tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14067418479871977322024-03-18T20:12:27.530-07:00Anne's HandspunPictures and ramblings about my crafts and cooking. Possibly containing pictures of cats.Anne Adeline Welkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985427512009169289noreply@blogger.comBlogger71125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1406741847987197732.post-20984743808627144362016-03-06T19:57:00.001-08:002016-03-06T19:57:25.667-08:00Torture Device or... Craft?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today was one of those days where I take a step back from my daily dose of craft and wonder what other people would think if they came upon me. You see, it may look like I am creating some kind of device with the nefarious purpose of torture.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZL8CbklgXQmwHiSfrn90BZFkFLFwAs4T72NBR8dnLP8JDqhWK6aq2L-_n24y-jiTR-uE5E8B-lBdgWBjHs4Zk-3EpcQd1gHgXRRwnQAt7VidIKItHGDS3w2X0HSuQJdoe8yn38T2XrPV5/s1600/PhotoGrid_1457314547597.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZL8CbklgXQmwHiSfrn90BZFkFLFwAs4T72NBR8dnLP8JDqhWK6aq2L-_n24y-jiTR-uE5E8B-lBdgWBjHs4Zk-3EpcQd1gHgXRRwnQAt7VidIKItHGDS3w2X0HSuQJdoe8yn38T2XrPV5/s400/PhotoGrid_1457314547597.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioD7r3yVe-zunAAVaMwgiIVpnCK5W0i68_SrK6tpB26AT8IO_7hWhx6JEnfZygNAMSDeqnhtVRPHhkRHla86AS18JeGerIgzoQ7KIADdOrOj1WpevfDG2BOAXKpO7Ez8mGcWwWJ-tZvPx7/s1600/PhotoGrid_1457314064324.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a></div>
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...And I kind of see why. Yes, there are a bunch of tiny spikes in a row. And, yes, that probably would hurt if it were used against you.</div>
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But, really, it's not as bad as it looks.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioD7r3yVe-zunAAVaMwgiIVpnCK5W0i68_SrK6tpB26AT8IO_7hWhx6JEnfZygNAMSDeqnhtVRPHhkRHla86AS18JeGerIgzoQ7KIADdOrOj1WpevfDG2BOAXKpO7Ez8mGcWwWJ-tZvPx7/s1600/PhotoGrid_1457314064324.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioD7r3yVe-zunAAVaMwgiIVpnCK5W0i68_SrK6tpB26AT8IO_7hWhx6JEnfZygNAMSDeqnhtVRPHhkRHla86AS18JeGerIgzoQ7KIADdOrOj1WpevfDG2BOAXKpO7Ez8mGcWwWJ-tZvPx7/s400/PhotoGrid_1457314064324.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div>
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What you're actually looking at is some clothespins with thumbtacks for use with bulletin boards. I like to put up my student's work in my classroom and these will let me change out the projects much easier. No more staples or handfuls of thumb tacks while balancing on a chair!</div>
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<b>Total Cost for 36 clothespin bulletin pins: $2.</b> (Thank you, Dollar Tree!)</div>
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Anne Adeline Welkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985427512009169289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1406741847987197732.post-48523694366296313352016-02-22T19:54:00.000-08:002016-02-22T19:54:10.601-08:00Netflix and Crafting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Whenever someone sees me crafting for the first time, they tend to react in a similar way: "Wow, I could never [insert craft here]," or "I don't know how you have the time to do that!" Once someone says this, I fell almost sad that they have never experienced crafting. </div>
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Think about how many people crafted a hundred years ago. Sure, a lot of it was required. You kind of had to be able to sew a button back on or knit socks for the winter. But it also had to do with having some to occupy yourself. Before the glorious invention of TV people had much more time to fill up. Ok, they could read a book or write in their journal. But what if they wanted to be a little more social? Crafting allowed people to sit together and chat while they worked on their handiwork. The beauty of crafting is that you can multitask. </div>
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Fast forward to modern day.</div>
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I am one of those people who can't sit still to watch TV. Many others cope by being on their phones also. I admit that I will spend a lot of time on my phone while watching TV. </div>
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Unless... </div>
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I craft. If I can keep my hands busy it makes sitting still and paying attention much easier. I have been known to make it through entire movies like Mad Max: Fury Road (which I would recommend if you enjoy weird characters, cartoon violence, and minimal plot or character development) with cross stitching in my hands.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicJXJ0p_GWnIvR-xNL9S_iat3Dlfr9c4v8jPpyNH-Ns_LwBH7TIAja3YgkckTfBFr3ucqhZ1fb4SmMrVVCXWvSWda8IQ8eB2vrY2ciXGm81gdRhek5rhKjGwIUYecP2d0TG0nMo7YjV15Q/s1600/PhotoGrid_1456107553947.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicJXJ0p_GWnIvR-xNL9S_iat3Dlfr9c4v8jPpyNH-Ns_LwBH7TIAja3YgkckTfBFr3ucqhZ1fb4SmMrVVCXWvSWda8IQ8eB2vrY2ciXGm81gdRhek5rhKjGwIUYecP2d0TG0nMo7YjV15Q/s400/PhotoGrid_1456107553947.jpg" width="400" /> </a> </div>
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This is my newest project. It's from <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/238068033/solemnly-swear-cross-stitch-pattern-i?ref=shop_home_active_23" target="_blank">FiddleSticksAU</a> and it's going to read "I solemnly swear I am up to no good." It has witnessed Iron Man 2, Thor, Mad Max: Fury Road, A Ballerina's Tale, and other TV shows like America's Next Top Model thus far.</div>
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So the next time someone asks me how I can do such a tedious, complicated thing, I'll answer: "Lots of Netflix." </div>
Anne Adeline Welkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985427512009169289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1406741847987197732.post-37106816406897000932015-06-20T21:51:00.001-07:002015-07-17T20:45:02.621-07:00Spinning Again<div dir="ltr">
It's summer and I finally have time to knit and spin again! <br />
Today I started spinning 200g of a burnt orange Wool of the Andes roving from Knit Picks. I'm hoping for a fingering weight, but I tend to spin thicker yarns, so we will see! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVZnMkSj-kh1zhaMGs2ilc7cS9dG_iA2bJMqIXCDl0SMyrncJJtoaF6K9-uk6IGGEoxwIjf7FyFSg_MoRJdPf-2bqNObkATFqqzmIWmgIWcTYnx_P6qPEp_TL-25i9L2ettdQMBihJxavs/s1600/IMG_20150620_193141.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVZnMkSj-kh1zhaMGs2ilc7cS9dG_iA2bJMqIXCDl0SMyrncJJtoaF6K9-uk6IGGEoxwIjf7FyFSg_MoRJdPf-2bqNObkATFqqzmIWmgIWcTYnx_P6qPEp_TL-25i9L2ettdQMBihJxavs/s400/IMG_20150620_193141.jpg" width="400" /> </a> </div>
Anne Adeline Welkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985427512009169289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1406741847987197732.post-36269300298383731022013-08-13T16:18:00.001-07:002013-08-13T16:18:11.997-07:00Oh my Glob!Here's a second Lumpy Space Princess cross stitch! The pattern is in my<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/159419996/lumpy-space-princess-oh-my-glob-cross?ref=shop_home_active" target="_blank"> Etsy shop </a>as an Instant Download (cool new-ish Etsy tool).<br />
