It is January 28, 2022 already. We are one month into the new year! If I still wrote checks, I promise that I would be writing 2020 on the date line. Where has the time gone?
As I was pondering a blog topic, I looked at the calendar and realized that we are coming into the first holiday rush of the year. Seriously! The calendar of events includes: Valentine’s Day (2/14); my birthday (which might not be celebrated globally but is a big thing in my circle); the period of Lent which includes Fat Tuesday (3/1), Ash Wednesday (3/2), finishing up with Easter (4/17). And, not to be forgotten, St. Patrick’s Day (3/17) and one of the larger celebrations of the millennium: Taco Tuesday on 2/2/22! Again, that last one may be a regional holiday. My sister’s birthday is in April and it fell on Easter Sunday on her first and eleventh birthdays. I remember thinking that it was pretty cool at that time. As my birthday is in February (and was normally one of the few rainy days in Phoenix) and hers in April, we bookend this holiday season.
This week we are talking about how you prefer your fabric to be bound while you stitch. Examples include scroll rods, q-snaps, hoops or in hand—also known as free-range. Personally, I use scroll rods and q-snaps. The exceptions to that rule would be when using plastic canvas or perforated paper pieces which are understandably “free range”. Anyway, I like my WIP taut and find that Q-Snaps and scroll rods work best for me. With the scroll rod, I use the magnetic attachments to hold the sides. As I said, I like my work held taut!
As for hoops, I only use one if it is a tiny project. My niece and a couple of friends use hoops for all of their projects. One friend makes the projects so that she can just leave it in the hoop and use it as the frame. The “technology” of the hoop has definitely improved over the last 40 years.
I love hearing how different people do their stitching. Blooming Daisies Crafts has had some special orders for extra wide Grime Guards to hold all the additional fabric that comes with large projects. Long Grime Guards have been made for large hoops. And the Scroll Rod Grime Guards work with “most” stands (I put that disclaimer in because I do not have a working knowledge of ALL stands) as do Blooming Daises Crafts Dust Covers.
Speaking of floor stands, I have never worked with a floor stand. I feel like that I just made me first foray into Needle Crafters Anonymous! I imagine that there were a few gasps when I made that floor stand admission. Anyway, all of my WIP hover over my lap. I have been fortunate to have not sewn my blanket to my stitchery but I have lost quite a few needles in the blanket before I started using Needle Minders. I can certainly recommend keeping a few of these scattered around the work surface.
In Blooming Daisies Craft news: Pictured is the completed prototype for the scroll rod travel bag! New product requests always pique my interest and make me quick to start the R&D. This travel bag fits up to a 30” scroll rod with a WIP and a Blooming Daisies Crafts Dust Cover (pictured is Vintage Christmas Advertising). As stated, this is the prototype and will not be offered for sale until positive feedback is received from Blooming Daisies Craft product testers. Stay tuned to the blog for updates.
Blooming Daisies Crafts is a site dedicated to needle crafting accessories, and during the beginning days of the pandemic, a need for quality nursing caps became apparent. Blooming Daisies Crafts offers two different styles of nursing caps: regular and bouffant. “The difference?” you may ask.
Bouffant caps are for long hair.
These caps do not come with ties because it has elastic adjustments at the back.
The other choices are the same cap but one is offered with buttons and without. The buttons are used to make it easier for health care workers to wear a mask.
It is well known in the crafting circle that quite a many of our needle crafters also happen to be healthcare workers. Blooming Daisies Crafts thanks you all for your service and is happy to offer these two high quality products.
This week’s featured product: Phrases and Fun!
Dust Covers – Stitching Words w/Mickey & Friends! The mustard yellow cover has all our favorite stitching sayings and is lined with Mickey and his most beloved friends! Other options include the Fall - Autumn Dust Cover or the Live-Laugh-Love cover!
Grime Guards – Blooming Daisies Crafts has the soft gray "I Love You” or the Halloween Trick or Treat Patterned or the Christmas Print w/ Sayings (for your seasonal WIP).
Needle Minders – So many to choose from! A few of my favorites are “I’ll get over it…DRAMA”, Hakuna Moscato” (like we need a reason to drink wine), the group of three crayons making the fun faces, and finally “Livin’ My Best Life”.
I hope you have a great week!