Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Ribbon Reindeer

Surprise! This is a freebie I designed as a little thank you gift for putting up with my incessant posting this November while I participated in NaBloPoMo. I can't say thank you enough for reading my blog. You are all a big part of my life and I cherish you.

Ribbon Reindeer

Please email me to receive a copy of the design at daffy-cat AT hotmail DOT com. Tell me the name of the design you are requesting

Respect my copyright and do not upload my designs to any website or share with other people. Yes, they are free but I still retain copyright.

My designs are published as PDF. You must have the free Adobe Reader installed on your computer to view/print my patterns ~ or a similar PDF viewer.

As always you can click the cat in my sidebar to see my other designs. They are all still available for the asking.

Thank you for visiting my blog today!
xox

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Loose Stitch Fix

A how-to for new-ish stitchers.

It never fails you don't notice the loose stitch until well after the fact. The little buggers usually crop up after a tiny twist in the thread finally untwists (sometimes days later) and there you have it. A loose stitch. If you are OCD or working on perfecting your backsides now is the time to frog. Unpick the whole blasted thing to get to that ONE LOOSE STITCH! Or you can fudge it like this...

I stitched this block with one thread so you could see everything easier. And I exaggerated a loose stitch.


It's the perfect place to use the loop method start I showed you ~ just loop through a thread on the back side. I'm doing it with white so you can see. Secure the thread a little bit away from the loose one.


Find the loose thread, pull it to the back with the tip of your needle and go through it. Make sure to get the whole thread or threads! Pull snug.


Now, going a little bit away from where the loose stitch was, run the needle under the stitches to secure the thread and end as usual. The loop holds the loose stitch tight. It isn't pretty but it works.


It sure beats frogging.


Shhh! You can't even tell from the front! Just ~ nobody look at my backside. Please!

Thank you for visiting my blog today!
xox


Monday, November 28, 2011

Joy

I have another finish to share! I made a cute little scissor fob out of Lilybet's Joy freebie design. This is stitched over one on 28 count tea-dyed Monaco. There is a trio of snowflakes on the reverse. Tiny, it's around 1 inch by 2 inches! I stuffed this with crushed walnut shells and a bit of Lavender. So sweet and precious! 

This post was a hidden giveaway!
Congratulations to Meari!


Crushed walnut shells isn't found in the needlework or crafts department. You get this in the pet section, sold as litter for cages. It is usually with the bird stuff but I have seen it sold as reptile litter as well. It smells lovely, isn't dusty and has a nice weight to it. One bag will last you just about forever. Here is a link to it on Amazon in case you don't have a pet shop near you.


When I go to stuff an item with walnut shells I use a funnel and a cup. I stitch my item up to leave a small hole and poke the end of the funnel through and pour it in. It likes to clog the funnel  so go slow or you will have it everywhere! Fill your item as full as you want it; full and tight or loose and floppy ~ both work. This little fob was stuffed as "packed tight" as I could get it.

Thank you for visiting my blog today!
xox

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Mini Giveaway

I guess I liked this design so much I bought it twice. You do that, don't you? Please, don't tell me I am the only one! My silliness is your gain. Up for grabs is this Lizzie*Kate design Snowman '10. Leave a comment on this post telling me to include you in the giveaway. I will close the giveaway on November 30 and draw for a winner on the 1st of December. Quick ~ hence the "mini" giveaway in my post title.  International participants are welcome.



I discovered this silliness yesterday as I sorted stash. I started a basket to put  the designs in that I really wanted to stitch soon. Of course the basket is overflowing with more patterns than I could hope to stitch in ten years, let alone SOON! A brief search netted me a couple to stitch next though. More on that later!

This giveaway is now closed. The winner will be announced soon!

 Thank you for visiting my blog today!
xox

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Six Geese

My Stitchass Holiday is going so well! I've taken short breaks to eat turkey sandwiches, to feed the pets and toss laundry in the wash but I'm already stiff and have needle-finger syndrome. Just look at the results:



Six Geese a-laying is complete! I'm loving these Prairie Schooler designs. They are such fast and fun stitches. I very nearly changed that white egg Mrs. Goose laid into a "golden" egg but in the end I left it alone. A girl could change her mind though!

