Pimp Stitch

 I used to LOVE the Pimp Stitch group back in the day.  They had a blog and featured embroidery designers, and also provided free (and some for sale) patterns that were just SO CUTE!! 

 

I’m taking you on a stroll with me… I was looking for my Kawaii Fruits embroidery pattern, because I discovered that I needed a password to access it.  I reached out to the shop owner and she no longer had the pattern or the password.  But I went down a rabbit hole that led me to my very old email address and there it was! 

I downloaded it to my computer and named it with the password as well because you can’t access it at all without the password.  I’m so happy to have it back!! Now if I could only get the goddamned printer to work…

Anyway, I was going through some of my old embroidery patterns that I have saved on my laptop, and I found one for a Holy Cupcake… by Pimp Stitch!  So I was like “OH RIGHT! I remember them!” I got so many free cute patterns from them back in the day when I first started embroidery in 2009.  Well, they have a Flickr page where people used to post their pictures. 

I haven’t been able to find another community like the ones back then.  Feeling Stitchy and Pimp Stitch were two of my favorite places to find patterns and inspiration.  The blogs are no longer active, sadly, but the archives are there!

And now I’ll leave you while I go down a rabbit hole of my own. 

R.I.P., Pimp Stitch.

Final Facebroidery (For Now)

 This is the last of the Facebroideries for now.  Green is my favorite color and I thought this piece of green fabric would be great for a green Facebroidery!

The Stick N Stitch is good for some things, but I think I may give it a rest for now and go back to tracing, and maybe just use Stick N Stitch for pieces with long straight lines or circles (you know, the things I can't trace worth a shit), because if I'm using a dark color over the lines, I can't really see how straight the stitches are.  Or maybe I can use it and just not do dark colors.  

Another issue is that I can't get the wrinkles out of the fabric after rinsing.  Anyway, I do think this one is pretty cute.   I chose to not fill in the eyes on this one. I like how they look a little hollow.  I also used some more etoile thread but as usual, the sparkles are not showing up in the photo.  It sure is pretty in real life, though!  

Recent Facebroideries

I have finished a few more Facebroideries, and I have one more to go and then I think I will have done most of the ones I really like. These will go in the giant collage that's in our bathroom.

I have really gotten the embroidery bug again, and I think it's due to reading over my old posts. I started that one in my early 30s and since I'm now in my late 40s so of course, I have grown in a lot of ways. I think back when I started this blog, I was trying to mimic other popular bloggers. Now, that's not at all important to me, and no one even reads this blog I'm sure, but I'm no longer doing it for others. I'm doing it for myself and if people happen upon it, that's great and if they don't, that's not a problem. Since embroidery and cross stitch are such a huge part of my life, I just like to have them to look back on, and to read what was going through my mind at the time I completed them. I have learned a lot since I started the blog. I try not to critique myself too harshly anymore, because who cares? It's something I do for fun. It's not a competition and I don't sell my pieces anymore. So what if there is a stitch out of place? I may, now and then, say something like "Oh the stitches are wonky" etc but... sometimes I may not! I try not to critique, I said. 

I feel like this one is just about perfect. I am happy about the colors I chose. This is the fabric I was talking about in my last entry, over which I probably narrowly avoided getting my ass kicked.

Stick N Stitch

I think I have talked about this before, but if you don't know, they make this stuff called Stick N Stitch. You can use your printer to make stick-on embroidery patterns, which eliminates having to trace them. It's a really cool thing. The only issue I have with it is that after I wash it off, some of my stitches are loose, as you can see in the picture below.  

The Witchy Stitcher Cryptid Stitch-Along: Jackalope

I finished this cutie from The Witchy Stitcher's Cryptid stitch-along. 

