SALitis

I have said it several times and I say it now: it's an illness. SALitis, or startitis for that matter.

There's a SAL of "Quaker Christmas II - Songs Of The Season" starting at TSSSDDDC and I can feel my resistance weakening...



Funny thing is that I never have liked the design much because of the texts and boring muted colours in the model picture, but now I find myself wanting to stitch it - and, because it takes a ton of hand-dyed floss, to dye my own floss. A ton of it as I really can't decide do I want it in shades of red or blue.

Maybe royal blue with dark red accents? Or to go with my current insanity: turquoise and pink. *grin*
Or maybe bright pink or turquoise on black... over one, naturally.

Yes, I am slightly insane. Luckily only slightly.

Behold, I have stitched!

I started Linda's bourse Friday when I got home in the evening (as you may have deduced from stitching over one on 36 count), and it is about 70% stitched, but as it will also be a model (I think I probably stitch a "normal" sized version of it too) there will be no pictures of it, but as I also started my Cross Stitchers' Lottery piece (even I had scheduled it for next month), which is one of Linda's recent designs (all her designs are officially unobtainable at this moment, but I live in hope that she gets into the business soon too as she has good ideas and lovely designs (like these)) called Autumn I can give you a WIP picture. (Shock and awe!)

(The picture is not very good due the poor lighting - blame the winter.)

I saw the design in shades of burgundy with hint of gold on natural(ish) linen at the moment I saw it for the first time and now I am making the colour scheme true - and even I say so this will be beautiful when finished<!--- with 902, 815, Kreinik's #4 002HL and Crescent Colours' hand-dyed cotton called Apple Fritter-->.
I will change the supposed solid colour (when symbol X equals with floss ID Y I will make it equal with floss ID Z) of certain motifs to over-dyed floss to give the solid vs. over-dyed setting some more balance (this step would be unnecessary if I would use only solids).

But, still, Linda has become one of my favourite designers and I truely hope that her designs will be attainable for everyone soon (as I love to enable people and as I really believe in her).

I also dyed the first shade for the Flashes of Gold, but as I don't have any more salt (as seasalt is out of question (its minerals bind the dye differently and the fabric becomes spotty)) I have to wait until tomorrow or so before I add the navy blue.

What are those pewter grey spots?

While I am waiting for my fabric to be dyed (when you can't find the fabric in colour you need it you have dye it, right?) I would like to announce that my Challenge #1 item reached Natasha (from Finland to Malta in four days... it takes usually over two weeks to southern Europe) and she is pleased with her tiny biscornu (finishing method was not a surprise, was it?) so I am happy.
Though there won't be pictures before May 1st for the reasons you know.

Anyway, this was also first exchange where I didn't receive what I was supposed to receive... Yes, I did receive my item, but it was not what it was supposed to be, so, in theory, I haven't actually received mine yet.
And why it wasn't what it was supposed to be? This exchange (it was international, yes, but the rules were translated to several languages so we can't really blame the language barrier) was about stitcher's tool stitched over one on evenweave (once again, in my educated opinion linen is evenweave - fiber itself just is uneven) between counts 28 and 40.

...mine was stitched on aida.

Go figure.

But, while ranting, my linen came out of the dye and looks rather good!
I also managed to prove that you can dye 70cm x 100 cm piece of fabric (40 count Newcastle) with 1/3 of Dylon's Multi Purpose Dye if you don't want the shade to be extremely dark.

Now, off to check those other fabric pieces, drink more coffee and stitch.

ETA; Notes to self:

1. Zweigart's Newcastle needs to be washed really well before dyeing.
2. 1/4 of the dye is enough.

On dyeing

Thank you for the comments on my dyed thingies. There are some little details I'd like to let you know:

1. I am an artisan of textile designing and manufacturing (my 'major' was weaving (designing and manufacturing) though) by education and therefore dyeing was part of my education. I have spent good part of three years in the dye 'lab' (there was only one place I spent more time in and that was our 'weavery' (hall of looms)).

