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.

A good bargain at Amcorp Mall flea market

Yesterday was a good shopping bargain experience at Amcorp Mall weekend flea market. I am so happy that I managed to grab 2 Cross Stitch magazines - past issues for only RM9.90 each (approximately USD2.5 each), Crafting Cross Stitch Cards by Sue Cook for only RM29.90. Normally, this type of books selling at RM100 or above in bookstore. You won't believe that the book is 100% brand new, what more it binded with hard cover.

It was a bright sunny day. When we reached Amcorp Mall, it was almost noon, and the car parks were full. We took quite sometimes looking for a car park and finally we found one at the end of the lots. As we entering the mall, we saw the crowd, stalls, line up from the front of the entrance to the mall, floor after floor.

I was so excited and quietly told my husband that "I am going to ‘scan’ each and every stalls without missed, else I won’t leave the mall" :) I guess my luck was so good on that day. Not only books and magazines, I also found this little DIY Cross Stitch box that come with bear chart, floss, and a heart shape transparent box, selling for RM20 only. Wow... without any hesitation, I bought all the designs!

You can find all kinds of things like cloths, hand bags, toys, 2nd hand books, pastries, plants, accessories, electrical goods ‘spare’ parts, art and craft, etc in this flea market. Some selling collection items like jades, antique (vases/bowls/lamps), old stamps, special edition for toys, Audio CDs, and items that had discontinuous from production.

Initially, we thought just go for window shopping, 'look-see, look-see', that's all. But guess what, we ended up ‘shopping’ 3 ½ hours, bought 18 Hotweels cars for Riker, and Seven... finally 'surrender' in my husband arm.

Seven quietly slept in my husband's arm after 3 1/2 hours walk in the flea market. For me, I was too 'occupied' and 'obsessed' with all the Cross Stitch stuffs in my hand. LOL

Free Chart - Prosperity

Prosperity also known as Fu (in Mandarin Language), Fook (in Cantonese Dialect) and Hock (in Hokkien Dialect). Many Chinese believe that by having Fu hanging/displaying in the house is a symbol of bringing success to the family, especially in financial aspects it brings good fortune. Also, Fu is often use during Chinese New Year. You can find many greeting cards, red packets, lanterns, posters, pillow covers, pastry, paper cut, accessories etc. with character Fu.

Some would write or hang the Fu character upside down (reversed). It means "Fu Tao" - good fortune is 'arriving'. As you can see in my previous posting, I have stitched the revered Fu as a gift to my confinement lady.

I will never thought someone would like to have my design, and of course I would glad to share it to anyone who loves to stitch one.

Kit Conversions of Dimensions/Dimensions Gold to DMC

As I am working almost 75% complete on the 'A Row of Love' Dimension Gold kit, I run out of threads that came with Dimension kit. I have no choice to get the closer match from DMC threads.

First thing came to my mind is to search in the Internet and hoping to get site or anyone that could provide a Conversion chart from Dimensions Kit to DMC.

Thank God that I finally found a couple. Thanks to 'The Lotus Pond' be so kind to share her comprehensive Kit Conversions Database. I really appreciate her effort in compiling the conversion through out the years.

Another one from cyberstitchers.com. The online Floss Conversion Charts is so impressive and completely amazing.

Trekkies show their loyalty in style at movie tie-in

Apart from Cross Stitching, I would also like to share something special about my family... about Star Trek. Read full article. Article from TheStar newspaper.

Picture taken during Star Trek 2009 movie preview in OneUtama Mall

This picture taken when my son, Riker Si at 7 months old (year 2005). My husband and Riker were in USS Enterprise full uniform.

This is Seven Si. Seven is 7 months with her Startship Voyager, and her uniform too.

'A Row of Love' - sneak peek

A sneak peek of my half way through project - 'A row of Love' from Dimension. I fall in love with this chart when I first saw it on the Internet back in 2001.

My little workspace for cross stitching

Look at the date of the receipt, it was Nov 2001. Wow....a long 8 years I have kept it in the box. And only now I decided to stitch it when I gave birth to my daughter, Seven Si.

2001 was a memorable year for me. It was the year that I

- became a Christian and baptised in Church

- married to my lovely husband and moved into our first new house

- bought my first car and today the car is still with me :) It works perfectly

- got my first job, my first salary

- first time participated in public motor Treasure Hunt, and won lucky draws (hunting only 2 of us - my husband and myself)

Today, I have blessed with 2 beautiful child; 1 boy and 1 girl.

Thank you God for all that I have received from you and most of all, that I know I am never alone, for You are always here beside me, in my heart. And, not forgotten to my husband, thank you.

Busy, busy, busy...

Not only Cross Stitching - but there is also the other passion of my life over the weekend ...

Click here to read more.

A Birth Sampler using Paper Canvas

As I sat down on the sofa, I saw my art work 'A Birth Sampler' on the shelf. Hah... it was 7 years ago I stitched this for my sister in law when Rachel was born. Time flies by.
Last week I was there to attend my niece, Rachel’s birthday party. That was her 7 years old birthday anniversary. She is a very intelligent girl. You won’t believe she actually sang ‘Poker Face’ by Lady GaGa and dance like Lady GaGa (in MTV) in her age of 7. I was amazed.
In the picture: Paul Si (father in law), Seven Si (my daughter), Richard Si (my husband), Riker Si (my son), beside him is Rachel Si (the birthday girl), myself in yellow t-shirt, Cecelia Cheong (sis in law) and Simon Si (bro in law)

Coming back to the Birth Sampler, that was my first project done using Paper Canvas for Cross Stitch. I find it easier to stitch on paper canvas than the cloth type.

