Monday, January 5, 2015

The Totally Useless Stitch A Long 2015



The 2015 TUSAL is launched! 

Get to stitching and save those ORTs!

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 ORTs 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. Comment on this post.

2. Get a glass jar or other container and save your thread clippings. Some stitchers include fabric trimmings, thread bands, empty spools 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!

3. 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.

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

5. 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!

6. 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. Make sure you comment on the right post, a few comments seem to sneak onto other posts!

We follow the Lunar Cycle so every year these dates change! Some years they are very evenly spaced, one New Moon each month and some years have 2 New Moons one month and skip a calender month altogether!

The New Moon dates for 2015 are:

January 20
February 18
March 20
April 18
May 18
June 16
July 16
August 14
September 13
October 13
November 11
December 11

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 either your profile is set to "open" so people can visit your blog or leave a link to your blog in your comment.

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 want 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 this 2015 TUSAL post in the link option. Upload the photo and save.

A shout-out on your blog to let other stitchers know about the 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

92 comments:

  1. I'm in! I'm looking forward to It. :)

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  2. I am in again. Hopefully this year I will make all 12 entries.

    Thanks for hosting!!

    CJ

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  3. I'm in, if you'll have my sorry flakey self :) Thanks for doing this again, Daff.
    Love ya
    Ma

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  4. Yay!! I'm in! Hopefully I'll be a little better with the postings this year. ;-)

    Craftymakings.blogspot.com

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  5. I'm in!

    http://justalittlestitchin.blogspot.com

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  6. I'm totally in too! I keep them anyway, now I can show everyone!

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  7. I'm in :)
    http://peddlerjo.blogspot.com/

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  8. Oh I'M IN AGAIN!!! Woohoo!!! Thanks so much for doing this SAL again too!!!


    http://time2xstitch.blogspot.com/

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  9. I will join this year. Now i just hope I remember to post every month.

    www.itsjustapril.blogspot.com

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  10. Im in this year
    http://crossstitchangel.blogspot.com.au

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  12. HURRAH! I was getting worried that you had changed your mind about continuing this and you know how we all fear change...shudder....

    Happily will I blog about all there is to know about ORT and TUSAL and as per, will include link to this page.

    THANK YOU!

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  13. I'm in again, and even have a new ORT jar!

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  14. I am joining it for the first time :) I tried sometime back but ended up throwing them after each stitching session. I hope this time I will keep a jar nearby.

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  15. thanks for hosting this, I would love to join ♥

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  16. Hi,

    I'm in, too:

    http://blog.handarbeitskorb.de

    Even if it's a german blog, each blog-entry is in german AND english :-)

    Happy stitching
    Rike

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  17. I'm in
    lekae
    http://otnoroktushkana.blogspot.ru/

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  18. I want to join

    http://cross-stitching-mama.blogspot.com/

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  19. I'm in again as well http://d1-d2.blogspot.ca/

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  20. Count me in too! I stumbled upon you late last year.

    http://bytheprickingofmythumb.blogspot.ca/

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  21. I'm in again for this year...I missed doing it last year!

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  22. Count me in! I really enjoy keeping track of my progress on TUSAL day. Happy New Year!

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  23. I'm in again this year. The TUSAL is why I started blogging!

    www.serendipitousstitching.blogspot.co.uk

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  24. Have been waiting for this post. Count me in again please :)

    http://mostly-xstitch-and-somemore.blogspot.com/

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  25. Bad year last year hardly any stitching was able to get done.

    Already started this year stitching. I'm in foe 2015

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  26. I`m in. I kind of drop the ball last year - still collected but forgot to post. Will try to do better this year.

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  27. as usual I'm in! all dates have been added to iCalendar, so see you soon! :D
    chiara - http://thegreytail.wordpress.com/

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  28. Count me in, looking forward to more stitching this year!

    cindygambill.blogspot.com

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  29. Count me in, hoping I'll do a better job of blogging and keeping up with the SAL's this year.

    www.justanotherflamingo.blogspot.com

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  30. I'm in. Not been stitching for a while so looking forward to getting back into it.

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  31. Please count me in again his year!
    Thanks!

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  32. I've already got a few in the jar.

    Take Care & Happy Stitchin'
    Hugs, Sandy

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  33. I'll join in. I just hope I can remember to do it every month!
    http://sometimesiamnotnice.blogspot.com/

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  34. I participated in 2012 and 2013. I will be here in 2015. Thank you for doing this again!


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  35. I'm going to try again this year. Hopefully my stitchy bug will stay home and I'll have something to show.

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  36. After taking a break last year, I'm in for this one!

