Weekly Update and New Starts?

Since (technically) I'm supposed to be switching projects every Sunday, I'm going to try to make Monday my weekly stitching update. I planned to spend the week on Evil Queen but, of course, I didn't do that. I did start gathering for some new starts (I can't believe how expensive this hobby is), but more on that later. As I was loading some of the new projects into Markup R-XP, I noticed I had loaded Evil Queen wrong. I had forgotten to exclude the page runover. I had to reload it, which changed, not only how much I had already stitched, but the total stitch count. At least for now, I'm not going to give totals on this one because I didn't do this change until after I had stopped stitching for the week. Next time this circles around, I'll give the totals as new. I left off here:

All the black background was wearing me out, which is why I didn't switch to Hook and its all white background. The only spec I can give is the time, an additional 5.49 hrs for a total of 23.12 hrs.

I ended up switching to The Blue Marble is So Fragile by Unconventional X Stitch and artist Borda Danut Adrian. It was one of my Leap Year New Starts for 2024. Since it's been a while, here is what it will look like:

It's one of the two projects I have in Q-Snaps because they were too big for scroll rods (I hate Q-Snaps). I left off here on 2-28-2024 and had only completed 0.85 hrs (161 stitches out of 298,350 or 0.05%)

I probably spent more time fighting with the snaps than stitching (did I mention I hate Q-Snaps?), but it did get a bit better when I moved the stitch area down. I added 11.25 hrs (a total of 12.1 hrs), another 2572 stitches (a total of 2733/298,350), and am now at 0.92%. The funny thing about this one is how tiny each page is. What you are seeing here is almost a full two pages!

Instead of being smart and switching to something easier, my brain was very much "let's get the Q-Snap debacle over with" and moved back to the biggest project I have, SS/MC Once Upon A Fairytale, an Aimee Stewart by HAED (have I mentioned I hate Q-Snaps yet?). This project could not be moved down in the snaps. As a reminder, here it is:

The multitude of projects I started on the 28th of February 2024 just to get them under the gun for the Leap Year starts meant I didn't get very far into any of them. I only did 1.53 hrs and 275 stitches for its first run:

And, even though I only have yesterday's progress to show, I put in another 6.58 hrs (a total of 8.12 hrs), another 1475 stitches (for a total of 1750/713,265 stitches) and am currently at 0.25%. Usually Sundays means 8-10 hrs, but my arms (and my brain) were tired of Q-Snap-gate. This one is already warping under the snaps and, to add to the Q-Snap hate list, even with snap extenders, the fabric is so large, it has a LOT of excess fabric on the side and bottom, which can't really be folded, so it's all scrunched up. OCD nightmare! Here is where I am now:

I have to get these two projects on scroll rods. I've already tried to make my own (massive failure), so that idea is nixed. It's been a journey to even find scroll rods at least 48" long (both Fairytale and a new start need rods that big). I'm still shopping around, but the options are limited and not cheap, plus, my newish stand won't hold scroll rods that long (it already tips with the too small 30" rods on Sleepy Hollow, that project really needs 36") and it HATES snaps as much as I do. I'll need yet another floor stand that has a center mount system. That cheap floor center mount from Hobby Lobby won't cut it because it's not tall enough or stretches over wide enough for my chair (or the couch for that matter). I have one from the 90's (the design hasn't changed) and I did try, hence failure.

Which leads me into my new projects...I had decided on ONE kit (that number will be important later) and two PDF patterns from my stash, ones I debated during my 2024 Leap Year starts, but ultimately decided against...a decision that has haunted me ever since. I ordered the thread, no problem (although don't get me started on prices). The fabric was another issue. I ended up having to get the easy guide from HAED (and only because 123 Stitch was out of stock), but I didn't figure right and only ordered fabric for the actual size of the stitch and not a 2" border all around, meaning I should have ordered the middle and largest sizes instead of the smallest and middle. I went back to HAED to order the bigger piece, but they wanted $24 in shipping...ridiculous considering the largest piece of fabric couldn't weigh as much as the smallest and middle pieces put together (that shipping was $10). I eventually found it cheaper on ABC Stitch Therapy (both cost and shipping), but it didn't say backordered until AFTER I ordered it, so it's now in waiting mode. If I wasn't so addicted to the easy guide fabric, this would be a non-issue. I probably have enough fabric in stash, but alas, I get set in my ways. Maybe I can use the smallest fabric for something else. I'm not in a hurry to start them anyway but, in case you were wondering what the new projects are (and I don't think one of these will be a surprise), it's Strangely Lonely a JBG by HAED:

