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Cross Stitch Tips & News ~ May 24th 2008
Patterns
Patch
Cross Stitch Club: Cross Stitch Tips
& News
Saturday, May 24th 2008
| | | |
| | Subject: Who's Up For A Rewarding
Cross-Stitch Challenge? Hi
Once
more, welcome to all
our readers, we hope
the
past
two weeks have again been kind to you and you enjoy
reading
this
issue of your Cross
Stitch Tips & News letter.
OK? We
begin this issue with ... the clue's in the title. We're planning a "Cross-Stitch
Treasure Hunt" that will feature some valuable
prizes (first prize will be in the region of $500).
We know roughly what value the prizes will be, but
are a little in the dark about the precise nature of what it is
you would really
like to win. So, we need your help...
We
need to know what it is that
turns you on about cross-stitch?
What would you love to own
but feel that buying it would be a bit of an extravagance?
Please
give this a little thought and you'll be ready to help us with
our survey in the next issue of Cross Stitch Tips & News.
*~~*
Late
For Work? What Would YOU Do?
A man wanted to get
into his work building, but he had forgotten his pin-code.
However, he
did remember these five facts: - The fifth number plus the third
number equals 14.
- The fourth
number is one more than the second number.
- The first number is one less than
twice the second number.
- The
second number plus the third number equals 10.
- The sum of all five numbers is 30.
What
are the five numbers and in what order?? The correct answer opens the
door:
When you
manage to
open the file, add your name to the bottom of the list inside, and send
this email to your friends and let them solve it.
Give it a
shot. When you solve the puzzle you will feel pleased with
yourself ... Look how far this
puzzle has traveled since it started! Have Fun!!
Oh! And of course for
those who can give us the correct answer, there might just be a little
something winging it's way in their direction.
Those
who gave us the correct answer of 10990 to our Cats'
puzzle will find our 'Beginner's guide to Blackwork" report
landing in their inbox this weekend.
*~~*
A
Woman's Work is Never Done... We've
given the wee book "A
Woman's
Work is Never Done" by Rowan B. Murphy a rest
this week. This should make you chuckle: WHY GOD MADE MOMS
Answers given by 2nd grade
school children to the following questions:
Why did God make
mothers?
1.. She's the only one who knows where the sticky tape is.
2. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.
How did
God make mothers?
1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
3. God made my Mum just the same like he made me. He just
used bigger parts.
What ingredients are
mothers made of ?
1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and
everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they
mostly use string, I think.
Why did God give you
your mother and not some other Mom?
1. We're related.
2.. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's Moms
like me.
What kind of little
girl was your Mom?
1. My Mom has always been my Mom and none of that other stuff
2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be
pretty bossy.
3. They say she used to be nice.
What did Mom need to
know about Dad before she married him?
1. His last name.
2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does
he get drunk on beer?
3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs
and YES to chores?
Why did your Mom
marry your Dad?
1.. My Dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my Mom
eats a lot.
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My Grandma says that Mom didn't have her thinking cap on.
Who's the
boss at your house?
1. Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because dad's
such a goof ball.
2.. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff
under the bed.
3. I guess Mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do
than Dad.
What's the
difference between Moms & Dads?
1. Moms work at work and work at home and Dads just go to work
at work.
2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3.
Dads are taller & stronger, but Moms have all the
real power
'cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at
your friend's.
4. Moms have magic, they make you feel better without
medicine.
What does your Mom
do in her spare time?
1. Mothers don't do spare time.
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.
What
would it take to make your Mom perfect?
1. On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some
kind of plastic surgery.
2. Diet. You know, her hair. I'd diet, maybe blue.
If
you could change one thing about your Mom, what would it be?
1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean.
I'd get rid of that.
2. I'd make my Mom smarter. Then she would know it was my
sister who did it and not me.
3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on
the back of her head.
WHEN YOU STOP LAUGHING
--
SEND IT ON TO OTHER MOTHERS,
GRANDMOTHERS, AUNTS
and anyone else who has anything
to do with kids or just needs a good laugh!!! ~
ANON.
*~~*
Membership
For Fr^e
If you'd like to win, three
months full membership to Patterns Patch for Free,
why not take a
look, it's really easy to enter.
Don't forget to search for the mystery word in this letter
~ Good Luck!
The latest winner of our draw for Three-months membership to
Patterns Patch for Free is:
*~* Lindsey Coppinger *~*
"Well
done Lindsey, you're
nearly there! All you have to do is email us to
Accept and Activate your prize!" The number of
entries goes up each issue, so an
increasing number of you are building up credits and
enhancing your chances of being a future winner. Commiserations
to those who entered and didn't win this
week. But hey, perseverance is a virtue; try again next time ~
it could be YOU! And for those of you who didn't
enter, why not? Don't
you want this valuable gift? (Please remember! Only one entry per
person, per issue.). You've got to be in
it TO WIN IT!
