Monday, February 16, 2009

Where are my scissors, laying tool, needle threader, etc.?

Have you ever noticed that when you are stitching stuff just disappears? I have had a couple of instances recently where my stitching accessories/thread have just up and left me. On Friday during Happy Hour at the shop I had several people helping me look for my -- product plug alert -- easy to use trolley needle (item 2820, $6.99). We could not find it anywhere. I looked under the chair, behind the curtains, under the cushions, in my pockets, under the coffee table, even under the carpet (a highly unlikey spot but hey I was desperate). Finally I just gave up. It was frustrating though because a.) I had already misplaced and then found my scissors earlier in the stitching session and b.) because both Dena and I had heard them land SOMEWHERE. When I went to clean up and put my stuff away I discovered that the trolley needle had fallen into the drawer of the table to my right -- don't ask me how, I guess that the drawer must have been open and maybe I wasn't looking where I put it. Who knows? That's not the point anyway. The point is that stitching stuff disappears.

It happened to me again on Saturday night. I was stitching on the water lily/koi fish project (more about that later) when I needed more of the pale mauve metallic thread and I could not find it anywhere. I had just been stitching with it and I looked and looked but could not find it. I tore apart the sofa/sleeper, tried everywhere I could think of (except strangely the drawer on the sofa table). I still didn't find it and as it was getting late I just wrote it off to sleepiness and took the dog out with Russell.











The next morning I found the mauve thread down in the store, right next to the cash register -- don't ask me why. Near as I can figure, I must have had some of the metallic thread in one of my needles already and then I used it up. Now as to why the thread was next to the cash register I have no idea.










Needless to say last night when I sat down to stitch I was extra careful to remember to put everything in the "right" spot. But of course then I forgot and placed the scissors next to me on the sofa and then I shifted my position and well, before you know it, the scissors had fallen between the cushions and ... you know the drill -- cushions everywhere, lots of cussing, sweat pouring down my brow, so on and so forth. Can you say frustration?

Now -- let's talk about that koi/lily project. I discovered while I was working on the previous blog entry that I have been looking at/working on my canvas UPSIDE DOWN. Can you believe that? How dumb can you get? Once I saw the canvas right side up you know it made a lot more sense. No longer are the lilies face down and the fish are now swimming upstream instead of downstream. So there you have it. The hazards of working on a canvas that is an abstracted version of reality. I am still going to work on it upside down -- I can't really turn it around because I am working the canvas in my hand and if I turn it around then I will be grasping the worked area of the canvas in my left hand -- not good. So, I'll keep going as I am and when I am done I will turn it around and be surprised.






In other news, we had a busy day at the shop on Sunday but not too busy for me to start another project! And this one is a big one. Dena, who works at the shop, brought in a huge canvas that she had custom-painted of Boat House Row and the Philadelphia skyline. It's a great canvas and she has all the thread (Patternayan) for it. She wants me to do all different stitches so I thought it would be fun for us to do it together though somehow I have a sneaky suspicion that I am going to be doing most of the work. When I will fit it in I have no idea but I told you I have multiple project personality.





















2 comments:

  1. Hi Stephen,

    One way I (try to) avoid losing things while I am stitching is I have a little tray-like box that I keep next to me on the couch/chair/table when I am stitching. I then (try to) drop my stuff into the box instead of just putting it down so it can disappear, as it just does! And now, I will soon have my new (product plug) tray for my System 4 floor stand so I can put my stuff there.

    BTW I love the colors of the koi project....I am watching you!

    Denise

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  2. Maybe you need a chatelaine to hang all your accessories on? Glad that you found the trolley needle...sitting on that one would have really hurt...ouch.

    Looking forward to seeing the koi rightside up and in person!

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