Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Thread Therapy

Yesterday I was going through some of my stitching stash and noticed I have several VS accessory packs. Good intentions to stitch the designs abound, but one roadblock is separating the threads in those packs, deciding which ones go with the description on the contents list, then organizing them.

The threads for Gingerbread Garden were easily identified. Several threads for the Jingle Bells Christmas Tree Farm gave me fits. There are seven different thread types and 18 individual colors. Some are overdyes, some have 12 strands, or 6, or 8, or 7 - and therein lies the clue to identifying some of the colors, counting strands. Anyway, I finally did finish the task and now just have one more pack to organize, but will leave that for another day.

I don't know why, but I thought it might be a good idea to just bite the bullet and get these threads organized. Maybe it's because two of the designs are Christmas themed, and Christmas has been on my mind lately. Anyone else starting to panic that Christmas is only two months away?!



Karen has been stitching the Jingle Bells Christmas Tree Farm and each time I see it I think I should get busy and stitch it too. Then there's that Gingerbread Garden Sampler that's just too cute for words. It's small too, and might actually be finished rather quickly. Hmmm, what to do, what to do?

Well, first I gotta get that Halloween costume done! My sewing machine was ready today and all it really needed was a good cleaning, which I hadn't had done for probably six years. While I was in the shop, I spent a little time with the owner looking at the TOL (top of the line) Janome 11000 - which they just happened to have a fantastic sale on now. Noooooo, I didn't buy one! But it was interesting to contrast and compare with the Viking SE, also TOL, that I used at the Martha Pullen Sewing Extravaganza last spring, which I fell in love with. If I was really thinking about a TOL machine, I'd be tempted by the Janome, better price, more extras included, much handier case for storing all the extras. It's quite a package. But I'm not really tempted just yet, although when my kids have graduated from school, I may just have to buy MYSELF a graduation gift, lol!

10 comments:

Karen said...

Separating the threads in the Christmas Tree Farm kit was definitely an experience lol. It took me a long time to sort them. At the end, I was still trying to figure out the greens and finally (after at least an hour of counting/re-counting threads and comparing colors) I came to the conclusion I was missing one color. Victoria Sampler was great about it though and mailed it right away. It's a really fun design to stitch so far too. :)

Glad to hear you got your sewing machine back. :)

Carol said...

I need to find something for you in my email box on my desktop computer - Thea sent out an email with instructions on how to divide the Jingle Bells pack - she knows it is tough! It is bedtime, so I will do that for you tomorrow :-)

Kitty Couture said...

VS kits ARE a pain to sort out! But wow, so worth it - those two kits are so gorgeous :) VS designs are always such a delightful stitch! :)

Kitty Couture said...

psst about TOL machines... How about second-hand machines? I got mine this way, from a serious dealer - it cost me the same price as a basic machine in the shop, and came to me totally serviced and like new :) That's a good compromise :)

Leeland said...

"bunch of cute kids" is the right description, Von!
Both Xmas projects are great, really: hard to decide!!!
Take care!

Mia said...

First I HATE separating threads in kits. Thank goodness you get clues sometimes as to the number of strands, etc. I am about to pitch that snowman ornament thing I am doing in the car. I DID sort the threads and I couldn't distinguish between pale blue and light blue. Yep, you guessed it. I was stitching with the wrong blue and had to frog tons.

Also, I LOVED the pictures of your grandsons and your boys and their friends. What a handsome bunch of young men!!!

mainely stitching said...

Good job sorting out all those threads!!

And yes, I am trying to contain the building panic over the approach of Christmas....

Anonymous said...

good job! organising the threads is half the job... they say.
can't you stitch both christmas designs??? they both look great! but I have a Prairie Schooler christmas waiting for me and I haven't started yet either, so I'm not going to finish that in time.

good luck

Lelia said...

Good move to sort out the threads. Now, when free time appears -- you can grab it & start stitching.

Both projects are beautiful. What a challenge to work on both of them along side your Shep Bush ornament sampler.

lena-lou said...

I think you should do the Gingerbread one as I can remember your pic of that and it is lovely! I bought my sewing machine new within this last year and have a Viking not top range or anything (infact very basic) but I love it as I had always 2nd hand before and it's the first one to be totally mine. I think you deserve a graduation gift to yourself either new or 2nd hand as the machines you like are a fortune even 2nd hand , all machines that embroider (what fun) seem to be expensive :( I've never done any of that (machine embroidery) and can only imagine what fun it would be, yea I definately think you should go for it at some time :-)))