Needlework Tips

On Oct 16, 2:01*pm, "Dawne Peterson" wrote:
"Ruby" *wrote

My tip is to avoid kits like the flu. *I used to think it was me, that I
was just a wasteful stitcher. *Just never even look at them for years now.



Dawn,

We produce kits and not often do we get a call or email regarding a
shortage. But it does happen. We try to allow extra for the
differences in workmanship but alas we don't always get it right.

A simple phone call or email telling us what kit you are working on
and what colors are short and we will have threads in the mail to you
same day or next.

Our kits have DMC pre-sorted threads on numbered cards. We do however
kit all our designs with Aida, so if you are one that prefers the
linens or evenweaves, then it just doesn't pay you to buy a kit to
have to replace the fabric.

Kits are mainly for those stitchers that don't have a STASH yet. Some
of us are way beyond that (big grins)

Dyan
www.kustomkrafts.com





Tip *If there is a pattern in kit form only that you just have to
stitch,
before you start, substitute all cotton floss colours for a brand like
DMC, matching colours as close as you can. *Saves a lot of headaches down
the road.

I have been very happy with the quality of some kits--Textile Heritage is
one, always enough material, and nice extras, like ribbon to finish the back
of a bookmark. *I bought several of the "Witches" kits, complete with frame,
from Monsterbubbles, and had no difficulty with either quantity or quality
of materials. *DMC Signature kits have also been very good. Has anyone else
met up with good ones....or bad ones???

Dawne

On Oct 16, 12:47*pm, Tia Mary wrote:
Dawne Peterson wrote:
I have been very happy with the quality of some kits--Textile Heritage is
one, always enough material, and nice extras, like ribbon to finish the back
of a bookmark. *I bought several of the "Witches" kits, complete with frame,
from Monsterbubbles, and had no difficulty with either quantity or quality
of materials. *DMC Signature kits have also been very good. Has anyone else
met up with good ones....or bad ones???

Dawne

* * I don't mind doing kits and can't remember the last time I ran out
of thread. *There are times when I'm down to my last length of fiber but
I manage to eke out the necessary stitches. *I've done cheap kits and
expensive kits and not had problems. *Like others, I often have leftover
thread. *I like to tape it the directions and keep it all together so
that if someone wants to have the chart, they have samples of the floss
that was originally used. *The few times that I have run out of fiber, I
have e-mailed or phoned the company and had no problem getting
additional floss. *CiaoMeow ^;;^

PAX, Tia Mary ^;;^ * (RCTQ Queen of Kitties)
Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said about
their whiskers!
Visit my Photo albums at *http://community.webshots.com/user/tiamary

I don't think I've ever run out of floss in a kit either. In fact,
when I did Frederick the Literate
I had to rip out a fair amount and I STILL had enough to finish with a
little bit left over. In that case,
I had emailed Dimensions about donating the chart alone since I
planned on using even weave fabric and
my own (DMC) floss. I was doing it because we used to have a library
cat who looked just like Frederick. Dimensions
was kind enough to donate the entire kit in exchange for a picture of
the finished project on the wall. :-)

I did a Disney kit once, with Winnie the Pooh, and they were so
generous with the floss that I could have done it twice! :-)
Liz from Humbug

wrote:
In your haste to advertise you had the credits completely wrong,
Dawn(e) did not say she avoided kits.

It's curmudgeons like you that make it difficult to have a fun
conversation. It's curmudgeons like you that have chased away so many
designers and authors of needlework through the years. You're
unrelenting. I hope Dyan keeps it up in spite of your hatefulness.

Dianne

I have tons of stash. I however fell in love with the chart and didn't find
the Heaven and Earth designs its based on.I wish companies offered different
fabrics it would be great. I sell the fabric to help with the cost of the
kit. My kit is the first one in a long time since I usually replace
everything. Sometimes you fall for a chart you can't get any other way.
Donna





Kits are mainly for those stitchers that don't have a STASH yet. Some
of us are way beyond that (big grins)

Dyan
www.kustomkrafts.com

wrote:
On Sat, 17 Oct 2009 13:40:16 -0500, Dianne Lewandowski
wrote:

wrote:
In your haste to advertise you had the credits completely wrong,
Dawn(e) did not say she avoided kits.
It's curmudgeons like you that make it difficult to have a fun
conversation. It's curmudgeons like you that have chased away so many
designers and authors of needlework through the years. You're
unrelenting. I hope Dyan keeps it up in spite of your hatefulness.

