Tuesday, April 05, 2016

This stitching obsession.. a tour of my XS world

Sometimes I can't believe how big of a part stitching plays in my life!   It's not just the stitching, but the organizing, storing, cataloging, etc.   But I can't help myself!   I use my home computer a lot - I keep my inventory of charts in Excel, have lots of finishing tutorials in Word documents, have hundreds and hundreds of photos I've saved from online that inspire me (my own "Pinterest" board I guess you'd call it), keep a wish list  of things to buy, a list of all the projects I've done and what I used as far as linen and flosses, a file of free and purchased digital patterns, etc etc.    Here's some photos from my craft room and beyond....am I the only one this crazy??  Here's some photos of my stitching obsession......


My DMC storage - I have one drawer with all my DMC - I use drawer dividers I bought online and love how quickly I can pull floss and put it back when done

Overdyed and silk flosses live on rings on my pegboard.  I need to be able to pull my rings and search for colors so I don't keep them like my DMC floss..

I have 2 big file drawers filled with charts in folders by Designer or Theme....


Smaller charts are stored in binders I got on sale at an office supply store...........

Two drawers of linen storage.......why do I keep buying more?!?


Some of my kitted up projects waiting their turn......


A box just for all those cute Mill Hill kits!  I need to stop buying more stash!

A drawer full of Q-snaps and tools......

Another drawer with some of my finishing supplies....trims, pins, and things...

I make padded storage bags for all my framed pieces that aren't on permanent display in my home - mostly seasonal items.  I try to match the bag fabric to the theme - Christmas, Halloween, etc.  I have a spot on the front of each bag for a label showing a photo and name of the piece so I know what's in each bag.   I see our dog Abby snuck into one corner of the photo - snoozing on one of her many beds throughout the house!

All the storage bags plus some of my quilts live in this armoire in my bedroom...I  have too much stuff to even put out in my house!

A box under my bed full of Christmas cross-stitch items......don't want my stitched items living in the hot garage all summer.

Another one of the drawers with bags of finished items grouped together by theme - patriotic, etc.  Sometimes it seems that XS is taking over my house! 

I have had some more finishes since I last posted - and I want to thank all of you for your nice comments on my previous post.  I was having some email issues getting my comments mailed to me so I didn't answer most of them but I appreciate them!   

I did finally finish my "Old Nantucket" sampler from Little House Needleworks - took me about a year since starting it with some breaks when I got tired of working on it sometimes.  Most of you may have already seen it if you're a member of the LHN Facebook group.  One of these days I'll get it framed but I need to save up a bit.  I stitched it on the recommended WDW Cocoa linen but used 35-ct instead of the 30-ct called for as I didn't want it to be so big.  I used most of the charted flosses with a couple of substitutions. 


Below is "Labor for Learning" by Plum Street Sampler.  This is a petite sampler about 6" x 6" - it was fun to stitch.


A couple of ornament finishes below from Jan & Feb.....trying to get at least one ornament stitched every month but sometimes I get behind on the finishing.  The top one is by Lizzie-Kate, the bottom is a motif from the "Favorite Things" chart by Sue Hillis Designs.



Here is a little stitched piece I did at the spring 2015 PSS Retreat in Williamsburg VA.  It was from a class taught by Lori Brechlin.  Instead of making the necklace pouch Lori designed I decided to make my stitched piece into a pincushion instead and I added a little stitched remembrance on the back.  I'm making progress on my bag of "stuff that needs finishing work" LOL. 




I also picked up 2 quilts that I had quilted by a longarm quilter I use - she does beautiful work and really makes my quilt tops look good. The first one below is a t-shirt quilt for my husband - he has tons of t-shirts he's saved and enough to make 3 quilts.  This is the first one I've done for him which  has a "places I've visited" theme.  I'm currently working on a second one for him that's going to use up the 'miscellaneous' t-shirts and the third t-shirt quilt will be sports-themed.   I'm getting better at these with all this practice!


Close-up of the geometric quilting pattern - I love how this quilt turned out



This is a little lap quilt I made for myself - the pattern is called Friendship Braid - it's a fun quilt to make.  I had a hard time getting a decent photo of it but it's pretty colors and very feminine.

I just got back on from a weekend quilting retreat...will have photos of those projects on my next post.  I wasn't able to go to the 2016 PSS retreat in Georgia.. that's a long way from Arizona and I didn't want to spend the money this year.  But I had fun at my quilting weekend with friends here instead. I'm hoping next year I can go to the PSS annual retreat so I need to start saving for it.    Meanwhile I'm plugging away on a couple of stitching UFO's and some more ornaments....I feel good about the progress I'm making on reducing the pile of old projects lying around and I'm almost done with the backlog of items that needed finishing work.   It's all good!   

Have a great stitching week everyone!  I'm off to go visit some of your blogs now.......