2. I won't write a tutorial, even Angela asked for it, because the process differs between brands and between colour types (there are hot dyes, cold dyes, machine dyes..). Only advices I give you are: prewash the item and trust yourself. (The dye will attach the fiber even if you made a mistake. The result just may be something you never expected it to be - and sometimes it is a good thing.)

3. Dyeing is actually very, very easy, you just need the courage to try it. Dye packets contain very good instructions (at least Dylon dyes do) so if you know how to read you know how to dye.

At this moment I would love to experiment with painting the fabric with the dyes, but as it is winter and I don't have a backyard I can't. Some day...

 

Why I don't use subtitles?

Recently I have been watching DVDs while stitching, and today I realised once again why I disable subtitles every time... I do it because it seems to me that translators don't either speak Finnish or English fluently (and some of them don't seem to speak either..). For crying out loud even I could do better translations with my elementary school English... but then, they provide form of entertainment.

t3h fl0ss

Dyed, rinsed, soaked, washed, boiled, dried... and probably not running anymore.

All mine...

It was a colourful day

Pun intended.

I did some dyeing. Or should I say that I did quite much of it? Ten skeins of floss and over one square meter of fabric to be exact...

Misc. pieces (from left: two Kingfishers, two Arabian Nights and one Windsor Purple which has been soaked quickly in AN):

Fabric (it is actually a bit darker than in picture) for Loy:

And, last, but not least, fabric for Seasonal Dragons (though I think I may use the other side as main side, it is a bit darker):

I will get pictures of the flosses later as I need to soak them in vinegar and wait them to dry.
I also dyed the fabric for the exchange, but I won't show it just yet.

Now... I will head to bed... I am wasted.

Shameless advertising, fabrics and appointments

Word from our blogger before she gets back to bed... First of all I got bed at 21, which is not normal. Secondly I knew I'll wake up after four hours of sleep, thirdly my lungs want to come out, and fourthly I'm off to bed after I post this entry.

Anyway, some shameless advertising:

Solarium Sublime, a gathering of artisans, mainly needleworkers focused on cross stitch,that are interested in pursuing the craft of needlework and pushing personal limits to become artisans of the craft, creating pieces of art with needle and thread.

This forum is geared towards those who approach needlework as a personal form of art, and as such are interested in refining and furthering their skills and growing as artists. Folks who enjoy stitching simple, small, easy, or anything in the “primitive” /“prairie sampler” genre, are not banned. Just leave the discussion of those types of stitching to other forums/blogs.

Art is a highly personal and individual appreciation, so if this isn't something you'd like, no worries. If you know of anyone who might be interested, feel free to copy this notice and post/email it.

I'm in there too. *grin*

Dragons, once again

I've been maturing idea of dyeing the fabric for possible Seasonal Dragons RR by myself (thanks to Angela, our professional enabler) and I realised that I'd actually try to dye suitable fabric for Loy Krathong while at it, as I see them both in quite similar shades.
And I've to admit that I was actually thinking of best method to do it while I was having my shower in the morning... You got to use your time effectively.
Anyway, I've to plan it a bit as I'm planning to dye it/them in two phases (I think two colours is enough).

Btw, I got date and time for my allergy tests, and, what actually surprised me, after that I'll have dermatologist's appointment. Which is good, but guess who got symptoms from that da*ned letter? Send in the allergy medication... And honestly I dread that hospital visit already.
On the other hand, when I'm there I can tell them that I can't breathe, for Heaven's sake, because of the latex. I think that saying that may also be quick way to get Epi-pen prescription...

Dyeing fabrics, scheduling and cats

I chatted with Angela ages ago about fabrics (don't we always?) and she missed pewter opalescent, which gave me an idea... Well, it took longer than I thought, but today I finally got fabric and dye in same bucket, and here you can see the results.

That opalescent (right) isn't pewter, as you can see, but oh mi gosh it looks good! And that Meran (left) has lovely worn, stained look.

I had forgotten how much fun playing around with dyes is (guess did I spent some late nights in our little dyeing class when I was studying? (Fortunately I had a friend who was as crazy, so we had quite much fun while mixing and cooking - and getting out of school at midnight. *grin*))

Scheduling...