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/159419996/lumpy-space-princess-oh-my-glob-cross?ref=shop_home_active" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu5JyYhSy6nICFmpHUX_luW-WG_J3vjC9847g-vR1Ryr0-t0LsTAthnQXJQE6rW-FE4rc4vz3DMUabinpg9qKEhFtE3b0kqUsyNbR7nX4KjKw772cFn3OCaDNDGFdR_3Xlc9nFcjsdG4Dp/s400/ohmyglob.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I attempted to make the original into a card with so-so results. Apparently there are cards made specifically for this, so you don't have to spend 30 minutes with a ruler, pencil, and scissors to get the window made. Despite reading that double-sided tape was the key, I forgot that I had some and just kind of MacGuyvered it.<br />
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Anyhoodle, I like how it turned out! My current cross stitch project is Pinkie Pie from My Little Pony. She is all pink, and it took *ages* to find the right pinks.Anne Adeline Welkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985427512009169289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1406741847987197732.post-6009469571022378422013-08-08T17:14:00.001-07:002013-08-08T17:14:33.842-07:00Lump Off!! Cross Stitch (In Etsy Shop)Lumpy Space Princess is one of the funniest, weirdest characters on Adventure Time. She's always saying "Oh my Glob!" and "Lump off!" like a weird space princess Valley Girl. Yesterday I was itching for a small project to do and came up with this.<br />
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/159089694/lumpy-space-princess-lump-off-cross?" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaW534c6cocUeiU1kV8593nYb4u_ANtArvp620d1ZVE9AQFlbGmfJAu_9lHPIpJ_wWOoN3QkZTTmzg8hyQIsqUugasp6A-Em9Bd1izg7XcZbdzb0YQvM0Rmy2U7p1o6CHEz6YjtllkGPhR/s320/photo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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It took a few hours to complete, and I am in love with the result! I don't have a plan for the piece, so I cut it into a rectangle and pulled some of the Aida strands off.<br />
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/159089694/lumpy-space-princess-lump-off-cross?" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2dYKdRofv5vJ2V8aAjQbKd6ZQhi2KMV1RGe60DDIbo-f4c9PkCorpzs_qWKjrZ3VGfl0QP7yf8n-C66zuZhorgjgnjr0xRhgVXjdAiEs7gzT_diJ9qELdAoQsZXzpuiJTxVPeLDxC6gMv/s320/photo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Artsy angle!<br />
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The pattern is now for sale in my <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/159089694/lumpy-space-princess-lump-off-cross?" target="_blank">Etsy Shop</a>! I'm going to be putting patterns into my shop for the first time. It's cool because there is no shipping to deal with; someone buys the pattern and it is immediately sent to their email. <br />
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Next up: Another LSP cross stitch!Anne Adeline Welkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985427512009169289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1406741847987197732.post-41365577389488160482013-08-06T15:12:00.000-07:002013-08-06T15:12:11.614-07:00Cross Stitching. Forever.<div>
I decided to stitch a picture that I really like of me and my mom. It was taken in a photobooth at the Renegade Craft Fair in Los Angeles a couple years ago. Hence the mustache on my mother. Now I'm not really sure why I thought this would be a good idea. I mean, it's cool and unique. But it's about 100 times bigger than any of my other projects.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7-aeQOZG-bxSSrtY07s2VMWkmmSkMKVG6YUKN6H0o8rhyphenhyphen5WgvbWk-zjT0dQx9S7ELsZO2qL6y8OpiFuHlOesjBS9lHKqQOtwC8nCkf4JszBMI-HcbIljV6Lb-2KJBVtiReoWuIs-omXUP/s1600/WIP_renegade1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7-aeQOZG-bxSSrtY07s2VMWkmmSkMKVG6YUKN6H0o8rhyphenhyphen5WgvbWk-zjT0dQx9S7ELsZO2qL6y8OpiFuHlOesjBS9lHKqQOtwC8nCkf4JszBMI-HcbIljV6Lb-2KJBVtiReoWuIs-omXUP/s400/WIP_renegade1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Current progress of portraits. Will it ever end?</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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The first stitches were those in the highlight of my mom's left cheek. After completing that little blob of purple, I (foolishly) thought that it wouldn't take too long. <br />
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Let's take a break here and talk about math. There are 12,025 stitches in this pattern. That little blob? About 75. Which is just 1/160th, or 0.6%, of the entire pattern. I probably should have thought more about the time needed to complete this piece... it <i>was</i> supposed to be a Father's Day present. Oops.<br />
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There are 7 colors of thread in this piece. When I first went to pick out the colors, I had a list from the KG-Chart program's generated pattern. After picking up all the colors, I noticed that I had some blues and some purples in my hand, all mixed together. Not a smooth gradient! So I used my Color Sense (thanks, Mom!) to pick out my own gradient. Now I know that KG-Chart doesn't have super accurate colors. Or that my computer monitor is extremely off.<br />
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Well, I'm going to go watch My Little Pony and stitch some more. (Don't knock it 'til you try it--it's a charming, funny show.) <br />
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Anne Adeline Welkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985427512009169289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1406741847987197732.post-83376457391726582122013-02-28T23:33:00.001-08:002013-02-28T23:41:01.242-08:00First Manly Sock Completed<div><p>In just one week, I knit a whole sock! Considering that the last two pairs I made took 5 months and almost a year, this is great progress! </p>
<p>Really, though, knitting is all about momentum: if you put that project down for too long, it probably will stay a WIP for a looooong time. (Maybe I should say "I"...some knitters are made of stronger stuff than I and can have tons of projects going at once and finish then all in a reasonable amount if time.)</p>
<p>Anyhoodle, tip for everyone: make sure to double check foot size of the person you are making socks for! I had to tear out the toe and add an inch to the foot because I was making the sock to fit my feet. And they aren't meant for me.</p>
<br/><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgieW8t3uvTIjph-wMrtO1rGuMJ3d-RX7r_TErd4KHz6jQxB0rEzpV1maCz9HVs1qzDhMVODWsrOR2w7Ej1U1XxYzBc8tf_aiHlzbHxtgj_nq93SRDwuEYEbksAaELCTFMl5IALkd09CQFd/' /></div>Anne Adeline Welkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985427512009169289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1406741847987197732.post-85701998279464330462013-02-16T16:20:00.001-08:002013-02-16T16:20:36.563-08:00Two Scarves and Some SocksYesterday I finally finished a pair of socks I've been working on for about 5 months and wove in the ends to a scarf that I spent just 2 days on.<br />
