A wedding gift for Jerral and Sharon

This is my first cross stitch with beads. I chose pearl beads and the printed love background to match with the wedding sampler design.

Name and date was from the wedding invitation card as the final touch up.

Finish with white frame and warm wishes.
Care and share for one another, and you will have a love that stays sincere.

Need help - Red Chart #520

Need help.

Cassy is looking for a red chart #520, this is quite an old design - scenery view; a pond beside a park. Few wearing blue & maroon long gown ladies stroll in the park. Back at the scenery is a castle.

Grateful if anyone know where to look/buy chart as described above, leave your message in the comment column.

Many thanks.

How much is DMC thread - Part 2

Many thanks for the feedback. For easy reference, I have reconciled all comments in one page. RM1.40-RM1.50 per skein is the current price selling in Malaysia.

Vinniey:
RM1.40 to RM1.45 in Subang and Petaling Jaya

Dina:
It's RM1.50 in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

Wendy:
In Netherlands, a skein cost 1.35 from the store. However I buy DMC on the Internet for 36 cents a skein.
1.35 ANG = 2.38 MYR

Lady of Leisure:
I used to buy it for RM0.40 each DMC skeins ages ago.

Christine:
I bought it at RM0.50 when I just started cross-stitching about 15 years ago. I remember the label was in gold colour with black colour coding. I still have those in my collection anyway. It costs RM1.40 per skein in Ipoh now.

Yati:
Here in Seri Iskandar, Peark, I can still find some shops sell DMC thread around RM1.30-1.40. Some shops in Sitiawan sell at RM1.50

Karen:
In Melbourne DMC thread selling for AUD0.89, about RM2.70

Fiza:
RM1.50 in Bangi. Back in 2005, it was RM1.10 when I was in Kuching

Phuong Vy
Here in Vietnam one DMC skein is 5000 to 5500 VND now (a little over 1/4 USD). It used to be only 3700 VND per skein just a year ago :(

5500 VND = 0.883556 MYR

Villa
its rm1.00 to rm1.20 in kulim,kedah

Where can I find cheaper the RM1.50 per skein?

How much is DMC thread - Part 1

25 years back when I started cross stitching in 1980's, DMC thread was only sold at 65cents each. And today, unbelievable the price has raised to RM1.20 each. I am sure, it is tough for some to spend that amount of money just for a thread. Easily you will need more than RM20 worth of threads just for a mini project.

I remember there was quite a wide range of thread selling in Malaysia in the past. As you can see, I have collection of Anchor, Cosmo, Minlon (local brand) and of course DMC thread. But now, I hardly see any shop selling Anchor and Cosmo threads. I guess the demand for Anchor and Cosmo are lesser if compared to DMC. Mostly the charts and patterns are now designed with DMC threads.

In the picture, you can see the price tag of DMC thread showing RM1.10, and that was last year old stock. I wonder how much is DMC thread selling outside Klang Valley.

Metallic threads cost around RM3.90-RM7.90 and could be higher as I bought these many years back.

Cross Stitch books - Bible Versus & Scriptures

Received enquiry from my blog reader:

"Hi, could you recommend any xstitch books that have nice bible verses or bible scripture patterns? Thanks"

My reply:
I believe there are lots of cross stitch books out there that have nice bible verses or bible scripture patterns, sharing some of my collections, and web links for your reference.

• 50 Garden Minis Inspired by Scripture - Leisure Arts (you still can get this book from Amazon.com: click here and Scripture Bookmarks
• Mini Scriptures (36 designs) - Praying Hands (Scriptures for Special Day)
• Heavenly Cross Stitch - Marie Barber
• Inspirational Cross Stitch - Bucilla Design Group

• Best Loved Hymns - Leisure Arts

• The Road Ahead - Imaginating (I bought this for only RM1.00)

Web links
Christian Cross Stitch
Christian Cross Stich Patterns & Kits from 123 Stitch
The Holy Needle
Nordic Needle:Religious

New Collections – Books and Books

Coming to year end, it is time to collect more books J Hooray… RM1000 income tax relief for books and magazines. Hehe, nothing other than Cross Stitch books and magazines for me.

Whenever I buy Cross Stitch books/magazines, my son will definitely asked "Mummy, are you sure you want to buy this book? I don't think you have time to stitch all these…". Yes, he got it right. I really can't find time to stitch. I am a Fulltime worker and housewife. Day in day out, same routine. Work has never end, and house is always messy with toys everywhere. Dirty dishes and clothes waiting for me… Sigh, 24 hours a day is just too little. But no matter what, nothing can stop me from buying Cross Stitch books/magazines when I see them. I just can't resist, even though I have tons of Cross Stitch books/magazines line up and waiting for me to flip in my bookshelves.