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  37. I'm in but I'm warning everyone that if I actually do it every month this year, pigs will fly. Thanks for hosting again!

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  38. Me Me Me....

    Back in the full swing of it. My jar was conscientiously filled as I stitched, I just never posted on my blog enough in 2014.

    I've committed to an Ornament Challenge in 2015 - so I'll be there with boots on!

    bronnysbits.blogspot.com

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  39. Back again for 2015.

    http://twistedntangledthreads.blogspot.com/

    Cindi

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  40. I would love to join you too.

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  41. 2015 is my year to get more done. . and to blog more consistently; so I am game to try TUSAL again.

    Hopefully I will be more successful that in years past!

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  42. I will make an effort to follow up on TUSAL this year.

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  43. I'm here again and hope to be more on time this year.

    Jackie
    http://needleworkerssamplings.blogspot.com/

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  44. I'm in :)

    Now I just need to find my ort holder...seems to have gone AWOL after the move...

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  45. I'm in - great you are running this again this year.

    http://blog.gothtigger.com/

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  46. I'm In...

    Thank you Sharon for putting this together for the New Year!

    May our jars be full of colorful threads.

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  47. Thank you for hosting again. I'm in. This is the one SAL that I can usually keep up with each year.

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  48. This looks like so much fun, I would definitely like to participate!

    http://craftingpaws.blogspot.com

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  49. Hi,
    I would like to join my blog is www.lizylovelystiches.blospot.com

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  50. I'm in for another year!!!!
    http://jan1228.blogspot.com/

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  51. I'll try again. I'm having fun seeing how much ORTs I can cram into the little jar, hah. :D

    My blog: ishkabibble

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  52. I love this idea! I'm in!!

    http://www.MindYourNeedles.com

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  53. I missed this last year, so I'm happy to be back in!
    urszulasplace.blogspot.com

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  54. I'm in! ^^

    http://jusiecreation.blogspot.ru/

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  55. Count me in. I haven't done it since the first year. it may encourage me to blog more often.

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  56. I'm in AGAIN!! Thanks for doing this - it is so FUN!! - ;))

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  57. I took last year off but I'm back with big intentions. And hopefully lots of orts!

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  58. I'm in! I have been collecting my threads since the last new moon. :o)

    wyrdneedles.blogspot.com

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  59. Tried it 2 years ago and want to try it again :)

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  60. Oh yes I am in, hope you are having a very Stitchy New Year so far

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  61. Here's to a good start to the year http://nwredhead.com/

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  62. Please count me in, Sharon, although this month's will be late due to the unexpected passing of my DFIL. hugs, Kaye

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  63. I forgot to comment earlier apparently, but count me in! I love the TUSAL. :)

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  64. Thought I already commented - I'm in..

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  65. I am in!! (I'm joining late, but better late than never.)

    http://koehlerkreations.blogspot.com/

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  66. I'm in as well! Seen this all over the web last year, now I want some of the fun myself ^_^
    http://needlepensword.blogspot.de

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  67. is it too late to join? here's my blog: http://domesticatedreset.blogspot.com/

    looking forward to having fun!

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  68. I'd like to join in for 2015!

    http://thegirlsgonecrafty.blogspot.com/

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  69. would love to join.I hope it's not too late.
    http://minizdiary.blogspot.com

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  70. Wonderful Orts and I am joining in on the fun.http://puttinglifealltogether.blogspot.com/

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  71. My name has changed to Alaska Wolf Pack and is no longer Sceal Teach :D

    http://alaskawolfpack.blogspot.com/

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  72. Would love to follow this blog with email, but I can't find a spot to sign up with email.
    artandsoul57@gmail.com

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  73. Sorry I'm late this month - it got away from me.

    I should have known when I looked up at the moon it was time.

    http://suefitz-fitzsstithing.blogspot.com/2015/04/totally-useless-sal-ort-4.html

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  74. Is the Orts jar just for needlework or can someone who crochets do it also. I understand there are really no rules other than it is suppose to contain ends and pieces of things left over from needlework.

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  75. Ila East, crochet IS needlework! Bring your yarn clippings, they will be welcome!

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  76. Hi I'm StitchyFish, Count Me In!

    http://stitchyfish.blogspot.com/

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  77. I would like to join. Thank you.

    journaloftravelandadventures.blogspot.com

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  78. Wow, I'm so sorry I did not discover this TUSAL some days ago. ALl my ORTs ebded uo inside a temari that day. My ORTjar is woefully empty. Well not totally empty after all. I'm in, and I hope you continue this TUSAL

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