When said aloud the idea of cutting whole pieces of fabric into smaller pieces just to sew them back together again into another whole piece seems a bit ridiculous but oh the joy that can be found in doing just that!
xoxo
Jennie Lynn
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
All To Pieces
When said aloud the idea of cutting whole pieces of fabric into smaller pieces just to sew them back together again into another whole piece seems a bit ridiculous but oh the joy that can be found in doing just that!
xoxo
Jennie Lynn
Friday, April 20, 2012
Color Bind?
Forgive me for using such a common pun but I just couldn't come up with another title for this post :)
Anywhoo . . .
I seem to collect thread. It's not intentional, at least no more intentional than simply and uncontrollably being drawn to something that you love. Forgive me for using such a common pun but I just couldn't come up with another title for this post :)Of course I collect more than I should. I will "temporarily" misplace a thread, being absolutely convinced that it is the only color that will work for my project, I hastily order it. Usually, by the time the replacement thread arrives in the post, I've already located the original thread and dismissed it as not being quite right for that project. So now I have two. When I shop at my LNS I go there with the sole purpose of selecting linens, because I have more than enough thread. Of course, I use the thread there to guide the color selection of the linens and then when I find a combination I absolutely love I convince myself that I don't already own whatever skeins I've chosen so I have no choice but to buy them along with the linen. So again I end up with two skeins of the same color and in some particularly embarrassing cases, three skeins.
Having multiple skeins of the same color has led me to a bit of a problem this morning (yes, too much thread can be a problem).
I adore hand-dyed threads, especially Gentle Arts. To each his own, but for me the color and shading cannot be matched by commercially dyed threads and I rarely stitch with anything else. Anyone who has stitched with hand-dyed threads knows that there are differences between dye lots. Usually these differences are very subtle.
Two skeins of Gentle Arts Old Hickory. One I ordered online and one I purchased at my LNS, scant months apart. The skein on the left is just slightly darker and more brown than the skein on the right. A set such as this is wonderful for shading or for making a part of a sampler appear stained with age. At least that's what I would do. The difference is barely noticeable, as my husband couldn't see any difference at all. Do you see a difference?
Two skeins of Gentle Arts Harvest Basket. Similar method of acquisition of as with the Old Hickory thread. The skein on the right is certainly more yellow whereas the one of the left just appears brown (at least to me). More than a subtle difference but certainly nothing to get all worked up over, right?
Finally, two skeins of Gentle Arts Walnut. To be honest, these were most likely purchased years apart but when I purchased the most recent one from my LNS there were skeins there of both shades. Even my husband noticed the difference between these two skeins. The skein on the right was bought specifically because it was such a different color than what I remembered it being.
This post does have a point to it, I promise. I'm beginning work on a few samplers and I have chosen one of each of these skeins to use, two on the same project. Obviously thread suggestions are just that . . . suggestions . . . but do you ever purchase a pattern intent on achieving the same look as in the model? Does it bother you when you go to purchase the threads or gather them from your stash and realize that one or a few or none of them look as they do in the photo? I would hate for anyone to be disappointed after purchasing one of my patterns and was hoping all of you could give me your input into this little color conundrum I seem to have created for myself.
xoxo
Jennie Lynn
Anywhoo . . .
I seem to collect thread. It's not intentional, at least no more intentional than simply and uncontrollably being drawn to something that you love. Forgive me for using such a common pun but I just couldn't come up with another title for this post :)Of course I collect more than I should. I will "temporarily" misplace a thread, being absolutely convinced that it is the only color that will work for my project, I hastily order it. Usually, by the time the replacement thread arrives in the post, I've already located the original thread and dismissed it as not being quite right for that project. So now I have two. When I shop at my LNS I go there with the sole purpose of selecting linens, because I have more than enough thread. Of course, I use the thread there to guide the color selection of the linens and then when I find a combination I absolutely love I convince myself that I don't already own whatever skeins I've chosen so I have no choice but to buy them along with the linen. So again I end up with two skeins of the same color and in some particularly embarrassing cases, three skeins.
Having multiple skeins of the same color has led me to a bit of a problem this morning (yes, too much thread can be a problem).
I adore hand-dyed threads, especially Gentle Arts. To each his own, but for me the color and shading cannot be matched by commercially dyed threads and I rarely stitch with anything else. Anyone who has stitched with hand-dyed threads knows that there are differences between dye lots. Usually these differences are very subtle.
Two skeins of Gentle Arts Old Hickory. One I ordered online and one I purchased at my LNS, scant months apart. The skein on the left is just slightly darker and more brown than the skein on the right. A set such as this is wonderful for shading or for making a part of a sampler appear stained with age. At least that's what I would do. The difference is barely noticeable, as my husband couldn't see any difference at all. Do you see a difference?
