More Stitching Questions...

If you could only stitch one more piece what would it be and why? I have two HAEDS in my someday pile that are meant for my future grandbaby (Special Delivery and The Journey Begins). It would probably be The Journey Begins. Why, because it would be a special piece for my son and his future child/children.

How many needles do you use during a project? Have you ever loaded up a needle for every color? Do you use a new needle for every project or recycle your favorite needle? Usually only use 1 needle during a project (2 if there is beading involved). Have never loaded up a needle for every color. I tend to just keep using the same needle until it breaks.

When you start a new work do you look for something small, do you look for another huge project or do you consider your UFOs? Depends on what I have going on. If I just finished a large project (or have one going), I usually look for something simple (i.e. few colors or little confetti) or a small piece.

What has been your most challenging project and why? Midsummer Eve (from the Art of Stitching). Lots of color changes and I keep getting pulled away from it.

How did you get started stitching? Was there a person that inspired you? Started stitching because my mom stitches and she had miscounted on a project and set it aside...I got tired of tripping over it, so picked it up and finished it.

Do you consider yourself a “floss miser?” Kind of. With DMC, I tend to unstitch instead of ripping out if I make an "unwanted customization", so that I can reuse the floss.
With specialty floss, I only use it on special projects and then am extra careful.

How do you choose a project for an exchange? Do you pick solely on what you know of the taste of the recipient or are there other reasons you pick the piece you do?
For an exchange, I take the taste of the recipient into account, in combination with the theme (holiday, season, color, etc) and if there is something that I've been wanting to stitch that works.

If you had $500 to spend on stitching-related items, what would you buy? Vicky Clayton Silks.

Do you use your needle, a seam ripper, or something else when you have to frog stitches? Why do you use the method that you do? I use my needle. Why? Because I try to unstitch so that I can reuse the floss (if possible).

Which way do you stitch, i.e. do you stitch /// followed by \\\ on top, or the other way around \\\ followed by ///? Are you left- or right-handed and do you think that this affects the way that you stitch? I stitch \\\ followed by /// if I'm using general floss. (If I'm using varigated or hand dyed, I tend to do more \ / - complete one x at a time). I'm right handed, but don't think that that affects the way I stitch...it's just the way I learned.

What do you do with your charts once you’ve stitched them? Do you keep them or dispose of them? If you keep them, do you organize them in a way that is different from the way you keep your unstitched charts? It depends on the chart. If it's something I really like and/or something that I might stitch again, I keep it. If it's a purchased chart (hard copy) that I won't use again, I give it away or sell it (depending on the restrictions on the chart). If it's a freebie or a computer print out purchased chart that I won't use again, I might even throw it away. Most of my charts are stored together...with the exception of my "to do" pile.