Gettin' in the spirit!

OK so I haven't posted an update in a few weeks, but that is certainly NOT because we were not in action!

Now that it's December the bitch and stitch has more steam than ever! 

Here's a peek at what we've been up to:

Carmen wowed us with an amazing wreath, started and completed all in one bitch and stitch!  

Good work girl!  Hard work is a reward in itself!  And as my reward I am going to keep the extension cord you left at my place.... everyone wins!

Jacquie was spread out on the floor snipping, cutting, getting distracted by interesting magazine articles, but eventually gettting back on track and arming herself with all the card making goodies needed for now.

And I've already reaped the rewards!   Gotta love homemade cards (especially with images offolks impailing eachother!)

Tea cozy madness is still in full swing with Vanessa.  The prototype has been fun for us to watch and add our little hints in here and there, and to see how steady her stitching hand is.  I love how it's coming along, and it should be a great excuse to brew up a nice pot of tea!

Elaine has been knitting her heart out on these cute little chair socks...to keep my floor from scuffing as I shuffle from the glue side of the table to the glitter side of the table and which fit Alejandros big toes just perfectly!  hee hee

They are absolutely awesome!  Thanks Elaine!

And me?  I am still working on the epic tablecloth pictured a couple posts ago, and also getting set for the big wedding.  It's all coming along nicely (except for the friggin' veil which is persistently uncooperative) but I will wrestle it into submission yet!

Only a few more weeks to finish those gifts - so it will be full steam ahead for the next little bit! 

See ya on Wednesday!

shit disturbin'

Sandra, Sandra, Sandra...
The heroic David(ette) up against a bunch of cranky, giant, business card hurling, pager wearing, key jingling Goliath team of Manitoban realestate agents! Your homemade sign, no matter how fancy, won't save you now.  I say break the sign off the post and stab the steak through its empty heart cavity until it empties of all its hot air and inflated sense of worth!
And I will help the cause by making snarky remarks about the blazer wearing demons whenever possible!
Oh and sending everyone to see the full story over at the CBC.

Maybe we will see you at the Nov 10 Bitch and Stitch, and can help you reload and win this one!
B&S this time in Wolseley with Vanessa... check your inbox for more details.

Full steam ahead!

Wow... its been over a month of the Bitch and Stitch and I am loving it!!!  There has been such a nice rotation of stitchers involved, and having a standing date "vale la pena" (is worth the effort!)

It's easier than we think to go about our day to day errands and work, unfortunately prioiritizing other things ahead of keeping in touch with friends, but this is a great way to make sure that friends stay on the weekly agenda!  At least that's what I am finding, and loving MOST about the B&S!

So thanks to all the 'bitches' who keep it going!

Last week Vanessa joined us for the first time, and took a considerable chunk of conceptual work out of her tea pot cozy project.  What she put together so far looks great!!  And I think that I might have to get a tea pot cozy going myself!  Plus we found a great little anarchist tea cozy cross stitch pattern with Jacquie a few weeks ago, so there might even be a tea cozy show off in the future!

But back to the here and now!

This weekend Elaine and I headed out to The Manitoba Crafts Museum and Library Fundraiser - brunch and craft learning event.  It was a  great way to get out of the house, go check out the Crafts museum, nibble on snacks  and try some new crafts. 

We started out at the braiding station and jumped right into learning an 11 strand Algerian braid - That's right ELEVEN STRANDS!  And it was pretty smooth sailing after we got the hang of it!

While I puttered away on that Elaine learned another braid using five loops of yarn... pretty neat stuff, and very rhythmic! 

As we braided away, sipped on coffee and chatted with the other crafters there, my attention kept getting sucked back to the felting table.  Felting!  I have recently been so curious about felting, and here was the opportunity to try it out!  Poor Elaine told me I reminded her of her beautiful but wild at heart husky who cannot keep it together if there is a squirrel or rabbit or anything that moves near by.  Try as hard as he might, he just can't collect himself and resist the urge to chase.  ...Well that was me with the felting.
Finally we went over and tried our hand at it!
Its hard to describe, so take a look, then ask for details at the next Bitch and Stitch.
ha ha ha ha  Bait and Hook!

Thats all for now, this week we meet in St.James, I will send out a map of exactly where!

agenda motion passed

Elaine and I passed the motion that our new symbol is the Rolling Stones neon light that I proudly own, but sadly store in a closet.  It will be the mark of the stitchers! and we will throw it in the window of the host of the week, to guide us and our needles and yarn into the right living room!  WOO HOO  (I knew there would be someway to incorporate into my adult life!!!)

Now back to regular business:
I get so wrapped up in stitching my little heart out that sometimes I completely forget to snap pics of the good work we are up to.  So you will just have to rely in the following description.
(based entirely on the meeting minutes of course!)

In the last two weeks Jacquie learned to embroider and invented a great new gel nail treatment consisting of french knots and glitter, she will no doubt proudly model this at the next B&S she attends.  Kara finished three intricate christmas stockings in a manner of hours, and is now starting on a santa suit done completely in 14kt gold thread (modeling optional.) Elaine planted tulips in my couch for the next spring and then knitted a cover to protect them from the hard asses that occupy my couch on Wednesday nights. And I, after making the perfect Pavlova for my guests, finally finished that Gustav Klimpt cross stitch with all 136 colours of embroidery floss, now just to stitch it to my Super Cape and I am all set!

