Monday, January 2, 2017

Day 2- Drawn Thread Sampler

This one is the major piece from Gay Ann Rogers . It was offered as one of her E-Week sales in 2014 or at least that was when they formed the yahoo group for the piece. Thank goodness I have a friend who is holding my hand on this piece.

I took these two resolution lists from Gay Ann Rogers blog and I think they are very true.  What do you all think? I do several of these things. Keep a blog, mix up techniques, work 15 minutes at a time. But I think I gleaned a lot of these from Gay Ann over the years.Hope you enjoy these lists too.

Ten New Year's Resolutions to Help Stitchers Improve Stitching Technique
Pay particular attention to #1, #9 and #10.

1. Slow down and savor each stitch. Remember that slowing down is probably the best suggestion for improving the quality of my work.

2. Remember Time Management: work steadily and far enough ahead of a deadline so that I am not in a last-minute crunch (this is probably the second best suggestion for improving my stitching).

3. Use a doodle canvas to practice a technique before I start doing it 'for real'.

4. Use a doodle canvas to warm up, even if it is for only 2 or 3 stitches.

5. Try to stitch for 15 minutes each day, with a bonus session of an hour a week. We have much in common with musicians: repetition helps us improve; if we don't practice our craft we get rusty.

6. Don't work too long at a single time. I notice if I start to tire, the quality of my work goes down hill. If I have a whole day to stitch (wonderful!) remind myself to take breaks every half hour or 45 minutes. Do a couple of hand exercises, give my eyes a rest by looking off into the distance.

7. Work ONLY in colors I love. Never work in colors I don't love. I don't use the word 'never' very often, but this is one time I do and I mean it. If I don't love the colors, my work doesn't stand a chance of being the best I can do.

8. Mix up techniques: if I just finished a boring area, do something fun; if I just finished a difficult area, kick back and do an easy area.

9. Before I choose a thread, ask myself: am I choosing this thread on whim or am I choosing it because it harmonizes with the design?

10. Before I add more texture to an already busy design, ask myself, does this stitch add to the harmony of the design or is it just adding to clutter and goop.



Ten New Year's Resolutions to Motivate Stitchers Toward the Finish Line.
Read #10 for sure.

1.  Look through my stash, find a project I started and still love. Set it up and make it a priority for 2017.

2. Now ask myself: why did I stop work on the project?
Got stuck on a stitch? Rip the stitch and change it to one I'm more comfortable with.
Don't like a color? Change the color.
Do what it takes to make the process easier on myself so that the excitement I felt when I first started the project returns.

3. Have a question? Ask a friend.  Ask online. Somebody who is working on the project or who has completed it will likely have a suggestion.

4. Leave the project set up so that I can take advantage of stolen minutes to stitch. Waiting for DH? Don't pace or twiddle my thumbs wondering why he is late; pick up my needle until he is ready to go.

5. Each time I complete a session, thread my needle  for the next session.

6. Set a reasonable goal for stitching each day. Try to stitch 15 minutes a day. If I can't do it all in one session, divide it into five minute segments.

7. Keep a log of the amount of time I stitch. Make a couple of columns, one for meeting time goals (On January 1, 15 minutes), one for stolen minutes (On Jan 2, 4 minutes).

8. Use my phone to keep a log of my stitching progress; just snap a quick photo once a week. Each month look back and see how I've done.

9. Mix up techniques: if I just finished a boring area, do something fun; if I just finished a difficult area, kick back and do an easy area.

10. Try to set aside bonus time of an hour. once a week. Justify it this way: it is time for me to chill, kick back, relax, de-stress, enjoy myself, put the woes of the world out of my mind, and lose myself in beautiful colors and textures and something I love to do. I not only deserve the time, I need it.


Oh! I didn't do my Stash Diet update on the 1st so it will be at the end of month. Makes sense at least for January!

1 comment:

Linda said...

Some great ideas there Beth.

Linda