Two skeins of Gentle Arts Harvest Basket. Similar method of acquisition of as with the Old Hickory thread. The skein on the right is certainly more yellow whereas the one of the left just appears brown (at least to me). More than a subtle difference but certainly nothing to get all worked up over, right?
Finally, two skeins of Gentle Arts Walnut. To be honest, these were most likely purchased years apart but when I purchased the most recent one from my LNS there were skeins there of both shades. Even my husband noticed the difference between these two skeins. The skein on the right was bought specifically because it was such a different color than what I remembered it being.This post does have a point to it, I promise. I'm beginning work on a few samplers and I have chosen one of each of these skeins to use, two on the same project. Obviously thread suggestions are just that . . . suggestions . . . but do you ever purchase a pattern intent on achieving the same look as in the model? Does it bother you when you go to purchase the threads or gather them from your stash and realize that one or a few or none of them look as they do in the photo? I would hate for anyone to be disappointed after purchasing one of my patterns and was hoping all of you could give me your input into this little color conundrum I seem to have created for myself.
xoxo
Jennie Lynn
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Springtime, Sightseeing & a Sampler
With Easter in just a week and Spring Break beginning tomorrow it is official . . . Spring has arrived!
Our two oldest are visiting my brother and sister-in-law for the week. I began missing them the moment they left but I know they will love their first visit to NYC. They arrived late last night (or early this morning depending on how you look at it) and are already seeing the sights. Here is a photo of them in front of the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine. They are the little black, white and blue dots between the doors :)
The two youngest are home with us. Mina is still too young to be gone from Mommy and Daddy for too long and Benjamin . . . well he doesn't care for travel. The last family vacation we took was last summer to Ocean City, NJ and the entire drive home Benjamin was making us promise to never make him leave his home again. Day trips are all right, but the moment night comes he craves his own bed, his own books, his own music . . . he just enjoys the comforts of his home and is loathe to be without them. I can't say I blame him . . . he takes after me in this regard.
The photo is of a (not so little) piece I'm working on now. This is all the progress I have to share so far. I'm not entirely sure the direction this piece will take and wasn't when I began stitching it. The color inspiration comes from this material.
I'm not sure where I picked it up or for how long I've had it but I happened across it while organizing and I fell in love with the colors . . . grey-blue, green, white and brown. I added a light blue but other than that the colors are just as they are in the fabric. I had a rather large piece of linen and was reluctant to cut into since I didn't have a firm design in mind. The stitching is taking a little longer than usual given that I am wrestling with almost a half yard of linen in my lap. Perhaps as I get a little further along I will trim it down but I'm just not ready yet. As you can see there is quite a bit of open space in the design and I am liking it. I know I will finish the smaller alphabet and I am considering a verse but I just haven't made up my mind yet. I will see where my mood takes me and will hopefully have a good deal more to show you after Spring Break.
Until then I wish all of you a Happy Easter!
xoxo
Jennie Lynn
Our two oldest are visiting my brother and sister-in-law for the week. I began missing them the moment they left but I know they will love their first visit to NYC. They arrived late last night (or early this morning depending on how you look at it) and are already seeing the sights. Here is a photo of them in front of the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine. They are the little black, white and blue dots between the doors :)
The two youngest are home with us. Mina is still too young to be gone from Mommy and Daddy for too long and Benjamin . . . well he doesn't care for travel. The last family vacation we took was last summer to Ocean City, NJ and the entire drive home Benjamin was making us promise to never make him leave his home again. Day trips are all right, but the moment night comes he craves his own bed, his own books, his own music . . . he just enjoys the comforts of his home and is loathe to be without them. I can't say I blame him . . . he takes after me in this regard.
The photo is of a (not so little) piece I'm working on now. This is all the progress I have to share so far. I'm not entirely sure the direction this piece will take and wasn't when I began stitching it. The color inspiration comes from this material.
I'm not sure where I picked it up or for how long I've had it but I happened across it while organizing and I fell in love with the colors . . . grey-blue, green, white and brown. I added a light blue but other than that the colors are just as they are in the fabric. I had a rather large piece of linen and was reluctant to cut into since I didn't have a firm design in mind. The stitching is taking a little longer than usual given that I am wrestling with almost a half yard of linen in my lap. Perhaps as I get a little further along I will trim it down but I'm just not ready yet. As you can see there is quite a bit of open space in the design and I am liking it. I know I will finish the smaller alphabet and I am considering a verse but I just haven't made up my mind yet. I will see where my mood takes me and will hopefully have a good deal more to show you after Spring Break.Until then I wish all of you a Happy Easter!
xoxo
Jennie Lynn
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