During the days of the Old West in Wyoming USA, when cowboys gathered by the campfires singing at night, Jackalopes (or Frankenstein Rabbits) could often be heard mimicking their voices.  It is said that they may be caught by putting a flask of whiskey out at night.  The Jackalope is described as a jackrabbit with antelope/pronghorn horns or deer antlers and sometimes a pheasant’s tail.  Scientists suspect that people who saw these horned rabbits actually saw creatures that were affected by a papilloma virus that causes horn-like bumps to grow from their heads.  – The Witchy Stitcher, Cryptid Wiki, All That’s Interesting

I found these great 4x6 frames at Hobby Lobby that fit these perfectly and I have been using them to frame each one of these. The only thing is that they are not meant to hang on the wall so when I hang them, they sometimes fall a little crooked. I may have to just glue hangers on these to hang them. There is a cute song about the Jackalope by Shonen Knife I wanted to post but I can't get the link to show up... if you wanna listen, just look up "Jackalope" by Shonen Knife. It's worth it. G'bye!

Weekend Stitches

Friday night, I stitched up two more ornaments from Wild Olive. I traced these, again, so the circles are wonky and I may actually do another one of each, because I can print it on Stick N Stitch and not have to worry about crappy lines and bad circles. On the little reindeer, I put teeny tiny white beads to look kind of like snowflakes and I like how they look!  

The C Word

I love "the C word"- Cunt, not the other one that kills people. I don't know why people are so offended by it. It's just another curse word. But it sure feels good to say it. I say it a lot. In Scotland, it's a term of endearment... kind of sometimes. Why do we hate it so much? ;) Of course, there are people who I will not say it in front of- children, my parents, old people, people who have told me specifically they find offense. But it's just a word... I dunno the big deal. I found this one online and copied it because I couldn't find the actual pattern to purchase.

Wild Olive Christmas Ornaments

 I have been working on my Christmas stitching and trying to get back into embroidery again, and I found these cute cute patterns from Wild Olive, so thought I'd give them a go.  I traced these rather than use Stick and Stitch so this is what I get. 

I'm not sure what I'll do with these because they're a little big to hang on a tree.  I'll figure something out!

I used some tiny beads for the snow on this one so it's extra special!  I may start adding beads on other ones for a little razzle dazzle.

Creepy Cute Stitches

In the spirit of the first day of October, I am posting creepy embroidery from back in the day. This one is from Wild Olive.  These are not really her style but I really love them!  I honestly don't remember when I did this one because I didn't take a pic of it for some reason until recently.  I remember doing it in the smaller apartment we lived in, in the Chevy Chase apartments in Austin, so I would estimate I did this one in 2010 or possibly 2011.  

The Witchy Stitcher Cryptid Stitch-Along: Frogman

 The Loveland Frogmen, also known as the Loveland Lizards, derive their name from the area they inhabit, which is Loveland, OH.  The amphibious anomalies have shocked and terrified kids, businessmen, farmers, and police officers.  Sightings began in 1955 and as recently as 2016.  They are bipedal frogs as made evident due to their leathery skin as well as their webbed hands and feet.  They have frog-like heads with wrinkly skin on tope of them.  They are reported to have the ability to use sticks like tools.  However, they also have another ability to use those sticks to emit sparks like a wand.  - The Witchy Stitcher, Cryptid Wiki, Charleston Terrors

Crybaby Cross Stitch

Sometimes I see a cross stitch piece that's only for sale in a kit or as a finished piece. I don't do the kits because I waste too much floss and stuff doing them, and I don't buy completed pieces because part of the joy of a cross stitch piece is knowing that I completed it myself. So I often find myself copying the piece and stitching it up for myself. I never sell them and I always give credit where credit is due. Sometimes I don't even post them. Crybaby crossstitch on Etsy has some great patterns. I think these are the first of hers I did. This one is a finished piece she is selling, but I wanted to stitch it up for myself. I was actually experimenting with marking the aida before doing the cross stitching and seeing if it would show through or not, so I grabbed a scrap piece of glittery aida and stitched it up. Then I decided well, I can't just leave it unfinished, but I couldn't find a hoop or frame that fit it, so I made a frame from Perler beads.

I purchased this pattern from Crybaby Cross stitch. I have several in queue to work on. I love the fabric. I purchased it at Needlewerkes in Copperas Cove years ago, but it was a smaller piece and I while I loved the color, it was kind of pricey and I was saving it for the perfect project. This was it.