Dianne

I really fail to see how you can overlook the fact that she bobs up
here solely for her own benefit. I understood that rctmarketplace is
the group for advertising ones wares, and that came about because rctn
did not want ads.

Usenet is one of the few places nowadays where one can read and NOT be
hit by advertising, long may it be so.

I can't say I cared for MLI, she was another who was totally
self-centred, just showed up when she had a new chart on the go but I
don't believe I said a word at the time, didn't have to, plenty of
others did.

So, go on Dianne, tell me which designers and authors of needlework I
have chased away. Your imagination is working overtime, or are you
just feeling spiteful tonight ? I won't say I have always made nice
posts, but chasing designers away ? Give me proof, an old post,
something you recall that I posted - because I am very certain you
can't.

I didn't single you out. I used the term curmudgeon to signify anyone
who has chased away designers, authors, needlework stores. Read our
by-laws. They specifically allow this type of thing. All your sneering
does is make people uncomfortable. You've made your point. You don't
care for it. But it's not disallowed as long as it's helpful to
stitchers. We're tolerant here at RCTN in order to have a rapport with
those who brings us wonderful things.

The mystery writer has been chased out and denigrated (though I think
she's posting again), and any number of others who have livened our
newsgroup through the years.

You do not speak for the group as a whole. Stop demanding that you be
the spokesperson who sets the rules. You aren't. You don't.

Dianne

"kustomkrafts" wrote in message
...
On Oct 16, 2:01 pm, "Dawne Peterson" wrote:
"Ruby" wrote

My tip is to avoid kits like the flu. I used to think it was me, that I
was just a wasteful stitcher. Just never even look at them for years
now.



Dawn,

We produce kits and not often do we get a call or email regarding a
shortage. But it does happen. We try to allow extra for the
differences in workmanship but alas we don't always get it right.

A simple phone call or email telling us what kit you are working on
and what colors are short and we will have threads in the mail to you
same day or next.

Our kits have DMC pre-sorted threads on numbered cards. We do however
kit all our designs with Aida, so if you are one that prefers the
linens or evenweaves, then it just doesn't pay you to buy a kit to
have to replace the fabric.

Kits are mainly for those stitchers that don't have a STASH yet. Some
of us are way beyond that (big grins)

Dyan
I have stitched for years and have lots of stash, but I am not way beyond
kits....Sometimes I buy them for the convenience of having everything
together, sometimes to avoid having to buy skein after skein of specialty
threads when I only need a bit , sometimes because that is the only way the
design comes and sometimes just because I like the design.
It wasn't me that said I avoided kits, it was Ruby.
And my name is Dawne. You spell your name in an unconventional way, so do
I.

Dawne





Tip If there is a pattern in kit form only that you just have to
stitch,
before you start, substitute all cotton floss colours for a brand like
DMC, matching colours as close as you can. Saves a lot of headaches down
the road.

I have been very happy with the quality of some kits--Textile Heritage is
one, always enough material, and nice extras, like ribbon to finish the
back
of a bookmark. I bought several of the "Witches" kits, complete with
frame,
from Monsterbubbles, and had no difficulty with either quantity or quality
of materials. DMC Signature kits have also been very good. Has anyone else
met up with good ones....or bad ones???

Dawne

"Donna D." wrote
But like I posted before my kit retails at 38.00. I replaced the material
and I did not want to replace 60 skeins of floss. Kits at that price
should have extra.

Unless the kit had very good fabric, or lots of specialty threads, I agree
with you!

Dawne

kustomkrafts wrote:
...snip....
Kits are mainly for those stitchers that don't have a STASH yet. Some
of us are way beyond that (big grins)