I may have another finish to share very shortly; my tush is pretty chapped!

Thank you for visiting my blog today!
xox

Friday, November 25, 2011

November ORT Report

Note: there is some important information at the end of this post. Please read.

My ORT jar is looking pretty this month! Lots of threads from my Prairie Schooler ornaments and exchanges in the jar. Very Christmassy. I am gearing up for some extreme stitching these next few days so my now empty jar won't stay that way for long.


I want to clarify things about next year's Totally Useless Stitch-A-Long because I'm not sure I explained what I had in mind very well. Next year's SAL is a straight draw giveaway. The "members" are NOT required to make ALL the New Moon posts to be included in the giveaway. Yes, you must be on the guest list but if you miss a post you are not "disqualified" from the giveaways. Giveaways? Is that plural? Yup, there will probably be multiple prizes since there are so many participants.

During this year's TUSAL I noticed how stressed my guests were about their New Moon posts. I am three days late ~ oh no! Does that knock me out of the running? Do we empty our jar each month? Wait, am I doing this wrong? This is a blog GAME and it is meant to be FUN. I don't want anyone stressed out about their blogging experience! 

I also changed the sign-ups so people could join at any time. During the TUSAL this year, I had so many people emailing me (after the sign-up deadline had passed) wanting to join. Since it was a requirement to post EVERY new moon to be included I had to turn them down. I felt it wouldn't be fair to the others to change the rules after the game had already started. This rule resulted in some really angry bloggers! This is the main reason for the straight draw giveaway change.

So, if you were waffling about joining only because you knew you would not be able to post every single month don't worry about it, you don't have to! This is ONLY a game!

Another request: I noticed this year there are a lot of bloggers completely in the dark about your Totally Useless posts. They see lots of people posting pictures of ORT jars but they have NO IDEA why. They might want to join in the fun too! Please put a LINK to the sign-up page when you make your TUSAL posts. A link in your sidebar is great but ONLY if your readers SEE it and realise what it is. If you need to learn how to create links email me. I can teach you how!

My email: daffy-cat AT hotmail DOT com (remove spaces, replace CAP words with symbols)

Thank you for visiting my blog today!
xox

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving


Wishing a happy Thanksgiving to my readers. I have so much to be thankful for, one day of celebration isn't really enough.


Thank you for visiting my blog today!
xox

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Frustration

What with one thing or another I've had very little stitching time in well over a week. This is all the stitching I have managed. Sad, isn't it? I loved the ornament I stitched for my blogoversary giveaway so much I decided to stitch one for myself. Now if I can ever get time to work on it.


This is my start on PS Six Geese A-Laying. That is correct. Nada, zip, zilch. A completely blank fabric.  


Things are looking up though, I managed to squeeze five days of work into three and have a four day weekend for the holiday. I'm very excited! Here is hoping I can manage at least one of those days to do nothing but contract a serious case of stitchass. Maybe even two days. I can hobble into work Monday if I have to!

Thank you for visiting my blog today!
xox

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

What big teeth you have!

Sheba at about one year of age.

Sheba hasn't really been acting like herself lately. She is ten years old now and she has lost quite a bit of weight the last few months, she is also thirsty, itchy, restless and panting. I had the vet out to look at her last week and today she went in to have her teeth cleaned and to have a full blood work panel done. We picked her up this evening. The vet said everything looked good except she had hyperthyroidism and a heart murmur. The vet comes back out to check her thyroid again in ten days and we go from there. Sheba may have to have surgery to remove the thyroid or take medicine ~ we just don't know yet. She might also need to start heart medicines, depending on how that develops. Right now, I'm just glad everything else looked good. I understand both conditions are common in older dogs and as I was studying a chart in the vet's office that said in people years Sheba is 60, whoa!

Sheba has nice clean teeth now.