More Spookies!

Here are some pieces I did last year. I did this one for my friend Lynn. I worked really hard on it, and she still hasn't framed it, which annoys me, because I feel like it's just gonna sit somewhere and not get framed but oh well.  Pattern by Night Spirit Studio

Wheel of the Year

I normally don't have the focus to work on something that is (or that I consider) stitch heavy.  I get bored easily and then put it off and since my brain won't usually allow me to start on a project before I finish the current one, I get in a stitch stop.  This one was a bit different, because I could set very clear goals on where to start and stop.  

This is the Wheel of the Year.  It's the 8 Pagan holidays celebrated each year.  I decided I really wanted to do a Wheel of the Year piece, and this one by The Witchy Stitcher is just beautiful!  So I said I would start one sabbat/holiday and aim to finish it by the time that sabbat/holiday rolled around.  The only one I didn't finish before was Ostara, that purple rabbit, and I actually started and finished it ON Ostara, so it counts!  SO it was basically 8 mini projects, plus the pentagram in the middle.  It took me less than a year to finish, because I started on Samhain around mid-October and finished Lughnasadh, the last one, in August.  So I guess technically that is the one I didn't finish on time but whatever.  It's done, and I really love how it came out.  

Very demure...

I am not up to date on all the memes and quotes people talk about, because I have my mind on other stuff and I don't always catch them. There was something going around about "Very demure, very mindful" that I still don't understand, and everyone is saying it. "See how I did blah blah? Very demure, very mindful." "See how I didn't scream at you before I had my coffee? Very demure, very mindful." Some of them are kind of funny. Julie Jackson of Subversive Cross Stitch came through again, and created this pattern. I have never stitched an alphabet like this. I think it looks really cool!

More Cate Anevski Love

Y'all know how much I love Cate Anevski's art, and how much I love to embroider it, and then how much I love to gush about how cute it is. Here are some more of her illustrations I have embroidered in tha past. These are just illustrations I got from her blog ages ago. I thought they were so cute, and she didn't sell them as a pattern, but I stitched them up for myself.

Sanrio San-x Bead Sprites

 I have found myself in a rabbit hole on Pinterest for Perler Bead stuff.  I found this guy.  I don't know who he is, but he's awfully cute.  He's a Sanrio San-X character but I don't know his name.  I made him in 8 different colors just because. I can't remember when I did this, but I wanted to memorialize them in my craft blog anyway. 

Stitches from the Past

I can't even think of any updates to make this interesting... So here are some newer pieces I've done. This is a Subsversive Cross Stitch piece I did for my BFF from high school. The day I gave it to her (Xmas 2023) was the last time I saw her. She disappears now and then and will resurface. I hope she resurfaces again, at least.

Live Laugh UGH.

Pattern by Perikahu on Etsy.  Fabric dyed by me.

Weekend Finishes

I finished two cool cross stitches this weekend! I used variegated floss for this one and I love how it came out! The pattern is by lagodargentoshop on Etsy and I dyed the fabric myself.  I like that little pink dot that somehow appeared during the dying process!

This one really spoke to me. I had a piece of green aida that was perfect for it! Pattern by BitchStitcheryCrafts.

8/1/24

It's August at last! I have a love-hate relationship with August. I love that it's the last official month of summer. Kids are going back to school and I love seeing all the school supplies in the stores. But it's also the hottest month of the year, and I hate summer. I'm gonna be honest about this one. I'm not a big fan. I course, I framed it wonky. For some reason, things look straight when I frame them but later on, I realize they're crooked. The pattern itself is not the issue. It was easy to follow and I think it's a pretty image. The pattern was made by Perihaku. What I don't like is my framing job. I may see if I can find a slightly smaller one and try to re-frame it.

Coven Sweet Coven

SundownStitcher on Etsy has some really cute patterns. Go check them out!  Here is one framed up in true Jonesy fashion- Crooked AF. 