And A Discovery of Witches by Modern Cross Stitch, which will be my second largest piece once I started it, at 499,999 stitches and the one missing some thread because the directions didn't give stitch counts (so I either had to guess, or didn't want to overshoot) and is also the one I still need to get that large fabric for:

Then I had to choose the kitted project. The first option was Amour et Vengeance from Dailen Ogden and GeckoRouge (although not my original option for Leap Year, that one is #2). I had originally nixed this one because I was already doing a Hook stitch, but oh well. I'll still need to buy new fabric because it comes with 25ct, which just isn't my jam, but I'll figure that out later (and, unfortunately, the smallest piece I bought from HAED is 2" too short on either side):

Choice 2: Kitchen Fun, which is a Design Works project. I've already stitched this in my youth but, thanks to my ex-husband, it came to a grizzly end. Years ago I found the kit on eBay, and it's been in my stash ever since. I actually have the whole set of the Design Works mouse kits. I've finished Tea Time already, but there are still several and, like the DoNa Stitches princesses, I'd like to get them framed all at once so they match. After years of full coverage pieces, half and quarter stitches and backstitching will be a pain, but this is an easy enough pattern. And, 14ct, sheesh! This kit is pretty old and I'm not sure if the fabric and/or floss needs to be replaced, but the floss will definitely need to be sorted. I remember that process taking for-ev-ah! It might just be easier to use my nicely-labeled stash floss rather than trying to sort through a pile of unlabeled thread. You can tell that non-stitchers created these old kits, am I right? At least now kit floss is (usually) sorted.

Choice 3: Garden Path by Monet and Yiota's X Stitch. This was from when Yiota's just started and she sent a bunch of kits to bloggers for review (including myself). Blogger threw a fit and asked her to have everyone remove their reviews, but I don't think I did...it was an honest review about the kit only, so why should I remove it? Plus, I just don't like being told what to do. I figure it's about time I actually stitched it. I've had it for literal years and it's not really that big, so why not? I'm not sure what fabric it comes with, but I'll be doing it on 28ct, so it will barely be 12x12, just a hair bigger than Faces of Faery 167. The thread is on bobbin cards, so it should be fine.

And last, but certainly not least, choice 4 was The English Garden, a kit I've had since the 80's and possibly my oldest stash. I'll probably also have to replace both the fabric and the thread for this. They have been literally sitting around for over 40+ years and I can guarantee the floss isn't sorted. How did we manage back in the day with a pile of floss shoved in a bag? I remember the reason why I never did this originally was because it was 18ct and I was scared of it! Funny now that my preferred fabric is 28ct!

I scanned all of them in and created PDF's because I wanted to see how they'd load in Markup R-XP, a step that was going to determine which kit I chose, but I think the whole process of scanning (copying in the case of Kitchen Fun and then scanning), etc, got me pumped to start them all! Bad me! Between the money I've already spent on floss and fabric, adding the already needed scroll rods (not to mention the ones not originally factored in for the kits) and a new stand will be outrageous! If I were a patient person, I'd buy new rods a bit at a time and add the stand last. But patience is NOT one of my virtues (says the multi-year cross stitcher). I want it all NOW! Oh well, who knows if I'll live long enough to finish any of my WIPs anyway! As Wilma Flintstone and Betty Rubble used to say "CHARGE IT!". How do people with 100's of WIPs afford it?