All the better to eat you with, my dear! 

Thank you for visiting my blog today!
xox

Monday, November 21, 2011

The Dancing Stick

Brodie said this Dancing Stick took him about 14 months to complete. If I remember correctly, the stick itself is about three and a half feet long. That is a good chunk of beadwork, isn't it? 


The beads are laid over deerhide. The loop at the top and the feathers are attached to soft hide as well.


Brodie says sticks were used in brush when tracking. Now they use them when dancing. A lot of you have probably never seen American Indians dancing. I assure you, it is inspiring! Living in Oklahoma we probably take it for granted. How I wish you could see Brodie's work for yourself.


I asked Brodie about the seemingly misplaced beads. "It can't be perfect." He said serenely. The Spirit guides him where to place the beads, and he prays.

Thank you for visiting my blog today!
xox

Sunday, November 20, 2011

How do you forget the mail?

So I was away all day yesterday, right? Late, late this afternoon I asked Dash if he'd gotten the mail yesterday. No? He forgot the mail? *gasp* Off I trot to the mailbox and what do I find inside? An RAK (Random Act of Kindness) from Carolyn of Taking one stitch at a time! How cool is this? Ooo, wonky photo ~ sorry! It was hard not to capture light reflections.


Three wonderful charts off my wishlist. Which one will I start first? Hard choice but I am itching to start that snowman ~ he's so chubby and cute! Isn't this the sweetest thing for Carolyn to do? Thank you so much for thinking of me, dear friend.

The Totally Useless Stitch-A-Long is growing! 127 members so far ~ wow! If you'd like to join us you would be so welcome. Those of you that have joined, please do me a favor and check your link? I try my best to get all the links working correctly but sometimes there are those that slip through. Another thing, I think we can match or maybe even exceed last years Guest List number of 209 members but only if you help ~ make a post on your blog letting everyone know about  The Totally Useless Stitch-A-Long and direct them to the sign up post. Thank you!

Thank you for visiting my blog today!
xox

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Shoppin'

A late post today because I went to the city and did some shoppin'! Had a great dinner with my family and then Jessie, Matt and I went shopping at Jo-ann's and Hancock's fabric stores. I found some great stuff but did not find that "perfect" fabric for my Prairie Schooler ornaments. The search continues...



I did find some awesome Christmas print fabrics. I can never resist these. Oooo ~ Neat Halloween trims on sale and should have bought more. The metallic ric rac was 39 cents and the pom pom trim was 89 cents. Why didn't it occur to me they were that cheap until I got home? It's kind of got a shine of light reflecting badly but the little box thingie is a tub of Bag Balm. Always heard how awesome Bag Balm was but I'm not too impressed. The camphor scent is horrible. Do I really want to smell like horse liniment? Wait, worse ~ this is COW liniment, isn't it? They could make this stuff Lavender scented and I'd buy it by the gallon tub.

Since I've been away all day I haven't had time to add the new members to the Totally Useless Stitch-A-Long guest list. Don't worry, it will be first thing on my list tomorrow! For now, I think I'm going to drag my cow nipple scented self off to rustle up a snack.

Thank you for visiting my blog today!
xox

Friday, November 18, 2011

The Scottish Prisoner

I'm more than half-way through NaBloPoMo. However my favorite author has a new book coming out on November 29th. If I disappear the last two days you know what happened!


Thank you for visiting my blog today!
xox

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Beaded Ribbon Edging

The supplies for the beaded ribbon edging are easy: sewing thread, beading needle, ribbon, beads and your finished piece. You need a needle that will go through the small beads holes ~ check it! I use sewing thread because it is stronger than embroidery floss ~ don't want it to break! Also shown here is my Tacky BOB, a little sticky case you put the beads into and is very handy to keep beads from flinging everywhere if they get bumped. Wait, make that when they get bumped.