As Above, So Below

As above, so below. What does this mean? There are several interpretations of this, but the one I most resonnate with is whatever you do in the physical world will reflect itself in the spiritual realm. This one is from The Witchy Stitcher. I didn't have a piece of black aida big enough but I had this nice big piece of grey and I think it looks awesome. There is some kind of back stitch across it as well but I don't like backstitch and I thought it kind of took away from the piece, so I left it out. I really love this one, and I managed to get it framed somewhat straight!

Ghostly Cute

I recently finished these two cute ghost stitches from AlliePaigeEmbroidery!  I dyed both pieces of fabric myself!

Nae Numpties

Another Scottish phrase from sonofacrossstitch. 

Hysterectomy Stitches

On May 2nd, I had a hysterectomy. One of the best decisions of my life. The recovery is going well. I haven't been in a lot of pain. Here are a few pieces I did while I was on the mend! I got this one from a book called Enchanted Cross Stitch.

This one is from AlliePaigeEmbroidery on Etsy. I want to take this to my parents and hang it up in our old house. Those were the good old days.

I saw this one as a finished piece, so I copied it for myself. You can get mad about it or not, I'm not selling it to anyone and I'm not taking credit for the design.  Pattern by FilthyStitchbyKT on Etsy. 

Trouser Hams

Another surprise for my sweet husband! We are fans of many shows, and The IT Crowd is one of them. I think we've watched the series about 6 times. We like to put it on between longer shows when we are cooking or something. There is an episode where Roy gets a massage and something bizarre happens. He sues the masseur in the courtroom during the trial, and proclaims...

Allen now not only has a collage of Valentine's Day art from me, he has started a collage of cross stitches I have done in his office. It means a lot to me :)

We've had one, yes. What about second breakfast?

I love The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy. I read the books as a kid and in high school, and again as the movies came out. I dream of having a Hobbit-like home. I'm short and I have hairy toes. I love eating and relaxing and being generally comfortable without a lot of drama. I love to garden. I love staying at home. Therefore, I have concluded that I am, myself, a hobbit. I wish I had picked another color on which to do this one, and I am actually not super happy with the bright colors on it, because it should be more hobbit-y but oh well. I do like this piece and it's now hanging in my kitchen. I also love how, in the movie The Fellowship of the Ring, how Pippin smugly says to Aragorn, about breakfast,  "Yes, we've had one.  But what about SECOND breakfast?" I think he's my favorite hobbit.

Pattern by AlitonEmbroidery on Etsy.   

Black Aida Stitching

When I started doing cross stitch, I don't remember it being very difficult for me to stitch on black aida. I did a few pieces on black and then went on to white and other colors. When I went back to black, I was like "HOW DO PEOPLE DO THIS???" Well, it's easy- you have a light under you and strap a light onto your head, and you get with it. This is the first one I've done on black in AGES. I thought it was so cute and I love how the black really makes it pop. I'm from the forest, and I love foresty cottagey things, including acorns. Pattern by Mamawitchcrossstitch on Etsy.

Baba Yaga

Ever heard of Baba Yaga? She's a witch from Slavic folklore and she lives in the forest in a hut that stands and moves on chicken legs. She travels in a mortar with a pestle and sweeps away her tracks with a broom so you can't find her. She's a really cool character. I have hoarded a few Baba Yaga patterns and some are big and elaborate, and I will do them one day. However, I just wanted something quick to do, so I found this cute colorful Baba Yaga hut by StitchSprout.  I dyed the fabric myself.

Lots of Purple Going On

I usually take a break from stitching after Christmas. Sometimes it's a couple of months and sometimes it's half a year. This year, I started up again in April. Here are a couple I have done so far this year, and there is a lot of purple in them... I guess I'm in my purple era: TheSpicyStitcher on Etsy  I dyed the fabric myself.

This is a Moon tarot card pattern design by lagodargentoshop on Etsy but I didn't feel like doing the entire thing, so I just did the moon phases.

Diamond Painting Out of the Box

I got into diamond painting kind of in 2021.  I started a huge project and eventually abandoned it, but then I finished it in 2023.  I learned my limits, and I just don't have the attention span to do a massive project.  

