The Stitcher Behind the Madness

Since this challenge as spread to individuals that I do not interact with on my cross stitching BBs (yippeeeeee!!!) I have decided to introduce myself. HasturTorres is my dachshund and he has gracefully allowed me to use his name on the internet. It took a couple dog cookies to pursuade him but in the end I am known as HasturTorres. Cherylann is the name that I go by outside of cyberspace. I am a Ph.D. student, which means I do not have a life. I work on my dissertation and stitch. Oh yeah, I do have husband, he helps me with my dissertation and he stitches. I taught him how to stitch about a year...someday he may finish a pattern. He owns three and thus will not be joining the challenge. He also knits and is absolutely adorable while doing so.
So what do I stitch? I am really fond of fantasy designs. I have stitched off and on since I was a youngester but did not catch the stitching obbession until I discovered Teresa Wentzler's work. I bought her collection of fantasy patterns and drooled but I was too scared to start any of them. I did pick up the Castle and Dragon petite kit. I have since started the project twice and never finished it. My petite Peacock has been UFO for over 5 years now. I don't even know where it has been. I find it sad that TW is one of my favorite designers and yet the only project of her's that I have ever finished has been You Were Hatched. You can find a picture of it in my webshots album- I have a link to the page listed. Heritage stitchcraft's Valerie Pfeiffer bird designs also sucked me into cross stiching. Pictures are not shown in my webshots album.
I have since found lots of designers to drool over. I love Dragon Dreams dragons. I adore Dracolair and enjoy of some of Enchanted Lair's designs. I also love Dimples Designs (Pangaea) insects. They are incredible and beautiful...insects are one of my passions. I spent several years studying fire ants (I used to blow them up in the name of research). I wish some one would come out with some realistic ant designs. Recently, I have fallen victim to the designs of Chatelaine. Must have them all....
I hope you all enjoy the new look of my blog. I spent a bit of time learning about HTML coding so I could make the changes. I must say I am proud of myself. For those of you who have joined my challenge- THANK YOU! The support is definetly needed. I am still fighting the urge to buy Dracolair's new Griffon Bookmark. I am hoping it passes. I have finished 5 projects...only 45 more to go. I do have some TWs and Dracolairs planned. So it will be years before I am off this challange but at least I will have stitched through a bunch of my stash.

50 Project Challenge Musings and Camera Grumblings

I have finished one-tenth of the challenge. I finished stitching Blackwork French Cow. I would post it but I need batteries for my camera. Argggh. I was just at the store earlier today. Argghh. I am also working on Chatelaine's Mini Mandala set 1 number 3. It is turning quite nicely. The colors are much more cheerful than the picture's depiction. It is also really simple. The geometric design is quite soothing to stitch and I enjoy the repetition of the pattern. I can memorize each element so I don't have to waste time staring at the chart.

I am also surprise with the ferver that my project challenge has caused. I enjoy seeing it pop up in random cross stitching blogs. I did not realize how quickly and wide this challenge would spread. I am overjoyed to have so many others joining me. The sad thing is that I have acquired 6 new charts since starting this challenge. All of them have been within the rules and thus I haven't fallen off this wagon. But still 6 new charts. :) Speaking of wagons. This challenge is posted on the Wagon BB and I also have my own forum (thanks to Dani) on the Needle and Thread BB. I am so excited to be a moderator. So thanks again for joining me on this quest to reduce pattern stash and the best of luck to you all. I promise to have some pictures up in the next several days.

Hastur's Insanity

I formally posted the rules for the 10, 25 or 50 project challenge. I am posting them below as a backup. Come join us in this insanity.

Due to the interest in the challenge I have decided to post a list of rules for it. There have also been requests for a smaller challenges (thanks xstitchqueen for drawing this to my attention). For those of you who would like to join the challenge but can't commit to the 50 project...there will be a 10 project and a 25 project challenge. If you would like to join us in one of these challenges please post your intent, exemptions and modifications. Also, some people have already created blogs as way tracking their progress. Bloggers if you would like to share your journey with us please post your addresses.

Purpose of the challenge: to [b]reduce[/b] the amount of patterns you have not stitched. This challenge can also be applied to other areas of you stash if you wish (please post your personal modification).

The Rules:

1. Have fun reducing your stash.

2. There is no time limit- people have different size projects they would like to work on.

3. Thou shall not purchase any new patterns until 10, 25, or 50 projects have been stitched. Pattern size does not matter.

4. This challenge can also apply to knitting, beading, sewing and crocheting patterns.

5. You can make some exemptions - I am not placing limitations on this due to commitments that people might already have. Remember, though, the goal of this challenge is to reduce stash so too many exemptions will sabotage these efforts. I have declared three exemptions.