Focus=Low, Drive=High

For someone with the attention span of a gnat, I'm still making progress on stitching. I think both my ADHD and OCD are kicking into gear, so it's causing me to stitch almost everyday even though I can't pay enough attention to make much progress. I tried really hard to work on Faces 167, but I literally couldn't see it! I already had an eye doctor's appointment this week, so maybe I can get it straightened out next time this one rolls around. I should have never tried 32ct, it was a test run for the SS/MC bookshelves (which I didn't want to be gigantic, but I started the first one on 28ct anyway, so why did I torture myself with a test run that would be a total project?). Oh well, lesson learned! As I mentioned in my last post, I left off on this one on Jan 29th, 2024 with 14,533 stitches done out of 50,175, which makes a total 28.96% done (as well as 68.43 hrs in):

I literally worked on it for one night, moving up to only 14,817/50,175 (or 284 stitches) and another 1.84 hrs of stitching (I think I spent more time squinting than stitching, which is what you'll have to do to see the progress):

I gave up and decided on Sleepy Hollow Mural by Lewis T. Johnson, another HAED (I've been on HAED kick I guess). I left off on this one Feb 11, 2024, 10,407 stitches in out of 246,000, or 4.23% and 150.93 hrs.

The issue with this one is it is so dad-gum wide! I thought it would be easier if it was on scroll rods instead of a q-snap (I still can't get the hang of q-snaps), but apparently not. The q-snaps really warped the fabric as well, probably because I'm not good at using them. I had issue mounting Sleepy Hollow on my newish stand because it kept tipping over due to the width and the weight of it, so I put it in the stand that these particular scroll rods go on, but it's a center-mount lap stand that doesn't work well when you have a pup sitting between your legs. I literally have to sit the stand on his back, which he doesn't mind, but it makes me uncomfortable and constantly aware of the pressure I use. He is, afterall, only 9lbs and really old. I think he thinks of it as shiatsu-Shih-Tzu massage...I personally wouldn't like it if there was this constantly-moving, twice-my-size, wooden cross stitch stand moving all over my back. And it's not like I can put him down, he just sits in the floor in front of me and barks until I pick him up again. Spoiled brat! After two days of fighting with it and him (technically three, but you'll see in a mo-mo), I gave up on this one too at 11,958/246,000 (or 1551 stitches in), or 4.86%. It was an additional 6.49 hrs, making it a total of 157.42, but the third day was only composed of 0.08 hrs, so that's why I'm only counting two days on this one (and here it is in all its wide glory):

Friday night was a tornado night (it's that season again), so I was paying more attention to the weather instead of stitching. Saturday, I spent the day cleaning carpets, washing various blankets and whatnots, and putting down the new throw rugs I bought weeks ago. I also went through all the pending printed cross stitch patterns that have been sitting in a box in my entryway for over a year or maybe two. I sorted them into their various binders as well as ordering new binders for the ones that were left (not that there is room on those shelves for more binders, so I guess they will all live in the closet). Overall, it was just a crappy day for stitching. I did, however, pick up Evil Queen, which is a pattern from Thread Geeks, late on Saturday. I last left off on her on Feb 26, 2024 (one of my leap year starts) and she previously only got one day of love, which got her 3.7 hrs, 934 stitches out of 86,688 and 1.08%.

Since I only stitched a bit Saturday night, I was super-determined on Sunday and did a pretty good job, if I do say so myself! I'm sure it's because this one is a non-dithered pattern, but I literally put in 13.92 hrs Sat night and all day Sunday (and 10.5 hrs of that was Sunday alone). I'm now up to 4595/86,688 (or 3661 more stitches) which is 5.3%:

Regina is my project for this week, but I'm just gonna take it day by day (I could literally change projects tonight if the mood hits, and I'm just going with that mentality). The thing about this one that bugs me is it's all greens and tans and blacks, even though the mockup looks all blues and purples and pinks and blacks (and the purple-blue family are technically more in Regina's wheelhouse anyway):

I would chalk it up to not being at the purple-blue area yet, but there is not a single thread in the box for those shades. I'm really curious to see how it's going to turn out and I'm a bit worried as well. I would hate to get pretty far into this and realize all the colors are off (another Alice and the B's quandry). Oh well, we'll see how this week goes. I still have numerous stitch projects I haven't touched yet before I rotate back around again. Plus, as of now, all that area to the far left on Regina is nothing but black, and I'm not sure I want to get into another Hook issue where I'm stitching nothing but a solid background (and Hook will be coming up soon because the background triggered me).