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First, here are my <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/july-mystery-socks" target="_blank">July Mystery Socks</a>. It was a great, easy pattern and I love how the heel was done! They are toe-up with a short-row heel, but also have a gusset. It really cuts down on the awkward holes from a straight short-row heel. As you can see from<a href="http://anneshandspun.blogspot.com/2012/10/ruby-socks-wip.html" target="_blank"> the WIP Post</a> for these socks, I have been working on these for months! I got distracted by making gifts for people and put them aside. This week, though, I finally finished!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDbIkhMxWzEt67068kdZ8p58ZoBJYva-5kJigpsbvxrGMYCAhjkTfd-FuaG-SEJ-_0P3bCjzi_WUx1f-41s6FgJpqQ4Ejk1Cpl_G8ZScw0v_VDUGPPiWxCjQ6r2iAyEe6sOIr6e-WLZeeE/s1600/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDbIkhMxWzEt67068kdZ8p58ZoBJYva-5kJigpsbvxrGMYCAhjkTfd-FuaG-SEJ-_0P3bCjzi_WUx1f-41s6FgJpqQ4Ejk1Cpl_G8ZScw0v_VDUGPPiWxCjQ6r2iAyEe6sOIr6e-WLZeeE/s1600/photo.jpg" /> </a></div>
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Here is a close-up of the pattern. The repeat for the main pattern is only 4 rows, so I was able to memorize it and didn't have to keep looking at the chart (yay!). I decided to make them short socks because I live in California, and wool socks are almost always a little warm anyways!</div>
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Here is my 2-day scarf! I used some handspun that I made during the summer and knit it up in garter stitch on size 15's. <a href="http://anneshandspun.blogspot.com/2012/10/mermaid-handspun-yarn.html" target="_blank"> Here </a>is a post about the Mermaid Handspun. </div>
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The whole scarf. As I had intended, the yarn knit up in long stripes of color. Each of the colors was hand-dyed by me, so this scarf is truly handmade from start to finish.<br />
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Right now, I am working on a new LARGE project... <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-beekeepers-quilt" target="_blank">The Beekeeper's Quilt</a>!Anne Adeline Welkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985427512009169289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1406741847987197732.post-12834497822087582902013-02-07T20:41:00.000-08:002013-02-07T20:41:41.540-08:00Thread Heart ValentineI'm not one to get all excited about Valentine's Day, but I do love a good opportunity to craft! I have seen cards created like this before, and wanted to make my own version. It only took about 15 minutes, so perfect for instant gratification!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUl5k_3qxOaJFpwEb8r-85k57cDzMTyKgd-NlnoT_J8BiS-1wWY513U8_R5c9tfzDiv9FF05XYptQJrNvz-5StwFnd2U-B6NvLMbwN9OkWRp8Mp2Cz-oNiAZHkH-32fMpRsWuxy5WaAl1S/s1600/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUl5k_3qxOaJFpwEb8r-85k57cDzMTyKgd-NlnoT_J8BiS-1wWY513U8_R5c9tfzDiv9FF05XYptQJrNvz-5StwFnd2U-B6NvLMbwN9OkWRp8Mp2Cz-oNiAZHkH-32fMpRsWuxy5WaAl1S/s1600/photo.jpg" /> </a></div>
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The first step is to cut a piece of cardstock in half so you have two pieces that are each 8.5"x5.5". Fold them in half to make a card shape. (Of course, you can use any size paper for this.) </div>
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Once you have the paper cut, you can draw your heart. Do this on the inside of the card so that the pencil marks won't show. Don't worry about getting it perfect, since you can't really tell when it's all just string! <br />
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Add dots to the line, then start threading the heart!<br />
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I found it useful to punch all the holes with my needle first, so I could see them from the other side (where the threading was happening). Just make a design that looks good to you! If you don't like it, you can always pull out some of the thread and try again.</div>
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To finish the card, glue the second piece of paper to the inside to cover up the back of the heart. Write your message, and gift!</div>
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<br />Anne Adeline Welkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985427512009169289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1406741847987197732.post-77753205598413256542013-02-03T07:00:00.000-08:002013-02-03T07:00:06.967-08:00Banana Beer BreadI have an inability to finish all the bananas before they get brown and mushy because I seem to misjudge how many bananas I eat (<i>"Seven? That's a good number of bananas"</i>). I wanted to do banana bread, but with a new twist, so I searched for banana beer bread.<br />
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And... of course it exists! I found a great recipe over at<b> <a href="http://itsallaboutthehanddance.blogspot.com/2012/03/beer-and-bananathey-are-better-together.html" target="_blank">Life, The Universe, and Everything Delicious</a></b>. This blog has a ton of amazing-looking food with lots of recipes. Go visit it! (I did make 2 changes: used white flour and added a pinch of pumpkin pie spice.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOWGCUucjq0p07laxoaOEsjcmpvUEOpGyxJz0Lvy_WLOBq8_JmobZPECE9SUWMBYAbW0MmrubIB1LCsUJ_dUEvEl72FglqK-xkdseuZ3Avg92F59iZldM2wFn1V14IoFZmC8R8jKEpySKE/s1600/20130202_173809.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOWGCUucjq0p07laxoaOEsjcmpvUEOpGyxJz0Lvy_WLOBq8_JmobZPECE9SUWMBYAbW0MmrubIB1LCsUJ_dUEvEl72FglqK-xkdseuZ3Avg92F59iZldM2wFn1V14IoFZmC8R8jKEpySKE/s1600/20130202_173809.jpg" /></a></div>
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The recipe calls for 2 bananas and 1/4 cup of beer. I used Pacifico and it worked wonderfully! Not as beer-y as true beer bread, but there is a nice hint of it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2S7-KjoSfULSaYJGwdVzjlYp-ilQYhGwxE-Q8pCKLCSRUdfOREgd5YS37Ye6Tb7GQGprllpXAUN0ZebJYDeQBZ_qG7DGtNTX-ojSQDS3WEktlq3DV6PsWxeLXaXmqQdxboO91BndcrXan/s1600/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2S7-KjoSfULSaYJGwdVzjlYp-ilQYhGwxE-Q8pCKLCSRUdfOREgd5YS37Ye6Tb7GQGprllpXAUN0ZebJYDeQBZ_qG7DGtNTX-ojSQDS3WEktlq3DV6PsWxeLXaXmqQdxboO91BndcrXan/s1600/photo.jpg" /></a></div>
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And here's how it looks inside. Super moist! That's the great thing about banana bread. Anne Adeline Welkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985427512009169289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1406741847987197732.post-51179979400250195422013-02-01T10:20:00.000-08:002013-02-01T10:17:10.806-08:00Neverending ScarvesScarves are great! I can actually wear them in mild California (all those people dealing with snow get to knit endless hats, mittens, gloves...there's only a few weeks out of the year that it is cold enough to wear those).<br />
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But.<br />
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They take forever. I knit socks a lot, and they probably have the same amount of stitches, if not more. Socks are interesting, though. You've got the toe, the foot, the heel, and the ankle (I like my socks toe-up) and are always just a few inches from the next bit. With a scarf, though, it's one thing. Over and over. With no end in sight!<br />
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At least that's how I'm feeling about this scarf...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVPfNvbO4DKGxBH9tir8EqsDSp_vopxlOH11xRX1GcGCbAoRQ0dAyKhoKUgfvfEpiVd7FX6RiB1jHOen-9GJ8G7uMrrxnLBwFDXW0sABJhKhNw5bKa3BNpDBl4YJ3jqdlKAZ6__knEOHiO/s1600/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVPfNvbO4DKGxBH9tir8EqsDSp_vopxlOH11xRX1GcGCbAoRQ0dAyKhoKUgfvfEpiVd7FX6RiB1jHOen-9GJ8G7uMrrxnLBwFDXW0sABJhKhNw5bKa3BNpDBl4YJ3jqdlKAZ6__knEOHiO/s1600/photo.jpg" /></a></div>
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It's about 3 feet long now, which means I want to try to double the size still. The entrelac is looking really cool, at least! I'm using Patons SWS in Natural Garden, and it's got some great colors in it. I'm usually a cool-colors person (bring on the blue and purple!) but these browns and tans are a nice change.<br />
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This weekend, I am attempting to get at least another foot done. Wish me luck!Anne Adeline Welkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985427512009169289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1406741847987197732.post-41121743169434485912013-02-01T10:16:00.000-08:002013-02-01T10:16:13.098-08:00Back to Knitting...Scarves!The first project I ever knitted was a scarf, and I have knit a few since then. However, I haven't finished a scarf in many years! I will find a pattern that I think is just perfect and start knitting--but then get tired of it after about 4 inches.<br />
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Finally I was able to finish a scarf, and it is the first lace scarf I have ever made! The pattern is Tiger Eyes Lace Scarf and can be <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/tiger-eyes-lace-scarf" target="_blank">found on Ravelry</a> for free.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdhyt-Dr-ecJ5_JQvZHCi7jvWFCrsLCR7r30KNYAL1rHEFY1Yu9f9DLZxcCgDM_prp6vENNyUhY8EbxO1dpCnejpWxSNCrYStgug5fvI412Wv6J4HziUSYv9D87NQ7bsrPUpXKmK66hp1C/s1600/tiger+eye2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdhyt-Dr-ecJ5_JQvZHCi7jvWFCrsLCR7r30KNYAL1rHEFY1Yu9f9DLZxcCgDM_prp6vENNyUhY8EbxO1dpCnejpWxSNCrYStgug5fvI412Wv6J4HziUSYv9D87NQ7bsrPUpXKmK66hp1C/s1600/tiger+eye2.jpg" /></a></div>
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Here is what the design looks like. I used smaller needles than recommended, but it still turned out beautifully. The yarn is <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/berroco-ultra-alpaca-fine" target="_blank">Berroco Ultra Alpaca Fine</a> in colorway 1207. I blocked this scarf on folded up towels, so wasn't able to stretch it much. Someday I will have those gridded blocking foam boards to do this with!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrvif9f6SseT88X7WkpuvOIuIPzweFtHfdMbk70Pa4MKjHxlNJZKfhGcZNnhCpQBxyU70g5HX1wnOrj1D-EpAgkKd_0ZxHKO6YnOtHKEwmyTZ0CXvu3CpkiAXLkgR9Qmp_-_ZnN6IWbuYw/s1600/tiger+eye1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrvif9f6SseT88X7WkpuvOIuIPzweFtHfdMbk70Pa4MKjHxlNJZKfhGcZNnhCpQBxyU70g5HX1wnOrj1D-EpAgkKd_0ZxHKO6YnOtHKEwmyTZ0CXvu3CpkiAXLkgR9Qmp_-_ZnN6IWbuYw/s400/tiger+eye1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The reason that I was able to finish the lace scarf is my next project:<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/entrelac-scarf" target="_blank"> Entrelac Scarf</a>. I found this pattern and really wanted to knit it, but didn't have the correct needle size because I was on vacation. Owing to some inner strength that I didn't know I possessed, I was able to work for 3 weeks on the Tiger Eye scarf to finish it before starting the entrelac.<br />
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I am using <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/patons-sws-soy-wool-stripes" target="_blank">Patons SWS</a> in Natural Garden for this scarf, and plan on knitting through 3 balls. The picture below is about 5 days old, and now I have finished the first ball. A modification that I made to the pattern was decreasing the number of squares by only casting on 16 stitches (instead of the 24 that the pattern called for).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiehY3s1-KiWIwnZ5yneNANs2n2SvxZfnlxKKk87B_LVtdo_xbM-Swi62OTX3YSGvGgXGHtarGY0-h8Q62k6vJmJXepxDn1pllnxUdd7NfoChwsNxDL9ng3gDsy-PDIWbNNX3F0koRa8PYu/s1600/20130123_144320.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiehY3s1-KiWIwnZ5yneNANs2n2SvxZfnlxKKk87B_LVtdo_xbM-Swi62OTX3YSGvGgXGHtarGY0-h8Q62k6vJmJXepxDn1pllnxUdd7NfoChwsNxDL9ng3gDsy-PDIWbNNX3F0koRa8PYu/s320/20130123_144320.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Anne Adeline Welkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985427512009169289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1406741847987197732.post-92199768999478671242012-12-25T22:17:00.000-08:002012-12-25T22:17:32.916-08:00Scyther Pokemon Cross Stitch WIPSince finding the sprites for all video games in the depths of the Internet (<a href="http://spriters-resource.com/" target="_blank">Spriter's Resource</a>, back atcha!) I started my own cross stitch sprite. I played Pokemon on my fuchsia GameBoy Color when I was younger, had lots of the trading cards (which are still in my room somewhere in a neatly organized binder), and even went to the Pokemon movie as soon as it came out. Ah, childhood!<br />
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My first sprite is Scyther, the green bug-looking Pokemon with sharp blades for hands and wings. It was the answer to "What is your favorite Pokemon?" asked of the DBF. <br />
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Here it is so far!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguHh4TnG050STPjyJzbyOTQ2py3NczCS1zqY33lddJni6kRLCq75LOi9kXEn0UpmQEFNroYMifzHRnHXEJAhyphenhyphenELHti2XKo6gK4nRUdA8VphvDy1T_TzxrU8iZ6m0sAknFdLfM7fKyNOikS/s1600/20121225_214820.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguHh4TnG050STPjyJzbyOTQ2py3NczCS1zqY33lddJni6kRLCq75LOi9kXEn0UpmQEFNroYMifzHRnHXEJAhyphenhyphenELHti2XKo6gK4nRUdA8VphvDy1T_TzxrU8iZ6m0sAknFdLfM7fKyNOikS/s1600/20121225_214820.jpg" /> </a></div>
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It was in the making of this pattern that I realized KG-Chart colors aren't exactly like the DMC colors. There are two types of green here, but they are almost exactly the same! If you look on the right blade, the top is the "darker" green and the middle is the "light" green. Unfortunately, outside of bright light, they look the same. </div>
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I have also created patterns with Gengar, Mew, and some pokeballs. They will be posted soon! </div>
<br />Anne Adeline Welkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985427512009169289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1406741847987197732.post-75829129263520684622012-12-24T07:00:00.000-08:002012-12-25T22:18:18.894-08:00KG Chart Image Conversion TutorialHere is how I convert a sprite to a cross stitch pattern. I use KG-Chart for the cross stitch and an old version of Photoshop for the image editing. You can use Paint just as easily for this type of work, but then you don't have as many options for layers and undoing steps. Though I am doing this with a "sprite", it will work with any small image. <br />
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This tutorial will show you how to go from a small sprite to a cross stitch pattern.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq5Y9xuBqibWlr8-XDwFJHfoGeP0_rg9hV90fg4Eii7nytY13VAawUH_X3C6EdlWp1ouizj9io_cX0uQHu89uHzQz_wR4IkxjmdFLKgkNq7fymQ4U9KI8ruIXJGTNVNLn0e6zIv6NwxsHK/s1600/gengar+sprite.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq5Y9xuBqibWlr8-XDwFJHfoGeP0_rg9hV90fg4Eii7nytY13VAawUH_X3C6EdlWp1ouizj9io_cX0uQHu89uHzQz_wR4IkxjmdFLKgkNq7fymQ4U9KI8ruIXJGTNVNLn0e6zIv6NwxsHK/s1600/gengar+sprite.jpg" /></a> ---> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk7in7Lea8rW3s2tiV1a99TlJixFBRFfXKfnrZXrdKYxw7WQL2Dc-mqkPwNj9d-Q8Y0EKV7eNaGVtDIONY7etV0a4_DAcHeA1_lh9pI14dSR-zFE6PzckwjXrsqvOvuazAhPsHHTtsl_Y5/s1600/gengar_preview.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk7in7Lea8rW3s2tiV1a99TlJixFBRFfXKfnrZXrdKYxw7WQL2Dc-mqkPwNj9d-Q8Y0EKV7eNaGVtDIONY7etV0a4_DAcHeA1_lh9pI14dSR-zFE6PzckwjXrsqvOvuazAhPsHHTtsl_Y5/s320/gengar_preview.png" width="320" /></a></div>
Tutorial after the jump!<br />
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<li>Get your image. I was taking a sprite from a larger image, so my first step was to select it and copy to a new project. <br /> </li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdO15NEr4ExHGC6GZ0U6sIT7U6EtytfPakfEyikTKpE5suy5qS8tFYzNYUoWtOCeytPMbVEKtXmc09WSqvtpIehyrL2-u83NFRAwd5T2rvGYo_RJ4OX6AKegOFXTJwuab0QDexXU9IPOix/s1600/sprite+tutorial_1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdO15NEr4ExHGC6GZ0U6sIT7U6EtytfPakfEyikTKpE5suy5qS8tFYzNYUoWtOCeytPMbVEKtXmc09WSqvtpIehyrL2-u83NFRAwd5T2rvGYo_RJ4OX6AKegOFXTJwuab0QDexXU9IPOix/s400/sprite+tutorial_1.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<li>Next, make sure that the background of your image is white, or another solid color. This will help later when cleaning up the pattern in KG-Chart.</li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr6pmlpQI8wJXzgJzaLKf0hclswCF1ycsJt0T0s5WH2EhtZqIbjZBY0oEvy2RGEUzfVnj5S_uV3glZ_6bv0uIhjUPohkqMCX6gaJlCP3iXpQjb7ZoqmCLY6ompbHEBKZTqz-YDx9xtGVBA/s1600/sprite+tutorial_2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr6pmlpQI8wJXzgJzaLKf0hclswCF1ycsJt0T0s5WH2EhtZqIbjZBY0oEvy2RGEUzfVnj5S_uV3glZ_6bv0uIhjUPohkqMCX6gaJlCP3iXpQjb7ZoqmCLY6ompbHEBKZTqz-YDx9xtGVBA/s400/sprite+tutorial_2.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />
<li>Crop the image down so that there is no extra white space.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF-Fr9t8nCnTFcjtXCDCkiUnZdMbOvQj2WFgPGciBA6PFN25pJ6nYr0_DLE3A3YF79mUYY1BwTBJLmjU3Ao-Kb1aQ4zWFuoRzJK9FQmolunaetvDW_YY8UpNRGFHr2B7jLPmpkS8uCUD2N/s1600/sprite+tutorial_3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF-Fr9t8nCnTFcjtXCDCkiUnZdMbOvQj2WFgPGciBA6PFN25pJ6nYr0_DLE3A3YF79mUYY1BwTBJLmjU3Ao-Kb1aQ4zWFuoRzJK9FQmolunaetvDW_YY8UpNRGFHr2B7jLPmpkS8uCUD2N/s400/sprite+tutorial_3.png" width="400" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>Optional: tweak the image to clean up the edges. I like to create a new layer so that I can toggle back and forth between the original and new outline. For this sprite, I allowed some purple to be outside of the black outline because this Pokemon is ghost type. Usually, though, I make sure to have the outline completely enclose the colors.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiSAevub2vensCTSzDqvzXoiyrDBIrdzXQq7KIFYhp9t-e0pTuGoQgwJWiG4xRI2tol85Y_fQcBMqGTgkWPtQvBTX0-rGJrr5yfzhZR7keQsTYo3t3y08FiGdbU-8lT11TvIohbOJv1uQ9/s1600/sprite+tutorial_4.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiSAevub2vensCTSzDqvzXoiyrDBIrdzXQq7KIFYhp9t-e0pTuGoQgwJWiG4xRI2tol85Y_fQcBMqGTgkWPtQvBTX0-rGJrr5yfzhZR7keQsTYo3t3y08FiGdbU-8lT11TvIohbOJv1uQ9/s400/sprite+tutorial_4.png" width="400" /></a></div>
</li>
<li><span style="color: #0000ee;">S</span>ave as file that KG-stitch can use (jpeg, png, gif). <br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfL6iSCGpCNTnaSm0VV5jp41IbFzaEx4oWL12iNZft_ndX9aNTNUhGmSJS_-o-A3XVlmJyZgu_7nQttovMF0k1NOJ1CsdoN10r4IJX7uFSTXpbBAu85i6hE4g7H4QJhPpK0B5QGvGQMR23/s1600/sprite+tutorial_5.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfL6iSCGpCNTnaSm0VV5jp41IbFzaEx4oWL12iNZft_ndX9aNTNUhGmSJS_-o-A3XVlmJyZgu_7nQttovMF0k1NOJ1CsdoN10r4IJX7uFSTXpbBAu85i6hE4g7H4QJhPpK0B5QGvGQMR23/s400/sprite+tutorial_5.png" width="400" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>Check the size of the image in pixels. The best conversions will have the same number of pixels and stitches.<br />
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</li>
<li>Open KG Chart.<br />
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</li>
<li>Choose "import" from the File menu and fill out the other information. Inputting "1" for the "Linen Th./One Stitch" will tell you the correct size of the final product. Make sure to input the pixel sizes for the Width and Height.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDI3Dlk7iQoVIT4Z2MAtUP6U0II2v2AdfbFJWjjUL6IyyPo1j7iZ3_pgxY8cC0sMFkzEysll5e4JlRP_gykus0W9loFuXbSQKgDcY993ZFmjqExfeyZqCI_jPREKi38N0xjYH1Rqcs3dJO/s1600/sprite+tutorial_6.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDI3Dlk7iQoVIT4Z2MAtUP6U0II2v2AdfbFJWjjUL6IyyPo1j7iZ3_pgxY8cC0sMFkzEysll5e4JlRP_gykus0W9loFuXbSQKgDcY993ZFmjqExfeyZqCI_jPREKi38N0xjYH1Rqcs3dJO/s400/sprite+tutorial_6.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
This is what you will get. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKYMVP0NOTZxesg6ZEoTOxGcUNcJv91QTwZhay-0jdyszXN4ZcX0-DI7xx67_mks1bmaZCPJSd7nyrnIyoyuKl4Vef8dJHowIpURlGBS0Cqodszgo680OaeOBdVKhQmAlF443m2bJ2xOXU/s1600/sprite+tutorial_7.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKYMVP0NOTZxesg6ZEoTOxGcUNcJv91QTwZhay-0jdyszXN4ZcX0-DI7xx67_mks1bmaZCPJSd7nyrnIyoyuKl4Vef8dJHowIpURlGBS0Cqodszgo680OaeOBdVKhQmAlF443m2bJ2xOXU/s400/sprite+tutorial_7.png" width="400" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>Erase the white stitches from the background. As far as I know, there is no other way to get rid of the background stitches that were imported.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKYMVP0NOTZxesg6ZEoTOxGcUNcJv91QTwZhay-0jdyszXN4ZcX0-DI7xx67_mks1bmaZCPJSd7nyrnIyoyuKl4Vef8dJHowIpURlGBS0Cqodszgo680OaeOBdVKhQmAlF443m2bJ2xOXU/s1600/sprite+tutorial_7.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKYMVP0NOTZxesg6ZEoTOxGcUNcJv91QTwZhay-0jdyszXN4ZcX0-DI7xx67_mks1bmaZCPJSd7nyrnIyoyuKl4Vef8dJHowIpURlGBS0Cqodszgo680OaeOBdVKhQmAlF443m2bJ2xOXU/s400/sprite+tutorial_7.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDC2RFYCxCKhli_ZtyD1uNIo8bX5KHLHVyw5WQtcGqkFuG9_HNGuLNWPPSk3dm-vh3uoLvmu18spxMG8kmGjumOX9TmYSiOcdkF-3Ky-3OrNsCOVzCwDBq-z3dtCfQwWNeFZDuU125cD7i/s1600/sprite+tutorial_8.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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</li>
<li>Remember to save your project. <br />
</li>
<li>Print the pattern and you are ready to go!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKYMVP0NOTZxesg6ZEoTOxGcUNcJv91QTwZhay-0jdyszXN4ZcX0-DI7xx67_mks1bmaZCPJSd7nyrnIyoyuKl4Vef8dJHowIpURlGBS0Cqodszgo680OaeOBdVKhQmAlF443m2bJ2xOXU/s1600/sprite+tutorial_7.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJeR1Iz3yX9Qx6AeWobN5lu4Lf-p2c4ZFaaoHtY7mnJZksMOkv0VQvfXmWUPzFfOjsxYcogocKcWNzOmcHtk9GE8vZtb3YkD1CpoyAHDlVwkUj37tYLtJlGj5UYAfLBMlSs1sX4Es5t9lV/s1600/sprite+tutorial_9.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJeR1Iz3yX9Qx6AeWobN5lu4Lf-p2c4ZFaaoHtY7mnJZksMOkv0VQvfXmWUPzFfOjsxYcogocKcWNzOmcHtk9GE8vZtb3YkD1CpoyAHDlVwkUj37tYLtJlGj5UYAfLBMlSs1sX4Es5t9lV/s400/sprite+tutorial_9.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk7in7Lea8rW3s2tiV1a99TlJixFBRFfXKfnrZXrdKYxw7WQL2Dc-mqkPwNj9d-Q8Y0EKV7eNaGVtDIONY7etV0a4_DAcHeA1_lh9pI14dSR-zFE6PzckwjXrsqvOvuazAhPsHHTtsl_Y5/s1600/gengar_preview.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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Enjoy!<br />
</li>
</ol>
Anne Adeline Welkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985427512009169289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1406741847987197732.post-6052892180776712092012-12-23T16:05:00.000-08:002012-12-23T16:05:06.759-08:00Resources for Video Game Cross StitchIf you want to get away from the "cutesy" style of traditional cross stitch, there are many ways to update it. One such way is to render video game characters and scenes in cross stitch.<br />
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<a href="http://spritestitch.com/forum/index.php" target="_blank">Sprite Stitch</a> is both a forum and blog that lists cross stitch patterns based on video game "sprites." There is an archive of many patterns already created, as well as a forum in which users frequently create patterns for others based on requests. <br />
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This is a wonderful place to go to see amazing cross stitch projects! Many people post their finished products that will just make your jaw drop. One example is the below, a project stitched by inkdnjabd that contains all of the original pokemon.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://spritestitch.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1129&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=410#p32014" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k266/thestupidredhead/Finished.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amazing pokemon cross stitch project by inkdnjabd on Sprite Stitch. Click for the forum post.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Another great resource is <a href="http://spriters-resource.com/" target="_blank">The Spriter's Resource</a>. Though not specifically for cross stitchers, this is a website that has sprites from hundreds of games. For those of you who don't know what a "sprite" is, it is a small pixel picture of a character. This makes it super easy to translate to cross stitch because it is often pixel-for-pixel. <br />
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For example, I looked up Pokemon and there is a picture with all the Pokemon for each game. I took this picture and grabbed just one--scyther. Below you can see how big it is:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5vy0yc2DWoQVIgne56tUHoNm9hss9Q271NnHv2IPGiFH2JjxU9F2eXObgeAovt_FfJFnYn4PRFPJ42ax7X5yn-QCoSjHhCCFhM6L4U1WHL2onyBRInovse6iUHPLpWEEPT8TC8mdR9T5W/s1600/schyther.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5vy0yc2DWoQVIgne56tUHoNm9hss9Q271NnHv2IPGiFH2JjxU9F2eXObgeAovt_FfJFnYn4PRFPJ42ax7X5yn-QCoSjHhCCFhM6L4U1WHL2onyBRInovse6iUHPLpWEEPT8TC8mdR9T5W/s1600/schyther.png" /></a></div>
Whatever program you are using to edit the picture, there will be a way to determine the size of the image. I wrote down the size, in pixels, and then imported the picture into KG-Stitch with those dimensions in stitches. The colors may not always be spot on, so you may want to alter them once imported.<br />
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Another step that you have to take in KG-Stitch is to "erase" all the background stitches. The background of the photo was imported and read as white stitches, so you must use the erase tool to remove those stitches and to get an accurate count.<br />
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I am currently stitching the outline of this pattern and will post a progress picture soon!Anne Adeline Welkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985427512009169289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1406741847987197732.post-62561102119207740522012-12-23T15:46:00.000-08:002012-12-23T15:46:52.361-08:00Cross Stitch People: Clothes 1In continuing my series of cross stitch people, here are some clothes! It is super easy to mix and match them and change the colors to get the perfect outfit. You can also add stripes and other designs to your own cross stitch.<br />
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Click on the picture below to see it larger. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFxrG0cj8fKv-yogTaqNb-h7HGf87jH908hhls6nP1h6X4Y5mmMYh5c-ckVD1SJ_B78xmvh4RocgT0r1uRA7tP8VwJhJPBhk3uSkEvomoFJ25Bvw8aE1g0i4w0wsT7XwpSkwo7HQ2uVwyE/s1600/people+clothes+1_preview.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFxrG0cj8fKv-yogTaqNb-h7HGf87jH908hhls6nP1h6X4Y5mmMYh5c-ckVD1SJ_B78xmvh4RocgT0r1uRA7tP8VwJhJPBhk3uSkEvomoFJ25Bvw8aE1g0i4w0wsT7XwpSkwo7HQ2uVwyE/s400/people+clothes+1_preview.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B1Tj5fXaTSVHSEpDU0tpUzQ4MW8" target="_blank">Here is the larger pattern</a>, with the colors that I used.Anne Adeline Welkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985427512009169289noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1406741847987197732.post-61129514459501754412012-12-21T16:32:00.000-08:002012-12-21T16:32:22.445-08:00Cross Stitch People Part 1: Hair StylesI've seen all sorts of pixel people cross stitched on the Internet, and thought I would try creating some different designs. Below you can see my first set of hair styles. There's long hair, wavy hair, short hair, and pigtails. If you want a slightly different style, it is very easy to change. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-sS5JqG24bHksFF1U_w4tuOcs-0d6CsrIJJ600qkkralCIRzkxGJfGOZuK5VxHby2Tq43NGvtRwGq3wfsl8ipkh_Ei7ovnNQk1sfcPgyFWO5IdtgIxRzkJDrfIUmZcWeCQSwhwrPjNw25/s1600/people+hair+styles+1_preview.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-sS5JqG24bHksFF1U_w4tuOcs-0d6CsrIJJ600qkkralCIRzkxGJfGOZuK5VxHby2Tq43NGvtRwGq3wfsl8ipkh_Ei7ovnNQk1sfcPgyFWO5IdtgIxRzkJDrfIUmZcWeCQSwhwrPjNw25/s400/people+hair+styles+1_preview.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B1Tj5fXaTSVHT2plZVBwR2UweHM" target="_blank">Here is the link</a> to the pattern! For personal use only, please.<br />
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Next, clothing styles and more hair! Also, I'll be adding some men.Anne Adeline Welkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985427512009169289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1406741847987197732.post-14506721999680205832012-12-21T09:17:00.000-08:002012-12-21T09:17:21.820-08:00Futurama Cross Stitch GiftFor the past week, I have been working on this cross stitch from <a href="http://weelittlestitchescrossstitch.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">WeeLittleStitches</a>. All of the patterns are amazing! <br />
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Here it is, Futurama:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu2B_PQeQ22s7agS-f8JLWvtZdUs60DQE3JMHlSIpaaXwN3N9GqW5uvxpThP9wrcQVDTh6yJwi58G1M8Jrhy8pGvkz2CThyphenhyphenzo4K5vJs2AeWsJp5DLMkKoW9yd-o2pk4bUEduRtcuK15I01/s1600/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu2B_PQeQ22s7agS-f8JLWvtZdUs60DQE3JMHlSIpaaXwN3N9GqW5uvxpThP9wrcQVDTh6yJwi58G1M8Jrhy8pGvkz2CThyphenhyphenzo4K5vJs2AeWsJp5DLMkKoW9yd-o2pk4bUEduRtcuK15I01/s1600/photo.jpg" /></a></div>
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The pattern is *free*, so yay! You can find it <a href="http://weelittlestitchescrossstitch.blogspot.com/2012/01/free-pattern-futurama.html" target="_blank">here</a>. Now, poor Hermes did not make it into the final product. I'm stitching with a deadline!<br />
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This is the largest cross stitch project I have done so far, and it dragged on forever! So many different colors of thread (some of which were actually the recommended colors) and ends to weave in. I finished and stared at it for a good few minutes and then realized 1) the Professor didn't have any shoes, and 2) The top row of Amy's jumpsuit didn't have the second leg of the stitch. After grappling with my inner lazy, I pulled the thread back out and fixed those two spots. <br />
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Next up... IT Crowd!Anne Adeline Welkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985427512009169289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1406741847987197732.post-39600154608999557082012-12-17T20:22:00.002-08:002012-12-17T20:22:36.628-08:00THREAD!!Today I went to the craft store and bought some embroidery floss for my cross stitch stash. A LOT of it, too. Well, at least more than I've ever bought at one time before!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg73Y88nqojepFPBdoBpVvJQbVZB_i6IFfPpPlLClKWzdsNRKv0AGzMz5FQYn-EdvhtBsjAH6pFsoPlBefvckh0rt0ShPjDKuA6cn1h4i1aiWl36WBhd3yi7IoUM23C290vnrwZ2NDyMOO0/s1600/20121217_171728.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg73Y88nqojepFPBdoBpVvJQbVZB_i6IFfPpPlLClKWzdsNRKv0AGzMz5FQYn-EdvhtBsjAH6pFsoPlBefvckh0rt0ShPjDKuA6cn1h4i1aiWl36WBhd3yi7IoUM23C290vnrwZ2NDyMOO0/s1600/20121217_171728.jpg" /></a></div>
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I was buying mostly for patterns that I have and am *attempting* to use for presents (1 week to go!). There's also some that were just too pretty to pass up, such as that bright turquoise on the left and lime green slightly over.<br />
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Now, onward with the frantic gift cross stitching!Anne Adeline Welkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985427512009169289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1406741847987197732.post-64168779204638628802012-12-13T22:10:00.000-08:002012-12-13T22:10:37.663-08:00Block Letters Cross StitchSo I have been making my patterns in KG-Chart, which is a great free program.* It doesn't have a fancy text input tool, so you have to do all of it by hand (which is actually kind of relaxing... see my <a href="http://anneshandspun.blogspot.com/2012/12/cross-stitch-pattern-designer-program.html" target="_blank">Rorschach quote</a>). I haven't decided yet if it is worth it to shell out some money for a better program--like <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pattern-Maker-Cross-Stitch-Software/dp/B0010YKYYM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1355464705&sr=8-1&keywords=cross+stitch+pattern+pro" target="_blank">Pattern Maker Pro</a>. <br />
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Anyhoodle... that means I am doing all the text by hand. So I decided to try making my own "fonts" in the program so I don't have to be constantly trying to remember what kind of letter I want. The first one is very close to what I use for my <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/AnnesHandspun?section_id=10256839" target="_blank">woven friendship bracelets</a>. I had to tweak a few letters for them to look right with the others, because they look different when I weave them.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg98DCmaq97zEjyTIKQtAMqpaEZQt-ttFduuLKQXPeUIgon5YtSJLFvvZVieW6AY5H5EyjHFL3cUo7cl4HGJ5CejMlqZfs7IqVu3KH8kBYPf7HEpgMy10yWYeb-oxiO8lunxmt6OAeIy0HN/s1600/block+letters_preview.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg98DCmaq97zEjyTIKQtAMqpaEZQt-ttFduuLKQXPeUIgon5YtSJLFvvZVieW6AY5H5EyjHFL3cUo7cl4HGJ5CejMlqZfs7IqVu3KH8kBYPf7HEpgMy10yWYeb-oxiO8lunxmt6OAeIy0HN/s400/block+letters_preview.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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While making this, I realized that I have NEVER EVER made a bracelet with a "Q" in it. And I've done more than a hundred. It's not a very common letter, apparently!<br />
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So, <a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B1Tj5fXaTSVHWFUtOXVibWVLaUU" target="_blank">here is a link to the PDF</a>. Feel free to use however you want! <br />
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<br />*Just, for the love of God, don't try to switch to backstitching when you have some cross stitches selected. They will disappear. And then you will "undo" and the cross stitches will be in the spot that they were before you selected and moved them. Hopefully. But, hey, it's free!Anne Adeline Welkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985427512009169289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1406741847987197732.post-50240191164188847162012-12-10T13:58:00.000-08:002012-12-10T13:58:40.160-08:00Mitosis Cross Stitch PatternI LOVE the process of mitosis. It's one of the first things that drew me to Biology in High School. I have embroidered it before, but now I have created my own cross stitch pattern.<br />
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On it, you can see one cell going through Mitosis and then Cytokinesis to form two daughter cells. I wanted it to be small, so it is very simplified. (Like, no homologous chromosomes! So these cells belong to some haploid organism with only two chromosomes.) But it's still pretty. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh0cdjRxRDlRvnbhYrLK35t7hxw9HaF7key9VAyaNlBgbwF5gIKAIgH_k4GNTthOzRS_UTGwFy7DK2u75AnKspzy0TsRmeENuKu1ykFgfdf2Tx_-rpOdr4kWFn0kR_WMTe5pOwuresWd5R/s1600/mitosis_preview.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh0cdjRxRDlRvnbhYrLK35t7hxw9HaF7key9VAyaNlBgbwF5gIKAIgH_k4GNTthOzRS_UTGwFy7DK2u75AnKspzy0TsRmeENuKu1ykFgfdf2Tx_-rpOdr4kWFn0kR_WMTe5pOwuresWd5R/s400/mitosis_preview.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click for bigger!</td></tr>
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B1Tj5fXaTSVHdXNGUUl2ZTJQMDg" target="_blank">Here is the link</a>. Have at it, ye scientists!<br />
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Next, I will try to figure out something to do with genetics, because genetics rocks! Anne Adeline Welkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985427512009169289noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1406741847987197732.post-77913285538493504992012-12-09T13:47:00.000-08:002012-12-09T13:47:33.347-08:00Christmas Cross Stitch Label Free PDFQuick and easy Christmas label to add a custom touch to your gifts. Your recipient can then turn it into an ornament if he/she so chooses!<br />
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See below for a link to the PDF of the pattern.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMQ7lnb1LdpQwP9hAMZpUOBR_3HczKF4yiaFIi77OwmfGk71mLjnsg-k-6cqX3E-O7ETpM-RKHv3eekEiVynjyIP4L0mKSZfA-KIeoF4skbnBajMBpJFDy8-0cvkFEMa6IZTA0ZswFIZoC/s1600/merry+xmas+label_preview.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMQ7lnb1LdpQwP9hAMZpUOBR_3HczKF4yiaFIi77OwmfGk71mLjnsg-k-6cqX3E-O7ETpM-RKHv3eekEiVynjyIP4L0mKSZfA-KIeoF4skbnBajMBpJFDy8-0cvkFEMa6IZTA0ZswFIZoC/s400/merry+xmas+label_preview.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B1Tj5fXaTSVHdEhfeVRKZW55Yjg" target="_blank">Here is the pattern!</a> I'd love to see any finished (or mostly finished ;) ) projects.Anne Adeline Welkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985427512009169289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1406741847987197732.post-84736350064133592542012-12-09T10:32:00.000-08:002012-12-09T10:32:36.908-08:00Anatomical Heart Free Cross Stitch Pattern I first designed this pattern over a year ago and got about 50% done with the project before abandoning it (I have learned that I lose interest quick if there are huge swatches of color.). I have tweaked it a little and put it into a fancy PDF for you. <br />
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Anatomical hearts are cool, right? As a biologist, I feel that I must present at least one organ pattern. Though I must admit, my knowledge of anatomy and physiology is pretty basic because I am a Cell Biologist. So expect some awesome cell patterns!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyNeMnpcQZ_W-I2QAJUMQsJFsJULwjagXyjwY9r9PRWRnwJd_KIRciDIUCdy8HcTcueyPEWjEX9H79MtGesNRENqRJGj5wkisfcaX0EN5-iGHJggkr38QOfJ4AUptm3mWWmkHfSYx9j0qY/s1600/anatomical+heart_preview.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyNeMnpcQZ_W-I2QAJUMQsJFsJULwjagXyjwY9r9PRWRnwJd_KIRciDIUCdy8HcTcueyPEWjEX9H79MtGesNRENqRJGj5wkisfcaX0EN5-iGHJggkr38QOfJ4AUptm3mWWmkHfSYx9j0qY/s1600/anatomical+heart_preview.png" /></a></div>
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Want a PDF of the pattern? <a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B1Tj5fXaTSVHQldFbklzYmR0a0k" target="_blank">Here it is!</a> Just, you know, link back and whatnot. :)Anne Adeline Welkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985427512009169289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1406741847987197732.post-79081138832870334862012-12-09T09:22:00.003-08:002012-12-09T09:22:51.732-08:00Dumbledore Quote Free Cross Stitch Pattern Here's my second cross stitch pattern! I was thinking about what I should do next when I remembered that Dumbledore said a lot of cool things in Harry Potter. This quote is from the first book, <i>The Sorcerer's (Philosopher's) Stone</i>. <br />
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"It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live." ~Dumbledore<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjRwEE_7CfaefI9T4ZSAd0n8EDnNpwY8MFpTHhBCFF-FLYL2YiIgXI9JuPGwYUHgjXGkk8P89_PoiMBL2mQZaR549nMJwJMSTOylEldAGq0H7FYsaUW7J_Q_jjQpzIV-LugVF0tmxU4MRE/s1600/dumble+quote_preview.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjRwEE_7CfaefI9T4ZSAd0n8EDnNpwY8MFpTHhBCFF-FLYL2YiIgXI9JuPGwYUHgjXGkk8P89_PoiMBL2mQZaR549nMJwJMSTOylEldAGq0H7FYsaUW7J_Q_jjQpzIV-LugVF0tmxU4MRE/s400/dumble+quote_preview.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B1Tj5fXaTSVHV0g0MjdqSzZNelk" target="_blank">Here is a link to the free PDF!</a> If you use the pattern, I would to hear from you (and also a link back). :)<br />
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Now, what to do next...? I have no school or work for a month, so lots of time to come up with patterns!Anne Adeline Welkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985427512009169289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1406741847987197732.post-23329864862656393262012-12-08T17:07:00.002-08:002012-12-08T17:08:33.454-08:00Cross Stitch Pattern Designer Program (With free Rorschach Quote Pattern!)I'm the kind of crafter who follows patterns but also MUST design my own patterns. I've spent hours looking through cross stitch patterns online and got the urge to make my own. So I started to search. There are so many cross stitch pattern makers out there! But most are for converting images into cross stitch (want your baby's face forever remembered in 50 shades of fleshtone thread? <i>Bam!</i>). And the ones that have the tools I want are $50 and up. Seriously? For a glorified Paint program?<br />
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After much searching, I found the perfect program: <a href="http://www.iktsoft.net/kgchart-en/kgchart/download/" target="_blank">KG-Chart</a>. It lets me draw stitches and shapes and add in backstitching. When you go to print the design, it gives you a handy dandy table with the DMC numbers for all the colors and how many stitches are in each. (Though I must admit that I choose colors for my projects by squinting and comparing to the printout.)<br />
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My first pattern is a Rorschach quote, from <i>Watchmen</i>. Though it's a kinda long, loud movie that I *may* have fallen asleep during my second viewing... it's a really cool quote. Every time you read it, though, you must imagine Rorschach saying it with his crazy-awesome voice.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9BqH4qT1bmGvIDCM6yGvhL9U2uEsg0-0oQBQp_mt3kdMp93p2n41vebkv_z3fsE8Yq7JJ7i1mv4-_3HvLC6FhbsvkTRlpRaaRdNmpjZR9iCKVUk3sTroeVxaXLDZud3zInEbScDAEmds0/s1600/rorschach+quote_preview.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Click for bigger!" border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9BqH4qT1bmGvIDCM6yGvhL9U2uEsg0-0oQBQp_mt3kdMp93p2n41vebkv_z3fsE8Yq7JJ7i1mv4-_3HvLC6FhbsvkTRlpRaaRdNmpjZR9iCKVUk3sTroeVxaXLDZud3zInEbScDAEmds0/s400/rorschach+quote_preview.png" title="" width="400" /></a></div>
<a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B1Tj5fXaTSVHZ1hPQXYxUVk0Y28" target="_blank">Here is a PDF of the pattern.</a> So go for it, cross stitchers! If you post your completed project, please link back and let me know. Anne Adeline Welkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985427512009169289noreply@blogger.com0