Associate
Membership To
overcome the problem of "spammers" accessing our new chat
room,
we've created an Associate
Membership,
which is fr*e, but limits access to just the chat rooms and
our community forums (the Cross Stitch forum and General forum).
Associate members will also qualify for a 20+% discount on some
of the patterns in our Cross Stitch Store.
(Note
that only patterns that have been in our Cross Stitch Library for three
months or more, will be offered for general sale in our
store). If you want to join Patterns Patch
as an Associate member and enjoy access to the chat rooms and community
forums, please join here. The
subscription form is easy to use and only asks for: your name,
email address, login name and passw*rd (you choose these last two
yourself). *~~*
Services
We have an ever
growng list of services our members and
subscribers can use and enjoy (mostly for fr*e), including: Make A Pattern For Me:
Yes,
we'll create a cross-stitch pattern for you, for fr^e. But there are a
couple of conditions that you need to know about ~ go read
the
details.
Is
there ANY aspect of cross stitch that's puzzling you? That you'd like a
simple explanation or an opinion on? We are always interested in
hearing your questions or comments. Our policy is there are no silly
questions. So don't be shy. Come forward and feel free to
ask anything you like. Our friendly experts Beryl and Lizzie
don't bite and will do their best to provide you with a full, easily
understood answer. Inspirations:
OK!
Not exactly a service, but if you need a good dose of motivation
or simply picking up, this is the place to go for a diverse range of
vidoes and presentations that will both inspire and amuse you.
Go here to see the latest addition (it takes a while to
load, but hey, stay with it. Your reward will be the ending ~ it's
brilliant):
We regularly add to this department so make sure you pay a
visit each
time you read your Cross-Stitch
Tips & News letter.
| Cross-Stitch Tip: Wear
Support Gloves To Ease The Pain...
When I complained to
my doctor about my wrists aching when I stitch, she
recommended that I get support gloves. My local pharmacist
suggested Handeze
Therapeutic Craft Gloves, which are fingerless, cuffed
gloves developed by the New England Therapeutic Research Group and made
from Lycra.  These gloves are very useful for all stitchers,
but especially if you have carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, or
arthritis. They cover
and give support to your wrists and palms, but leave your
fingers free so you can stitch. Although the gloves aren't a cure, they
can help you minimize the pain you experience due to repetitive
motions.
You can find craft gloves at most craft
stores and online. Handeze Therapeutic Craft
Gloves come in beige
or slate blue, in sizes 2 through 6.
Obviously, when selecting craft gloves, it's important that
you choose the correct size.
What Size Do I
Need?Here's a useful measuring guide: Measure the width of your flat hand across
the four knuckles (not finger joints). Do not include the thumb.
Glove
Size 2 (extra small): 2
to 2.5 inches (5-6.5cm)
Glove Size 3 (small): 2.5 to 3 inches (6.5-8cm)
Glove
Size 4 (medium): 3 to
3.5 inches (8-9cm)
Glove Size 5 (large): 3.5 to 4 inches (9-10.5cm)
Glove
Size 6 (extra large): 4
to 4.5 inches (10.5-12cm) For
whatever reason, if you can't try the gloves on, speak to a
customer service representative about determining the correct size.
Moreover, find out about
the return policy in case the gloves don't work for you.
If you're like many stitchers who
experience hand fatigue, craft gloves are a great way for you to
rediscover the joy of cross stitching without suffering pain.
| Recent
Articles These
articles are
amongst those we've recently added to the
cross stitch articles library:
Cross
Stitch Forums Give You Lots of Support and Help
Quite often, when learning a new hobby, you
wish you had someone to ask questions. You may have misunderstood the
directions, made a mistake and don't know how to fix it, or simply want
to seek the advice of someone who has been involved in the craft for a
longer time than you. This is normal, especially if no one you know
enjoys the craft. Cross stitch forums are available online to give you
the support and help that you need . . . keep
reading
Counted
Cross Stitch Thomas Kinkade
There is an art in turning a painting
into counted cross stitch. Thomas Kinkade, one of todays most
celebrated living artists, inspired Californian company, Candamar, to
create beautiful needlework designs based on his pictures . . . keep
reading If you'd like to try
and win
a fr*e membership, reply to Membership for fr*e
with the word 'Saturn' in your email subject line (only one entry
per
reader please). Why "Just
CrossStitch Magazine" is Still a Stitchers' Favorite
Just CrossStitch Magazine, published by
Hoffman Media, LLC, was founded in 1983 and has provided countless
hours of enjoyment for cross stitchers for more than 20 years.
Originally developed by a cross stitch enthusiast for other
enthusiasts, the magazine is the premiere cross stitch magazine for any
stitcher, no matter their skill level. In fact . . . keep
reading
This is just a small sample of the
more than 200 cross stitch articles enjoyed by our
members. If you'd like
to read more, you can
join here right now.
| New
Cross Stitch Patterns Following
a number of requests and suggestions from
readers in the past, we've decided to add one
each of
the more popular knitting
and crochet
patterns from our PatternsPatch
eBay store. You'll find the first knitting and crochet
patterns listed below.