Speaking of Hook, the issue with it is, I'm constantly thinking I should restart it on white and just ignore the background instead of stitching it. But I also don't want to get far enough in (like Snow White) where I can't go back because I'm too far gone. Plus, I'm thinking about the other three that make up this set (there is a Jefferson, August and Graham to match and do I really want to do all this background stitching three more times?). I left off on Hook by Tilton Crafts on Feb 1st, 2024 at 61.1 hrs in, 14,418/148,750 stitches in or 9.69%:

But, as you can see, there is still a ton more white to do yet. Ugh. I'm just not ready to let it go and start over though. I just keep thinking (and probably stupidly), what an accomplishment all that background stitching will be and how amazing it will look when finished (again, probably a stupid thought). I wish "work smarter not harder" was my motto, but apparently I missed the day they handed out "logical goals".

And, just for reminder, here is Hook, followed by Jefferson, Graham and August (and that's a LOT of white):

Here's something I need your guys help with...how do you exclusively use electronic patterns? I'm still stuck in paper world (hence the bindering up of patterns on Saturday). Since I stitch two-handed on scroll rods, they cover my legs completely and block my view of the tablet. I keep the paper copy clipped to the top with a hair clip and can use my right hand well enough to mark off with a colored crayon (but there is no way my right is dexterous enough to use an iPencil on an iPad). The paper pattern is constantly in my face and makes it easy for my eyes to shift back and forth, whereas I only use the tablet to keep track of progress by marking off the stitching at the end of the night and clocking in and out of a time keeper app for time. The project isn't strong enough to hold the iPad and I can't see a smaller Android tablet (and I don't like them, I just live in Apple world). I can't stitch one-handed anymore because, well, it's way slower, and my right hand just cramps closed around it and I have to pry it open (and it hurts). That's the reason why I had to stop playing video games, the neuropathy keeps me from knowing how hard I'm gripping something. Do you guys use a tablet stand? Not that I have any room on the left for it, but if I thought it would work, I could try it. Do you just keep pulling the tablet up and down? I can't be the only person that works two-handed, am I? Any thoughts or ideas you have would be greatly appreciated!

Moving along slowly and Etsy seller issues

I haven't been in a stitching mood lately. In the past week, I've only stitched two days on Harry Potter Bookshelf. I slept through most of Saturday, and when I did finally get up, I ended up putting together a 3-D puzzle. Anyone guess what it is?

I did stitch almost a full day on Sunday, but I did have a lot of distractions. I left off on HP here last time:

I fully finished page 1 along with most of page 2 (and technically book 2 cover). Per Markup XP, it's 5.5% of work total, 6723 stitches out of 121,975 and I've got 29.9 hrs total involved in this project (and I don't use Markup XP for time, I use an app called Hours Tracker and have for YEARS), so not a lot for two weeks. Here is where I'm leaving off:

Before I quit entirely Sunday night, I got Evil Queen is all ready to go as my next start:

If you remember, I mentioned back at the end of January that I bought a bunch of new needle minders. One bunch from Mad For Minders, which I have bought from numerous times before, and another bunch from another creator that I've never bought from before. Both were bought on the same day, both were shipped out the same day, but each were shipped from opposite sides of the country. As of now, neither have arrived. The tracking information from Mad For Minders show it never left Cali with an estimated delivery date of Feb 7th (today is the 26th). The tracking information for the new seller said it made it all the way from NY to Memphis (which the last stop to here, and an hour away), but it's been sitting there since Feburary 6th, the estimated delivery date, and it now just says "delayed, estimated delivery date Feb 6th", same as the original.

