Mini projects to travel with?

[havanaholly]

I use a smaller hoop that the work area to keep the fabric taut, and I do keep tugging at it all around to keep it that way, because the half cross stitch does, indeed, distort the fabric if you're not extremely careful.  I use a wooden hoop that the outer ring screws to open or close it, and I find it doesn't alter the appearance of the threads.  If in doubt,  use a scrap of fabric over the stitched portion that's under the hoop.

[denkyem]

1 hour ago, havanaholly said:

I use a smaller hoop that the work area to keep the fabric taut, and I do keep tugging at it all around to keep it that way, because the half cross stitch does, indeed, distort the fabric if you're not extremely careful.  I use a wooden hoop that the outer ring screws to open or close it, and I find it doesn't alter the appearance of the threads.  If in doubt,  use a scrap of fabric over the stitched portion that's under the hoop.

Thanks so much for continuing to answer all my questions, Holly! Really, really appreciate your expertise and helpfulness  

[havanaholly]

I've been embroidering since I was 6 or 7.

[KathieB]

Needle threader Caveat: I am working with wool and a tapestry needle on 14-count canvas, not with floss on a softer fabric, but thought I'd toss out this idea anyway.

I make a small loop of regular sewing thread that I push through the eye of the needle, then slip one end of the wool through the loop and pull it back through the eye. It may work for floss, although I've not tried it. At any rate, I find it easier to push a loop through the eye than a cut end.

[havanaholly]

I learned a trick with the tapestry yarn that I use with floss, which is to fold one cut end over the needle at the eye end and pinch it tight, then thread that through the needle's eye.  The thread loop is also a good idea.

[blueirishmoon]

I find the q-snap frames to be great for needlepoint canvas, as well as wooden stretcher bars.

[havanaholly]

I have stretcher bars on the floor frame I use for 1:1 stitching projects.

[denkyem]

On 4/6/2016, 10:31:26, havanaholly said:

I've been embroidering since I was 6 or 7.

My grandmother started to teach me when I was that age too (mostly just chain stitch and blanket stitch and backstitch on felt -- I made quite a lot of napkin rings which are still in the drawer of my parents' sideboard!) but when she wasn't visiting there was no-one to show me how to do things or set up projects, so I guess I dropped it.  Handling embroidery floss again has me thinking again about all she taught me when I was little. When she visited us before she had arthritis her fingers were always busy with knitting or mending or hemming something, and i can so vividly picture her sewing bag which was always within arms reach.  She used to set us up with the best little crafts -- like making "pocket teddies". I'm sure much of my ongoing fondness for making things with my hands comes from her.  

Now my seven year old quasi-niece (cousin's kid I'm close to) is obsessed with knitting.  All kids that age should have an opportunity to try these things! 

[havanaholly]

1 hour ago, denkyem said:

...All kids that age should have an opportunity to try these things! 

Particularly when the last two generations' hands are far more dexterous pushing buttons than handling needlecraft or other hand tools!

[denkyem]

31 minutes ago, havanaholly said:

Particularly when the last two generations' hands are far more dexterous pushing buttons than handling needlecraft or other hand tools!

I suppose I'm included in that group! I am in fact an (older) "millennial".   Just one who is really enjoying needlecraft at the moment :). 

[denkyem]

On 4/7/2016, 7:11:36, KathieB said:

Needle threader Caveat: I am working with wool and a tapestry needle on 14-count canvas, not with floss on a softer fabric, but thought I'd toss out this idea anyway.

I make a small loop of regular sewing thread that I push through the eye of the needle, then slip one end of the wool through the loop and pull it back through the eye. It may work for floss, although I've not tried it. At any rate, I find it easier to push a loop through the eye than a cut end.

I grabbed a needle threader in a sewing kit at the convenience store, but it broke within about ten minutes, leading me to this hack: http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-Your-Own-Needle-Threader/.  I cut a piece of dollhouse roundwire about 4 inches long, stripped off the insulation on a couple inches of it, and bent and twisted one of the resulting strands in to a loop (left it attached to the rest of the insulated wire as a handle). It works great and is slimmer than the storebought needle threader.  If I break one, I can just bend over another filament from the bundle.  

[KathieB]

Clever you, Emily!

[denkyem]

An update: I started my needlework project a couple weeks before I left, and immediately found I really enjoy it.  I'm following a very simple repeating geometrical pattern of my own design made with colours carefully chosen to match the room where it's going.  Now I've been abroad since the 22nd and am so pleased I have this with me.  I didn't work on it on my flights (turned out to be a bit impractical -- long haul with lights out for much of the trip, and I was happy just to read and watch movies) but I've been doing a little in my hotel room each evening at the end of my long days, and I find it's really relaxing me and making me happy :).  I'm not tallying hours as some of you do (I think I've seen Bree post hour counts?) but I do know I'm well over 10,000 stitches now.  

I'm currently doing some very challenging work in a remote and somewhat difficult (and extremely hot) part of Kenya, and I think this needlework is doing a lot to help me preserve my sanity! 

[kathi17]

It sounds like you have a very interesting life!

I'm glad the needlework is working out so well for you!

[havanaholly]

I count neither hours nor stitches; I just zone out.

[denkyem]

5 hours ago, kathi17 said:

It sounds like you have a very interesting life!

I'm glad the needlework is working out so well for you!

I'm fortunate to have interesting work that feels important (managing higher education programs for students living in refugee camps), but it's only about 5% glam international travel -- the other 95% is spreadsheets and reports and endless conference calls at my desk in Toronto! 

[kathi17]

7 hours ago, denkyem said:

I'm fortunate to have interesting work that feels important (managing higher education programs for students living in refugee camps), but it's only about 5% glam international travel -- the other 95% is spreadsheets and reports and endless conference calls at my desk in Toronto! 

Maybe your job isn't so interesting after all, I wouldn't be able to handle all that desk work. I'd love the travel and working with people part though!