First measure and mark your bottom center and secure a knotted thread. I try to use a long enough thread to do the entire ornament but it is easy enough to start another if needed. You want to start just to the left of the center. Hint: if you slide your needle through the seam you can tuck the knot into the seam to hide it. Sometimes, this takes a little poking of the knot with the blunt end of the needle. Don't secure the thread to the needle, if you make a mistake you need to be able to take the needle off and "stitch" backwards!


I use ribbon right off the roll since I won't know how much it's going to take. Choose a place on the ribbon to start, leave a long tail. Come out of the ribbon, go though a bead and go back into the ribbon on the same side ~ don't loop over the ribbons edge. Here is where you will make the mistakes and need to reverse ~ by looping the edge. I do it at least three freakin' times and have to back up!


Now, slide the needle through the seam the next bead spot. Randomly, please! We want this to be carefree! I usually give a little knot in the seam between the beads so if the thread breaks fewer beads will scatter.


See how I'm going through the seam? This is much like the ladder stitch (in the video on my last tutorial) except instead of joining two seams you are joining a seam and a ribbon, hiding the thread inside the seam.


I loop the ribbon. I twist the ribbon. I made wide hops. I make short hops. Can I emphasize random?


When you get to the top, measure and mark the center. If it isn't centered it won't hang straight on the tree. I leave a nice loop for hanging. You could also sew a hanging loop into the seam when you are sewing the pillow together, in that case you'd skip this part. I keep meaning to try that but I always get the darn thing sewn together before I remember!


See how I've made my hanging loop? Continue your random beading.


At the bottom place your last bead just to the right of center and tie a knot in the two ribbon ends. I leave these as a tail at the bottom but there is no reason you couldn't fold both ribbon ends underneath a bead and leave no tail.



I have a finished ornament! This one was so much fun to create, especially getting to show it to you step by step!

Thank you for visiting my blog today!
xox

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

You have to smile...

... seeing the photo for November on my Border Collie puppies calender:


Thankfully there was a website listed for the photographer, Seth Casteel. Visit his site here and click Gallery or his Blog to see more of his wonderful pet pictures. Some of his underwater ones are outrageously funny! Thank you Seth, for sharing your gift with the world. You make my heart happy.

By the way ~ don't miss signing up for the Totally Useless Stitch-A-Long!

Thank you for visiting my blog today!
xox

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

A Totally Useless Stitch-A-Long


To Join the TUSAL for 2013 click here.

Notice...The 2012 TUSAL has NOW ENDED. I will not be adding any more blogs to the list. 

The 2012 Totally Useless Stitch-a-long is launched for sign-ups!

If you would like to join the SAL for 2012 leave a comment on this post. The rules are simple:

1. Get a glass container and save your thread clippings or ORTs (Old Ratty Threads!) Some stitchers include fabric trimmings, thread bands or any other stitching cast-offs they gather. You may continue filling this jar throughout the year OR you may empty the jar and start over each month ~ no firm rules here!

2. On (or about) each New Moon take a picture of the ORTs in your jar and post it to your blog. This is a blog game so YES, you MUST have a blog to be included.

3. Yes, you can use your current ORT jar or jars. This is no contest...the stitcher with the most ORTs doesn't win!

4. You should post a picture each New Moon, even if there has been no "progress" to show.

5. Label your Totally Useless posts with "TUSAL" to make it easier for me to find your posts at the end. If you don't know how to "label" your posts email me.

Please DON'T comment on this post if you are not joining the stitch-a-long! Since some of you have multiple blogs, please tell me the name of the blog you will be posting your updates to. I will add your name & blog link to the list in this post. If you have commented and you have not been added to the list within a few days...I may have overlooked you...email me! Questions? Feel free to email me! International bloggers are welcome!


Some changes to the SAL from last year:

1. New participants are welcome to join at any time, yes, even in December of 2012!

2. I am not accepting stash donations for a prize this year but there will be prizes ~ probably something stitched by me.

3. Edit to clarify things a little: You DO NOT have to post an ORT Report every New Moon to be included in this SAL. This is only meant to be FUN not WORK. However, you MUST be ON THE GUEST LIST to be included in the giveaway.

