Addams Family

Well, some shopping for thread later, and I have started the project for my brother.
Exactly as you would think, it turned out nothing like I wanted.
Some reasons are: I have a very clear idea in my head of what the finished product should look like. The fabric and threads that I found in my local embroidery store don't quite live up to my imagination. I wanted the Crow to be dark and such a deep black as to look blue, and in silk. I couldn't find anything of the sort. I did find a thread that makes me think of either freshly spilled blood or Gryffindor red. Either way, I like the color.

I will update this to include the picture. Right now, I have refocused my attentions, and will be remaking the pattern on a different piece of fabric, with some color changes. The goal is to make the results into a photo album cover for my mom for Christmas. Thankfully, she never reads these, and so will not know of it. ^_^

Now, here is the prototype of the design, and the first thing that I'd ever cross-stitched (to my knowledge), made sometime in January or February of this year.

I actually have a fun story about this piece. My brother, who is 10 years younger than me is in a very interesting position in life. He has spent all of his life around women, and crafters at that. While he does not currently craft, that I know of, he knows how to do a ridiculous variety of things, including quilting, drawing, knitting, and so much more. So, if nothing else, he is very craft-aware. The first thing my brother did when I showed him the cross stitched piece, was to turn it over and look at the back-side. I think he was actually more impressed with the neatness of the back of the piece than the front!
One last thing that I have in the works, is an Xmas present for some friends. While wandering around on Etsy, I found the most amazing design. Very simple, only 6 colors, 5 if you use the fabric for the background, and it's of the Train Ticket for the Hogwarts Express (Link: https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/244967905/bogo-free-hogwarts-express-railway?ref=shop_home_active_5). I feel that it would be remiss of me not to note that I am the Harry Potter Generation. I was 8 when the first book came out, and started reading it when I was 9. I grew up with those kids, and the stories have shaped a lot of who I am. So, finding the Train Ticket was awesome. She also has the most amazing House bookmarks that I have ever seen (link:https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/247210641/bogo-free-hogwarts-crest-cross-stitch?ref=shop_home_active_10) as well as a few other goodies. I highly recommend you check her stuff out. You'll probably seem more pictures of stuff I've stitched from her charts. Anyways:
Craft On!

The More Things Change, The More they Stay the Same

It's been a little over 4 years since I last wrote on this blog, and I figured, with the rise in popularity of blogs, that maybe I want to get back to it.
A lot has changed for me in the past 4 years. When I wrote last, I was just struggling to get through undergrad. The astute among you will notice I specified "undergrad". That would be because after suffering through that Hell, and coming out very well, I might add, I dove back into the fray.
In January of 2013, I pursued my Master's Degree. A significant set of trials later, I escaped clutching a tattered and worn degree, which I immediately put to good use.
So; 4 years later, I am:
-Fatter
-Happier
-Own a car
-Own a cat
-Have my own place
-Have control of my own future

So the tally is: some good, some bad, but overall better. There are a few things I would like to have; a partner and my own place (bigger), but those will come in time, I know.
I also wanted to start using this blog to chronicle my crafts. I bounce between them faster than an ADD squirrel hyped up on Ritalin, so if nothing else, this should be amusing. Currently, I have paused my crochet as it is too much for my hands, and focused on knitting and embroidery instead. In my family, there is a tradition of embroidery, on my great-grandma's side, but I never thought that I would be interested as it didn't seem to jive with my brain. However, it did. I found a pattern online that I loved, because I am an Addams' family nerd. This is the design:
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/32/61/d0/3261d0733ac3f6840d59cc5aafd87340.jpg
When I first started, I had no idea what I was doing. And no way to get my hands on the pattern. So I reverse engineered it (as I tend to do to most everything), and, because this is how my brain works, I had to make it better. The Latin used is wrong, and so I found the right translation, and used that instead.
Now comes the next step of the puzzle: To remake the pattern for my brother as a birthday present, either as a pillow or a wall-hanging, in silk and linen. This should be interesting.
Craft on! -Kat