You Know That Place Between Sleep And Awake...?

That's where I am right now, stitchingly speaking, anyhow. First off, let's give some love to Oprah theirs was the only comment left! In response: Thanks for the comments. I'm a big fan of rock projects (a series 0f punk covers is on my to-do list) so please let us know when it's done then we can go crowd up your blog or board or where ever you may post it! (A little thinking out loud here:) if you want I could even post it here for others to see...some reader appreciation, if you will!

So now that "Punks Not Dead" is done there is one project I wanted to focus on. It is a store-bought kit of Disney's Tinkerbell. It's 98% backstitching to look like a quick pencil sketch. There are some metallic threads in half-stitch to add some color highlights but there really is not a standard cross stitch in the whole thing. Oh, there are some quarter stitches too. I know, I know, I am getting fancy but that's what happens when you finish a big project and you let it go to your head!

She is coming along much faster then I expected. She is for my oldest daughter's fifth birthday so she doesn't need to be completed until 7/25! Here is where we were at a couple days ago when I took the pictures.

The bottom half is completely done. The only color was on her feet so it went fast. Since taking the picture I have completed the top half except the color and the wings. There is some crazy back stitching on the wings so I am admittedly taking a small "break".

I have two or three other little projects going right now too but I will get into those tomorrow. I want to get some stitching done before the holiday festivities start today and my DVR is begging me to finish last night's UFC fights.

In the meantime (because I will miss you and assume you will miss me too) check out Mr X Stitch for their Craftster Pick of the Week. It's Me. Whatever James!

Everyone Is Making Me Work!!!

First off... I got some big love on the latest Stitchin n Junk podcast big thanks to the great folks over at Mr X Stitch for that. If you are here because of said love, welcome. If you just hit "next blog" and are trying to figure out why you are here: Pterodactyl Cupcakes! Figure THAT out!!!

Here are links to a couple of the projects mentioned on the podcast:

The Pac-Man ghosts can be found here and the Star Wars Valentine here.

My internet connection was M.I.A. for a while and I finally heard the new podcast last night and knew I would have to post a little something while finishing my latest project. I was not sure what to do. Fortunately Windy always finds something for me to do...it just usually involves the dishes.

Here is where I am with the Punk Is Dead project. Windy just came home 17 minutes ago and looks me in the eye and says: Can you finish that by tomorrow? I guess they are having a huge sale on mounting and framing...which ends tomorrow and she wants to do that for my fathers day gift. Nice but couldn't you tell me about this two days ago? And what the hell am I still posting for? I have a whole lot of Star Wars to watch, music to listen to and stitches to cross!!

See you tomorrow.

I Love Rock and Roll So Put Another Stitch in the Aida Baby

I do a lot of quotes. Part of it is because when I look up at work or at home I want to see something that makes me smile, or laugh, or gives me inspiration. If it is something I made for someone else I want them to get the same thing…and think of me. I’m like that! Another part of it is, well, pictures seem to take a lot more time then I have project attention span.

I’ve done quotes from some of my favorite shows and songs. I have quoted songs I have written. I have quoted a lot of people who just say stuff that cracks me up. When it’s said and after we have had a good laugh someone will usually look at me and say “you should stitch that” and sometimes I do.

After losing Logan last month there have been a lot of sleepless nights and one night I decided to check in on www.mrxstitch.com. I went to most of the links including manbroidery.blogspot.com. There was this interview that Jamie (Mr. X Stitch) had done back in April or so. Cool interview and of course I love guys in crafts/needlework talk.

Well this is a quote from that interview. Being that I look up to Jamie so much I am kind of surprised that I didn’t do something from him sooner. In my post at www.craftster.org I even likened it to what young women probably felt like when they here Joan Jett sing “I love Rock and Roll” for the first time.

The fact that I am in the middle of a big project and stopped to truly do this one "one the fly" was kinda cool too.

So who's crafts (not just needlework if you don't want to) gets you going? Got a link? Share with the class!

Assertion Of Self or This Ones For The Boys

I frequently post my completed projects to craftster and enjoy letting others know what I think of thier work (remember what they say: stealing your idea and making it for my room is the sincerest form of flattery). I ran across this post by a fellow male stitcher, appropriately named MrXStitch, who included this information with his latest project:

"I've been a lot more public with my stitching, doing it on trains and public places, and it's been an interesting experience for me and suprisingly emotional"

Of course my first thought was if you just change the word "stitching" the whole sentence takes on a new meaning and describes other things I like to do on the train and in public. Seriously, if the spelling/ and grammar errors didn't tip you off, this blog is by a 14-year-old.

Once I actually paid attention to what he was saying the implications of it got me thinking. I've been stitching publicly for a while now but not always so. When I first started I would go to my local craft store after closing for thier potluck/UFO night (UnFinished Objects). I would make something fabulous - because I am more awesome with a pan then I am with a needle - but once I got there I was still to embarrased to stitch in front of anyone. I brought my project, I showed my progress and I even discussed my future plans. But I would not stitch. Stitching was a great stress reliever with my last job and I loved doing on my lunch. But I would park the car in the corner of the lot and go out there to stitch.

I would do it at home. My sister and her kids would give me a little laugh but in that "family tease each other about everything" way. but the hardest part was doing it at my current job. I work in a box taking calls and we are painfully slow most of the year. I brought my stuff and kept it in a drawer for a month before I took it out. Then I just left it on my desk for a week to see if anyone said anything. Now, it's all I do at work. I make things for people. I get a lot of questions. But I also got asked to participate in a company craft fair. Well until it came out that most of my stuff was not work appropriate.

But there is still a stigma. One of my tattoos is on my neck. Yep, my neck. But its not because I am tough. You wouldn't know it unless I told you or you and I had being a HUGE nerd in common, but its from Star Wars. Still when asked how a man got into cross stitching I mentioned it was to relieve stress. I kid you not my coworker asked "Did you learn to do it in prison"?

Somehow the man cross stitching and the neck tattoo and wanting to relieve stress led to the conclusion that I had been in the klink. And that was emotional for me because how many people think the same thing and don't ask? I have been called many things by the uneducated and mostly unwashed masses. I've had trash thrown at me because they think a guy with an embroidery hoop can't start some shit.

But as equally important are the conversations my working in public has started, the compliments and oohs and awwws I have gotten at my work, and the friends that I have made because of it.

With that, I am a HUGE fan of MrXStitch. His work and his ideas and his creative use of unwanted projects has been a big inspiration to me. I cant imagine someone so talented and funny having to needlepoint in the dark alleys behind unreputable craft stores.

So this one's for you, Sir! Consider this your Cross Stitch Coming Out Party. Sorry we forgot the chips. Luckily there is a hooker in the corner. And by hooker I mean someone is doing crochet. But men like us were probably already thinking that!

Any good crafting in public stories? Share 'em in the comments section people!