I seem to need one day in my rotation for project of your choice for those times when I've something else than stitching to do. I also noticed that I really need to schedule my life. From now on I'll clean one part of this apartment every day (1. living room, 2. kitchen, 3. bedroom+"hall+bathroom) which will lead to keeping this place relatively clean, and not exhausting myself with the thought of cleaning whole apartment every time I clean up (that is why I despise cleaning).
I'll also get cleaning free day every week, which is prize in itself. And even I do housework every day I still have time to do my things and enjoy myself.

I'm living in a box/ I'm living in a cardboard box...

They may think outside the box, but they do like to sleep inside the box...

      

Compare that box to any of the cats to figure out its size...

About natural dyes.

I thought it'd be wise to save this post of mine (from this thread at EMS BB) about my dye experiments, as you can never know when it'll be victim of pruning:

"Greetings from my kitchen.

You can have beautiful, natural colours with spices. I tried paprika (curry powder and turmeric would be great too, I think) last night and got beautiful results. (Pics in here.)

I had small piece of (soft, I don't know why it is that soft...) ecru aida and bigger piece of regular pure white aida.

Results were:

• Ecru = peach
• white = light latte.

How?

• some excess time
• kettle
• 1 litre of water
• ½ dl of salt
• 2 ts bicarbonate (that thing used in baking)
• 4 ts paprika.

Add salt, bicarbonate (It'll foam a bit. ) and paprika to boiling water. Add moist fabric pieces (I had about
10x 40 cms (~4/ ~16 inches) all together) and let it simmer about an hour. Remember to stir(?) them frequently.
After an hour put 1 part of vinegar and 2 parts of water to suitable container and move fabric piece(s) to it and let them be a while.
Rinse.

This colour stands washing. I tried it yesterday. Though I don't know
will it take machine washing, but I made instant washing machine from jam jar (jar, hot water and washing powder) and spent some time shaking it.

Fabrics lost some colour but at least they should be more or less colourfast now.

It was so fun, I want to do more of that.

Btw, some may ask why I used bicarbonate? I'm used to as when I studied we used professional dyes and used bicarbonate (or some it's derivative) among salt. I don't remember how it should affect to colours. - - -"

Spices as dyes.

Well, they came out great.

   

   

   

Blaah...

I don't like this. I think I'm anemic as everything annoys me and I'm just so friggin' tired all the time. Everything feels so lame and I couldn't care less.

Of course it'd be better for my possible anemia if I could still remember why people eat... as it seems that I've really forgot it.
I ran around the city 5 hours with two apples and cup of coffee as my energy sources. Those were only things I consumed in first ten hours of this day.
When I came home I ate little bit of fish, as I knew I had to. I was not hungry. I haven't been hungry in ages. Nor I have felt need to eat in ages.
When I eat, I eat because I have to eat to keep myself going.

Basically I'm powered by caffeine, H2O, magnesium and vitamin pills. Any other vitamin, energy and micronutrient source doesn't get that often into my body.
OK, I do eat 2-3 apples every day (at least I try to).

I could almost doubt that I'm bit anorectic.
Not physically as I have enough weight to get rid of, at this moment, but mentally... And to be honest, it's quite scary.

I just hope that I can keep myself in good enough shape not to get arhytmias again...

And I really do hope that I'll find my eating skills again. I know I'm not very nice person currently because my brains are lacking almost everything... (Fortunately I eat magnesium. Without it I'd be raving lunatic.)

At times like this I almost feel pity for Sonnenschein. He have to listen my stupidities and moping. But what wouldn't man do for love?

Anyway: Graah.

*note to self: learn to eat.*

Spices.

I played with my paprika (what ever it's in English?) supply and dyed some aida and little amount of floss with it.
Now I just have to wash them... and see how well that colour stays.

Official Useless Link.

Could You Pass 8th-Grade Math?

I do that later, now I'm way too tired and... flegmatic.

Btw, I'm anemic because I'm menstruating and I'm quite good at imitating Niagara falls...