Monday, September 27, 2004

"Hats off to Santa Claws" -- Margaret Sherry


This is Margaret Sherry's Country Friends Calendar for December 2003 from the Cross Stitcher (UK). I have decided to stitch this for Christmas. It is 66 x 66 and stitched on 14 ct Aida.  Posted by Hello

Thursday, September 16, 2004

Pokey's Blogs

My friend Pokey, from the About.com Cross Stitch Forum, just started two blogs -- Pokey Points and What's A Havus? It seems that I have inspired her blogging and she has mentioned me several times in her Pokey Points blog, so I'm getting back at her here.

Pokey Points is a stitching and "whatever" blog. So far the whatever has been spiritual, political, computer-oriented and personal. Now, Pokey, that crack in the diatribe about how great Bush is...we all know who your friend who works on the Kerry campaign might be! And that thing about "borrowing" my HTML code...no, I don't mind. You did give me proper attribution! LOL! But after all that hard work of trying to decipher the code in the template, we both managed to add our links to the sidebar, including reciprocal links to each other's blogs. We also managed to insert that Stitching Bloggers link. Boy was that a bear to figure out.

Pokey's second blog, What's a Havus?, is about Jimmy Buffett. She said something about needing a place to complain about not getting tickets.

The good thing about Pokey is that she stitches a lot, all the while answering tons of email and working a full time job. Pokey, thanks for all the great advice on the About.com forum!

Wednesday, September 15, 2004

The Overwhelming Number of Mike Vickery Designs

I am so discouraged! I was just at the Vickery Collection website rereading the "about us" blurb, and for the first time I realized I will never be able to collect all of Mike Vickery's designs. I don't know how I overlooked this, but it says that during MV's freelance years he published hundreds of designs in magazines, leaflets and books. Now how am I going to find hundreds of designs in magazines, leaflets and books?

Imagine how much more money I can spend on eBay than I already spend. My friend Valerie and I dug up a relatively short list of Vickery patterns in magazines from the Cross Stitch Magazine Database . The list has 27 items on it. I have 11 of them already, but of course I will not rest until I find the remaining16.

Now this is what gets me. TW seems to have a finite number of designs, and everyone seems to know what they are and when a new one comes out. Even non-TW stitchers seem to know the difference between the Fruit Bellpull and the Tapestry Cat. And I was over at the Margaret Sherry group, where they have a list of her designs that you can scroll through without thinking, "Will this never end?". These are finite lists. They are for people who think they have a chance of stitching some of them.

As far as I know, there is no list of MV's designs. I asked Amy Vickery about it and she said they were thinking about doing one. We need a list.

All this is, of course, S.A.B.L.E. -- Stash Acquisition Beyond Life Expectancy. I don't even know what MV I'm going to stitch after the Scarecrow. All I know is that there are too many choices.

Saturday, September 11, 2004

Progress on the Celtic Icon

I haven't made much progress on the Celtic Icon since my last post.

First off, I haven't stitched on it in a week. I've been busy with other things -- volunteering for the Democratic Party for example, and Camille starting back at school. I also started up the Mike Vickery Cross Stitch Group three days ago, and I've been more involved in that than anything. Playing around on the computer keeps me most from stitching. I love to spend time chatting with my friends. It's ironic though. I chat about stitching and it keeps me from stitching!

Second, for the last week I've been a bit irritated with the friend for whom I'm making the Icon, and thus less enthusiastic about stitching on it. I only have two weeks to finish it or it won't be framed in time for his birthday. I am so unenthusiastic I am thinking about kitting up my next project, Vickery's Halloween Scarecrow, and doing a rotation with the Icon. I really need to be stitching on something.

Friday, September 10, 2004

Margaret Sherry's "Purrfect Harmony"


Margaret Sherry's "Purrfect Harmony" -- Catafiddle, Cataflute and Catacello. Posted by Hello

Margaret Sherry's Designs

I recently discovered Margaret Sherry's designs. I started off with her darling "Dog Dinner," five spotted puppies eating out of a bowl. Then I found out she had done other dogs and cats, and I went to the Heritage Stitchcraft website to view them. There were also hedgehogs, ponies, and Musical Cats. Turns out she has published a whole lot of patterns. There are many in the UK Cross Stitcher, including a calendar series for 2003 and 2004. A nearly complete listing is at Margaret Sherry's Designs.

There is a Margaret Sherry Cross Stitch Group on Yahoo that has about 85 members.

Thursday, September 09, 2004

Vickery Cross Stitch Group on Yahoo

I just started up a Mike Vickery Cross Stitch group on Yahoo. The goal is to bring together cross stitchers who want to discuss Vickery designs. The website address is:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vickerycrossstitch/

Or email me and I will send out an invite! By the way, I sent an invite to Mike & Amy Vickery. I hope they join!

Wednesday, September 01, 2004

Progress on the Celtic Icon

I am now stitching the border of the Icon. The border is dark gray and dark gold. In fact, the entire piece is stitched in various shades of gray and gold. I wonder how I will feel after stitching all these grays and golds on gray fabric!