Went PayLess Book warehouse sales and Amcorp Mall last week… hoohoo. Here you go…

Now I am in the mood of Crochet and Knitting. Order this from Mayfair Handicraft online. I am very happy with their fast service. Thanks Vinniey J

Any shops that sell Cross Stitch material in East Malaysia?

It seems that it is not easy to find or buy Cross Stitch material in East Malaysia. It is sad to hear that Cross Stitch lovers from Sabah and Sarawak has difficulty to buy or shop for Cross Stitch stuffs locally.

Does anyone know any Art & Craft shops in East Malaysia selling Cross Stitch material?

Grateful if you could share list of shops that sell Cross Stitch material in Sabah and Sarawak.
Many thanks in advance.

From Dina
Syarikat Meelo
A47 1st Floor, Center Point sabah,
KK, Sabah

Syarikat Leton (Sabah) Sdn Bhd,
1 Blok E, Lorong Tiong Hwa Segma,
KK, Sabah

Need help - humphrey's corner clock kit HC07

One of my blog readers contacted me seeking for help to find the above chart. Apparently, when she check with the supplier, she came to know that this chart/product has been discontinued.

A promise to her son that she will stitch this Corner Clock to him, and now she might not be able to fulfill her son wish.

Anyone who is reading this know where to get this chart or have the chart with you, much appreciate if you would contact Siew Choo and guide her how and where to buy this chart.

Many thanks.

House warming gift for Auntie Marie

Went to Auntie Marie house warming party last weekend at Jalan 22/2 PJ. Spent almost 1/2 hour just to search for the house, despite we reached the Taman much early. Even with the GPS guide, it took us 1 hour to reach her house. Sigh, too many obstacles.

I remember when my husband informed me that Auntie Marie invite us to her house warming party, the first question came to my mind was 'What to give to Auntie Marie as the house warming gift?' Should I give electrical goods, bouquet of flowers, fruits basket, tea or cattery set? Hmmm... So my husband suggest, why not give something like hand craft or cross stitching if I can make her one.

Indeed, Auntie Marie loves my gift so much. She proudly announced that this is the best gift she ever received because '...it can't value with money!'

Baby Bibs GIVEAWAY

Bought this quite for some times ago before Seven is born. Thought I would have time to stitch for her and use them when she is teething.

But now, she is already 1 year and 8 months old; jumping and running. What more now she has more than 15 teeth. Obviously... she does not need them anymore.
See the proof. Nuts and chocolates are her favourites

How to enter this giveaway

Leave your comment and share with me your stitching ideas for children age between 2-7 years old. What are those designs/projects you would most likely stitch for them?

That would be nice if you have any postings or links to share with me for those projects you have done before :)

How to get additional entries

Be my follower... let me know once you have done :)

The winner of this giveaway will be announced anytime.

That is it. Happy stitching and good luck everyone.

My 20 years old string back bag

This is one of my favourites string back bag that I have made back in 1990. That was 20 years ago, time flies. In 1990, I was studied in Standard 6 (12 years old), sitting for my UPSR exam. Living in the small town of Perak - Teluk Intan, I cycle to school every day. My school is just 2km from my house. Hah… I miss those days.
At age of 12, I have learnt to use sewing machine (very old model machine). All my school bags, tuition bags, art class bags were handmade. My parents have never bought a school bag for me before in my entire schooling from Primary to Secondary and High School.

I am so proud of my mom’s handmade bags. I wish I could have captured all my school bags in photo at that time. But back in 90’s especially in my hometown, not many people can effort to buy camera. If the person owns a camera, the person would consider as ‘rich’ man.

These photos were taken in year 2008. The bag is still in good condition after 18 years. See the DMC floss, the colour remain unchanged. I try to find the charts recently but I can’t remember where I kept it. I guess I might have lost it after so many years. I recall this book came with many different designs/charts of a pair of little boy and girl. I remember one of the charts (besides this one) is a little boy holds an umbrella with a little girl looking at the rainbow.

I am searching for this book/these charts. Does anyone know how/where I can buy the same book/charts? Appreciate if you can drop me an email/write at my blog comment if you have the details of the book/charts that I have described. I keep my fingers crossed.

Double Happiness Chart

This is another design from me ‘Double Happiness’. This chart is suitable for those who are getting married or a gift to bride/groom. Alternately, you can also stitch this as wedding sampler. What you need to do is just stitch the couple name, date of marriage below the ‘Double Happiness’ chart. Tang tang, an Oriental Wedding Sampler :)

You can either stitch in Red, Gold or Silver, other colours are less preferred. However, if you love to stitch using Black floss, I would suggest you choose Red fabric as the background.

