Customized Cross Stitch

Well, I am extremely disappointed in this project. 1) It took...

Sat, 18 Aug 2012 12:08:00 -0500

Buddha and Bonsai

Close up on characters on left

Close up on Buddha

Close up on characters on right

Well, I am extremely disappointed in this project.

1) It took way to long for it to be feasible to do again without some serious incentive.

2) My aunt’s dog made that fact worse by chewing up my pattern.

3) A friend who reads Chinese just told me that two of the characters are incomplete, which makes me pissed at the company who designed this! (Which happens to be Dimensions by the way! I’ll know to look twice and get an opinion about ANY foreign languages from now on!)

4) I just hated it. I really did. I don’t know why. I might have been all the green. Or it might have been the Buddha and the ridiculous backstitching on his robe. I don’t know. I don’t care. All I know is I hated doing this project from beginning to end even though the aggravation level was relatively low and the skill needed for the project hitting only about medium.

This project was simple, easy, though the fabric and the size...

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 23:02:00 -0600

Small Cat

Close up on Face

Close up on Body

This project was simple, easy, though the fabric and the size caused a little bit of an issue. It fit perfectly inside a 2 1/2 inch hoop. It was fun. I made it for my cousin, and I kept the pattern. No french knots, for which I’m supremely thankful.

Hi!

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 01:39:11 -0600

So…lack of posts for a little while…well, I went to visit my father…for the first time in 19 years. That went really well. Did a small project while I was there. Took pictures and everything! I just don’t happen to have my memory card because my friend has it in his camera and I have his memory card in my camera….long storry that.

So, posts will recommence as soon as I manage to get my memory card back. Hopefully sometime tomorrow…maybe a few days more. Don’t know just yet.

Toodles.

This one took me longer than it should have, simply because I...

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 02:09:09 -0600

Now I Ain't Sayin' She A Gold Digger

Close Up of Border

Close Up of Words

This one took me longer than it should have, simply because I took a break in the middle of it. Total time put in…an hour or two to make the pattern and then a couple hours to actually stitch it. Framing…not too long. Finding the perfect frame, however, much too long. This was a Christmas gift for one of my best friends, all for her love of puppyshipping. Inside joke for those who don’t get it.

But this is a decent example of a simple project that I can do in very little time. Willing to do other sayings for other people.

These are the four projects I have going at the moment. I take...

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 01:27:34 -0600

Lions Work In Progress

Buddha Work In Progress

Santa Work In Progress

Wolves Work In Progress

These are the four projects I have going at the moment. I take breaks and do smaller, two or three day projects when my eyes get tired of looking at the color schemes. The Lions one is what I’m currently working on. Should be done in a few days, depending on my drive. The Buddha is for a friend…was supposed to be a Christmas gift, but hey, everyone can’t meet five or six deadlines for the same day with massive projects like that one. The Santa one…well…I pick it up every now and again and do a little bit. The Wolves is for my Father. Gonna alter the pattern a little to add something special to it.

All-in-All…these aren’t that bad. No real issues with any of them yet. Not until I get to the couching with gold metallic for the Santa or the damn french knots in the Wolves one. You’ll hear me complain plenty about that.

So, toodles!

This one was…relatively easy. It’s a great one for...

Sat, 14 Jan 2012 20:14:17 -0600

Life Is Good Cross Stitch

Close up if the Wine Bottle

Close up of Grapes and Pear

Close up of words

This one was…relatively easy. It’s a great one for beginners, I can say that much. The instructions were clear, and there was nothing other than full cross stitches and backstitching. My Godmother wanted me to do this one for her, so I spent about two days on it. A little longer than I wanted…but that’s my own fault for forgetting a stitch and having to rip a good chunk out. I seem to find myself doing that more often on smaller projects than on the larger ones.

All-in-all, the redo factor is fairly high on this one. I kept the pattern.

This is my first, and last, needlepoint. I can honestly say...

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 20:23:40 -0600

Happiness Needlepoint

Close up of corner backstitching

Close up of lettering

Close up of Chinese character

This is my first, and last, needlepoint. I can honestly say that I do not like working with that mesh. And the fact that a simple accidental turn of the fabric can SCREW UP THE ENTIRE THING. So, no thank you, not again. Not ever. I’ll stick with my counted cross stitch, thank you very much. All-in-all, it pissed me off.

Well, this project took me all of…maybe a day to do. It...

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 16:22:00 -0600

Completed project for my neice

Close up of the stitched name

Close up of the crown

Close up of the wand

Well, this project took me all of…maybe a day to do. It has about three french knots, which was lovely. And there were very few problems, if you don’t have to count ripping out most of it because I missed a stitch. Twice. Now…all that shiny stuff…that’s opal ribbon. That’s what I had to do a bit of back stitching with and the french knots. At least they didn’t require me to do full cross stitches, only half stitches. All-in-all a very easy project.

Um...Hi

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 20:36:09 -0600

Haha, well, guess the blog is once again active. Got some projects finished and gotta get some pics of them soon as I can post. Let’s just say that life has been…interesting and a little complicated lately. Boyfriend moved to LA, still at the same job, and dealing with my father, at the moment have all been taking up my free time. My camera decided to stop recognizing my sd card, and I have to buy a new one. My laptop died and had to buy a new one. So all in all, it’s been a mess since I last posted. I will have pics up after payday, however, so within the next week or so things should be going fine, and my regular updates will be occurring once again.

Got two or three projects in progress, gonna post pics of the ones I’ve finished since my last post, and then everything will be caught up.

Let’s just hope that nothing else goes wrong.

Toodles til next time,

CCS

Commissions Page!