Dyan
www.kustomkrafts.com

First off, I am leaving Dyans BUSINESS SITE link in just to **** off
Sheena because I'm in an ornery mood and didn't really think Dyan was
*advertising* per se. None of that "HI, I'm Dyan come to my site and
buy my stuff" crap that IS advertising. That being said (and it should
be worth a bit of a flare up since things have been far to quiet here of
late).......
Au Contraire Dyan, my dear :-). I have at least 3 skeins of all the
DMC floss colors, almost all of the Rainbow Gallery silks, other silks
and metallics galore, beads, books, ribbons and a vast array of
needlework fabrics -- enough stash to choke the proverbial horse. I
probably have more stash than some LNS have stock (just ask Janet, my
stitchin' buddy) and I *still* buy kits. I certainly don't need to buy
kits but will if the price is really good or if that's the only way I
can get the chart. Once I have purchased the whole kit, I'd just as
soon use the fabric & fibers that came with the chart I wanted! Of
course, if the chart has a bunch of partial stitches and still came with
aida, then I will likely swap it out for an even weave. If I plan to
stitch the chart with cotton, then I will go ahead and use the included
floss. If I decide I want to do the design in silks or some other
specialty fiber, then I make the changes and probably also switch to
even weave.
Bottom line, I have more stash than the average bear :-))))). Also,
I still find the actual process of stitching more enjoyable than the
materials I stitch with. And I have stitched with just about every
fiber and fabric imaginable since I have done my fair share of model
stitching, be it cross stitch, counted work, needlepoint, etc. VBS --
then again, no one would accuse MOI of being too sane!! CiaoMeow ^;;^

PAX, Tia Mary ^;;^ (RCTQ Queen of Kitties)
Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said about
their whiskers!
Visit my Photo albums at http://community.webshots.com/user/tiamary

lucretiaborgia wrote .

I really fail to see how you can overlook the fact that she bobs up
here solely for her own benefit. I understood that rctmarketplace is
the group for advertising ones wares, and that came about because rctn
did not want ads.

Usenet is one of the few places nowadays where one can read and NOT be
hit by advertising, long may it be so.

I can't say I cared for MLI, she was another who was totally
self-centred, just showed up when she had a new chart on the go but I
don't believe I said a word at the time, didn't have to, plenty of
others did.

I don't mind designers posting to say they have new things--I'll take my
enabling where I can. Some of my best stuff (and dare I say it, some of my
kits) I have because people here shared links to things they found. And as
a result, I have a complete set of Pride and Prejudice sampler charts from
Stitching Parlour. Thanks whoever pointed me to that one!!! I appreciate
designers who add a few words about their new stuff, so I can find new
samplers and snarky sayings and avoid teddy bears and Americana.
OTOH, I was one who found MLI's postings annoying, mostly because instead of
just saying "Hi there, I have a new angel with a winter theme, here's the
link" there was that endless "oh I am working on something new I shouldn't
really tell you do you want me to tell, oh I shouldn't, well maybe just a
peek" that went on. I found it disingenuous, but I know some people found
it charming. Chacun a son gout.

Dawne

"Tia Mary" wrote
First off, I am leaving Dyans BUSINESS SITE link in just to **** off
Sheena because I'm in an ornery mood and didn't really think Dyan was
*advertising* per se. None of that "HI, I'm Dyan come to my site and buy
my stuff" crap that IS advertising. That being said (and it should be
worth a bit of a flare up since things have been far to quiet here of
late).......
Au Contraire Dyan, my dear :-). I have at least 3 skeins of all the
DMC floss colors, almost all of the Rainbow Gallery silks, other silks and
metallics galore, beads, books, ribbons and a vast array of needlework
fabrics -- enough stash to choke the proverbial horse. I probably have
more stash than some LNS have stock (just ask Janet, my stitchin' buddy)
and I *still* buy kits. I certainly don't need to buy kits but will if
the price is really good or if that's the only way I can get the chart.
Once I have purchased the whole kit, I'd just as soon use the fabric &
fibers that came with the chart I wanted! Of course, if the chart has a
bunch of partial stitches and still came with aida, then I will likely
swap it out for an even weave. If I plan to stitch the chart with cotton,
then I will go ahead and use the included floss. If I decide I want to do
the design in silks or some other specialty fiber, then I make the changes
and probably also switch to even weave.
Bottom line, I have more stash than the average bear :-))))). Also, I
still find the actual process of stitching more enjoyable than the
materials I stitch with. And I have stitched with just about every fiber
and fabric imaginable since I have done my fair share of model stitching,
be it cross stitch, counted work, needlepoint, etc. VBS --
then again, no one would accuse MOI of being too sane!!

I agree with you on kits, and hey, I agree you are not too sane, as you
appear to want to poke Sheena with a pointed stick, but hey, we love you
anyway

Something else I like is a kitted up accessory pack--I bought this for a
Jeannette Douglas sampler and it saved me endless time and money looking for
specialty threads in colours I would not ordinarily use, and a couple of
good buttons. I also like the way some designers, (Just Nan is one I have
experience with) add a charm to a chart--charms are one thing that most
stashes don't have, and sometimes the right one just makes the design. (Just
thought I would keep the "kits or not kits" discussion going)

Dawne