The Totally Useless Stitch A Long 2013

Here we go! Are you ready for some major ORT collecting for 2013? This is going to be a fantastic year for stitching. I just know it!

The 2013 TUSAL is launched! 

What is an ORT? ORT or ort ~ Capitalized, it stands for Old Ratty Threads. These are the cast-off thread ends a needleworker cuts away. These ends are often saved in clear jars as a decorative object. The word, "ort" does appear in the dictionary, meaning: a bit of something left over; usually concerning food. 

Why would you save these and why on earth post a picture on your blog? Not everyone saves them. Some stitchers just toss them in the trash or let them decorate the sofa and floor. Sometimes this inadvertent decorating draws ire from those living with us. Saving these clippings in one place creates a random tangle of lovely colored thread. Posting a photo of this pile is "progress" of a sort and thus, the Totally Useless Stitch A Long was born. 

If you would like to join the Stitch-A-Long:

1. Get a glass jar or other container and save your thread clippings. 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. We are aiming for "once a month" here...no whippings for being late, early or absent!

5. When you have posted the picture of your ORTs visit my blog and comment on my ORT report for that month's TUSAL. If I have a Totally Useless Giveaway these comments give you an extra entry!

The New Moon dates for 2013 are:

January 11

February 10

March 11

April 10

May 10

June 8

July 8

August 6

September 5

October 5

November 3

December 3

If you would like to join in on the fun leave a comment on this post. In years past, I have made up a "guest list" by adding a blog link list for everyone that joined ~however~ this year I probably will not do that. It takes hours and hours and hours of visiting blogs, editing the post, checking links, editing the post, correcting mistakes, editing the post. I'd much rather be stitching or visiting your blog on a recreational basis. Therefore, consider your comment to be your entry. Make sure your profile is set to "open" so people can visit your blog or leave a link to your blog in your comment. I hope you aren't offended I am not doing a guest list. We are adopting a new puppy at the end of the week and I'm thinking to be rather busy for quite some time. If I manage my time better than expected perhaps I will reconsider.

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 realize what it is.  

If you would like to add the TUSAL link gadget to your sidebar (in Blogger): right click on it and save the photo to your computer, go to your blog's layout and choose "add a photo" and put the address to the 2013 TUSAL post in the link option. Upload the photo and save.

A shout-out on your blog to let other stitchers know about the 2013 Totally Useless Stitch-A-Long would be greatly appreciated! Plus, please change the links in your sidebar to this new post!

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

December ORT Report

It's the last New Moon of 2012...do you know where your ORTs are? Mine are not plentiful but good enough for all that happened in the past month!  Can you tell these are Blackbird Designs ORTs?

I know I've been promising the new TUSAL sign-up for 2013. It's coming! I haven't forgotten! Those TUSALer's leaving a comment on this post receive an extra entry in the 2012 giveaway. That is coming up soon as well. 

Here is the project I've been sloooowly working on, the only ORTs in my jar. This is a nearly completed BBD Tweet Hearts Exemplar #2. It was a struggle to finish the first one (a heart shaped pillow) and I'm hoping this one goes easier.

Fun news: Molly has her first toy! A polka-dot squeaky pig. Whee! The plan (if nothing changes) is to bring Molly home the weekend after Christmas. The breeder tells me she has had her first shot, worming and weighs five pounds. They are also using the name "Molly" with her so she can begin to associate it with herself. We are really looking forward to the last few days of 2012!

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

I Hate Coming Home

This house is too quiet. It's Empty with a capital E. Late last year, Taco, the cat went to live with Jessie when she moved to the city. I know Jessie and her husband, Matt enjoyed adding her to their family. Then in April after Sheba died, home seriously stopped being our happy place. Both Dash and I have experienced horrible feelings of dread associated with coming home to a lonely house. We cannot stand this emptiness any longer. Home should be a place full of hope and laughter and love, right? We have those things, yes...however there is a huge dog-shaped void sucking a lot of the happiness away before it can be fully enjoyed. Dogs just make some people's life complete, I suppose. 

To help complete ours, Dash and I are adding this tiny character to our cast:

Sweet little Molly.

Molly is a four-week-old Border Collie. Yes, another Border Collie ~ love them. We aren't sure of Molly's eye color or ear position yet, she is still too little to tell. Her momma has blue eyes and perked up ears and daddy has brown eyes with floppy ears...Molly could end up with either. She will be a rough coated collie, which I like very much. I imagine Molly will be a much smaller collie than we are used to as both parents were not nearly Sheba's size. Old Sheba was big for a collie!

No, we don't have her here yet. She has only started eating some solid food so it will be some time before we can bring her home. 

Dash and I had the pick of the litter. That is our Molly in the very center, with one brother on the right end ~he has the white collar~ all the other pups were girls. The puppies were such fun to play with! I could have stayed for hours. I hated to leave them, especially knowing they are a two hour drive away so we won't get to see her again before it's time to bring her home.

We cannot stand the waiting. This sucks! I feel like a kid who knows there are awesome presents under the tree but Christmas is still weeks away. Before the New Year comes, our house will be full of excitement and joy. For now, it's time to gather puppy training supplies and puppy safe toys and puppy-proof the house & yard. And get ourselves psyched up for training a new puppy. Very hard work!

But the effort will be totally worth it.  

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

Star Reindeer

It has become a bit of a Christmas tradition to share a new reindeer design on my blog, hasn't it? Here is the 2012 offering, Star Reindeer. I hope you enjoy stitching her!

To receive a copy of the design email me at daffy-cat AT hotmail DOT com. Tell me the name of the design you are requesting. This one is "Star Reindeer." I appreciate comments left here for encouragement too!

Please 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 free cross stitch designs. They are all still available for the asking.

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox