I love it!! Happy New Year! Bon bout d'an!

I love the colorway! Beautiful!!

I do railroading where I put my needle in between the two threads. It is a habit now so it doesn't slow me down. I have never used a laying tool to railroad because using just the needle works for me. Here is a video that shows what I do. There are others that show using laying tools. https://youtu.be/ew8AO5x7GRY

Beautiful! I bought one of the books that you recommended so I can try making a box. My first one will be small though! ;)

Good to know!! Thanks for sharing.

Beautiful! Did you make the pillow so you can wash the linen? Or will you just spot clean it? I love pillows but I worry about them getting used. Lol

These are all beautiful. I like my tools and storage to be aesthetically pleasing to my eye. After all, we spend much of our spare time stitching. My Avlea package came and I am going to start stitching on it tonight! The needleminders really are exquisite.

@Agapia Damianakis The plastic clamps will loosen up after a while. If they get too loose, you can put them on the top rack of your dishwasher during a quick cycle. The hot water and heat make them like new! I cut some fabric strips with pinking shears and put them over my fabric before I put the clamps on. You can cut paper towels if you don't have fabric or felt handy. I used paper towels once when I went on a trip because I had forgotten to add the fabric to my project bag. The paper towel strips worked great to keep the clamps on tightly. With fabric, felt, or paper towels, you won't have to worry about hurting your stitches.

@Suzanne M I have had mine quite a while now. I had it shipped from the UK when steel was the only choice. Now they have colors, which I would like better. But they are still steel. I have had so many issues with it. People would tell me how they fixed their issues, and of course, the fix required me to get more parts. The parts were not inexpensive. I have a considerable amount of money invested in a stand I don't like. Lol I am going to sell it as soon as I decide on a new one.

@deberalynn I know many people stitch in hand, but I am not one of them. I can't get the tension correct. I have scroll frames, Q-snaps, and hoops. I have a Lowery that I don't love. It annoys me because it is so tippy and the all-metal look doesn't do anything for me. I have kept it for now while I search for more aesthetically pleasing one. ;) I have a Hope table/lap stand that I like. I was thinking of purchasing a Gus Creations floor stand. It seems to have the flexibility that I want. I must be the only one who isn't in love with her Lowery stand.

Thanks!

Beautiful!! Do you stitch in hand, with a hoop, Q-snap, etc?

Krista, you have SO many beautiful choices that I just cannot decide which one should be my first kit! I was thinking of doing Blue Larkspur (I am not a beginner) and wondered what the difference was between Greek linen and Mikini? Decisions, decisions.

Your piece looks beautiful!! Well done!!

I railroad to keep my stitches even. I have heard people on Flosstube say Aurafil and Cosmo flosses have fewer tangles. I haven't used Aurifil or Cosmo on cross-stitch designs, but I have used Aurifil in sewing and like it.

I was watching a Flosstube recently and the designer said beeswax and Thread Magic were not good to use because they eventually degraded the floss and fabric. I wondered if anyone else has heard this?