This weekend, I reached out to both sellers and got two VERY different responses. I reached out to the new seller first (we'll call her seller #1 for now), and since I used Etsy to do it, I had to either choose "refund" or "replace". I chose "replace" because I still wanted the minders, but I added a comment with the caveat that I wasn't requesting official replacement, I just wondered if she could see something on her end that I couldn't see that maybe could explain why I hadn't received the items because I did actually still want them and was worried because I hadn't received them. Sometimes, I've had sellers not actually ship things to me even though there is tracking information. Or, at the very least, she could check the shipping information on her end since the seller has more "rights" than the receiver. It's not the postal service of old and they make a lot of mistakes these days. This seller told me, short and pointed, that I needed to file a claim with Etsy and I could just reorder the items and she would expedite the shipping on the new ones. This may be the response a store is supposed to give, but it's not a response I've ever gotten before. It struck me as odd, but not strange until she started sending me messages about reordering the items, along with discounts on shipping and coupons, one after the other. So I just answered back with a "well, I've never had to file a claim before, so", kind of answer, because I really didn't know what to say about the pressure of reordering (and I definitely felt pressured). Then, when I tried to file the stupid claim, Etsy told me I had to wait 48 hours from when I started messaging her, so more delays, and it just made me madder. I messaged her back about the delay, but she just responded she could do nothing about that. We're leaving it at dead air for now. At that point, I didn't mention reorder and neither did she. I think, had she asked again, I would have lost it.

She wasn't rude per se, but there was definitely no "sorry" in any part of her messages. Maybe she was pushing for a reorder because I had initially stated that I still wanted the items, although I did make it clear I wasn't requesting a replacement, but if I have to file the claim myself, I don't have a fountain of money in my living room, it has to come from somewhere, so I would need the refund first before reorder, right? It just made me uber paranoid (like I need any help), all the pressure to reorder the items before I even got approved for a refund. I read on Etsy's website that the seller isn't punished if a claim is made, so does that mean she would get double money if I ordered them again? If they genuinely got lost in shipping, then she should get paid for her work, and if Etsy is willing to eat that than the US Postal Service, then that is between them. But, because of the pressure, I'm questioning if they were genuinely initally shipped at all. I ordered like 6 or 7 and they were only $30, which is REALLY cheap, maybe she couldn't take the hit? If I reordered them now, they would cost more, even with the discounts she sent. And, I probably wouldn't order them all again, so I wouldn't meet the minimum for free shipping (although that also might have been a coupon she sent), so I may have to take another punch on that as well. All of that hypothethical stuff doesn't matter, I'm NOT reordering them, but still, my mind is spinning with thoughts, none of them good.

When I reached out to Mad For Minders, the second seller, I made sure I messaged her privately first since we've been in contact before and she has always been amazing in the past. She immediately processed a new order for reshipment without any issue or even mentioning an Etsy claim. I did explain what the other seller did and asked if I needed to do that for her, but Mad for Minders said, "no problem, I'm SO sorry about all of that, new order already processed on my end!". I've had a few Etsy orders go missing over the years, and this response has ALWAYS been the typical response I'm used to from all my sellers. Never, have I ever been required to file a claim. This seller has gone above and beyond to solve the problem. If, by some miracle I do receive the original order, I'll just pay her again (and, in all of history, that has only ever happened to me once, months after the resend, and I did just that).

Then there is the whole rating thing. I can't give seller #1 a good rating because I never received the items. I'm not really happy with her response either, because she didn't respond to the problem, she just sent me a link to deal with the problem myself and then started pitching for more business (that might be a bit harsh, but I'm not a happy camper right now). Even if she was only following protocol, I'm the one doing all the legwork to get my money back (that I'm not guaranteed to get) and she expects me to just repurchase from her again with no guarantee it will arrive a second time, she's got another thing coming. If they do magically appear in the mail this week, I wouldn't recommend her to anyone else, nor would I purchase from her again, so that's another ding in the rating. At minimum, 1 star, and that's not very helpful for her business. Better to not leave one at all.