For those who maybe new, and wish to know more about ‘Double Happiness’, I have a simple write up below to share.

Double Happiness (shuāng xǐ) a.k.a. Double Joy is commonly used as a decoration associated with Chinese wedding ceremony. The symbol of ‘Double Happiness’ is something that cannot be missed during a Chinese wedding- whether it may be a traditional one or the modern wedding ceremony. It is also means that the bride-to-be and the groom-to-be will now be united/’together’.

You will often find this special character appears all over the wedding ceremony – invitation cards, guest book, red packets/envelopes, wedding cake, gifts to bride and groom, on every walls/doors, pillows, lanterns, tea sets, at the wedding venues – the couple house, the couple parent house, and restaurant. The colour of the character is commonly red; however you may find some in gold or silver.

Chart of a lady doctor

I have received an email from Puan Norazlina couple days ago. She loves the cross stitch chart that I made for Dr Ng, and she would like to have a sample chart of a lady doctor.

Hi Puan Norazlina,

Thank you for browsing my blog. I am happy to hear that you love the chart that I made for Dr Ng. Actually, I have designed this chart personally for Dr Ng - A doctor with spectacle and I know Dr Ng loves to wear pink tie.

Unfortunately, I do not have any ready chart of a lady doctor, but I am happy to design one for you. Hope you will like it.

Stitch or No Stitch

I have not been blogging for quite sometime nor stitching for the past 6 months. I was so tied up with work (new role). I have to pick up new knowledge whist taking over the new tasks very quickly.

On the other hand, I was very unlucky that I had hopitalised for almost 2 weeks due to pneumonia. Having pneumonia was not something fun. I guess from now on, a very little flu or cough; I will not take it easy. There was one day when I saw my phlegm was covered with fresh blood; I thought I am soon dying of pneumonia. So I desperately asked my husband to bring me Bible and blank papers the next day for me to write my last message to my mother, and my children. Hahah… I am still laughing about it.

Another major reason why I have completely ignored my cross stitch for months, it is because I spent most of my time (which I normally reserve for cross stitching) on Facebook. I was so addicted with the Farm Valley, and Farm Town games, and I have spent almost 2 hours and more just to ‘harvesting’ and ‘seeding’ my farm. Sometimes I even woke up in the middle of the night to see if the ‘plants’, ‘cows’, ‘chickens’ were ready to ‘collect’. Silly me. I think it is time to put a stop on Facebook. I felt so guilty of wasting my valuable time on virtual farming. So, no more Facebook for me!!

When I visit my blog yesterday, I saw a few chat messages were left in my chat box and I feel so sorry for not responding in time. Particular to this message that I have received from [Guest]

[Guest] Hi, just wondering whether you continued stitching when you were in your pregnancy? Did you get any advice against doing so?

My answer to Guest:
Honestly speaking, I have never stopped stitching even when I was pregnant (twice). In fact, I stitch more than usual (almost every day) during my pregnancy. My kids were born perfectly healthy. One golden rule which I always practice - never do any stitching on bed.

I understand where you are coming from. I do get comments from ‘old’ people (senior) discourage me from doing needle works during pregnancy. Luckily, I have a very supportive mother, and husband. So whether or not to stop stitching when pregnant, it is up to the individual.

Guest, if you ever have doubt/worry or if any of your family member against it, my advice to you is, let’s ‘take a break’.
When something went ‘wrong’, people around you will just point their finger at you and blame on your action. No one will pity you, or come foward to help.

Let me share with a true story that happened to my aunty when she was pregnant. This not necessary happen to everyone, so please do not take this personally.

Basically, my aunty just did a simple patching on her torn blanket while sitting on her bed in the bedroom when she was pregnant. With her simple mind, she thought everything should be fine, it was just a few stitches. Who knows, on the delivery day, she was shocked to see her newborn with the deform forehead.

It looks like a stitching had performed on the new born while the baby still in my aunt’s womb. No doctors dare to perform operation on the baby, and she has no one to turn to. Finally, she went to temple to seek for help. The so called ‘deity’ told her what had caused the baby head deform, and ‘he’ commanded my aunty to unstitch all the blankets, clothes that she has done when she was pregnant. Guess what, as she unstitched the blanket and clothes, my cousin forehead slowly ‘unfold’ to normal.

I do not what you call that, miracle? Scary?

Again, it is up to the individual whether or not (can or can not) do stitching during pregnancy. I guess there is no definite answer.