A company called Paint Gem came across my feed, and I decided to check them out.  They sell sets of very small projects to, and the kits include everything you need- the canvas, the little pen you use to pick up each tiny gem, the sticky stuff for it, etc.  I decided to check them out.  

I got a Halloween set, a tattoo set, a witchy set, and a mystery set was free with I think the tattoo one.  I have finished SEVERAL, but really don't know what to do with them, so they are sitting in the little boxes they came in.  

Then I saw someone had mounted a smaller piece on fabric, as if it was a cross stitch piece.  I thought that was a great idea, so I thought I'd try it.  I think it looks pretty cute!  This is from the witchy set.  I think I'll go back and mount some more of these on fabric!  

The Witchy Stitcher Cryptid Stitch-Along: Hopkinsville Goblin

The Hopkins Goblins are a reported real-world alien species and cryptid.  The first sighting was in 1955 near the towns of Kelly and Hopkinsville, KY.  They were reported to be small humanoids with goblin-like appearances, hence the name given to them.  They are described as either grey or green in color and have many superhuman abilities such as levitation and rapid speed.  - The Witchy Stitcher, Cryptid Wiki, Aliens Fandom, Kentucky Alliance

My Favorite Murder

I listen to several true crime podcasts, and My Favorite Murder is a classic. They have such great quotes, and they make such great cross stitch pieces. This pattern is by heartbakerdesigns on Etsy. It's the only one I am posting today.  I was supposed to give this to a friend but that never happened and now they moved so I kept it. 

Perler Art for the Queen of Halloween

 My good friend Haylan is the queen of Halloween.  She knows everything about the holiday.  She used to work at a Haunted House and Halloween museum.  Her costumes are always Hollywood-quality.  Her house is always decorated for Halloween but not in a chintzy cheesy way... I love it! 

Her birthday was recently and she had a tea party in celebration and forbade anyone to buy her gifts.  Okay... so I made her a gift!  It's sort of like a wreath but not really... I dunno.  I found all of these cool perler bead patterns on Pinterest and made them with my mini beads!  I found a big round wooden thing and painted it, and glued these little guys on with E-600 craft glue.  

I thought it came out really cute and it was so fun to make all these little things!

Snark is Good for the Soul

WillowburyOriginals

There is a cute little book by Rob Temple with this title. I created this pattern. I think...

I found this online but it wasn't available as a pattern, only as a finished piece and I wanted to do it myself, so I copied it like the asshole I am.

VanCityStitchCo

Favorite Bitch No More...

I had a BFF for a long time.  We met working in the mall in 1998 and were friends up until 2022.  I don't want to say anything negative, but we had a falling out and are at different places in life.  I wish no ill upon her, and I really do miss her, but the relationship became toxic and I can't invite that back into my peaceful life anymore.  

I made this for her.  I made quite a few cross stitches for her, actually and I always wonder what happened to them... 

She was my favorite bitch to bitch about bitches with... :(

Tattoo Perlers

When I was trying to decide what kind of perler bead thing to make my friend for her birthday celebration, I briefly thought about doing some tattoo flash and posting it on a canvas to look like they do in the tattoo shops.  Then I realized... she's not really a tattoo girl.  She has some but she's not super into them, so that wasn't the best idea.  However, I thought it may be fun to do for myself! I purchased a tattoo cross stitch patten from Stitchrovia on Etsy and I did these from the mini beads.  I'm not sure what I'll do with them, but these are fun to do, so who cares?? 

2024!!

It's Feb already! And I haven't posted all year! Well, to kick off 2024's sporadic blogging, here are some older cross stitches I've done! 

Pattern by VanCityStitchCo and I used the DMC Charles Craft printed aida in the orange color they make.

I made this pattern! It's a popular Scottish saying.

This one is by Beast or God.  I dyed the aida myself.  You can't really see the color differences in this one very well, because the grey came out a little lighter than I had hoped, but that's not really a bad thing. 

And this is from Crybaby Cross Stitch on Etsy.