SBQ, 8/31/2005, and Becoming a "Loyal Customer"

What do you use to hold your fabric while you stitch? A hoop, a Q-Snap, a scroll frame, something else, or do you stitch in hand? Have you always used just the one thing or have you tried one or more of the others? Which do you like best? Why?

I use whatever works! When I started stitching years ago, I used a small hoop. Back then it didn't bother me when I had to move it and "squash" stitches. Now I'm a bit more particular, and I like keeping the stitching area as flat as possible -- so scroll frames are my best friend. I still use hoops for smaller things like ornaments and afghan squares (although I've learned - the hard way - that hoop marks can be nearly impossible to get out of linen). I can stitch in-hand when necessary, but I usually only do that with small designs and/or on "stiff" fabric. I've never tried Q-snaps....

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I had a MAJOR fall off the Stash Wagon yesterday (ok, so I wasn't formally ON the Wagon, but I do try to control my buying habits!). You see, I've had my eye on 3 patterns by Young Designs - Winter in the Forest, Autumn Reflections, and Spring Along the Roadside. They aren't my typical style, but all 3 remind me of places in my childhood. I actually found all 3 in an eBay auction last week, and bidding started at $2.99. Quite a deal, since the patterns are $4 each at Stitching Bits & Bobs. So of course I bid. However, I was outbid yesterday afternoon. I checked over at SBnB, and they were running a 20% off sale. I did the math, and bid up to $9 ($3 each, a little under the SBnB sale price). Still lost. It didn't make any sense to bid higher than retail! So I headed over to Stitching Bits & Bobs to fill my cart. I left with:

- the 3 Young Designs patterns
- Monsterbubbles' "Lost" - for my BIL, who loves Tolkien
- Cross Eyed Kat's "Labyrinth" - for DH someday
- Black Swan's "Wisteria Fairy" - a new release. I've started moving away from fairy patterns, but this one just grabbed me, I guess.
- Butternut Road's "Feathers & Friends" - another "childhood memory" purchase....I had chickens when I was a kid. And I love the colors.
- Mirabilia's "Mermaids of the Deep Blue" - I think I'll blame Dani for this one!! hehehe
- a pack of Mill Hill bugle beads I need for an ornament
- some Weeks' floss for a wedding gift ("Dolphin" - variegated grays - for a heart design that is supposed to be pink. But the bride is doing a black-and-white wedding, so I think I'll modify the design colors...)

So there you go, my confession is complete. Oh, and I spent enough to get the free gift.... hehehe I NEVER do that! At least I resisted temptation the other day and did not buy the latest issue of of JCS at the supermarket...although I really wanted the Monsterbubbles "Let the Sun Shine" pattern that was in there (I think I'm developing a weakness for *some* of her designs!). I didn't see anything else in the issue that really caught my eye, though, so I couldn't justify buying an entire magazine for that one pattern.