Finally, a post of my own

Lakeside Linens 40ct Luna
Vikki Clayton silks

Part 1 is finally completed...a happy dance!

Matching colors is turning out to be more complicated than I expected.
The yellow tone of the fabric makes "light yellow" "ecru" and "white" all look the same;
Vikki's conversion for the motif in the upper lefthand corner did not show up clearly, and to give myself time to think, I started with the green motif next to it; I changed the color for it also.
When I finally decided to use a different color for the upper lefthand corner motif, I had to change the yellow motif underneath to balance it out.

It is good that I have plenty of Vikki's silks in stash. Those detrius bags are really amazing.

The 40ct is the smallest stitch count I have ever worked on, but I am getting used to it.



My little hideaway
The chair and folding table is wedged against the writing desk, so I can stitch, watch TV and keep an eye on the blogs and email.

Now on to the little squirrel!

Power of Japanese stitchers!

I have been running the Japanese SAL blog for more than three weeks now, and am delighted that their stitching has been shown in Needleprint blog and have inspired many overseas stitchers.
(It surprised me that American bloggers were attracted to "dark brown" - not the most flashy color!)

As you may know, uniformity and following instructions is considered to be a virtue in the Japanese culture.
So, at first, when I found out the recommended fabric and DMC, I was expecting that most Japanese participants would just follow that.

Goodness, was I wrong!

However, as I visited their blogs and corresponded with some SAL participants, I found out that they felt to some extent a little "guilty" and "self-conscious" about making those changes.
Some wondered whether changing the color scheme etc. would be "disrespectful" to the originator, Mary.

So, Jacqueline's messages about "creating their own Mary Wigham" has been a real eye-opener, and has helped them enjoy this SAL even more.

As for myself - I like to follow the basic color scheme, because the most attractive thing about the original sampler is the colorfulness - but plan on changing my colors here and there.

The issue of "over one"

At first I did not understand Jacqueline's article when Jacqueline said

Over 1 stitching IS possible.
I shall chart a name section for over 1 stitchers so that you will be OK.

Mary Wigham Over One

However, a Japanese SAL participant kindly informed me that it concerned the part in the middle of the sampler, the octagon part with the "Ackworth" and the initials.
It seems that it had been charted to be "over one" to begin with, assuming that the other
parts would be stitched "over two".

The issue had come up among the French SAL participants who had planned to STITCH THE ENTIRE SAMPLER OVER ONE (which blows my mind), and when that is done, the letters in the octagon could not be placed properly.
The French Head Girl, Paule, inquired Jacqueline about this.

Jacqueline's message meant that she would release a chart with some adjustments in the octagon area with adjustments for over one stitchers.

I would never known what that meant had it not been for the person who read the French SAL and kindly informed me!

Now THAT is something like a global SAL! I was so thrilled.

French SAL blog

(I tried to write a little message of thanks to Paule - I had learned French in US and
it was my major in college - but sadly, I have forgotten "much".

But I will surely check the French SAL from time to time to see progress of these amazing "over one" stitchers!

Japanese SAL blog!

I decided to start a Japanese SAL blog for Mary Wigham.

Here is the address:
Mary Wigham SAL (Japanese version)

I have some anticipations about this blog, because SAL blog is not common in Japan
and am not confident as to how it would be operated.

However, many have requested to join one way or another and hope this is off to a good start.

Mary Windham SAL - Message from Jacqueline

I was able to download and print out the first installment of the Mary Wigham SAL.
On the first page of the pdf chart was Jacqueline's message about the SAL.

As I was translating this into Japanese for the other Japanese participants, I got to pondering.

Cross stitch and samplers are not popular in Japan at all when compared to US/EU.
And as far as I know, for ordinary people, who stitch reproductions for a hobby, to consider
preservation of the original needlework was very new to me.

(Japan does have a long history of embroidery, most of which are conserved as parts of kimonos, etc. but I don't think stitching their reproductions is a common hobby. I may be wrong).

As a schoolgirl in the US, I learned some background about Quaker culture and religion.
But in Japan no such thing is taught.

However, many Japanese cross-stitchers are drawn to Quaker patterns.

What is in Quaker pattens so that they become popular, even in a culture which is not familiar with its original background?

As I read Jacqueline's message, I thought that it must be the "history" behind it.

Mary Wigham SAL

To Japanese readers: Japanese blog is
http://blog.goo.ne.jp/naruko_dreamstitch

Actually, what inspired me to finally start my own blog was this:

http://needleprint.blogspot.com/2009/05/free-mary-wigham-stitchalong.html

Mary Wigham SAL

Details are given in following articles.

I had an opportunity to correspond with Jacqueline with regard to the Beatrix Potter chart (was thankful for her kind assistance), and upon seeing the article about this SAL, I volunteered and she kindly appointed me as Head Girl.
I wonder how many Japanese stitchers are out there to join?

As I wandered over Blogland I have come to love Quaker patterns.
I own an Ackworth sampler chart (Ann Trump), but have never stitched one myself.
This will also be my first SAL! So excited!

I shall also enjoy working with my fellow stitchers all over the world.

My stitching history

This picture is a stitching from Fujico collection, charted from watercolor painting and one of the very few Japanese original cross-stitch kits.

It is stiched over 18-count Aida (I think), and uses over 100 colors!!

Back to the title, my cross stitching began when I was in Middle school, where I stitched samplers and Country style kits picked up at a hardware store.

I stopped stitching for some years after returning to Japan, and resumed after graduating from college. I visited some old friends during my graduation trip and my friend kindly took me to a LNS where I stocked up on charts, floss and linen.

Several years ago, my stitching fever came up again and realized that in Japan, cross stitch was not popular at all in Japan; somehow I found a Japanere internet shop which sold kits, and stitched on some Marjolen Bastin kits (apparenty, very popular in Japan) and stitched flowers, fruits and little animals to my heart's content. I then ventured a little into an American internet shop where they offered Mirabilia charts and kitted them for sale.

A few months ago it occurred to me to venture out and look at some cross-stitching blogs.

First, I looked at Japanese cross-stitcher blogs, where Mirabilias, Danish flower thread embroidery, Quaker designs, Prairie Schooler, CHS, etc. were popular.

Then I wandered into Blogland (English blogs) where I found many, many wonderful cross stitching blogs and my! Gazillion choices in designs, linens, fibers, etc. to choose from and so many overseas Internet shops who were more than willing to help me!

Believe it or not, until recently, I never used anything but DMC threads (even these are hard to come by here). Now I am experimenting with all kinds of designs and materials.