I am still keeping one un-touch. The paper canvas is so precious to me because I can't find it in any of the cross stitch shop in Malaysia . Wish I can have more of paper canvas to make Greeting Cards for this coming Christmas.

Rachel is a very creative girl, so I gave her a Batik Painting Kit as present. The kit comes with a brush, 4 bottles of inks (red, blue, black, and yellow), 1 colour palate, and a silk cloth with butterfly pattern drawn using wax. I can't wait to see her finish result.
Update on 7 Sept: Rachel has done her batik painting... tang tang, here is the finish result... so sweet.

I have also introduced batik painting as one of the activities for my company Charity Event in July this year. They enjoyed the batik painting.

Where to shop for Cross Stitch materials (Malaysia)

Some of my cross stitch friends asked why I have not been updating my blog since Jan 09. Reason being...

1. I have just moved into my new house in April, and we finally settle down last month
2. I am too occupied with my little girl - Seven Si :) She is coming to 7 months in this 17 Aug. Hah... she needs lots of attention.

3. My husband and I had just finish organized 4 internal treasure hunt events consecutively in the past three months. Extremely exhausted.

4. I have just recovered from Dengue Fever a month ago. Still feeling the pain in all part of my bone joints.

After all the above, now I finally have myself organized.

Lately I have received few requests asking where to procure Cross Stitch stuffs like DMC floss, fabric, charts, and so on.

As you can read some of the comments in my Chat Space (on the right panel). That’s gave me the inspiration to share this valuable info with all the Cross Stitching lovers out there, especially those who stay in Klang Valley, ‘where to shop for Cross Stitch materials’.

Here are those I commonly visit (in no particular order). Feel free to share with me yours favorite shop, and keep the list expending.

Klang Valley & Selangor
Habby & Wool Craft
Ampang Park

Pusat Kraftangan Ann
No 14, Jalan Puteri 5/1
Bandar Puteri Puchong

Flowergirl Sdn. Bhd.
125. Jln.SS21/37,
Damasara Utama, Selangor,
Phone : 03 7725 8626

Mayfair Handicraft
29 Jalan USJ 10-1E
Taipan Triangle
Subang Jaya

PKNS Bangi

Johor
Danga Bay or Angsana

Fook (Fu) Cross Stitch for Valerie Lee, the Confinement Lady

Valerie, my confinement lady whom I engaged from Peiling Confinement Services Center. My experience with Peiling was a nightmare. My husband and I have a big fight with Peiling staff just a day before I am going for Cesarean. We went to the center to check out who is going to be my confinement lady. Guess what, the staff told me that they are not able to tell me whom my confinement lady is and I don't need to know who she is. They told me this is the company 'policy'. Can you believe, as a customer (I am paying RM5000 for the services) I do not have the right to choose who to be my confinement lady nor to even know her name until the day when I pick her up from the center. Gosh!

Blessing in disguise, Valerie, she is hardworking, kind, responsible, quick action. I don't even need to go to kitchen at all. Hah... I am being served like a queen :)

Look, she even potty train my baby at 1 week old.

Without her help, I don't think I can finish my cross stitch (for Dr Ng) within a short 2 weeks, phew...

She loves my cross stitch very much. So I offer to stitch her something. She request for a 'Fook' (Luck), immediately I design my every own pattern and finish it within a week.

My new born - Seven Si Janeway

Finally, mission accomplished!

















Our sweet baby girl was born on 17 01 09. As usual, a 'crazy' Star Trek fan like my husband surely named his children with Star Trek characters name :) My first boy, we named him Riker Si Tee Kirk (named after Commander Riker and Captain Kirk) from Star Trek Next Generation. Obviously, my daughter, will equally have her name named after Star Trek, hah ... Seven Si Janeway (named after Seven of Nine and Captain Janeway in Star Trek Voyager).

If you notice the date of birth; 17 01, the official registration number of Starship NCC1701.

We thank God for this wonderful gift. Of course with the help of my Gynea, Dr Ng Soon Pheng, I have successfully delivered Seven with no complication, though Seven only born on 36 weeks, but she is perfectly healthy.

I was thinking what to give to Dr Ng as a token of appreciation. The first thing came to my mind is Cross Stitch. Ya, why don't I stitch something for Dr Ng. So, right after I discharged from hospital (after 3 days admitted), immediately I start my cross stitch project, and have it finished within 2 weeks.















And so happened it was Dr Ng birthday.

Forever Friends - The Big Day

I am so excited to share with you this first ever Forever Friends chart of mine. The kit comes with a transparent bag, Anchor floss, chart and Aida 14 count.

While I am looking for a flame, I stumble upon a second hand shop - Cash Converter, where they sell many used items including photo frames. I was quite lucky to find one which it only cost me RM5.00.

To complete my project, I use the gift wrapping paper for the finishing touch.