I'm working on Mirabilia's Mermaids of the Deep Blue which has a lot of metallics in it. Is there a secret to separating the strands of Kreinik Metallic Thread Very Fine #4 Braid? Man oh man I'm finding it hard to do without stretching it. I might have called it a few nasty words tonight. ...

My apologies to anyone who has written me in the last couple of weeks. I've been terribly erratic with replies because of an underlying crisis in my life.... I had a small growth removed from my foot a couple of weeks ago -- no big deal, right, except for the general discomfort and the...

The Karen are an indigenous people of Thailand and Burma, numbering about 14,000,000. The traditional costume is a Hse. Most Hse are embroidered. To see photos of the Karen and their Hse, visit www.karen.org and click on Clothing. -- Finished 12/14/03 -- Mermaid (Dimensions) WIP: Fireman's...

As some of you know my cat Shadow has been very sick. I'm sorry to inform you we lost him last night. I miss him horribly, this never gets any easier does it? He was the most loving cat I have ever had At least he's no longer suffering ,and he's in a better place. -Margaret -- \\ o o |\/ ...

Hi, it's been a while since i chatted with you all. I am back because I've been avidly learning a new needleart: Hardanger. I am having a ball with it but am finding it difficult to locate appropriate fabric, especially at what I consider reasonable prices The only shop I have locally that...

One of the ladies at church, knowing of my penchant for cross stitch and knowing nothing of crafting herself, asked me if I would consider finishing a "cross stitch" kit that she had purchased years ago. Indeed!!! I knew in advance it was stamped and had some candlewicking on it. The piece is...

Hi all and Happy New Year! I was wondering if anyone can help me. I have patterns for some Lorrac cross stitch patterns but I do not have the stitch key. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks. Linda

Hi all! I am a longtime RCTN reader, but I haven't kept up for a year or so. So I am sure this has been asked and answered before, but please forgive me. I have a friend whose grandson will be Bar Mitzvah'd next spring and she would like to embroider a tallit for him. But she can't find any...

Hello everyone, How many of you are giving stitched gifts for Christmas this year? I'm giving four petit point pictures, knitted socks, hat with ear flaps, scarf & 4 pair gloves. I like to think the hand crafted gifts are more appreciated than the store bought plastic imported goods. In fact...

DD asked for some money to spend at the school store; she wanted to buy presents for everyone. Having read the notice from the school about it, I gave her $5. She came home with 3 little wrapped gifts (Mom, Dad, big brother), secreted them in her room and then handed me the change.... I guess...

Hi you stitchaholics! How are you? I am fine. I just made some reading. I have rather often bumped to word 'backstitching' here. And I've been thinking it is something you must avoid no matter how hard. Well...the image I saw...it showed it was not that bad. But I would not dare to try it myself....

And send thought of strength and patience. It's GS camping weekend, it is going to rain and rain and rain and I have the three nosiest girls in my truck (both directions). At least we are in cabins, I can teach knots and gimp. C

Can anyone tell me which is the correct pronunciation of the fabric for crossstitch, and why? My dictionary says ah-ee-da is how to pronounce both the opera and the female name. Is the fabric named for something else? or is it named for someone's mother? Even if for someone's mother, that's still...

This may repeat an earlier 'survey' but I'm stuck inside due to fall allergies and meds to combat those allergies. Some, most, all of us have embroidery techniques, designers, subject matter, materials (fibers, grounds, etc.) that we do when we want to be comforted, not challenged, by projects....

Herewith project Dolphy is started To those who don't know, when my dad turned 70, I cross-stitched his car and made a pillow out of it for him. Big hit. Then I did the same thing for my two aunts (one her annex, where I used to live, and one a pansy, cause she likes flowers). The car and the...

Hi all I am selling all my UK and US cross stitching mags and have just posted an ad on marketplace :-) Val

Squirreling away refers to selling assets for below market value to a friend or relative to get the assets off the books. I wasn't aware of this particular reference. Whenever I've heard the term "squirreling away", I thought of Mom and Grandm a - "I can't throw this out, I might need it...

I'd gotten a deal on six assorted Mill Hill Christmas ornaments, which I'm making for my clients (easy to tuck into a card). I started with Golden Tannenbaum, and remembered why I hate beading. The rest of the clients will be getting with Kreiniks instead of with beads.

My favorite LNS (Hook 'N Needle in Westport, CT) has closed. Does anyone know of another shop in CT or NY that is accessible by train? I don't drive, and I keep finding about shops in places that I can't get to at all. We do have JoAnn's, Michaels, etc., but I'm looking for specialty threads...

Hi everyone, I have nine linen squares that have been partly embroidered probably in the 1930's (and until today never washed judging by the vivid stamped pattern.) Eventually the squares are meant to be joined with linen or crochet panels to make a tablecloth. The square are in excellent...