4. A request: I notice there are a lot of bloggers completely in the dark about your Totally Useless posts. They see lots of people posting pictures of ORT jars but they have NO IDEA why. They might want to join in the fun too! Please put a LINK to this sign-up page when you make your TUSAL posts. A link in your sidebar is great but ONLY if your readers SEE it and realise what it is. If you need to learn how to create links email me. I can teach you how!


There are 12 2012 New Moon Dates:

January 23
February 21
March 22
April 21
May 20
June 19
July 19
August 17
September 16
October 15
November 13
December 13


The 2012 Totally Useless Guest List

Looking for your blog? Hold CONTROL, tap F and type a keyword of your blog's name and it will be highlighted for you.

9. A Cozy Little Place for Stitching
10. Caring Stitcher
11. Stitching Cats
12. Drama Of The Queen
13. Tot Hill Farm Stitches
14. Fog City Dweller
15. Farmhouse Ponderings
16. To Stitch or Not to Stitch
17. Doll's Musings
18. Barely Squeaking By
19. Ambitious Stitches
20. The Stitching Frog
21. Bonnie's World
22. Cross Stitched by Astrid
23. TryllaCraft
24. Stitchin with my Furbabies
25. Debbie's Corner
26. Stitching Again
27. Therapy by Thread
28. My stitching Corner
29. All XX's
30. Squeezy Cow
31. Days of a Sampler Lover
32. A Lil Bit of Stitching
33. BAP Attack
34. Random Ramblings
35. Cranberry Samplings
36. Katie
37. Veronica's Stitching Vault
38. The First Day of...
39. Cross Stitch and Other Musings
40. Randi's Sal's and Finishes
41. Kearnel's Korner
42. Midge's crafty corner
43. Lesleyanne's Life of Stitches
44. On My Needles
45. My Crafty Desk
46. Cathis Stitching Blog
47. Poppy Patchwork
48. Жизнь прекрасна! The life is wonderful!
49. Blog-Doris C
50. Tales Of A Stitching Mouse
51. EveningEmma
52. The Stitching Lion
53. cucki stitching cove
54. XXXStitching
55. Kate's Floss Box
56. Cross Stitch WIP
57. Stitchy Stitches
58. The Teakettle Corner
59. Agi & the X Factor
60. The Inspired Stitcher
61. The Auld Grey Mare
62. Rosy Stitches
63. Pixelknit's Ponderings
64. Sew...here I go again
65. Measi's Musings
66. Bits of My Own
67. flopsykitten stitchin'
68. Colorado Stitcher
69. manas duarte's
70. country stitcher
71. Serendipitous Stitching
72. Threads of Memory
73. Stitcher's Journal
74. Stitching Daze
75. Ana's World
76. Lovie Dew Stitchery
77. Fairy Tales & French Knots
78. 1 Billion 2 Go
79. Reflections in the Pond
80. Cross Stitch Ramblings
81. Wyrd Needles
82. charbella stitching
83. Raven's Stitching Nest
84. Fabric and Thread and Needles, and Patterns, OH MY!
85. Caffeine Crafting with Rachel
86. Bramblewood Stitches
87. Blu Stitcher
88. My Tate Gallery
89. Blessings in the Country
90. The Flying Needle
91. CraftyCat
92. Life & Times of Lady Val
93. Just Another Flamingo On The Lawn
94. Just for Me
95. Craft The Final Frontier
96. Kathy's Sit and Stitch
97. sticken und sonst fast nix
98. Cross Stitch Crazy Mum
99. Kitten Stitching
100. Julie's Blog
101. Shari's Sharings
102. The Little Housewife that Stitches
103. Nikki's Stitching
104. Tangled Threads
105. Boos Mummy
106. Kiwi gets Crafty
107. Naughts & Cross Stitches
108. Chris' Cross Stitch Mania
109. The Daily Mel
110. Fireflies & Cats in the Garden
111. Hexe im Hollerbusch
112. Stitches 'n' Scraps of Joyes
113. an eye for threads
114. Books and Samplers
115. Lesley's Stitching Diary
116. Dani...Black Belt Stitching Wizard
117. Stitching in Lobster Land
118. Rikes (Kreuz)stichelein
119. Fabulous Frogger
120. Taking on stitch at a time
121. Stitching Thyme under the Willow Tree
122. Needles and Threads
123. Just A Bit Of Heart
