Hot Water Heater Kaput!

Hot water is good!!

Our hot water heater went belly-up on Saturday. I called the plummer but he couldn't fix it until Monday morning. It was like camping. Heating up water on the stove to wash dishes and bathe. It was kinda fun at first but it got old quick.

Good news...we have a brand new hot water heater. Cheers!!!

Without hot water there was more time for stitching :-) I started Folk Art Angel #3 (Christmas tree). She is looking good. I still have a few french knots to do on #2. I am going to have my wife do them since she is much better at french knots than me.

I know what your saying..."if you practice your French Knots, you will get better at them." or "it gets easier... the more you do it" or ..... "Man up you big wuss, come on! show us your a real cross stitcher and do some French Knots!".... Ok maybe not the last one...

WHAT IS SO HARD ABOUT THEM FOR ME!! I do perfect little knots all the time on the back of my work...accidently. Why can't I do a knot on purpose on the front of my work?  Uggggg

Ok my rant is over.

Sports Alert: My Oregon Ducks won the first ever Pac-12 championship and now it's on to the Rose Bowl! Bring on Wisconsin. I Love My Ducks!

Happy Stitching!!!!

Progress Report

Happy Friday!!!!!

Here is my progress report. This is to prove that I actually did some cross stitch this week :-)

I finished 90% of the backstitch on Folk Art Angel #2. There is mostly metallic left to do on the backstitch. I also have 32 french knots to do. Uggggg ....dread!!..

So here is my french knot story from last night. I stitched a block of purple cross stitches to practice my french knots on. My DW gets on the iPad and pulls up videos on how to do french knots. I try to do them over and over and they are knot turning out good. I am knot happy with any of them! My knots do knot look anything like the ones on the video. My DW says... "let me try". So I hand it over to her... keep in mind that she does not do cross stitch or do any embroidery for that matter. Of course she makes perfect little knots... every one of them!?! argggggg.

So I tell myself "calm down... she's female... God has bestowed her with innate abilities to stitch" I swallow that darn male pride and watch what she is doing different. Then I watch the little knot carefully as I am pulling the thread through. Aha! The needle is a tapestry needle with a big eye. So the eye end of the needle is bigger than the rest of it and the eye is expanding the knot when it passes through. Also my DW points out that I am putting too much pressure on thread causing the knot to sort of turn inside out as I am passing the needle through.

At that point I am reminded that I married an amazing woman and that, as always, we make a great team! So... I need to buy a new needle with a smaller eye and work on the tension. I'll just keep practicing.

I am signed up for IHSW but I don't know how much time I will be able to stitch. I kinda cashed in the "stitching all weekend" card last week. We'll see though.

Football update: The Oregon Ducks are playing the USC Trojans tomorrow. I will be at the game with my Dad and Mom. A victory seals up the PAC-12 North division and It keeps their National Championship hopes alive :-) Go Ducks!!!

Happy Stitching!!!!!

Chris

Favorite Cross Stitch Moments

What do we love about cross stitch?

I don't mean in general, I mean specifically. What are your favorite cross stitch moments? I'll give you an example of what I mean.

One of my favorite things that happen in cross stitch is when I don't have to count or check the chart for a while. If there is an area that just needs filled in and I don't have to verify three times that I am stitching in the right place. That is a Zen moment for me. I can just produce stitch after stitch.

What is your favorite cross stitch moment?

Come on I know you have one... stop for a moment and comment on this :-)

Happy Stitching!!!

Chris Cross Stitch

(Go Ducks - Tommy Trojan is going down!)

Lazy Saturday

Well today was a great lazy Saturday. My SIL and BIL came to visit from Grants Pass last night. We all had a great night watching movies and talking. I showed my only finish to my SIL and she almost immediately turned it over to look at the back. I guess she was impressed. I guess she used to cross stitch. My BIL mentioned that they know a man who is really in to needlepoint. He even has a whole room dedicated to it. It's nice to know that I am not the only guy in Oregon cross stitching.

Other news... The Oregon Ducks beat the Washington Huskies in Seattle 34-17. Stanford is next.

I got a lot of stitching done on my summer fairy. I will try to post a pic tomorrow. I am still not sure how to do that with this iPad.

Happy Stitching!!!!

Chris

Hermit & Stitch Before Photo Guardian Angel

Hey everyone!

Well, I haven't made huge progress since my last photo. Let's call it "steady" progress. I usually stitch about 100 stitches a night. The big Hermit & Stitch weekend is the day after tomorrow. I am really excited. My goal is to fill in the green dress area and watch tons of college football. Go Ducks!!!!

Part of the reason I am so slow is that I have been railroading every stitch. I am getting faster though.

Wish me luck.

Happy Stitching

Hermit & Stitch Weekend

My wife has ok'd a Hermit & Stitch weekend for me. I will be spending every waking moment cross stitching and watching football. I am sooooo spoiled! I will post a before and after photo!

Have a great week!

Chris

Stitch All Weekend

My wife has agreed to let me stitch all day Saturday and Sunday of next weekend. Not this weekend but next weekend. I am so excited! I hope to make major progress on my WIP "Guardian Angel". She is so amazing and understanding!

I will also be watching as much College Football as my brain can absorb. I love this time of the year!! Since we turned off the cable, there aren't as many games to choose from but I should still be able to get in 8 hours of college football on Saturday and 8 hours of pro football on Sunday. Ok... I have men's church group on Sunday and maybe church...other than that...all cross stitch. Are you jealous? I don't blame you :-)

Go Oregon Ducks!!