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 04:47:59 -0500

I have a page specifically for Fonts and possible commissions if anyone likes anything. There’s a basic price schedule for patterns, kits, and completed works, blocking and framing at additional cost (a couple dollars or the price of the frame). I’m finally getting things off the ground. Yay!

Uh, Hi!

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 20:55:06 -0500

Well, my laptop died. And I’ve been so exhausted from work that I haven’t done anything except for a few minutes a day during lunch….when I remember to bring my cross stitch with me. I just want to make it to my three month eval and then everything will be golden.

But, at the moment, the pillow got put on hold cuz it was being a pain. So, I went and bought a pattern book of alphabets and am currently working on stitching all 136. As soon as I have one piece of cloth finished, I’ll take pictures and post them and if anyone wants a saying or something in a particular one, I can do that. But I won’t be doing anything else until at least October 15. That’s my three month mark.

Wish me the best of luck!

CCS

P.S. Oh! I’m also thinking of changing my name from Customizedcrossstitch to something a little catchier and something a little more unique. No idea what yet.

P.S. 2

I did this for my niece. That’s her in the project. Isn’t she cute? Also, I kept this pattern and am willing to do more of them. Takes me about two days. If I’m going slow.

P.S. 3

This is a wolf I did for an…uncle, I think you’d call him. Took me….don’t remember how long, honestly. Just too long. I did keep the pattern, but I don’t think I want to redo this one. It’s gorgeous though.

Update

Sat, 13 Aug 2011 04:04:34 -0500

Okay, so I got a new job about a month ago, and it’s been keeping me so busy that I’ve had very little time to do any considerable work on my cross stitching. That and the fact that I had a bum for a roommate/friend with benefits, and he was not only hogging my computer, but being a general dick about life. So, now that I have kicked him out, and found a decent schedule I can work with, I’ll be back to posting in no time.

I will, however, post a picture collection of the work I have managed to do on various projects I’ve started and stopped for various reasons. Working on Christmas gifts when I’m no longer friends with the person it’s for is kinda ridiculous in my mind, so there are some which will be on the backburner for quite some time to come.

I’m currently working on a pillow. Or at least, a cross stitch from Dimensions Gold Collection that I’m going to turn into a pillow. I’m thinking about selling this one.

Sprites

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 18:21:55 -0500

Okay, so I recently downloaded a pattern making program, which is a freeware program. And I love it to death. I’m making sprite patterns at the moment. It’s so much fun. So, I was thinking about either selling the patterns or selling the made sprites. I’m working on a process to make them waterproof, that’ll be cheap as hell if it works.

I have a Master Chief pattern, and am working on some Chrono Trigger and Zelda sprites. If anyone is interested, drop me a line.

So, opinions? Requests?

Okay, so this project was a complete and utter pain. The...

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 02:36:33 -0500

Completed Butterfly

Close Up on Thorax

Close Up on French Knots

Close Up on Couching

Okay, so this project was a complete and utter pain. The designer thought it’d be cute to have four strands for some of the x’s on 18-count fabric. That pissed me off. Then I saw the sheer amount of couching needed…so I said fuck it and did most of it as backstitching since long-range couching just looks like complete and utter crapola to me. Then I counted up the french knots…those damned things…96 of them. Ninety-six french knots. I have a bruise on my thumb from it. Ugh!

So, estimated length of time…about a month, as I didn’t include the two or so weeks that I wasn’t working on it steadily. It’s six inches at the diameter, and fits perfectly into a six inch hoop.

I damn sure hope my aunt is happy with this as her Christmas gift. Cuz I was miserable doing it.

Alriiighty then. (God, I can’t believe I just did that. ...

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 18:16:33 -0500

Alriiighty then. (God, I can’t believe I just did that. Haha. But, oh well.) So, FINALLY finished with the basic stitching. Just about to start on the backstitching, then I’ll get the couching, and finish with the french knots. This project has been nothing but a bitch the entire time. But I’m almost DONE!!!!!

Okay....So, yeah.

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 18:04:18 -0500

Well, I decided to try to video myself, using various methods, cross stitching. Apparently, trying to use a webcam or a digital camera just doesn’t work when you’re using 18-count fabric. I’ve been trying to figure this out all week and … yeah … I’ve got nothing. Nada. Zip. A week’s worth of time completely wasted because I have no idea what the hell I’m doing.

Maybe I’ll get some yarn and 7-count monk’s cloth. That might work. It’d be really easy to see.

If anyone has any tips or anything that would help me out in videoing, I’d appreciate it. Really, I would.

Any tips?

Well, I’m almost done with the basic stitching. I should...

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 00:36:57 -0500

Well, I’m almost done with the basic stitching. I should have maybe another night or two on it before I start on the backstitching. That should take maybe an hour or two. Then comes the couching….the couching….I am so not looking forward to that. I HATE couching. Then…the french knots. The only thing I can’t stand in this world more than overpriced thread.

Lovely.

Hi! Sorry to creep in on your blog out of the blue - I found it through the cross-stitch tag. I absolutely love your butterfly work... is that your own design?

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 08:39:27 -0500

Thank you very much!

And the butterfly is a kit I bought at Michael’s, actually. It’s a Gold Collection Petite. Cost about $10.

So, instead of spending time in the river this weekend, I stayed...

Tue, 07 Jun 2011 23:02:38 -0500

So, instead of spending time in the river this weekend, I stayed dry and worked on my butterfly. I got a bit done, and I’m rather proud of an unintentional improvement. You probably can’t see it, but that’s the point. My weekends are never quite as productive as I want them to be.

POLL

Fri, 03 Jun 2011 03:01:00 -0500

Okay, so I was thinking about doing short videos on how to’s for things like basic stitching, detailing, and specialty stitches. I have a few neat ones that I’d like other people to know about. If anyone is interested in it, let me know.

So, yes or no?