Triangles

Just bumming around stitching small geometric pieces. I like it, though there's a fair bit of wonkyness due the usual issues of brain fog and not really caring too much. It's a quick, easy project in any case. If I make another I'll probably choose one color but a lot of different shades.

I read an amazing memoir, Mean Little Deaf Queer by Terry Galloway. I really can't recommend it enough. Also the book Why Does He Do That by Lundy Bancroft is one of the most important books I've ever read. All the myths about abusers and abused people are slashed through. I think it's especially important for all young woman to read this book, just to know the traits they should be concerned about in partners. Everyone should read this though.

The postcards I had printed should get here today. I really should have taken advantage of the sale and had more designs printed. I got the Misandry one, my DMC color project (though it's cropped), and my "If books are not good company, where shall I find it?" piece. 

There will be a little run of cooler weather this week, which I'm quite excited for.

The Misuse of Language - WIP01

First peek at the new project!

It will, of course, have a Greek-ish geometric border, since the quote comes from Socrates. I wonder if he would have felt that translating his words into English, such a mixed and random language, was a misuse. 

Of course, I only have this quote out of context. I find it hard to believe that he was referring to grammar. To me it speaks of the misuse of language in terms of lying, using confusing language to trick people, double speak and all that (aka, most politics). 

One inner desire of mine tells me to send this piece to Fox News or Mitt Romney or someone of that ilk. However, I don't think they'd appreciate it.

I'm also working on this knit ball, a free pattern from a Ravelry user. The knitting part couldn't be easier (just strips of stockinette), and the instructions are mostly just for assemblage. Great present for the kids, in any case, and I'm wondering how it would look if you felted one.

Patterns About People

Two new patterns are up for sale in my shop, as a two-pack, since I think they go together. They're two older blackwork/back stitch pieces I did a while back (pictured here).

If you’ve never done blackwork and it sounds intimidating, don't worry! It’s super easy (really just back stitch). Here’s what one of my customers says about it:

“I went to Meredith with a half-baked idea that I wanted a cross stitch pattern for Little House on the Prairie, and in no time at all, she had whipped up a beautiful pattern.  I started stitching it immediately, and it was such fun! The piece progressed quickly and easily.  As soon as it was complete, I sent the finished picture to Meredith.  I was in utter shock when she referred to it as blackwork! I had completed my first blackwork piece and didn’t even know it.  I had always admired blackwork but was too intimidated to try it on my own.  I had done a fair amount of cross stitch as a kid, but hadn’t touched it since I was 16.  At 33, I picked it back up again, and it was only about a month later that I stitched Little House.  Seriously, if I can do it, anyone can.”
 
Today I'm working on a pattern using a quote from Socrates. It's almost done, but designing the border has been slightly annoying. Hence, I am taking a break to write this entry.

My dad's in town so everything's been kind of busy and topsy turvy, with less crafting time than usual. I'm hoping to start this new piece tonight, but you know what they say about the best laid plans...

DMC Spiral - WIP 03

Here's the latest installment of my DMC spiral. Like the other piece it's also in numerical order, but has no color duplicates stitched and no non-duplicates left out.

I do like it so far, and I think it's easier to see the color runs than with the square project. 

I'm also still knitting every night, though somethings I'm just fucking around, looking at gauges, seeing how something knits up, rather than working on real project.

I'll have a new pattern in the shop tomorrow, though it's a blackwork one, and people don't like those as much. It's just back stitch ladies and gentlemen, easy peasy, I promise!

DMC color project - half done!

This piece is now a little over the halfway point. 

I realized yesterday morning that it was Monday so my embroidery shop was closed. Thus I haven't gotten any more work done on the quilt piece and I'm about as far as I can go on the color piece without buying some more thread.

There's plenty of other work to start, but it annoys me. I really want to finish the quilt piece. I'll possibly get to the store today, and if not then definitely tomorrow. 

When it's relentlessly sunny I can't drive anywhere myself. The sun hurts my skin even if I'm only in it for a minute or two, let alone being stuck in a car with it shining down. If someone else is driving I can cover myself with a windshield reflector thing and be okay.

If I can't get thread today I'll be starting a new project. It has the outline of West Virginia and says "West Virginia is the Best Virginia." Which it is. One side of my family may have stayed in Virginia for 250 years, but that was a mistake on their part (and what do you expect of Jamestown survivor descendents, that guy had probably gone made after the cannibalism).

Blackwork Quilt Motif - WIP 03

Well, the main part is done now!

I ended up using one less color than I'd planned, because it blended into the fabric too much when stitched. I think using the blue-purple shade again was a good idea anyway, as it further reduces busyness.

Typically, I've completely changed the way I'm doing the background. Instead of doing another fill pattern, I'm just using straight lines. I *think* what I'll do is have all the lines pointing to the center of the star (it will end up being a perfect square)

So the corner pieces will have diagonal lines slanting inward, the triangles on the top and bottom will have vertical lines, and the triangles on the side will have horizontal ones. Is that clear? Does it sound like a horrible idea? Have I gone mad with power?!

I sketched it out and it looked good, but haven't changed the proper pattern yet.

Quilt project - WIP 01

Here's a look at my blackwork quilt motif project. I've actually gotten some more of the diamonds filled in and it's looking good. One of my original color choices had to be changed, but I think my plan now is even better.

When I get sick of it in the evenings I do a little work on the DMC color project and it's all working out well. 

Okay, that's ignoring the fact that I've felt especially unproductive lately, and I'm on a bit of a downer since the Euro Cup ended (and totally shattered all my hopes), but I'll get better soon.

I am quite excited for a book I pre-ordered to arrive. Normally, I am the stingiest, most miserable person on earth, and I buy all my books used or as remainders (I also rarely buy anything I haven't read). However, there is an exception, which are older comic books. Fantagraphics is publishing a Carl Barks library, and alternating between Scrooge and Donald comics, for some stupid reason. 

Anyway, the first of the Scrooge books comes out on the 4th and I can't wait! I pre-order because I want the publishers to know there's a demand and to keep up with the project. Fantagraphics is also the force behind the new complete Pogo project, which I'm equally excited about. Thanks, Fantagraphics, for making me so happy!

The DMC color project - first look

Since I haven't been able to get to the embroidery shop to find the perfect thread for my quilt project, I started something new.

This will eventually be a square with almost every DMC solid color in it. I have to leave out 13 colors in order to make it a perfect square. So I'm randomly just leaving out some of the ones that are ridiculously close in shade to their neighbors. I'm stitching it in number order, which I think you'd have to do anyway just to keep track of where you were.

I've since completed the third row and I really love it so far. It's interesting to the see the colors in number order. I store mine by hue, because it makes it easier for me to pick colors for a new project, and I almost never stitch anything designed by anyone but me. I'm using the DMC provided color description sheet to cut down the time it takes to locate each color, but some of their descriptions seem rather off.

This piece goes quickly and slowly. It's slightly annoying since you're constantly starting a new thread and using such a small amount of each. I feel like I'm spending more time cutting the thread, separating the thread, cutting the thread again, winding the thread back on the bobbin, and putting it away than it takes to do the actual stitching!

Working out the numbers was a little exciting as I had to USE MATH! Granted, quite simple math, but still...