124. Joie de Vivre
125. Stitching the Night Away in Illinois
126. Helen's Hobbies
127. Stitching Madness
128. Loretta's Stitching Blog
129. Cha Cha's World
130. Me, My Bubble and My Stitching
131. Kay's Random World
132. Cosy Stitching Corner
133. One Stitch at a Time 
134. Cleejoow
135. With My Needle
136. Thread Garden
137. Ferembach Sampler
138. Peanut's Place to Stitch
139. Butterfly Wings
140. Pracownia Cyber Julki
141. Bronny's Bits
142. Dorky Yorky's Stitching Mama
143. A Bit of This and a Bit of That
144. Between The Stitches
145. Crafting with the Stitch Witch
146. Wagapapa Creations
147. Gathering Place
148. Cenefas de flores
149. Cross'N My Stitches
150. ishkabibble
151. Positivity - Positiivisuutta
152. Blog of a Needleworker
153. Erica's Places
154. It's Geek to Me
155. Home of a Floss Junkie
156. Passion of Stitching
157. Already Forgotten
158. Stitching My Life Away
159. a little bit of Chris, a little bit of...
160. Annette's Acre
161. Crazy Purple Mom
162. Emmie's Ramblings
163. Cucharillas y mas
164. Christin's Ramblings
165. My Cottage Life
166. craftgirl78
167. One Slow Stitcher
168. Connie Gee Designs
169. Jeremiah's Mom
170. Spun Thread
171. Pip Stitch
172. Books, Crafts & Pretty Things
173. Sandra Sews
174. Forget-me-Knot
175. WeeStitchy
176. An Unexpected Hug
177. Taking Up My Needle
178. 3D's Bit of Crafts
179. OctoberLace's Musings
190. clubul fanteziei
181. Tickled Pink In Stitches
182. Mellow Bungalow
183. needleworker not in paradise
184. Quietly Stitching
185. Petra's Q blog
186. OCD Stitcher
187. Needle In Hand
188. Being Grammy
189. Hanging On By A Thread
190. Meari's Musings
191. BirchBee
192. Stamp With Jen
193. Shut up and Stitch!
194. fullnovembermoon
195. Lit and Laundry 
196. Inhale Life
197. Who has time to stitch???
198. Magpie's Mumblings
199. Connie Eyberg Originals
200. De wereld van Bloesemfee
201. Mullings from Melinda
202. Needleworker's samplings
203. My Cross Stitch Corner
204. A Riot Patch of Pixels
205. Craftymoo
206. Julie's Crafts and Hobbies
207. Joyce's Love of Life
208. Bookwoman Stitches
209. Gr8dame's Place
210. Jioya's World
211. Mary Joan Stitching
212. Flora's Bee Crazy Quilter
213. Quilting is Blissful
214. Creative Thread
215. Scully's Cross Stitching
216. My New Perspective
217. Mostly Cross Stitch and Some More
218. Stitchings of an Army Wife
219. Vickie Morgan
220. Tale of a Shooting Star
221. Artsy-fartsy
222. In Stitches
223. Around the Homestead
224. Kristi's Crafty Cross-Stitch
225. Sittin' and Stitching
226. Keebles World
227. Heartland Stitching
228. One Stitch Closer to Nirvana
229. Never Enough Tyme 
230. Venise stitches
231. Journal of a cross-stitching fanatic!
232. Piken uudet pistelyt
232. This is who I am
233. Fibre Art Fun
234. Between Crosses with Nina
235. Yliander's Travelling Ramblings
236. Stitching in the City
237. Stitching
238. Stitchduchess
239. My Little Corner of Cyberspace
240. Sew~Amy
241. shazzumps stupid little corner
242. Sewfar
243. Made in Scraps
244. La bruja costurera
245. Stitched in Wales
246. Stitching in Crosses and More
247. Simply Stitching In The Garden
248. CC's Stitching Diary
249. Babs stitching & stuff
250. Villa Loredana
251. Keep Me in Stitches
252. Trinabelle's
253. Caribou Crossing Chronicles
254. No Sampler Left Behind
255. Christine's Journal
256. It's all about me
257. Mrs. Sew and Sew
258. Thutmosis's Thoughts
259. Lynne ??? I need your blog address!
260. Lain Bags
261. Mercedes y sus muñecas, manualidades
262. Ziggyeor's loopyness
263. Lisa's Needlework
264. Char's Crafty Days
265. I'd Rather Be Stitching
266. Crafty Imaginings by Jen
267. Chewed Away
