Michelle Bendy

Tuesday, June 5, 2018

Flosstube #62 Show Notes

Happy first Tuesday in June everyone!! Here's a closer view (complete with links!) of what I talked about this week:

Best New Thing: there are THREE!

Hanane (@hanane68), Angi (@crafty_angi), and Michelle (@adkstitcher) are putting together a cookbook called Cooking with Flosstube:

To get in on this, send an email to stitchinmisfits@gmail.com with your name, your recipe, a pic if you have it, and a little story about yourself and your recipe. Don't forget to include your Flosstube/Instagram handle! Here's an example:

Alzehimer's Needleminders from Heather, TheIPSNeedleminders on Etsy. Since Gary and Christine talked about Heather's needleminders on FiberTalk, they're FLYING out of her Etsy shop!! (click on the picture to purchase one!)

SAL ALERT!!! Stephanie of LindyStitches just released the MOST amazing sampler, Birds to the Boughs: (click on the picture to purchase)

Heather, The Imperfectly Perfect Stitcher, and I are hosting a SAL on Facebook. We don't start till June 24, so don't worry, you have time. Join us on the Facebook group here:

My mug:

I didn't even mention it! But it's my FANTASTIC "Eat More Hole Foods" donut mug from Danielle Stitcherista: (click on the picture to buy from my Amazon Associates)

FFOs:

Michael Powell's Garden Shed, which is found in his book Twenty to Stitch, transformed into a fancy outhouse for the #FancyOuthouseSAL on Instagram, finished on December 14, 2017 and FFO'd on May 31.... -_- Anyway, it's CUTE!

Next up is my BeInkspired piece by Stitchrovia, I framed it in an IKEA frame that I already had around the house and it came out GREAT:

The chart is available from the Stitchrovia Etsy Store

Sally Spencer is not only done but it's FRAMED:

That's a $2.99 thrift store frame!! YES! I stitched it with none of the called for colors on a random piece of 25 count greenish linen. The full conversion is on my Stitch With Me #22 Show Notes post.

Last FFO for the week is one I finished last week but couldn't show. It's the Friday Night Stitch In Biscornu from GingerGeraldDesigns:

I sittched this with the called for colors on 14 count Aida in Mushroom and also in Brown.

Finishes:

Old Fashioned Windmill from GingerGeraldDesigns on Etsy:

I'm stitching this for the #GingerGeraldSmallsSAL on Instagram. And heres' my version:

I stitched this on 30 ct Weeks Dye Works linen in Putty with a skein of Mo's Sale cotton floss in the colorway Saints. I'm going to stitch it again in the called for colors. And then I'm going to stitch the Old Fashioned Water Tower: (click on the picture to purchase)

WIPs (Works in Progress)

Stars & Stripes by Brenda Gervais:

I'm stitching mine on a random linen from my stash with (again) none of the called for flosses. Here is my progress:

My conversion is as follows:

GA Adobe = DMC 945
WDW Schneckley = WDW Chestnut
WDW Sage = WDW Wood Smoke
WDW Caper = WDW Juniper
GA Harvest Basket = C&C Golden Mum
GA Woodrose = DMC 3722
GA Roasted Marshmallow = GA Fudge Ripple
GA Heirloom Gold = GA Walnut
GA Endive = DMC 3012
CC Blue Corn = GA Midnight
CC Ye Old Gold = VMSS Americana Bronze

GA = Gentle Arts

WDW = Weeks Dye Works

CC = Classic Colorworks

C&C = Colour & Cotton

VMSS = Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe

Eliza Bell Cox 1832 from Hands across the Sea! (click on the picture to purchase from Julie at Gulf Coast Stitches):

I got the WORKS for this sampler: fabric and floss from Nancy at Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe, grime guard from Vikki at Stitch N Button, project bag from Made by Mama Joan, and needleminder from Heather at TheIPSNeedleminders. It's a fully curated experience.

Here is my progress after a few days of stitching 1/1 on 46 count linen (my first time!!)

And, because we're all human.....

I will NOT be fudging that. Eliza wouldn't have "fixed" it and neither will I. Plus, what would Theresa say?

Purchases:

Ladies' Prim Society from Dyeing to Stitch, the First Winds of Autumn by Blackbird Designs:

I cannot WAIT to start this. But, let's be honest, I REALLY need to finish something first!!

From Julie at Gulf Coast Stitches: June floss club:

Also picked up the Blackbird Designs Home for the Holidays book: (click on the picture to purchase)

And Basket of Red, White, and Blue from Shakespeare's Peddler, Theresa, Kitten Stitcher: (click on picture to purchase from Jen's Stitching Niche on Etsy)

Project bags from @themulticraftyhermit on Instagram:

You can purchase them directly from Ariani on her Instagram, just comment on the photos that she posts!

Needleminders from @HouseOfMeng on Instagram:

You can also purchase these directly from Devi on Instagram by commenting on HER photos

Thrift Store Finds: (none this week)

Happy Mail/Gifts

Postcard art from Beth:

FB ATC and Card SAL ATC from Heather, @linkismyhomeboy:

Lila's Studio Bee Sampler courtesy of my home girl Lollypop Stitches: (click on picture to purchase from 123stitch)

And then Lila threw in Dinah's Garden Strawberries: (click to purchase from 123stitch)

Every project bag known to man from Diana, @itiskismet_stitches:
Three donated charts to destash for Alzheimer's:

And a BOATLOAD of donated charts from Juile Gulf Coast Stitcher to sell for my Alzheimer's Walk (I may have to do another Flosstube live to sell these!!)

