Bordeaux Sampler Revisited

OK, now that I have chosen a day of the week to work on Bordeaux Sampler, it now seems to be moving along just fine. Imagine that??!! It looks like I have a bunch of grapes to stitch next week - oh, and some over one verse.. yaaayy! (Just have to feel positive about the over one on 40 ct!).


Q. What company produces your favorite hand-dyed fabric? Are there any
companies whose hand-dyed fabric you do not like? If so, why?

A. I have a few hand-dyed fabric companies that I really like. But, I think Silkweaver is my favorite. Their fabrics are really consistent, and I pretty much know what to expect when I order one. I also really like Enchanted Fabrics. The customer service from Lori cannot be beat.... and she has some lovely colors (like Margarita - that's a stunner!). I do like Mindy of Sugar Maple Fabrics too - she has some wonderful fabrics and also has the great customer service... but I order cautiously from her. Some of her fabrics are not my style at all - quite bold or splotchy at times. Also, her scans on her site are not accurate. It is best to see the fabrics in person before choosing a color. Picture This Plus is also great - I love their colors, but not their site. They do not take PayPal, so I am not eager to order if I have to use a credit card. I also had a great experience with Stitches & Spice in Australia. She dyed the wonderful belfast I used last year for Mermaids of the Deep Blue... and the fabric arrived here in only a few short days! Cannot say there is a dyer I do not like. I like everything anyhow.

I just cannot end my entry tonight without expressing my sincerest condolences to Joyce and her family over the loss of their son last night. There are no words to express this sadness. It has been a difficult year for her family, and the battle with cancer did not end in a hopeful manner. I have known Joyce for a good 12 years when she and I met shopping at a mutual friend's needlework shop in Manchester, NH. She is a lovely woman with a lovely family. This loss is terribly profound. Her son is now at peace, and I hope that the family will begin its healing process in due time. He was lucky to know how much he was loved by his family and friends. This is a very sad day.

Stitched on today: Stitched on a gift, and Bordeaux Sampler

Back to Bordeaux

Back to Bordeaux... hmmm... that sounds nice. It has got to be warmer there than it is here right now! But anyhow, I started Part 3 of Bordeaux Sampler tonight - now it will be a few days before I pick it up again... I am really starting to like how this is coming together, and thanks to my SAL mates... Anne and Leslie... I am feeling motivated again :-)

I dropped my needle tonight while working on Bordeaux, so I dug another out of a new pack... and you know, there really is a huge difference between a Piecemakers size 28 and a John James size 28. I had dropped the Piecemakers one, and the John James one felt like a stick of bamboo when I started using it! Luckily, as you can see on the sampler, I did find the Piecemakers one just as I was packing up (good, would hate for a cat to find it). I was surprised at the huge difference between the two - I knew there was a difference, but not that much...

Q. Have you had a happy dance yet this year? If so, tell us about it! (Or just point to the entry that talks about it.) If not, when do you predict it will be?

A. I am one of those people who doesn't like or use the term "happy dance," but... I have had four finishes so far this year... I finished my block on Dianne's Neighborhood Round Robin, and I have finished three gifts so far this year... all can be seen in my Yahoo album - you can get there via my sidebar, click on 2006 Finishes... that takes you to my Yahoo albums... then click on 2007 Cross Stitch there... sorry it is a bit of work, but until I decide whether or not to move my blog to another provider/host, I won't be changing much.

I am eager to get back into a stitching rotation now, but there are a few things that have to get clarified for me first... I am wondering if the Barnabee's Quest SAL starting next month is a one night a week SAL? I cannot remember what we decided... but for now, I am thinking this:

Monday: And A Forest Grew
Tuesday: Paradigm Lost
Wednesday: Bordeaux Sampler
Thursday: Dawn, Fairy Spirit of Grace
Friday: Houses of Hawk Run Hollow
Saturday: ???
Sunday: ???

Stitched on today: Mermaid and the Sea and Bordeaux Sampler