My other stitchy habit

In addition to certain embroidery habits that shall remain nameless, I also make and wear costumes.  My current favorite is Steampunk, but I have been seen in Belle Epoch, Victorian(ish), Renaissance/RenFair, and Original Character.  I am a not-paid-up-member of DFWCG (Dallas-Ft. Worth Costumers Guild).  A week or so ago, a group of us met up at the Lewesville Studio Movie Grill to see Sherlock Holmes.  Most of us did Steampunk.  Here is what I wore:


SkyPirate! Minerva

 Please to be noting, I didn't actually make any of those clothing bits.  All out of my closet.  It's less stressful that way.  But I promise, I do sew my own stuff, too.  :)

There's a dfwcg flickr stream here if you'd like to see more talented people than I playing dress-up.

Anyone know where I can get a deal on some professional mourners?

I discovered last Friday night that the WIP I showed you can not be completed.  I was rolling the piece up to start the next row and the fabric stuck to itself.  Hmm...it shouldn't do that unless it's getting close to the end.  No.  Oh no.  Please no.  Take apart the frame and unroll it completely:

Winter Alphabet by Lizzie*Kate

AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!  There are three more rows to this pattern!  The third row would end right about at the velcro on the bottom.  Ooo, I almost cried.  I was so enjoying this one.  I don't know how I managed it, but I started it about 2 inches too far down on the fabric.  It also didn't help that the evenweave fabric wasn't.  Each of those blocks should be square.  As you can see, they're stitching up rectangular.  That I could have lived with.  The finishing at the edge of the fabric?  Not so much.

Le sigh.  I will restart this one, probably next winter.  I planned to stitch the entire series, so I will dig out the one for Spring and get going on it.  I think, since I am starting over, I will go ahead and get the proper fabric (the patterns call for 32 ct).  And make Absolutely Sure that I start in the correct place.  Even if that means I have to grid the darn thing.  Blerg.

Here's a closer shot:

2 over 2 on 28 ct "mushroom" monoco

I may salvage some of those to make fobs or ornaments.  Astute observers may notice that I have changed the colors on some of these.  I'm still using the called for DMCs (except for the "white"--I didn't like how the listed one looked with the fabric), but I am substituting where some of them are used.

After some hair-pulling and teeth-gnashing and eye-tearing, I worked some more on Jean Farish's America Land That I Love to help ease the pain.  I finished another state block, which did make me feel slightly better.  I should take pictures of that.

Holy fancakes, Batman!

There are people reading my blog!  Hello people who think I am marginally interesting enough to add me to your blogroll!

You realize what this means, don't you?  This means I have to actually post stuff here.  Curses.  :)

I'm thinking about joining WIPocalypse.  I mean, it's not like I won't be stitching anyway.  I might as well show off my progress to the world (since the cat is not generally impressed with, well, just about anything I do).

Speaking of progress, why don't I throw some finishes out there?

This is a freebie from the DMC website.  It was in their DMC Club Members area, under the patterns for Light Effects.  Technically, every thread was substituted (because there was No Way In Hell I was stitching that entire thing in Light Effects).  I did do some actual substitution for a few weird color choices, but it is mostly a direct conversion to the regular thread.  I really like how it turned out.  I had this on display at work for October and got several compliments.

2 over 1 on 18 ct "Light Oatmeal" aida

This is from a pamphlet (Leisure Arts?) with several seasonal designs.  It looks nice, but I am not loving it at the moment.  Mainly because I decided to have a new design up at work every month and this was the one for November.  I had to force myself to work on it to finish it time and that kinda soured me on it.  I think, given time, I will enjoy it again.

2 over 1 on 18 ct "Beige" aida

This is a Dimensions kit.  It's in a floating frame becuase when Dimensions says a pattern is 5x7, they don't necessarily mean it fits a 5x7 frame.  A regular 5x7 cuts off the stitches, but I didn't discover this until after I had trimmed the fabric.  Despite the crappiness of the materials, I used what came in the kit.  It's so bright and happy!  :)

2 over 1 on 14 ct aida

You've seen this one before, but I thought I'd show what inspired me to stitch it.  A coworker gave me the card for my birthday in February.  When I saw the pattern in Just Cross Stitch, I had to stitch it.  My mom has claimed this one, but I brought it up to work to show to the lady who gave me the card.

And here's a sneek peek of a WIP.  It was orignally going to be the display for December, but I decided not to force it.  I may finish it in time for January, but we'll see.