SBQ's and Rotations...

Before I get to the stitching update-- why the heck hasn't anyone told me that my layout completely sucks ass? I've now looked at my site on two PC computers, and the tables are completely effed up in IE. Had I never looked at it in IE on a PC (it's fine on a Mac in all browsers), I'd never have known.

So I'll add template completion to my list of stuff to do this weekend... because this is just so, so icky.

Anyway...

I'm behind on Stitcher's Blogging Questions due to weddings and computer stupidity... so here we go...

9/28/05: Have you ever just quit a project while in the midst of it? (We're not
referring to UFOs here, rather projects that you know that you'll never work on again.) Why? What did you do with it - throw it out, give it away, put it away?

I've quit a couple, but I'm usually too stubborn. The ones that I have quit usually just find their way to the back of my stash pile and just rot there. :(


10/06/05: When you have almost finished a pattern and start thinking about the next one to stitch, how do you select it? (a list, most recent purchase, etc.)

A lot of it depends on my mood, honestly. I do have a list of unstarted projects, and several of them are nearly kitted, so I could start them at any time. But if I find a project that I absolutely MUST start right away, I'll probably find a way to squeeze it in sooner. And that gets me in trouble since projects keep getting pushed back.


10/12/05: How do you `non-hoopists' who use a rotation system handle it (as it seems to be lot easier if you are in good terms with hoop)? Do you have several scroll frames? Do you use Q-snaps or maybe something completely different? Or do you just have one or two big projects and others are small enough to be kept in hand while stitching?

I have only one project on a scroll frame at this time. The rest of my projects, I generally hoop. I loosen the one that's on the scroll frame during its "resting" slots in rotation. My other pieces are taken off the hoop and roll up loosely to put in a drawer for storage. If I did have multiple projects of scroll-frame size, I'd probably buy another frame. Getting pieces on and off scroll frames is such a pain in the ass-- I really don't want to try to mess with it all the time.


10/19/05: Do you mark or hi-lite your patterns or can you follow them without any markings? Do you make copies to mark up, or do you mark originals?

I always make working copies, and copy them at about 150% size so the symbols are easier to read. It tends to make my working copies really large-- usually they're on 11x17 paper. But that's okay, because at least they're easy to follow. I highlight sections as I go- usually highlighting at the end of a stitching session or at the end of a specific in-project area goal.


-----
And not an SBQ, but a question from a fellow diarist, which I figured I'd answer in the blog-at-large, rather than in the cramped guestbook...

Kim asked in my haloscan guestbook: You do your stitching in a rotation, no? How does it work? Do you work on only one piece for a week at a time? Or on whichever piece strikes your fancy at the moment? I'm curious about how people handle multiple projects, while giving each its due.

Everyone's rotation varies. Some people are very strict about spending a specific number of hours on each project, and then moving onto the next one once those allotted hours are up. Other people work week-to-week. Others work what's called a "screaming" rotation, which means they pick up whatever piece is "screaming" the loudest to be worked. :)

I have an ordered list for my rotation, and do try to stick to it, giving each piece a minimum of 10 hours. After those ten hours are up, though, I switch to a bit of a screaming rotation on a piece. If I'm feeling in a good groove with the piece, I'll keep going, allowing myself another week or two. If I'm not, then I move to the next piece.

After I've completed a full rotation of every piece, I re-evaluate the rotation. Do I need to flip projects around? If something is finished, what am I replacing it with? Is an important deadline coming up? I fix my rotation, and start again.

Right now, my *official* rotation looks like this. But because I've been so busy, and since NaNoWriMo will get in the way next month, I'm doing a lot of skipping around, and probably will only work a couple of these pieces until the end of November.

1) Elemental Dragons- Fire (finished in one rotation)
2) Egyptian Sampler - completed rotation round
3) Cats on a Staircase - skipped for this round
4) Astrology Sampler - skipped for this round
5) The Castle - working currently. Have done 10 hrs, now doing excess
6) Smoky Mountain Cats -- skipping this round
7) Home is Where the Cat Is-- will bring on commuter train since it's small
8) New Start: Apache Wedding Blessing - will get to work on this in November.

If you're looking to start one (for stitching, knitting, hell... scrapbooking?), check over here: Shakespeare's Peddler. This site is usually referred to anyone who's looking to get into rotation stitching. After that, go over to the Rotation Stitchers board, and get help in the "How to I start..." forum.

Anyway... I need to get to bed. It's 11:30, and I'm very sleepy.

'night.

~ Mel.