Knit or Crochet or Cross Stitch or... ~ FSU's Crafting Circle

[cruisin]

I am the least crafty person I know. (My mom finally gave up with the craft kits as gifts after I never opened the Bonsai tree kit that was only supposed to take 3 minutes a week.)

Anyway, in clearing out MIL's house we found dressers full (literally) of embroidered, cross-stitched, tatted, crocheted, and handmade lace textiles Mr. Barbk's grandma apparently did for many, many, many years. There are a few tablecloths we'll keep, and a few other things, but I simply do not need four huge boxes of handworked goods. (Aprons, tea towels, dresser scarves, handkerchiefs, pillowcases, bed coverlets,...)

Any suggestions for disposition?

(And speaking of MIL -- why in the world would anyone have 62 tablecloths?)

Don't give them away! They are your family's heritage. Give them to family members or just save them for future generations. When my grandma died she had a chest filled with the same sort of things. All of my relatives fought over the jewelry, I wanted the chest filled with the real treasures - things my grandma and great grandma made. I remember asking my aunt if I could have some of the doilies and embroidered sheets, etc. She said take them all, she was going to throw them away ! I have some of the things around my home, some are stored in a box. I will leave them for my children. They are the true inheritance of our heritage. The Christmas before my grandma passed, she took me aside and gave me a gold necklace and a cameo that were her mother's. Her mother brought them from Italy when they immigrated. There was no huge monetary value to either. But this is what she said: "I want you to have these, you are the only one in the family who appreciates their true value and you will treasure them". It still brings tears to my eyes.

Anecdotal story: I took the necklace to a jeweler to get it appraised. It is 18 KT gold but hollow. He said the gold weight was not significant. But, even if I wanted him to buy it for scrap, he would not. He said the workmanship was exquisite and you just don't see things like it anymore. It made me proud for some reason.

[AragornElessar]

I echo what crusin said barb. Keep them, as they truly are the treasures and heritage of your Family. There have to be some in the Family who would love them, ask around and see.

myhoneyhoney, that's gorgeous!! Nice brainstorm to turn it into a shrug and it works too.

[Cyn]

I learned how to cross-stitch when I was in college -- my "specialty" (if you can call it that ) was bookmarks, which I made for several of my friends and the people who lived on the floor of my dorm.

After college, I became a bit more ambitious and started working on larger patterns which could be framed. During Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm (in 1990 and 1991), my cousin, his then-GF and I spent many an hour glued to the TV each night in the days leading up to when Desert Storm kicked in two of my cousins (my at-home cousin's brothers) were in the Army and their units were sent there. His GF and I found cross-stitching to be a great way to channel our nervous energy into something productive, and I now have two beautiful pieces from those tense nights. Since then, though, I haven't given it a go .

My grandmother tried to teach me how to crochet, and an ex-BF's mother tried to teach me how to knit, but I was absolutely hopeless at both of them . The one scarf I tried to make was an absolute disaster . I just don't have the patience to make sure my stitching (or whatever you call it) is even and blocked well. My original goal was to knit a (very long) dusky pink cashmere scarf, which was inspired after finding one at Nordstrom's that cost almost $200 USD :eek. It would have gone perfectly with my winter dress coat (which is a beautiful grey wool), the bottom hem of which is falls just below mid-calf.

These days, I make jewelry using sterling wire (as well as clasps, earring mounts, necklace chains in a variety of link types), freshwater pearls, and either Swarovski crystal or semi-precious stones (depending on what I'm making). I've never tried to market them in boutiques or done craft shows, but in addition to making jewelry for myself, I have done special requests for friends and family members both for their own enjoyment or as gifts for other people, and I made the jewelry for all of the bridesmaids (10 of them) when my sister got married.

The other thing I do, which is more for my relaxation than anything else, is painting -- but not pictures (hell, I can't draw a decent stick figure ). Instead, I either buy unfinished wooden objects (boxes, frames, and the like) or find items at yard sales with potential for something creative, all of which I sand down and paint/decorate/re-finish. I've also stripped, sanded, and refinished a few pieces of furniture that have turned out really nice.

One of the things I would like to learn how to do is découpage, using old photographs and ads/articles from (very) old magazines and newspapers.

[kwanfan1818]

There are a lot of yarn sales happening now. I received an email about Knitpicks':

http://www.knitpicks.com/yarns/Knitt...ml?showAll=yes

[skatefan]

Wow, those prices are so much cheaper than the British equivalent!

[Holley Calmes]

After six months () I'm almost through with my Jade Klimt, so I just ordered this:

http://www.ehrmantapestry.com/Produc...llow__KLY.aspx

I think it will go well with the jade one-it was the closest in design and colors. Hope it isn't TOO yellow!! I just love the
swirlies......

[emason]

After six months () I'm almost through with my Jade Klimt, so I just ordered this:

http://www.ehrmantapestry.com/Produc...llow__KLY.aspx

I think it will go well with the jade one-it was the closest in design and colors. Hope it isn't TOO yellow!! I just love the
swirlies......

That looks wonderful. Do you do any decorative stitches on your work at all or just tent stitches?

[skatesindreams]

I just found this site:
http://www.discontinuedbrandnameyarn.com/shop/

[Holley Calmes]

That looks wonderful. Do you do any decorative stitches on your work at all or just tent stitches?

No decorative stitches....my girlfried Flo is incredible at all this. Some day I want her to teach me more, but for now, it's all just continental stitch-at least that's what she calls it. I'm hoping I might finish my "jade" piece today. the gold thread is kind of hard to work with...

[cruisin]

I like the decorative stitches. In fact, I have two small pieces that are ecru on a tan cloth, which are just decorative stitches. I framed them and put them in my bathroom.