6. Gifts, gift cards, trades, RAKs and patterns bought with gift money are not a violation of this challenge.

7. Freebies count as part of your total and you can aquire them at any point.

8. The offical start date of this challenge was Sept 1, 2006 since I have been posting about it for awhile and want to make sure the everyone's projects have been included.

I have posted all the rules that I can think of. Please let me know if there is a major oversight.

Hastur's Bane- The Final Chapter

Yesterday, I managed to get over my funk slightly and working on finishing another ornie. With the use of a different glue and thicker cording the process went much smoother. I also managed to line up the two cording ends really well and you can barely see it in the picture. (lower left hand side) I only cursed twice and burnt my fingers thrice. The pattern is Proof by Dragon Dreams.
Yesterday was my birthday and I got two patterns in the mail. One was Noon Basking by Dracolair that I had bid on before creating the 50 project and the other was a RAK. It is Why Hoarde Gold by Dragon Dreams. I love dragon patterns..can't you tell. Dracolair is coming out with a new bookmark of a Griffon. I want it so badly but I am on the wagon for a long time. Why couldn't it have come out last month when I could still buy it. This is the first time I am really feeling the pain of not being able to buy patterns for my stash. I am excited though. Five brave souls have taken me up on the 50 pattern completion challange. I have company in this momumental undertaking. Thank you for your support.

50 Project Countdown 48/50 remaining

Over One Adventures

This past week has been spent learning new stitching skills... aka... I was having strong masochistic tendencies. I decided I needed practice with over-one stitching. Of course I decide this in the middle of the night when I can't sleep though I am totally exhausted. After several minutes of stitching I get cocky. This over-one stuff is easy if you squint a little bit. Several more minutes pass and I realize that I have misplaced 9 stitches and have to frog. Ahhhh...I have now discovered the true annoyance of stitching over-one. I won't go into the gory details but it was truly awful. I finished Britty Kitty Christmas and started on Portrait of a Dog. For some reason I decide that stitching on it while slightly doped up on painkillers is a good idea...luckily it was. I finished the project and it looks fine.

The other masochistic thing I did this week was put myself on the wagon. Brillant idea... I of course can't do anything small. For some reason I decided that 50 was a good number. So now I have committed myself to stitching 50 projects before I can buy any more patterns. No time limit just finish 50 projects. Now the only way I can get new patterns is by gifts or trades. My dear precious husband...my birthday is on Thursday can I please have the new JCS ornie edition...PLEASE. I forgot to list it as one of my exceptions. My exceptions are new releases from Dragon Dreams (I am a DD whore and I need my fix), Chatelaine's sampler mystery, and Chatelaine's Japanese Octagonal Box. I can of course buy all the fibers and fabric I want....I am crazy but not completely insane. I do focus on starting projects that I already have the fabric for...which aren't too many given I don't usually kit up until I start a project. Does any one else care to join me on this demented quest to finish 50 projects before buying any more patternie goodness. Please someone join me in the madness. Little projects count, freebies count, gifts count...come on I double dare you.


50 Project countdown- 48/50

Hastur's Bane- Part 2

The pieces of the ornament held! Thus the final finishing step needed to be taken- the glueing of the trim. This step requires the dreaded glue gun again. With much cussing and gasps of pain- I managed to get the trim on the ornament. It looks okay...from distance. I learned that I need to use larger cord and that my glue gun ability should be given an F-. I couldn't squeeze the glue in a straight line to save my life. But it is done. Enjoy the pic. The ornament is called Traditions and it is from an JCS ornie edition.

Hastur's Bane

I definetly love the X- cross stitch that is. If I didn't I never would have attempted what I did tonight. I am in the process of finishing an ornament. My goodness, I am doing something crafty. Earlier I made my pilgrimage to Hobby Lobby and purchased three types of glue....spray adhesive, tacky glue, and a glue gun. Then I bought fabric for the first time. I also raced around the store looking for the appropriate filling only to discover it in the fabric section- imagine that.
About an hour or so I sat down at the table with my stitched piece- a small blackwork design- and assorted goods from HL. I survived the encounter. I did not cut myself...I did not glue my fingers together...and I only burnt myself once with the glue gun. I did purchase a low heat glue gun though for just that reason. My project is currently drying and in a couple hours I shall know if I did right- meaning when I take off the binder clips it does not fall apart. Midway through this process my dear sweet husband comes out- well I was screaming at him get the glue sticks...get the glue sticks. He comments "you are so funny, honey". Well thanks honey for laughing at me during this stressfull project. The real Hastur slept by my feet the entire time. I am sure he was laughing at me in his dreams. I unveil the picture of the completed ornament tomorrow. Above is a picture of my former kitchen table- now it is a disaster area.

Below is the real Hastur with his best monkey friend. Everyone say Ahhhhh!!!