Progression ....

if not of the stippled kind ...

Industrial needle-makers in Aachen donate funds for the restauration ofthe leaded windows in the Aachen cathedral

The city where I was born, Aachen, was a hub of the German textile industry due to soft water. Prym headquarters are just outside the city. The needle industry got together after WW2 to donate leaded windows for Aachen cathedral. During the last years of the war, the city with its high level of industrialisation was hit by bombers and 80% destroyed.

Check out more photos of the Aachener Dom on Flickr.com

Endlessly frustrated!

After almost a fortnight of involuntary abstinence, I returned to my sewing machine last night to continue stippling Caroline's Objects. With Shevvy's advice (stitch length = zero!), I checked the bobbin, the tension, I changed needles (the old one being as blunt as a cross stitch needle, oooops!) and went to work. And failed. Miserably. At times it appears the top thread is not catching the bottom thread. And at other times, the top thread simply rips. "At times" meaning about every inch or so.

So I decided to pack it all in and take my girl to the shop for a check-up. Because her performance got worse and worse over the past few weeks, a good clean and oil should do the trick, I hope.

Meanwhile I have two hand projects, finishing up "In the Pink" and the second granny square blanket. This should keep me busy!

This and that and the other

After all my complaining regarding stippling Caroline's Objects and receiving a very good tip (thanks, Shevvy!), I was ready to send the needle flying across this quilt and finally get it done. Instead I'm stuck on the sofa with a tummy bug and too weak (boo hoo) to sew. To keep me busy, I've picked up yet another project: a Granny Squary blanket to make a dent into all that yarn I purchased over the years:

The white was purchased when I was first pregnant eight years ago (eight? Oh my God!), I think I saw the multicoloured at a craft shop maybe 18 months ago and the source of the purple one remains unclear. I've noew used up almost half the multicoloured yarn, a sixth of the purple and about an eighth of the white. ... Should be interesting ...

Have I mentioned ...

... that I hate stippling? I'm still struggling with what is just a lapsize quilt. I'm not sure it's my lack of patience or a technical problem or what but the thread keeps ripping and the tension keeps go off on me. What a spectacular waste of time. But must be completed! Regardless!!!

The worst thing is that when it's going well I am really enjoying it.

Aaaargh, not for the faint-hearted or not-so-determined!

This stippling business is proving to be a Nightmare! It took me ages to sort out the tension and I'm guessing that different thickness of thread is not helping nor is my lack of patience. But I will keep at it and next time will use similar thread on both sides.

Spoonflower delivers!

The orange is somewhat off but that may have to do with uncalibrated TFTs. I think I will have to tweak the b/w photo somewhat because it seems pretty dingey and dark but then we're "all systems go"!