Plus I kept a few for myself. =D

Flosstube Shoutouts: (none this week)

Books: (no finishes this week)

Outside Links:

Acorns & Threads
Gulf Coast Stitches
@themulticraftyhermit on Instagram for bags
The IPS Needleminders on Etsy for Alzheimer's Needleminders
StitchNButton on Etsy for Eliza Bell Cox SAL grime guards
Our Sampler Years on Facebook, Nicola Parkman's group

Flosstubers Mentioned

Thursday, May 31, 2018

May WIPocalypse Update

How is it the end of May already? (Wait, is that how I started my April post too?) Anyway. Enough denial. Let's talk stitching.

May was a PROLIFIC month for me. I had seven finishes. SEVEN. One was a WIPocalypse, one was a Maynia start, three were for swaps, and two were just for me. Wow. And the REALLY great thing is that I only started one thing in May that I didn't finish in May. Now there is an improvement for you!

So, what did I finish for WIPocalypse? One of my oldest WIPs! It's Stitchrovia's BeInkspired (it's actually called Be Inspired, but I like my title better):

It's available on Emma Congdon's Etsy store, Stitchrovia and you can click on the picture above to go directly to the listing.

I started this on August 9, 2017 (thank goodness for spreadsheets) and finished it on May 28, 2018:

I used almost all of the called for colors because Emma Congdon is a GENIUS with color. I did, however, make a few changes. The sailor girl and one of the hands I turned brown by using 436 and 835. Then, you may have noticed, I changed the word "Yourself" to say "Science". It's a sentiment that we appreciate here in this house.

Here are some close ups:

WIPocalypse Blog Prompt:

Each month, Melissa at Measi's Musings gives us a topic to muse (har har) on. This month's topic is: Where do you like to shop for stash?

Well, if you know me, you know I LOVE to enhance my stash!! My number one favourite place to do so is Acorns & Threads:

I'm ridiculously lucky to have such an amazing LNS (only) a two hour drive away. I make it a point to get there on the first Thursday of every month for the Pacific Northwest Stitchers' stitch in. And I know I can call Jeannine for ANYTHING that I need and she will kit it up for me, order it for me, set it aside for me, or convert it to silks for me. 0_0

Don't believe me? Call the shop: 503-292-4457

We can't all drive to Portland, I know... so for online shopping, my shop of choice is Gulf Coast Stitches

Julie can get you just about anything that you need, and if she can't get it right away, you had better believe that she will be looking for it till she finds it! The customer services is personable and kind and the shipping is FAST.

Plus, she's my friend. <3

Plans for June? Well, the Eliza Bell Cox 1832 SAL is starting on June 1, yay!! Check out the Facebook group if you'd like to join or just follow along and watch the awesomeness.

Other than that, more swaps!

Thanks for stopping by WIPocalypsers!

Tuesday, May 29, 2018

Flosstube #61 Show Notes

Happy Last Tuesday in May everyone!! Here's a closer view (complete with links!) of what I talked about this week:

Best New Thing:

Sandy Bakos (on Flosstube!!) and her husband Bob are participating their local Parkinson's Moving Day! Sandy and Bob made a great video on her Flosstube and we can donate to their walk by clicking HERE.

My mug:

It's my Dunkin Donuts Maine Mug from Pam & Steph: (click on the picture to buy from my Amazon Associates)

FFOs:

Garden Cross Stitch ATC for the Facebook ATC and Card Swap group. It's from Better Homes & Gardens Cross Stitch & Needlework August 1996 issue:

I took an excerpt from the Berry Sampler:

And here is my finish:

Finishes:

It's the Sally Spencer samper from Birds of a Feather, started May 1: (click the picture to buy)

Here's where it was last week:

And I finished it:

I was SO CLOSE last week, it only took another two or three hours after the video to finish it all up. I'm in love. And I found the PERFECT frame at the thrift store:

I stitched it with none of the called for colors on a random piece of 25 count greenish linen. The full conversion is on my Stitch With Me #22 Show Notes post.

BeInkspired by Stitchrovia from the Summer 2017 issue of Cross Stitcher Magazine:

The chart is available from the Stitchrovia Etsy Store:

Here is my version:

It's stitched on a 25-ish count linen that I found by the bolt at a thrift store and dyed with a bit of Navy Rit. I used most of the called for colors, except I changed the skin color on one hand and the sailor girl. They are stitched in 436 (Latisha's base color) and 835 for the shadows.

I also changed the center word from "Yourself" to "Science"

WIPs (Works in Progress)

I actually haven't started anything since last night when I finished BeInkspired!!

Purchases:

eBay purchase of an old, dirty, smelly sampler (don't worry, it was cheap):

Thrift Store Finds:

A little kit from Needlecraft Hawaii called Ohia Lehua:

If you're interested in the leged of the Ohia Lehua and you'd like a better version than my fumbly one, check this out:

And here is a poi pounder:

A gorgeous Dimensions chart called Flower of the East:

Don't look for that on the destash page; I'll be stitching it. =D

a random bag of trim:

And a REALLY great something for finishing:

Happy Mail/Gifts

Pass the Stash/gifts from Amy H at Amylovestoads:

That little pillow is from Amy's own stitching of the A Walk in the Woods piece. She didn't like it so she made tiny pillows!!

Some for me and some to give away.

Flosstube Shoutouts:

Kathleen, Kathleen's Trodden Trail

Books:

I finished American Gods by Neil Gaiman: (click on the picture to buy)

5 stars. I loved this book. It's about a guy named Shadow whose life is ruined on the day before he's scheduled to be released from jail. It's about the man who offers Shadow a job; just call him Wednesday. It's about a series of murders in a small town. It's about coming to America. It's fantastic.

Outside Links:

Stitchrovia on Etsy
Acorns & Threads
Gulf Coast Stitches
@themulticraftyhermit on Instagram for bags
The IPS Needleminders on Etsy for Alzheimer's Needleminders