I HATE giving negative ratings. A lot of the time, I just don't rate them to keep from it, which isn't good for other people who might buy from that seller in the future, but I hate dealing with the confrontation (maybe it's from the old eBay days when the sellers could rate you back and, if you gave a negative rating, you could guarantee you would get one back, deserved or not, usually not). Even now, you'll notice I haven't used seller #1's store name in this post. I'm still holding out hope the package will eventually arrive (I haven't filed the claim even though the 48 hours is up) and I can just forget she exists. Part of me is even debating letting it go and take the financial hit (these were the minders for Evil Queen, Blue Marble, OUAT Bookshelf and several upcoming future projects, but it was only about $30, like I said, not terrible, but still, money).

Seller #2, Mad For Minders, on the other hand, I have mentioned several times in this blog and would recommend highly. She has always gotten 5 stars and will get 5 stars this time as well, even with the issue, because she handled it well and I will most certainly buy from her again.

On the Etsy plus side though this week, I did decide to get grime guards for both OUAT Bookshelf and Blue Marble since they are in their own q-snaps and not sharing like I initially planned (and I ended up also getting extenders, so now both are 11x20, which feels more like scroll rods and left less hanging fabric). I tried those magnet hoop things to hold the fabric, but I don't like them and I need something to hold the fabric in better and protect it more. I have one grime guard, but it's 11x17 and doesn't fit. The issue I had was that no one carried grime guards for 11x20 q-snaps. So, I reached out to a seller that I've again never dealt with before on Friday night (I try not to buy from new sellers, because of problems like the above, but I have only ever bought the one grime guard in my life, so I had to make an exception), Susebiees, and, since she had a question box for custom orders, I took a chance and point-blank asked her if she could make an 11x20 grime guard. She was very nice and instantly agreed to give it a shot. She didn't have the fabric choices I picked out, but she was savy enough to notice that they were both in the purple family and immediately gave me three other purple choices, two of which were easily just as pleasing (I really liked that she noticed that). She walked me through every step, she put her q-snap together with extenders to figure out sizing, made them over the weekend and poof, instant grime guards with a MORE than fair price! She even shipped them out first this morning!

Now, I actually haven't received these yet obviously (so I may be getting excited too soon), and I explained to her why I'm a bit leery of Etsy right now, but she assured me she has never had issues with shipping, although she did just have a project bag take 3 weeks to get to its destination (hence my williness to give more time before I file the Etsy claim on the first group of needle minders). Time will tell when or if I get these, but she is a really great seller if anyone is looking for grime guards. Like I said, she also makes project bags, but I have no need of those. As a matter of fact, those cheap ones I bought on Amazon have no use now, unless I end up using them for something else in the house. They are just cluttering up my kitchen table now.

Am I being too harsh about the first needle minder seller? Should I just file the claim and be done with it or should I give it more time? Etsy says I have until May to file it. I'm probably not going to order replacements from one of my usual sellers unless I find something special to go with those projects...I'll just use something I already have. And I'm definitely not leaving any feedback of any kind until I calm down a bit (if I ever do for seller 1). Whatever I decide in the end, I will eventually give you her store name and tell you the outcome so you can decide whether or not she's worth buying from. My experience may not be yours, but it won't be a recommendation from me. Mad For Minders is the exception, not the rule, I'm aware, but it's kind of the rule I'm used to from my sellers and it's why I use the sellers I do and why they are the only sellers I would recommend to you guys. Because Susebiees was already so amazing, even though I haven't gotten the grime guards yet, I already feel comfortable recommending her.

There are several "rules" with ordering from Etsy I try to follow:

*Don't order from new sellers (per the reasons from seller #1, but there are rare exceptions, as in Susebiees)

*I personally can't order anything from Canada or Australia because I'll never get it. They ALWAYS get stuck in customs and never get released for me. Not sure why. This rule also applies for eBay.

*Never order t-shirts outside of the USA because of sizing issues.

*Always pay with PayPal or ApplePay or any third party payer. Never pay directly and never agree to pay outside of Etsy (this rule came about because of eBay).

All in all though, I think I'm burned out on Etsy for a while, which is a REALLY good thing!