Second post today...

I've been very slack by not answering the SBQ's immediately, so this week I'm answering the last two together ...

Last week's "Stitching Blogger's Question" was suggested by Kimberly and Lili and is:

"How do you feel about staying totally true to a pattern? Do you feel that you have to rip out stitches to fix a mistake or do you feel it's acceptable to incorporate a mistake into the design?"

Hmmm, it all depends. I generally stay true to a pattern, but lately I've got a bit more adventurous and can consider taking different parts of a project out to combine with something else, or especially changing thread colours. There are a few charts I have in my stash that I'd love to stitch, but they're stitched with pinks which are definitely not me, so I intend to switch the pinks over to blues. As for the mistakes part of the question - if the error is minor, and it was stitched waaaay back in the chart, I'll work around it if I can, otherwise I'll frog-stitch it and fix it up ... I'm not as pedantic about my own stitched pieces anymore, and don't mind fudging where necessary, but my first instinct is always to frog!

Today's "Stitching Blogger's Question" was suggested by Kimberly and is:

"Do you always sign your projects? If not, why? If so, do you use your first name, initials or what?"

I have to say I'm pretty bad about signing pieces - I do try to remember now to sign and date my stitched pieces, but I generally don't bother with it. Mum was always nagging me that I should sign them, but it didn't seem important. I will usually add the name and date if it's a sampler or ornament where it can be easily incorporated into the piece, but I'm not too fussed about including it on other pieces.

On a different note, between 9-11pm Tuesday night it was quiet on the phones, so I managed to daydream a bit and make a list of stitching projects in my stash that are currently calling to me the loudest for future stitching - just thought I'd post them for posterity ;) ... and to remind me when I have a 'free' stitching rotation which projects to choose from first:

'General' projects:

• Summer into Autumn by The Drawn Thread
• Crimson Fire Sampler by The Victoria Sampler
• Lily Pond sampler by Just Nan
• Angel of Love by Lavender & Lace
• Frangipani kit by Just Jude
• Rainbow Lorikeets by Ross Originals
• Max's Moon by Cross Your Heart
• Either Pyramids or Eiffel Tower by John Clayton
• Walk the Gentle Path by Cross 'n' Patch
• Royal Holiday by Mirabilia
• The Queen Mermaid by Mirabilia
• Deco Spirits by Mirabilia
• Canvaswork by Jen's Jems (choice of two really bright ones!)
• Le Jardin sampler (Just XS magazine)
• Water Tiger by Kustom Krafts
• Garden Sweet Bag by Forget-Me-Nots-In-Stitches

Stitching smalls (separate to SAL's):

• Terri's Needlecase by Lorri Birmingham
• Bee scissor fob by Shepherd's Bush
• Butterflies & Hearts needleroll by Lorri Birmingham
• Close at Heart needleroll by The Victoria Sampler
• Summer at the Ocean by Jeanette Douglas
• Acorn Needlebook by Periwinkle Promises
• And Many More needlebook by Just Nan
• Raphael's Raspberries by FMNIS
• Just about everything (!) by Twisted Oaks Designs
• Never Enough Berries by FMNIS

UFO's:

• Cream button bag (weekend retreat with Shelley Warner)
• Noah's Ark by Teresa Wentzler
• Hussif by Monica Hunt
• Wool embroidery hot water bottle cover
• With Love & Affection by JBW Designs
• Summer Fruits pincushion (Inspirations magazine)
• English Cottage Sampler by Teresa Wentzler

Phew, that should keep me out of mischief for the next 10 years LOL ;) There's a whole lot more, but they're my 'main' wishes ... what a shame we have to work to pay the bills - imagine what sort of dent we'd do in our stitching lists if we had 24 hours of no other commitments ... oh well, I can but dream! :))