Another hot day

I worked on my Liz Turner Diehl garden this morning. I find it a challenge to do some of the stitches. I also confirm my belief that I hate 1/2 stitches. I know, I know, I chose a detailed pattern but I stubbornly work my through the 1/2 stitches and pat myself on the back when I get through them successfully without messing up my pattern.

I had to delete a comment. Some cheeky chap decided to post a huge comment about timber! My blog IS NOT A PLATFORM FOR POLITICS!!! It is about cross stitch and families.

What Makes a Perfect Cross Stitch Project?

I have asked myself that question lately. What makes a perfect cross stitch project? When I consider the expense I have to put up with to pursue a hobby. Maybe it's more fitting to call it an art. People aren't just stitching up little clowns on scraps of aida cloth anymore. They're buying hand dyed imported linen, silk thread and metallic fibers to stitch a picture that sometimes takes almost a year and costs over $100!

So what pushes the average stitcher to purchase a particular chart? I started out with flowery charming prints because they were pretty. But I look at samplers now that take my breath away. They use silks and intricate stitches (of which I have to learn) that put together make a stitcher say to herself, "I can find the time to do that. I just have to!" If most of us were truly honest with ourselves, we would have to have several lifetimes to complete all the stash we have. Maybe I'll pick up my speed and become "Super Stitcher" the fastest stitcher in the world. Yeah, and I'll be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound too.

I have to admit that I am addicted to cross stitching though. I work through my day so that I can get home and pick up my project. At work, I look at other people's blogs to see what progress they have made on their pictures. And I have to say that some of the women are FAST stitchers! Their work is so beautiful. That's why I'm glad that we use the computer as a medium to display our work. That we have the opportunity to see so much variety and splendor!

So what makes a perfect cross stitch pattern for you? Are you collecting a particular designer? Do you only stitch one genre? (as sampler, primitive, fantasy, dragons, flower fairies, angels?) Does it have to intricate or simple? Linen or Aida?
What is it that makes it impossible for you to pass up?

Here's my WIP of Angel of Healing

Her hair is not complete but at least she's not bald. And I have the face done.

The Eyes are improving

I was so surprised when my eye doctor did not write a prescription after my exam! She said that my eyes have improved and are 20/20. I have one near sighted eye and the other far sighted. So each eye is helping the other. The near sighted eye was the strongest but as you age, your eyes become more far sighted. Well the far sighted one has gained more distance and helps the near sighted one. Is that as clear as mud?

I didn't work on my angel Friday as my eyes were still dilated. But I got some work done on Saturday and my angel is no longer bald. I will have to take a photo now. My rotation brings me to Nova:


Looking forward to it!!

It was a bust!

I took the train last night and found that you had to go the garage and go up four flights of stairs, cross a bridge over the railroad and then down four flights of stairs to get to the bus! I did this in 90 degree heat even though this 56 year old has aching joints and found I had missed the bus! I had to stand in the hot sun and wait for another bus - my efforts to stay cool did not work. I went to bed early as I was too exhausted and did not post my photo of the angel. I have an appt. with my eye doctor after work, so we'll see if I'm tired tonight.

It's supposed to be cooler tonight - only in the 80s.

It's Sizzling!

It' so hot out there! I'm definitely taking the train tonight instead of that hot bus that crawls down that freeway. It's like riding in a tin can full of people who are as hot as you with waves of heat coming off the parking lot of cars sitting on the freeway with you.

I worked on "Angel of Healing" last night and she has a face now. Her eyes look like she has two black eyes. I double checked the symbols on the chart and the floss colors several times and yup I was right.

I will post later tonight - my bald angel with black eyes. Looks like she's been in a fight instead of healing.