Show Your Stash: Threads

Over at Stitch Bitch, Anna is asking us to show our thread stash.  Seemed like a fun thing, so here goes!

What thread do you usually stitch with? I use DMC cotton floss primarily but I’ve recently purchased some Weeks Dye Works and The Gentle Art overdyed floss for a few projects which is really lovely to stitch with.  But DMC is readily available and not expensive so it's what I use the most.

When you shop for threads, do you buy on impulse or do you buy only what you need?  I have a lot of threads so I don’t really buy anymore unless I’ve run out of a particular color.

How do you sort it?  Since I embroider more than I cross stitch (even though I’ve been cross stitching way more these days) I've sorted everything by color so when I’m looking for pink, I can look at all the pinks together to decide which shade will work best.  It does make it a bit difficult to look for colors by number though when I’m kitting up a cross stitch project.  I’ve spent a lot of time looking for a certain color, knowing I most likely have it, but just don’t know what color I sorted it with.  If I win the lottery, I will buy all the DMC colors and sort them by number and have another set to sort by colors.  How wonderful would that be!! 

My stash!!

 How do you store your thread?  I use the little bobbins for my DMC and store them in the little plastic boxes.  I also have a large plastic bag that I have some specialty threads in—like my metallic, linen, variegated etc.  I could probably use another plastic box for those now.  I use the metal rings when I kit up a project to keep them all together.

What tips do you have for building a stash? Look for sales.  Every once in a blue moon, the craft stores will run a sale on DMC.  A few years ago, AC Moore had them for 4 for a $1!  I stocked up on a bunch of floss then.  Also, you never know what you find at thrift stores and yard sales. 

I store all my boxes in this storage cube beside the couch which is where I do most of my stitching

 How much is too much? Never too much.

How do you whittle your stash down when it's gotten too large? See above answer.

Do you have a current favorite in your stash? Let’s see it!  I’m loving Bubblegum from Weeks Dye Works right now.  Such a fun, bright pink! 

Go ahead and show your thread stash! Link your post in the comment section of this post to link up!

Thrifty Thursday: Shroomin'

I found a cute needlepoint mushroom recently. 

I think it goes great with these mushroom canisters my mom found for me! 

  Have you found any thrifty goodies lately?

Thrifty Thursday: The Captain and His Sea Monsters

Hey folks!  I'm going to try something new here on the blog called Thrifty Thursday, where I can share some of the neato things I pick up at thrift stores. I don't know about you, but I love a good thrift find! Especially stitchy goodies!  So today I wanted to share a pretty fab cross stitch I found recently.

Check out this amazing piece!  It's quite large as well.  I know it took a long time to stitch this design. The frame is a bit dingy, but the stitching is perfect. 

The poem says, "The captain hangs great bells to keep whales and monsters from his ship".

I love the details of the rope and what I'm assuming is the captain hard at work. 

I don't know what it is about this piece but I just had to have it.  It's so different, definitely not anything I would stitch for myself, but I love the details and sea creatures.  It's just a wonderful piece.  If you have any information about this design, please share. I'd love to find out more about it. 

Have you scored anything at the thrifts lately?  Do share!

It's beginning to look a lot like...well you know!

Oh how I love Christmas!  It's my favorite time of the year, for sure.  I love the decorations, the songs and the time with family and friends.  I thought I'd share some great Christmas thrifty finds I've gotten over the past few months or so. I've also been working away on the Santa cross stitch I last updated here.  So here we go!

Beautiful vintage angel.  She reminds me of these dolls!

I could not resist this little angel ornament!  Eek!!

I thought these were pretty great.  A few fabric sheets of ornaments to stitch together--just cut them out and stitch them up!

This stocking has a little doll attached to it, and she comes out so you can play with her!

A few needlepoint plastic canvas ornaments and the awesome Rudolph refrigerator magnet!

These amazing vintage Santa's and a reindeer.  Again, I just couldn't pass them up!!  I will have to research these a bit.  I'm very curious about the year of these.

Another needlepoint plastic canvas wall hanger. 

Here's my tree for the year.  I ended up just putting up my little pink tree this year because it's all I had the energy for.  I usually have a large, beautiful white tree that I put up.  You may notice the wee little angel on top and several plastic canvas ornaments that my grandmother gave me.   I also found that small, green fabric tree while thrifting.

Here's the progress of the Three Santas cross stitch.  I've just got one more Santa to go!

I'm also pretty sure that I've decided to make a wreath out of the balls like here.  I really hope I find the time to do it.  I've got so many balls and I just don't ever seem to use them all on the tree.  Are you all decorated and ready to go! 

Thrifty bits and birthday gifts

My birthday was over a month ago and I'm finally getting around to sharing a few gifts I received!  So here goes along with some of my latest thrifty finds.

 
My mom gave me this lovely blanket.  It has wool fabric squares that are crocheted together.  It's huge and I love it!

 So does Maggie.

 Mom also got me this vintage sewing basket.  It's super cute and will be great for traveling with embroidery projects.

 I've added to my milk glass collection.  I bought a couple of these and my mom gave me one.  My mom-in-law gave me the little shoe for my birthday!  How adorable!

 

I got Maggie another blanket.  She seems to like crocheted blankets as much as I do!

 This beautiful embroidered piece with a sweet senorita being serenaded.  

 This is stitched so well.

 

Have you scored some thrifty goodies lately?

Side note: As I was bringing in some of my plants, I found this little guy living under one of my pots.  Tiny and cute!

Thrifty treasures

Here's a few things I've purchased at the thrifts lately... 

Another "big-eyed" kid picture for my collection.

This super cute paint-by number painting.  How adorable is this puppy and kitty??

This lovely needlepoint.  Love the oval frame.

I love the simplicity of the design,  Very pretty.

A hand-painted wooden plate.  I love the scene painted onto this.

OK another quick post and I'm off.  Later dudes!

More thrift scores

Some more great thrift store crafty finds!

Halloween cross stitch patterns!  They were either a quarter or fifty cent!

Including The Frankster--which I just had to get.

Some random cross stitch patterns.

Some embroidery transfers for fifty cents each!

Some more amazing embroidered/crocheted linens.

This one is a stamped piece---not quite finished.

This one is so beautifully done.

A nice crocheted throw

In other news:  

*I am pretty much obsessed with Bon Iver at the moment.  The newest album is so beautiful. 

*I finally finished reading The Princess Bride.  I've been reading it on and off for a while now.  It was quite good with many more details than the movie.

*Colby has to do an experiment with crickets for one of his animal classes so we now have crickets in our house.  It's actually kinda neat watching them and I can now tell a female cricket apart from from a make cricket.

*I'm longing for a journey...I totally blame the song below....I've been obsessively listening it to it lately for some reason...it's reminding me of Alaska.