Women Who Don't Help Other Women

New pattern up in the store! The quote is from Madeleine Albright, the first women to become US Secretary of State. I had a really random crush on her in middle school, because she's awesome. Now I live in fear that she didn't actually say this. Sigh.

I finished it over the weekend, but have found you never want to post something new on the weekend. So many people do so much internetting at work now. I've never had a job where that was really an option, so it still seems weird to me.

Just so there’s no nonsense later, when I say women I mean anyone who identifies as a women. And also, those of us who are viewed as women but don’t consider it a part of our identity. I’ve never felt particularly connected to either gender, but I know what I’m seen as, and feminism is the most important issue in my life. 

My niece is very into saying "So and so is a woman, so and so is a man" right not. The last time I said I didn't think that was very important, and the main thing is that I'm just me. She gave me a very skeptical look, but I can't resist. Of course she's a toddler and toddlers tend to want to classify the world and give it lots of order, but I feel it's my job to throw some anarchy in there. I am the youngest aunt, after all.

Soon I'll be starting a Minecraft pattern. I don't play it, but I know what the kids like.

All Girls Together

Here’s a pattern for you all! I’m doing this quote for a pattern that will be in my shop as well, but the girls dancing image is from a 1900 publication and other than transcribing it to a clean, legible printable, copy, I didn’t do much work. I wish they’d had a few more perfectionist/obsessives doing those old patterns…

The font is from my backstitch font set in my shop. With Blogger I'm not sure the best way to get the pattern at original size (and thus best legibility), so you can just save it from here.

The dimensions are 93x92 stitches, no grid due to the backstitch. Some of the face stitches aren’t full stitches or from corner to corner, mostly the noses and mouths, so experiment and be a bit loose there.

I just loved this image so much (and the quote of course). So someone please stitch it so I can see how it looks finished! I have so many other things to work on…

Vagina!

This is my late (though always relevant) tribute to women getting shushed for using the word vagina during political debates and such.

It's going to have the main parts of the female genitalia stitched repeatedly in reds, pinks, and browns. Then I thought I'd fill in the smaller spaces with slang words, done in blues. 

I've also started on a commission piece/pattern I've started for a friend. It's the Cthulhu one I've mentioned before, just still in such early stages that an in-progress shot seems silly.

Women are not... Finished!

Well I finished the Women are not.. piece and the pattern is now for sale in my Etsy shop. If I were stitching it again I would do the colors a bit differently, but oh well.

Stitching on The Cheat has been a bit stalled, since I'm just been so tired lately. I know I keep saying it, but after that I really must get to the chintz napkin. The last bit won't take that long and I know I'll be overjoyed when it's finished.

second border

Here's Une Fille Formidable with the second border added. I've put it aside for a bit because of having a long book to read (no audio edition of it) and I've been working on the chintz napkin again (that will be my next post).

The weather has been freaking ridiculous lately. I've had to turn on the air conditioning every day for the last week. I've fought it as much as possible, but my pain is so much worse when I'm hot. I'm happy to sacrifice book and cross-stitch supply money in exchange for not being completely uncomfortable and extra-achey.

Saying that, I did spend more than usual on a book recently. It's the WPA guide to West Virginia and I can't wait to get it! I think the Works Progress Administration is one of the most amazing things our country has ever done. I wish they'd bring some of those programs back. Some of the state guides were written by people who became very famous authors, but mostly I just want to read about West Virginia circa 1940.

First stage complete!

After starting this project I realized that I haven't stitched on 14 ct. Aida in forever. My stitches seem huge, clunky, and messy, and I groan over how much thread it's using. Thread is cheap, I know, but I am hardwired for thrift.

The three projects I completed just before this one were one 22 ct. Aida, and the still-in-progress chintz napkin is on an even smaller scale. 

Otherwise there are the usual annoyances of working with black Aida (which makes the stitching messier anyway). I adore the way it looks, but it's difficult to stitch on and very difficult to photograph well. It never takes long for me to regret starting a project on it, but c'est la vie.

I still have three designs to add to the top and the bottom. After the first of those is done I might go back to the chintz napkin for a while, since I've neglected it.

New project!

Here's the first look at my new project. It's on black Aida so of course it's really difficult to get a decent picture of it.

When it's finished it will be almost completely square, so that gives you an idea of how many more border designs will be above and below the main border. I'm pretty sure I'll be using successive lighter shades of purple for the borders. We'll see though.

It feels like there's SO much work to do, and never enough time or energy.