Over one epiphany

Hello people!  I'm stitching the over one!  Slowly, but making progress.  I remember Barbara sent photos of how she stabilizes this type of stitch with a loose weave gauze on the back side.  Do you think I could find something similar to use in my mess?  So I am following the notes and tips that I've received from other helpful stitchers.  And it took a while for me to realize the easiest way to remember the rules.

What finally drilled its way through my thick skull, is the intersection.  That's all I need to see in order to lock the stitch and prevent that disappearing act.  My 1 and 2 cross is always the same direction, the loop behind runs the same as the intersection's linen thread.  If it's running horizontal, my thread from 2 to 3 does also, same with vertical.

Since the sewing method doesn't work with letters, I am doing one full stitch at a time.  If the end of the prior stitch would be the beginning hole for the following stitch, 1 and 2 are reversed but they are always top right bottom left.  And if I am wrong, please tell me.  I won't yell.  I had written instructions that I followed before which I saved, will look for this evening.   My biggest issue is forgetting what to do, which direction, the back leg, but this simplified it for me since it applies to one stitch at a time.  In fact, this may be what I did before, but do not remember.  One of the benefits of forgetting, everything seems new.

This brain breakthrough does not mean my stitches are neat, even, or acceptable, but since I can barely see with magnifiers these tiny PITA messes will not be noticed.  But they aren't disappearing behind the linen!  I did have to frog a few and that took longer than stitching.  The H is not as charted and will stay that way.  I wasn't paying attention.

I wanted to show you how you can change the look of a project you see online if you'd like to use a different color linen.  This Merry Wind Farm reproduction of Ellen Spedding uses linen that I don't care for.  So to get an idea of how it would look with a light beige or tan fabric, I saved the photo to Photo Gallery and used the fine tuning option, changing the slider for color, tint, and saturation.  I can now see if the change would be to my liking.  I tried a light gray too but prefer the beige.  

Last night, I was shot out of my chair by the most awful screaming.  It was Nit.  The newest orange/white stray that Petey is after was at the back door.  I never heard anything that loud and terrifying from a cat.  I chased it away but he/she has been hanging around, eating the deer's corn, and checking out Petey's houses.  I don't want another, and I do NOT want him hurt by mine.  I can't imagine what the neighborhoods in town are like where ferals are such a problem, the fights have to be vicious and there is no help for the injured and infected.  This may be mating season because this morning, there are two other cats sitting on the deck looking in.  Missy.  She is spayed, but that doesn't stop them I guess.

Hope your week is going well.
Thanks for visiting.

Just saw a comment that offers another thread catcher mat.  She is currently sold out.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/cattycrosstitches/sold

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Have you felt it?

Wow.  As I told Jennifer who was so kind to email me with this information, I need to find a smaller rock to live under.  Have you all heard of Bitzy Bobs?  There is a felt thread holder on Etsy from ThatsSoKellyCo called Bitzy Bob.  It comes as a single pad (Basic), larger open pad (Cutie), snap closed in three sizes (Bitsy Bob 1, 2, and Biggie), and customs in your own fabrics.  You can keep your left overs or short pieces in these popular items, slip extra felt pages into its bag to store with a project.  There isn't much available right now, but you can browse her Sales tab to see prior offers.

With the floss cabinet hubby built, I don't want to go into another storage method but I have seen some really good options from you.  I do plan to get the cards/drops with the large hole to try.  They can be stored in these same Floss Away bags.

Thank you Kelly for the video link showing how to pull a single thread from a thread drop.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiqK1YdZ37M&feature=youtu.be
Didn't know they were called drops.  And didn't think that pulling just one thread would be possible, assumed the six strand would be pulled out and then separated.  I really feel foolish for not knowing but when your friends have no interest at all in needlework and you've been decades without a shop, does that warrant a pass?  Or with online options is there no excuse?  Flosstube has opened my eyes to many products and do-dads.  I think Laura has more floss ring tags than I have bracelets (love them) and more stitching bags than I have shoes (in my lifetime). 

Petey has an injury to his paw, probably a fight because he was really messed up last weekend.  Dirty, matted, muddy.  He hangs here all day, must have happened during the night.  I can't get as close as I was before, he is obviously more cautious.  We are giving him additional cans of food and going out to talk to him, today he came to the house and although still limping, seems to be improving.  He is being tolerated by the boys from a distance, but Missy is afraid of him.

That's all folks!

Hope you have a great week.

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I was never a hippy

but I do love fringe.  Nice heavy, thick, neat fringe.  Not the wimpy pieces that I carry on my clothing in various places.  Why after all these years do I have no idea how to keep the floss lengths from adorning my arms?  Many of you use bobbins.  Some use thread cards, hornbook styles, decorative woods, cut shapes, hand painted, corner squares with holes, a nice selection for those that know what they want.   You lucky people.

I remove the skein from its bag, pull a length and cut, and it's that piece I am using that has never had a rightful place during a stitching session.  I find more pieces on my clothes, the floor, the washing machine, than I do when needed!  No matter where I put it, it ends up on my sleeves or side.  If using a bobbin, I guess you wind it back on and secure in the slot, but I've never liked them.  Using these cards would require the skein to be cut, does a strand pull out nicely or tangle?  The cut piece would be looped back on?  But then I have to sort through the ring again to find the color or remove/return that thread card, opening and closing the large ring clip ... a lot.  Too many times for my aging crooked hand.  But so is opening and closing the zip lock bags.

Strawberry Lane on Etsy

Snuggly Monkey on Etsy.

What do you do when using cards such as these?  I would think having many threads on one and close together would be a hassle trying to add it back.