Well at least thats how I remember it!  Guess you'll have to get your butts down here to see for yourself next time!


But since I don't have any pics I thought I might show you where to find some in case you are ever in need of material in which to waste time on the internet one slow work day:

• Feeling Stitchy is fun, and has some pretty cute finished projects ranging in degrees of difficulty.  Cross stitch and embroidery heavy, just the way I like it.
• For those of you ready for more challenging inspiration and seriously jaw dropping stitchery, head over to Mr. X Stitch!  (If Amy Goodman is my un-official internet girlfriend, then Mr.X Stitch is my un-official internet boyfriend... gotta be fair right!)
• For DIY fashion and style check out Threadbangers.  Lots of good stuff for sewing fanatics or beginners!  Plus great ways to recycle old clothes into new looks!
• Vintage Transfer Finds will make you want to learn to embroider TODAY in case it is further down on your life list than that!  The warning on the site reads:  So cute they can hurt you... so I warned ya!
• Cross stich text... you type it, they pattern it.  Perfect!
• And seeing as the holidays are slowly creeping their way ever closer, if you don't already know about Etsy...GET ON BOARD!  It is the best gift buying tool (not to mention idea borrowing) on the net!  There is nothing that you cannot get from somebody creative on Etsy.  I live by it, so go check it out!  And if you want to see my personal Etsy faves, here they are!

Now get off the net, grab you needles and head on down to my place.... the Pavlova is almost set!

Shauna

takin' it to st.james!





Happy Birthday Breanne!

 In case you were on the edge of your seat wondering what was so under wraps in the last post, it was this lovely little  pair of vintage embroidery patterns, finished (almost) in time for Breanne's bitrthday.  Happy hunting for a hanging spot!

But now back to business, the stitching and the bitching continues!  This week in St.James.
Elaine was generous enough to offer her new digs as a home base, and what a treat it was.  They had the record player warmed up well before I arrived, and we kept it going to motivate the wok.  Scotty made a comment that we had some pretty psychodelic stitching going on when The Wall was spinning the tunes!  But we drew the line at Rush!

Anyways, it was a party of three, well four if you count Scotty (but then it starts to look like a crowded episode of Three's Company!)  Elaine knitted, I cross stitched and Sandra sketched.  It was a nicely balaned spread, really.

my on-going table cloth project

tea bag holder and cell phone holder made by Elaine

Elaine at work

Conversation was lively!  All you absent stitchers missed some pretty bitchy conversations about the current school system, the much over played long gun registry, where the bodies in theBodies exhibit probably really come from, and then the good old cycle of vicitimization and abuse even crept in there!  Then somehow by the end of the night it was right down to talk of hunting spots and gun models REALLY!




This ain't your aunt Emma's bitch and stitch... so this Wednesday, Sept 29 we are headed back to St. Boniface to pick up where we left off.  Bring your needles and yarn, and all those chips on your shoulder (those without any have to then bring the Old Dutch variety!)

We're off and running now!

Hangers and embroidery and knitting, oh my!

Thanks to Jacquie, Elaine and Sandra for heading over with supplies and projects in hand, great nuggets of conversation to share and an enthusiasm for all things stitchy and/or bitchy!  Our first night was a great start and while we all took a considerable chunk out of our crafty projects, we also got to network, share ideas and chat about anything that came to mind!
It's so funny how quickly we began to realize how much we had in common!  The housing market, mindful eating, ethical purchasing, and eyelash extensions were all on the table!

Here are the fruits of our work:

Jacquie's knitted hat - Happy Birthday Jacquie's Mom!

Elaine's knitting to contibute to Nuit Blanche - Knit the Bridge

For more info on that one see Free Press article with some dick heads commenting on the project. All but one dick head commentator!  Check it out and get knitting!

Sandra's camo braided hangers done with funky felt wool.

And what I was working on is still under-wraps (birthday wrap that is!) but I can show you these fabulous little bloomers I was creating this week to prepare for the November craft show season!

Next Wednesday we are at it again, though rotating the venue (and snooping in Elaine's new house at the same time!)  If you are in the B&S loop check your email shortly, you'll get all the info you need to join in on the fun!

Let's get stitchin'!

          There once was a girl who could stitch,

          She looked for a free night in which,

          she could call up the gals,

          (her other stitchy pals,)

          Who'd come over to giggle and bitch. 

(and maybe help her finish off a few cold ones too!) ... multi-tasking!

So it's time for the inaugural bitch and stitch night, ready?

Dig through your aida cloth and floss, your scissors and glue, your needles and yarn, your paper and embelishments, and get over here Wednesday, Sept 15.  Let's say 7pm to whenever.

...

Here is a little video: CRAFT TALK for those of who who are wondering what a bitch and stitch is like.   It's pretty much EXACTLY what we will be up to on Wednesday night (except there may be a little more eyeshadow invloved in our model.  But we'll be Craft Talkin' fo sho yo!