[emason]

No decorative stitches....my girlfried Flo is incredible at all this. Some day I want her to teach me more, but for now, it's all just continental stitch-at least that's what she calls it. I'm hoping I might finish my "jade" piece today. the gold thread is kind of hard to work with...

It's tent stitch done in continental style; tent stitches can also be done in basket weave style.

If you have any interest in decorative stitches, please give them a shot. They can make an amazing contribution to your pieces. The book Stitches for Effect is a good place to start learning.

[Fergus]

I love cross-stitching! So relaxing.

I'm currently working on an Arctic wolf winter scene......quite literally, it's fifty (trillion!) shades of grey.

[AragornElessar]

As promised...

My Great Nephew Parker's Mile a Minute Crocheted Blankie

I did mention he's wrapped up in it, right? I think I did when I mentioned I finally had a picture of the blankie.

[emason]

That's adorable. Well done.

[FiveRinger]

I just started to knit a pair of legwarmers for my sister's b-day at the end of the month. I'm using chunky yarn, so it should go fairly quickly. She teaches yoga and has been asking for a pair, so I thought I'd give a thoughtful gift this year.

I took a crocheting lesson today.....I learned years ago but didn't remember much. I'm trying to decide if I like knitting better. Right now I do, only because it's more familiar, but we'll have to see. I'm having a hard time seeing the stiches when it's time to turn at the end of the row. Hopefully it will get easier.

[AragornElessar]

I love cross-stitching! So relaxing.

So long as things go according to the chart and you don't miscount...or sew the fabric together as you're stitching...or drop your needle on a tile floor pattern of little black dots on a grey background...

I not only have done all of those things, but w/the last one did it three times one day!! On the third time, my Dad came in from working in the garden to the sight of me, under the dining table on my hands and knees trying to find the blasted needle and to the sound of me counting from ten down to one in French!!

Knowing from the last two times he'd come in that I'd already dropped it twice and from what I was doing and the language I was using, he didn't say a word. All he did was do a crisply executed turn that would have made a Soviet era Cossack guard at the Kremlin proud, go back down our entryway/landing stairs that go up to the main area of our house and right back outside LOL!!!

I'm currently working on an Arctic wolf winter scene......quite literally, it's fifty (trillion!) shades of grey.

Been there, done that. I have two of the chart booklets of the Endangered Youngins line and have stitched the Baby Cougar Cubs on a sweatshirt for myself and the Baby Tiger Cubs on one for my Niece. Which is where the "stitched the fabric I was working on together" experience comes from. Those Cougar Cubs were going along wonderfully until I undid the hoop to move it up and discovered I'd stitched one of the sleeves to the underneath/back of the design.

That day was the one my Mom discovered that I wasn't as innocent as she thought, as for the first time for her, she heard certain words come out of my mouth at speed at that moment.

Anyway...Their eyes? Nine different tints and shades of blue, along w/black, three different dark greys and French Knots in white for a "sparkle" in the eyes. You wouldn't think that many colours would be used in such a small area, but they were.

I want to dig them out and do the Baby Snow Leopard Cubs one of these days. A friend of my Mom was getting rid of cross stitch stuff she'd never use and one of the things she gave to me was a huge piece of a lovely light Lavender Aida cloth in 14 count. Those little white furry cubbies would really pop on it IMO.

I need to finish a few things first before I can get a start on it though.

That's adorable. Well done.

Thank you. The only thing I don't like about the way my Sister and Niece placed the blanket around Parker in the picture is that you don't see the respective panels all end in points. It really does give a nice look to it compared to other Mile A Minute blankets/afghans I've seen where the ends are rounded instead.

That's JMO though. That blanket's considered an Oldie But Goodie pattern around here. The actual pattern was part of a group of ten different patterns I printed off of a website close to ten years ago. It and the others are sized for Preemies, but it also was the only one that had the directions to be able to make a Full Term version of it as well. I've made many in both sizes and many colour combinations over the years. One of my favourites, and I would have made it for Parker if the yarn dept at the Wal Mart near my sister's had the Bernat Sparkle Green available when I got the yarn, is baby green and white.

So very pretty, it works for either a boy or a girl and unlike other colours and/or varigated patterns, you don't have to worry about it making a jaudanced Preemie/Newborn look even more yellow than they are. It also makes up really quickly too, which is another factor in it being my "go to" blanket pattern regardless of whether I'm making it for the NICU or for a new member of my family.

[cruisin]

As promised...

My Great Nephew Parker's Mile a Minute Crocheted Blankie

I did mention he's wrapped up in it, right? I think I did when I mentioned I finally had a picture of the blankie.

So adorable!

[myhoneyhoney]

As promised...

My Great Nephew Parker's Mile a Minute Crocheted Blankie

I did mention he's wrapped up in it, right? I think I did when I mentioned I finally had a picture of the blankie.

Excellent work! Nice

[pair mom]

I love cross-stitching! So relaxing.

I'm currently working on an Arctic wolf winter scene......quite literally, it's fifty (trillion!) shades of grey.

I hear ya! I'm just about finished siamese cat project that I've been working on for over a year and a half....who knew there were so many shades of peach/pink/ecru/cream/white....It's 16" square on 14 ct aida of solid stitches....it certainly seems like a half an acre!

[pair mom]

[QUOTE=pair mom;3616432]I hear ya! I'm just about finished siamese cat project that I've been working on for over a year and a half....who knew there were so many shades of peach/pink/ecru/cream/white....It's 16" square on 14 ct aida of solid stitches....it certainly seems like a half an acre!

http://www.everythingcrossstitch.com....aspx?k2=c83y5