From Tristan Brooks

Although I don't want to change from using skeins in a floss bag, I can certainly see the advantage of switching to these.  This hole seems large enough for ease of use and there is a second tiny hole for the 6 strand that is now a four strand waiting to be used.  Those are the pieces that hang from me, become play things for Missy when they hit the floor, and send me into a search every time I need another thread.  I think I will order a set or buy the pretty ones and punch another hole.  They will fit into my floss bags, I can quickly see if a thread has already been divided, and the zip bags will only be opened to remove the cards and then returned when the project is complete.  At my speed, maybe twice a year.  But will I be able to grab the thread and pull it out of the loop with these fingers?  Testing will begin soon, there will be quite a bit of color changes in the next pages of Ann.

What do you do with that piece once you pull a thread or two out when stitching in hand?  What should I have been doing with it for the last 40 years?  What simple solution has eluded me?  Should I just throw it over my shoulder?  Well, yes, you twit.  That would work.  Why did it take all these years and this post for it to come to me at the very end?  What a putz.

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Ann progress and Amazon

Hi folks!  I got my dust wand order and I must say I'm pretty pleased.  The OXO has the nicer fibers and will certainly clean my black chairs with ease.  It's flat and bendable which allows it to slip through closely spaced back spindles and stair railings nicely.   I plan to order a replacement head for it and think it is the best of bunch.  

The other has very fine fibers and the long head bends to any angle for the flat top of bookcases or cabinets.  

There are two heads so I bent one completely in half to make a short and wide duster.  The wand extends a long way and is very sturdy, no bending!!   I do like the OXO better but for the price, will keep the long one with the wand for dusting along the walls and cobweb corners, and out of reach spots.

 I know the Oxo will wash well and I imagine the other will also, but of course, no dryer since that removes the static charge the holds the dust.  I still mist the dusters lightly with water which is probably not recommended?????  Will test with and without on the black chairs.

The shaver I received did a fantastic job.  I purchased the electric because battery units I've had slowed down quickly, and for the price (including two replacement blades) it's a steal.  I'm ordering another.  I much prefer shopping locally, but when there are no locals, I plan to use Amazon which I've mostly avoided until recently.  But I need to be more careful and check merchants.  The foot deodorant for Matt (a common brand) is coming from across the pond.  The delivery date showed a week to three weeks, that should have tipped me off.  I also won't order anything that is not free returns, but I do have a local Kohl's that will return and pack for free.  Catherine mentioned that she was refused a return by Kohl's, now I want to check with mine.  Maybe only items shipped from Amazon are allowed?  The suppliers (like the overseas deodorant) that ship from their stores may not be included?  Anyone know?

After almost two days of not being able to focus near or far, I did some stitching on Ann.  I plan to do the over one as eyesight allows.  Making an appointment with the specialist today.  My eyes are getting bad too quickly and I highly doubt it is from the medication that can cause damage since I am on a low dose.  But I need to check.

 There is one motif left on the far right and I would like to add the other sampler before I start it to make sure it is properly placed.  I don't trust my counting.  Lots of purple in this one which is not evident in the color photos.   I'm glad I started at the top and counted off of that area rather than the tree.  Since I had problems with it, it is not as charted and some motifs do not line up.  I don't suspect there will be a problem since most of the elements can be moved a few threads.

We're very cold but there is a warm up coming.  We're both dragging our butts because the virus is lingering, not enough to be sick, but enough to be crabby.

Hope your week has been good!

Thanks for visiting.

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Except for over one

I am close to finishing another page.  The angel, a few small birds, another crown.  There will be an empty area beneath the large heart where another tiny sampler will be added, still not sure if I want the same color linen.  But should I work the over one line now, save it for the end, or do a word at a time?  

The full line is placed between the second and third row in a dark brown.  My reasoning is to start it, see how it goes, and set it aside for later if I have problems with vision or frustration.

Cleveland trip was without incident and I changed her next appointment to just before noon.  We left at 7:30 and there was a lot of traffic which makes me nuts (even though I am in the back seat with dark glasses on).  Next visit will be virtual for only $35 with the pharmacist.  That's less than the gas and parking plus no driving!!  

Happy gal!!

So is this one.  The slightest chill, rain, or wind, and she becomes a house cat that won't pee for 18 hours.  The tiny little spitfire.

Happy first Monday of the year.  We're getting closer to summer!!

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Return shipping info

For those of you with Paypal accounts and not familiar with their return shipping refunds, here's how it works.  You first have to activate that service.  If you made a purchase with Paypal before activation, I don't think the offer will apply.  But once activated, if you need to return an item with a flat fee label or costs you paid yourself, click on Activity.  Locate the purchase you are returning and click to open, scroll down and then click Request a Refund on Return Shipping.  Follow the instructions and upload the applicable receipts and invoices.  They will let you know in a few days if you are being reimbursed.  This procedure is the one I follow, and it works.

To activate the free service, click this link.  

https://www.paypal.com/us/webapps/mpp/returns

Log in and activate!  You can use this up to 12 times a year.  I only did once because most of my items have free return shipping.  Surprised to see Kohl's taking any return to Amazon and packing, boxing, and mailing for free.  I can't believe the number of people using this!!  Both stores I frequent had to set up a separate counter because of the number of returns.  I saw large upright vacuums, furniture, piles of clothing, and other large items brought in to the store without so much as a bag.

I ventured out today, first time since being ill, and purchased a new laptop for a good price.  Then to Walmart for a few essentials in one trip.  As usual, a loud and foul mouthed slob was berating her little girl, another was screaming at a crying baby to shut up, another was dragging a crying two year old by her arm while threatening a beating.  I. just. can't. stand. it.  And if you want one of these disgusting females to attack you, try to nicely ask if you can help.  The only thing they know is violence and screaming, just like the majority of young reality shows with their physical fights.  Can you get arrested for accidentally bumping into someone and it sets off your taser?

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