Selina’s craft world

What’s your favorite guilty pleasure?

Eating chocolate - lots of it. Especially when it comes from Lindt - yummy

Have you had a happy dance yet this year? If so, tell us about it! (Or just point to the entry that mentions it.) If not, when do you predict it will be?

I have had FOUR (!!!) happy dances so far. Two were cute little doggies for my dog afghan (see here and here) and two were models for Linabear Creations. I think I could finish at least one more stitchy projects. After all, there’s still a week to go before that month ends

What is your favorite past time while stitching? Do you just enjoy silence, listen to music/audiobooks or do you “watch” TV/movies? Do you have specific favorites you listen to/watch while stitching?

Definately watching tv. I hate silence. We watch a lot of cartoons on DVD (like Simpsons, Batman, Flintstones, Futurama, Superman etc), other shows (like Seinfeld, Star Trek etc) or movies, so stitching is a great past time. I like listening to all the stores and have a little look now and then.

Are you starting something new to celebrate the New Year or participating in “Guilt Free January?” If so, what are you planning on starting?

I try to stay guilt-free for a while, except for models and the dog RR. I have enough WIPs to keep me going for a while

How did you get started stitching? Was there a person that inspired  you?

I did what we call here Gobelin stitching when I was a kid with my grandmother. It was ok and I did some quite big designs, too. But I lost interest sometime because everything was so BIG and the fabrics is so hard .. not talking about the painted fabrics - yikes. Years later, hubby and I went to Wal*Marts one of the time I was in the US,  … and while looking at the craft section, I saw this beginners kit for a cross stitched light house. I stitched it while we spent the weekend at the flea market selling old stuff. Been hooked up ever since

How many needles do you use during a project? Have you ever loaded up a needle for every color? Do you use a new needle for every project or recycle your favorite needle?

I usually use one needle during a project, unless it breaks or I lose it or I am using it for another project. I did the load up a bunch of needle thing once, but it’s not my kind of thing. Too many needles involved that I could spread all over our floor. I do not use a new needle for every new project - unless it is a kit, then I use the needle coming with the kit. I use needles to the end

1. SBQ - WIPs & UFOs

How many WIPs do you have? How many UFOs do you have? When does a WIP become a UFO?

I have 4 WIPs (Watergarden, Pompeji Garden, Bunny knitting pattern, Row of Love) and 4 UFOs (Dog ABC, DS Case, Feb Needle Roll, TT Afgan). The DS case only needs a few stitches more, in fact I think it’s only some BS missing. The needle roll is not my stitching taste and the Tatty Teddy Afghan is  just too big for now. An UFO becomes an UFO when I do not feel like working on it for a longer period of time and do not feel it will change in the next few months.

2. May’s Goals:
stitching:
- finishing the needle book
- try to work on some of my WIPs so I can have some happy dances
- finishing the work station
- designing like crazy

knitting:
- finishing my pattern for the bunny

other:
- start learning for my tests
- doing more surveys to keep for some extra cash

What is the smallest count fabric you have ever used? Did you stitch over one? Conversely, what is the largest count fabric you have ever used?

I always use either 14ct (28ct) or 16ct (32ct), first count is Aida and the other one Evenweave. I have stitched over one for the Leporello and Workstation, but it’s not so my thing. Stitches come out too uneven for me and I have trouble seeing it well.

Do you like to buy “chartpacks” that include charms, buttons, and/or beads or do you prefer to gather all materials yourself?

I do not know. I have one chartpack, but it was in exchange for another pattern. I’d probably be more interested if patterns I actually like came in chartpacks with buttons.

Have you ever been to a stitching retreat?

Nope, I’d love to go to either a stitching or knitting retreat, but nothing close to me. Too bad.

Do you stitch Christmas ornaments? If so, how many do you stitch each year and for whom? If not, why not?

Well … last year I stitched one for an exchange. This year two for an exchange. I do hope to be able to stitch one for myself next year. That’d be nice DH suggested to make one for each year with the special thing happening in that year. That sounds like a good idea to me. If I only had more time …

How many different brands of “complete” embroidery floss sets do you own? How do you keep track of it? (i.e., spread sheet program, index cards, palm pilot, etc.)

I do not own any complete set of any floss My DMC floss is in an EXCEL file. My Anchor is not kept track of, neither are all the wonderful silks I own. I was going to make a list with the silks (Needlepoint and Waterlillies), but never got around to it. Maybe one day

Which way do you stitch, i.e. do you stitch /// followed by \\\ on top, or the other way around \\\ followed by ///? Are you left- or right-handed and do you think that this affects the way that you stitch?

I stitch this way: /// followed by \\\. This seems to work the best way for me. If I do it the other way aroud, I screw up and the top legs keep being my usual way. I am right handed and I do not really think it affcts my stitching, of course I could be wrong.

I did not stitch since a couple of days. Yikes. Last night, I was so done I fell asleep at 7:30, woke briefly up at 10 but just to get ready for bed and then slept till 5:20. Luckily today’s a day off, so I can stitch like crazy before tomorrow’s classes are coming. 

As we all know, stitching in the winter can really be rough on the hands. What do you do to treat your hands well in the cold winter months? Do you have any suggestions for creams or soaps? Or perhaps a special regimen that you would like to share?

I actually use Dove Hand Lotion or just nothing. That’s me. My hands usually do ok during winter.

When you find yourself making a lot of mistakes in various stitching projects do you find it better to muddle your way through or do you take a brief break from stitching? If you do take a break, how long do you take?

I will take a break. It’s usually happening when I am really tired and/or too distracted by something I really like. Usually, the break is never longer than over night, a day or two. I am not much into doing nothing crafty wise for too long …