31 comments:

  1. What lovely finishes, both stitched and quilted! Thank you for sharing the photos of your cross stitch tour.

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  2. It looks like you are pretty well-organized.
    Thanks for sharing your pics.
    I like how you make pouches for the framed pieces, how clever.
    Cute finishes, and your quilts are beautiful.
    Marilyn

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  3. Don't they say, "It's not a hobby, it's a way of life."? Definitely true for stitchy people! Love your organization theory!

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  4. the finished pieces are so pretty. you have lots of stitching items

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  5. Yes, just as crazy but on a smaller scale! Your posts are always eye candy and the tshirt quilt is something I'm going to make for my daughter with all her creek clean up tshirts throughout the years. Nice organizing too!

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  6. Thank you for the tour of your stash storage!

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  7. I think we can all certainly relate! Mine is pretty organized too but huge and of course there is still that - now where did I file that- put that? Happened just the other night with needles!! Still cheaper and more fun than therapy. My hubby is a woodworker, so he has the garage and I have the spare bedroom + + +!!

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  8. That's some stash collection! Your store looks very organised. Love all your finishes especially the Jingle Jingle, your cording looks great!

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  9. Oh wow! You are so organized!! I love those little sheep on the pincushion! That is the coolest T-shirt quilt I have ever seen. I love the I've Got Wisconsinality!! ;) Friendship Braid is pretty.

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  10. I love the way you have everything organized. Mine is all over the house!!
    Your stitching and quilting projects are just beautiful
    Thanks for showing.

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  11. You are very organize do, love the bags you made for your framed work. I should do that too but not a sewer as such. Great idea tho!

    Am interested in know what kind of drawer dividers you use. Are they like for socks?

    Pj

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    Replies
    1. PJ - I use drawer dividers from Oxo Good Grips. I got mine on Amazon.com, I bought 2 sets and that holds my entire DMC collection in my one dresser drawer I have in my craft room. Here's the link:
      http://www.amazon.com/OXO-Expandable-Dresser-Dividers-2-Count/dp/B003M8GMYU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1459963823&sr=8-1&keywords=oxo+drawer+dividers

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  12. It's always fun to see how other stitchers organize their stash. Mine is in need of a serious overhaul. Thanks for sharing.

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  13. Thanks...I was looking for something to work in my spool cabinet but these are too tall....I need 2" high I think. May use these for other drawers tho! Good idea!

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  14. I loved the tour of your craft room and how you organize your stash.
    I wish I could be even half as organized as this!
    So many lovely stitched finishes. Love your finished LHN Nantucket. It's on my want to stitch list which grows ever longer.
    Margaret

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  15. You are very organized! I do some of the things you do, but I was impressed by the fabric bags for the framed seasonal pieces you store. Mine aren't as neat... Your LHN Nantucket piece is great, I love it. I have other Nantucket themed pieces, but haven't added this chart to my stash...

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  16. Beautifully housed and stored so nicely! I adore all of what you have shared with us and all your organization and beautiful projects. Everything you do is top notch start to finish!
    Happy Weekend to you!

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  17. Beautiful stitching! Love the idea for storing your finished cross stitch pieces. Your t-shirt quilt was fantastic. I did the same for my son and used his old boy scout t shirts...it is a great way to preserve memories!

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  18. Beautiful stitching and finishing on your lovely projects!! Thank you so much for sharing; it makes me want to get busy on my projects. Happy stitching........

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  19. I also loved this post, with the tour of your stitching world at home! Like Vonna said, everything is 'top notch!' Especially the framed pieces bags!! I don't quilt tho, so will have to rethink how to do that... but it is a VERY GOOD idea! Thanks for sharing!

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  20. WOW is all I can say - you are SO organized - are you available? Love your new quilts and it will be nice to hear about your retreat. PSS was a LOT closer for me but I chose to go to a rug hooking retreat with my mom instead and we had a great time. PSS another time. Cheers Mel

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  21. Thank you for letting me have a nosey. You are so organised ... I love it! Wonderful stitching too.

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  22. What a wonderful post! Thanks for all the organizational photos and tips! And I too need to make some progress on finished stitching piles! But first I need to stitch Jingle, Jingle :)

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  23. Loved this post and seeing all of the wonderful ways you store your cross stitch "stuff"! Sooooo jealous of all the room you have and hope to some day have a room where I keep everything together! Your quilts are amazing too, Jeanne! :) :)

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  24. I love your organization. It is to the 'nth degree! You've given me a few ideas as I love organization.

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  25. Fantastic organizing of all your beautiful stitching supplies. Yep I need a redo of mine - LOL! Love your quilts and your Nantucket is beautiful! Thanks for sharing all your wonderful ways of organizing!
    love Annette

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  26. So impressive! Organization, stash, stitching, you got everything going on in a single post, loved seeing these neat pictures!

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  27. You do beautiful work! And I love how organized you are!

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  28. Your finishes are gorgeous and I enjoyed the tour of your craft room

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  29. Great ! My daughter would love for me to make her this one.
    isc123

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