart Tree.  Cynthia Zittel (The Drawn Thread) also has nice stitch illustrations in her charts.

What is the smallest count fabric you've ever used?
I'm not a fan of tiny-count fabric.  I've used some 32-count, and that wasn't TOO bad, but not my favorite, either.  I have a project from Keslyn's (from a class I took at Celebration of Needlework) that uses 36-count, and while I did learn a lot in the class, the fabric still intimidates me.

What's your secret to keeping cool? (No really, what? It's going to be 102 tomorrow.)
I stay in my basement craft room with the dehumidifier running for as long as possible in the evening, while DH cranks up the little wall-unit A/C upstairs in the living room.

Have you found any cute crafts to use up leftover/unused floss from kits or other floss unsuitable for actual stitching?
Sadly, no.

Starting or finishing? (Not finish-finishing obviously.)
Ummm......yes?  I love the IDEA of starting new projects, but sometimes the whole process of picking fabric/pulling floss/getting started gets overwhelming.  Finishing makes me happy, because it feels like I've "used up" something from that giant pile of patterns!

Favorite DMC color?
I don't discriminate.  Although I think some of the bright oranges, greens and yellows are a weird.  (Until I see them stitched in an appropriate context!)

What other hobbies are undertaken in your household? (roommate, spouse, children, pets...)
I kind of dabble in scrapbooking and sewing.  Oh, and dollhouses.  DH plays video games (argh, I hate that and want him to have other hobbies, but he isn't interested).  Kidlet is 2, so her hobbies include destroying things and preventing the grown-ups in the house from pursuing their own hobbies.  Our dog sleeps.  The cat is mostly just angry.  Can righteous indignation be a hobby?

Do you ever make those recipes you tear out of magazines and stack in your kitchen?
I can rarely bring myself to tear the recipe out, so I have a stack of magazines (mostly Taste of Home and Cooking for 2).  Every now and again I take a few to Job #2 with me and pick out some things to try.  Of course, if they are good I'll inevitably forget to mark them or copy them into my little collection of "repeaters," so when I want to try them again I have to start the hunt all over.....

3 comments:

Anna van Schurman said...

I'm coming to your retreat, because I want that sandwich. The only problem with being all alone is that you have to cook for yourself. You should definitely hire a cook! :)

Erin said...

Anna - I should have elaborated. :D My lonely cabin is part of a larger bed and breakfast, so I can just walk down the hill out of the woods to the main house for food. Mmmm, fooooooooood..... (I HAVE been to the cabin before, it was where we stayed for our honeymoon! But definitely not alone and not stitching. LOL)

Penny said...

I enjoyed reading your answers. Your stitching retreat does sound lovely! :)

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