268. Fanciful Stitches
269. Padster's Marmalade Mutterings
270. Stitch Save Live
271. Bouncing Bellies & Flashing Fingers
272. Adria's Creative Life
273. Words of a Wikkid Woman
274. Life's a Stitch
275. My Stitched Up Life
276. Bla. Bla? Bla!
277. Faery Grandmother
278. Flossy Bobbin
279. Hely's stitching
280. Cross Stitch Nut Jo
281. diamondc
282. What Looks Like Crazy on An Ordinary Day
283. LES COSES D'EN MUXUK
284. wnnka times
285. Paco's Place CrossStitch
286. Little Debbie's Little Stitches
287. Something for Me
288. Maker Of Many Things
289. Colorful Cross Stitches
290. El hilo de la vida
291. Chic Crafting
292. emmasenchantedworld
293. Grouchy Granny's Grumbles & Giggles
294. The Zen Xstitcher
295. Stitches
296. My Stitchy Ramblings
297. A Stitch in Time*
298. Making It Vintage
299. The Stitchinwitch's Rat Cage
300. Her Boudoir
301. Starry Night Studio
302. Grey Baby Stitches
303. Just Keep Stitching...
304. Stitching Princess
305. My Cross Stitch Corner
306. Pictures by Angie
307. My Crossed Stitches
308. Collector With A Needle
309. Mary's Art & Craft Journal
310. Here a Stitch, There a Stitch
311. Gennyysusamigas
312. A Life Flexible
313. Pin Cushions and Reflections
314. Just So You Know
318. Just Stitching Along
319. Ca11i0pe's Reviews and Stitching News
320. Heidis hobbyplats 
321. Mary In The Morning
322. Stick to my Needle
323. New Year!
325. Otter's Ocean
326. Love Stitching!
327. Queen Stitcher
328. Sue's Stitching, Reading and Family Blog
329. The Quiet Crafter (Annie, your blog is closed?)
330. Faithfully Stitching
331. All this & a bag of chips too
332. Kira's Blog
333. Albastitcher
334. Magpie's Collectables
335. Dana's Blog
336. Donna's Crafty Cross Stitch Blog
337. From the Desk of Phynix
338. SilverymoonNeedleworks
339. Anacristinap: casas e bordados
340. A Stitcher's Mythical Journey
341. Stitching the Night Away
342. Stitchy Lilly
343. Dusty's Daily Doings
344. Craftigan
345. Karrin's Crazy World
346. Stitching Mom's Place
347. I Love Cross Stitch
348. Welkom bij Vrouwe Nack
349. I'd rather be stitchin'
350. Cathryn's Place
351. Raising Up Men and Maidens
352. Milly's Stitches
353. Creative Stitches
354. Mab's Stitches and Craft
355. Points Croises
357. dulcinella's chaos
358. Running Stitches
359. Saw-whet Chick
360. Keeping Up With The Jonses
361. Riverspitter
362. A Left-Handed Quilter
363. St. John's Stitcher
364. Sew Much 2 Luv
365. Hilos y Bolillos
366. Food For Thought
367. At home by the Baye
368. Klucking Bear
369. Forever and a Day
370. Koehler Kreations
371. Cross Stitch Mania
372. Keep Me In Stitches
373. Sarah's Slow Stitches
374. The Next Best Stitch
375. katiemaytoo quilts
376. Deborah's Bits and Pieces
377. yanahanim XXX kanavice
378. Threaded Moose
379. D1D2
380. Sweet And Simple Stitches
381. X-Stitch Delights
382. Sewingly Along
383. The Hoopless Stitcher
384. Color My World
385. The Secret Garden
386. Stitching Under The Sea
387. Linda's Craftycorner
388. Annie's Sweet Stitches
389. Mii Stitch
390. Crochet Attic
391. Just A Little Stitchin'
392. The Stitching Wino
393. Delicate Stitches
394. April Foolery
395. My Cross Stitch Blog
396. Kathy's Quilts
397. Peace, Love and Stitching
398. Craft, cook and live
399. PennyDog Patchwork
400. The Distracted Domestic
401. TACIStudio
402. Farm Quilter
403. grannygoodstuff
404. Magical's Quilts and More
405. Stitcheree!
406. My Colored Life
407. Sometimes, I am not nice
408. Olga-lekae
409. Memorias Coloridas
410. Just An Average Day
411. Stitching and Other Obsessions
412. Kali's Creations
413. Sustaining My Sanity
414. Spices up your Life!
415. Rai Rai Stitches

