Cross Stitch Update 1.3

Tonight I decided to try to make a little order out of the chaos of my embroidery floss. Here's what I started with.

I focused on organizing the bobbin case 2 black plastic containers I have. I received all the bobbins from my aunt recently. Each one is clearly labeled and they were all painstakingly put into numerological order. I can imagine my aunt hunched over her work for hours organizing them, making labels, winding the floss onto the bobbin, and finding the perfect spot, constantly rearranging them if they weren't perfect. Less realistically I imagine her doing all this by dim candlelight. In spite of all this, like a naughty little child I DUMPED the whole thing!

Why, you ask? Because I wanted it to be ordered by pretty color instead of number. It started out fine, but less than half-way through I wished I hadn't done it. I know there's got to be a reason these things are numbered the way they are, and it has to work, but I just don't like it. Of course it's far from perfect the way I did it, too. I had a hard time deciding where some colors would go.
I also separated all the black, white, and gray colors since those are the ones I use the most. Here's what I ended up with!

It really doesn't look like I did much, especially for all the time it took me. Over all I don't regret it though. Next time I'll work on the bags, but I think I'm going to need at least another floss organizer to get it the way I want it. How do you keep your embroidery floss organized?

I'm half-way done with the Jack Nicholson stitch!

Cross Stitch Progress 1.2

Today's post will be a quick one; just a few pictures from the last week. 

 First up are a couple photos I took after "winter storm Nemo."

There's a car here somewhere!

I love seeing the way wind interacts with snow.

Next, there's the progress I've made on my cross stitch. It's finally starting to be identifiable.

And lastly there's this beautiful little rose plant that I received yesterday.

Happy crafting!

Cross Stitch Progress 1.1

My latest stitching project is finally starting to look like something. I still have a lot left to do, but with a blizzard in sight I have a feeling I'm going to have plenty of time to work on it.

I find that I spend the majority of my time cross stitching in white. Sometimes it feels pretty redundant and I wonder if I should even bother. I feel like it would be too noticible if I didn't. I think my next project I might try leaving the white out. I can always fill it in later if I don't like it.
Tell me, do you use white floss when you stitch on white Aida?

Keepin' it Simple Travel Case

Today I finished a quick little project that I started last night.

 

It's a simple, adorable case for my cross stitching that I can slip into my purse. Usually I would just shove everything into a plastic bag, but I was never comfortable doing that. Always afraid that something would get lost or damaged. Now my stitching is protected! 

 

There is a pocket on the flap that closes with snaps! (Rhyme time) I keep my relevant floss bobbins inside, and it can also fit a small pair of scissors. 

I used a scrap from a tshirt for the pocket; handy since I only had to hem three sides.

"Beautiful" hand-sewn snaps.

My perfectly imperfect stitches.

Fact: I hate working with bias tape! But this project was so simple and easy, I didn't mind using it this time around. I think the red and orange helps bring out all the colors of the fabric, which I think is the cutest doggone print ever. 

Overall I'm pleased with the outcome of this traveling case. The only planning it really needed was measuring my favorite hoop so I could make an appropriate size. I may put one up on Etsy. Is it good enough?

...Speaking of cross stitch, here's the progress I've made:

Doesn't look like much now, does it?

P.S.!

I love the new Tomahawk album! It's the first CD I've bought since the last Devo one, which was almost 3 years ago. It definitely sounds a little bit different than the previous Tomahawk records, but that's something I love about them. There's something for everyone. Then again, I am biased on this subject.