We'd
like to run with this until the next issue of Cross Stitch Tips
& News to give you time to let us know whether you
like these
alternative patterns, and partly because of Leni's wrists
(which unfortunately are proving slower to heal than we expected).
We'll then decide how to continue with these
bi-weekly patterns based upon YOUR feedback.
By that time we should also
be introducing the first patterns chosen by our readers.
*~~*
We're
giving EVERYONE who reads this letter a FREE Bonus cross
stitch pattern.
Follow the download instructions carefully
and Contact
us if
you have any problems.
Some of our more experienced members have asked us to consider
providing the occasional design that's a little more
"challenging". We've listened and will sometimes list at
least
one pattern with embellishments, such as: beads, knots,
backstitching, and so on.
Here you can view The
latest FREE downloads (for
Standard members):
You'll find additional information and can also leave comments and rank
(from 1 to 5) each download, if you so wish (this
feature does work for members).
Please note that you have until the next issue of
your Cross
Stitch
Tips
& News letter to download the BONUS pattern. After
then it will be
available only to Standard Members in the Cross Stitch
Library.
We're trying to introduce as wide a range as possible in the cross
stitch library to cater for all tastes. So if there's a theme we've
missed that you'd like to see patterns for, then
please drop a quick email to Contact us.
To
view this week's gallery, here's the link again
to view the
latest FREE downloads.
| Cross
Stitch Forum Posts The Cross Stitch
forum has continued to post many
interesting threads. Samples of the most recent are shown below: If
you haven't taken part yet, why
not take a look
and maybe join in. Hey! You might even enjoy it.
| Needlelace
Flower Stitch Tutorial
|
Posted by
hislamb
May 09,2008
11:23 PM |
... just love this stitch. Just have a quick question ... If
the thread is looped around the straight pin only and not back down
through the material, what anchors the petals to keep them together? |
Posted by
Green-Moo
May 15,2008
11:39 AM |
In answer to your question hislamb, I think the loops are
secured at the rear with that vertical stitch in the second to last
diagram. Although it would prevent them from unwinding, I don't see how
it would keep them where you want them to be though. I'd imagine that
your loops would move. Confusing! i guess we'll have to experiment! Members!
Read the rest of this and other
threads here |
| ...more
on Curved Needles! |
Posted by
Roguegal
May 11,2008
12:27 AM | As
I promised, when I tried the curved needle I would let everybody know.
I can see it to be an easier way to stitch with if you have good
control of your hands, which I do not.
It is easier mainly because you do not
have to do the in and out motion for each stitch. And gets you from the
bottom of one stitch to the top of the next stitch easily and quickly.
I doubt that I will be using a curved needle.
|
Posted by
XSaddict
May 19,2008
11:59 PM |
In over 35 years of cross stitching, I've never encountered
anyone who used a curved needle ~ unless you count the ones that get
'curved' during stitching. ;-) (The only time I use a curved needle is
when stitching the opening in a pillow or doing upholstery.)
My favorite needles are John James petites, preferably the gold ones
when I can find them. (A stitching friend laughed when she heard me say
that using gold needles makes my completed projects look more
professional.) I have also found Piece Maker needles to work well for
me and they tend to last longer than most other needles.
Because I prefer stitching with smaller needles, I rarely use anything
larger than 24 which I use for 14 ct. Aida. Size 26 seems to work well
for 16, 18, and 22 ct. fabrics; my 28 petites are used when stitching
on any fabric with higher thread count.
Even though the eyes of some needles are very small, I find that using
them seems to help eliminate twisting. Members!
Read the rest of this and other
threads here
|
|
...
And Finally
As always, you are encouraged to contact me with any
questions or entries for future newsletters. You
can do that here.
When the membership of Patterns
Patch
grows to a certain level we'll be able to approach major suppliers and
manufacturers and negotiate
discounts for our members. So please make
sure to encourage your stitching friends to join Patterns Patch.
Forward this email newsletter to them so that they can subscribe to (www.patternspatch.com)
and receive future copies directly to their own mailbox.
Please do
not reply to this email.
It was sent to you by our computer, which is splendid at sending emails
but absolutely useless at reading them! To get in touch with us, please
send a short email to Contact
us.
Do
please take the time to let us know what you like or dislike about "Cross Stitch Tips &
News". We value all your emails and rely on them to move
us forward as we strive for cross stitch perfection.
... and finally, if you have children, give them a hug and a kiss, and
tell them you love them.
Sincerely,
PS If you're not already a member, why not? You're missing out on
so much! Why
not join now
Joining is easy!
Your next "Cross Stitch Tips & News" letter will appear on SATURDAY June 7th 2008.
Until
next time, Missed
an issue of
our "Cross Stitch Tips & News" letter? Find
them all here:
|
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