A shout-out on your blog to let other stitchers know about the 2012 Totally Useless Stitch-A-Long would be greatly appreciated! Plus, please change the links in your sidebar to this new post!

Just a note to let you know...if you are looking for your comment left very recently you will need to click the "newest" comment button to go to the next page. There are only 200 comments on a pop-up page and we have more than 200 already!

Thank you for visiting my blog today!
xox

Monday, November 14, 2011

Five Golden Rings

I've been meaning to show you my Prairie Schooler 5 Golden Rings all finished up. It took forever but I finally tackled that hand. A little dark maybe but I guess my True Love is an outdoorsman so he's a little tanned.


In other news, Heather has received the fabric I sent her for winning my blogoversary giveaway. See the Fabric here. Visit her entire blog It's Geek to Me here. If I were you I'd visit her entire blog and read the post above my giveaway prize as well. Heather's unintended houseguests had me rolling on the floor! You and Michael are too clever by far, Heather! Thanks for the giggles!

Thank you for visiting my blog today!
xox

Sunday, November 13, 2011

A Totally Useless Donation

Rhona from Tangled Threads sent us a lovely donation for the Totally Useless Giveaway! This is a chart from her website and the threads required to stitch it. Yes, I covered up the chart (must protect copyright) but you can see the design Cherish Life's Pleasures on the main page of Rhona's site.


Thank you so much for your donation, Rhona!

Now, I do hope all you TUSALers in the United States are on your toes for this month's New Moon ~ it falls the day after Thanksgiving! Don't get so stuffed with turkey dinner or so involved with Black Friday sales you forget to post a picture of your ORT jar!

The 2012 Totally Useless sign-up will be posted soon, I promise!

Thank you for visiting my blog today!
xox

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Stocking Reindeer

Another freebie for my readers! I know this one will excite my Reindeer series fans.

This Santa's helper must be filling a stocking to hang on the mantle. The design has some white stitches so I'd suggest you stitch it on a colored fabric so they will show up. Maybe a tea-dyed? As always if you stitch my designs I really wanna see so let me know!

Stocking Reindeer


Please email me to receive a copy of the design at daffy-cat AT hotmail DOT com. Tell me the name of the design you are requesting.

Respect my copyright and do not upload my designs to any website or share with other people. Yes, they are free but I still retain copyright.

You must have the free Adobe Reader installed on your computer to view/print my patterns ~ or a similar PDF viewer.

As always you can click the cat in my sidebar to see my other designs. They are all still available for the asking.

Thank you for visiting my blog today!
xox