Newbie

[mayflowers]

Hi, I'm Blossom. Been dithering since New Year = not sure what to say, when I'm nervous tend to go OTT & then get embarrassed! Wanted to join for several reasons - to make crafting friends, learn new things & last but not least wanted to help wave the flag for Wales.

Llive in rural area near Snowdonia which at this time of year is very beautiful - spring flowers, hedgerows full of blossom, new leaves on trees & lots of sheep & lambs. Saw tiny lambs on slightly wobbly legs go into a large field this morning, One stood looking round once out the trailer, seemed amazed at all the space & greenery. lots to take in - green grass, tall trees in wood at the back & one side of the field. Winter it is often bleak & can be quite hostile as it was winter just gone. From early December to end of March dark, cold days - worst for a long time.

Had a break from x-stitch for a few months to do other things. Am getting ready Dimensions blossoms & butterflies kit & found the pale green Aida very stiff, would not go on hoop, It is 7x5 inches, done one that size before & had no probs. Washed Aida this morning & it is drying between towels - wondered what others did in this situation. Have spare 16 ct but not green. Sorting threads tonight so don't need Aida until tomorrow.

I like the natural world (except for huge hairy spiders), my favourites are butterflies, bees & birds. Made small things & cards for years, but now want to gradually make larger pictures. Have collected quite a few to give myself something to aim for, several Dimensions kits. A few charts too. Probably need help at times so shall be glad of advice then. See there are some very large projects on here but mine won't be that big. Amazing how you all do those very large ones.

Blossom

[Serinde]

Welcome to the forum from the West of Scotland! You will find a couple of your fellow country people here, and (naturally) a Welsh dragon flies from one of the flagpoles outside the front of the Stash & Grab (along with every national flag representing forum members, of course).

Just for a warning: You have walked into a veritable nest of enablers regarding collecting designs, threads and all manner of stash. Just so you know.

[wendywombat]

Welcome from me in SW France!

The area where you live sounds idyllic and as you know, a very relaxing place to stitch and craft.

I've washed Aida before and it does soften up. It also gets softer with wear so I have tended to 'scrumple' it up between my hand before using and placing in a hoop. The creases with pull out once tensioned in the hoop.

[mayflowers]

Thanks both of you. Western Scotland is beautiful & seems rugged as well when I've seen it on TV. Cairngorms must be beautiful, it is UKs biggest National Park. Looked into the Stash & Grab. seems like a peaceful idyll, all those creatures as well, great. Must be lovely & cool near the pool when days are scorcio & too hot to do anything. Are there roaring fires in winter? If so, will get Puff the Magic Dragon to whisk me over so I can have hot toddy while relaxing by the fire & hopefully some company. How accommodating to have all those flags flying, so thoughtful.

Thanks for forewarning me, it will be hard to resist temptation as some wonderful designs on here. Also beautiful fabrics & threads. think I'll have to be like the & try to deflect the 'I must have' thoughts from all sides!

Does it get hot in SW France during summer months? I know it does in SE France, but the coastline is much longer than ours. Thanks for tip on Aida. Just checked mine - it's flat & dry now so can use it tonight. Was like a highly starched material, scratchy to the fingers, not had any that stiff before. It is lovely & peaceful to stitch until you get jets flying low & doing manoeuvres at different heights. It never fail to amaze how pilots zoom & turn getting the plane to do exactly what they want. So highly trained. In the Conwy Valley if you're outside & the jets come very low it reverberates round the mountains & hills. Happened twice to us when walking there. Hear them coming & it seems a nanosecond before you see them & then they are further away & disappear.

Blossom

[Nicola Main]

Hi Blossom and a warm welcome to the forum!

Looking forward to seeing your projects progress and I'm glad you seem to have sorted out the aida! The green will set it off nicely!

[CarrieGF]

welcome from East coast of Ireland, we are close by!
there are lots of lovely very helpful people here sograb a pew and keep stitching. do not be afraid to ask for advice, i am sure you will find help here quickly, have fun

[mayflowers]

Thank you both

[Garnet]

Hello and welcome from another North Walian Although I am at the other end of the A55.

I used to live near Llangollen and the "heavy" aircraft used to fly over 3-4 times a week and use the bridge at a nearby village as their"drop" point, would frighten the living daylights out of me until I got acustomed to it, it's the hearing them before you see them and then they've gone that used to get me. The fast jets are probably flying out from RAF Valley as it's a training base.

Your projects sound lovely, if I may offer a heads up though Dimensions are, in my opinion notorious for not supplying enough fabric in their kits, apart from that though their designs are beautiful. Oh and yes we are a shameless bunch of enablers especially for Wrendale Designs.

Would love to see photos of your work sometime.

[rcperryls]

Hello Blossom and welcome to the forum from across the Big Pond!! I was in Wales for only a day and a half several years ago and am saving pennies to be able to go and see more of your beautiful country. I hope you will post pictures of your projects since we love pictures!! We all need help at times so remember that we operate on the theory that the only "bad" question is the one that you don't ask. If no one knows the answer, someone will know where to go to find the answer. And we have several excellent detectives who are members. Looking forward to getting to know you.

Carole

[Squirrel]

Hi Blssom and Welcome from me too in chilly but sunny Brisbane. It is so good that you have ramped up your courage and introduced yourself. I see by the posts already up that most warnings have been given, especially about the Wrendale designs.

I too love nature, although I must admit I am very tired of all the green around this part of the world. Being in the sub tropics to see an English tree is most unusual - it is mostly palms and other similar trees. We do have lovely flowing trees briefly around Christmas, the lovely red flowered Poinsianna for one. Butterflies of several different colours, noisy parakeets etc. I am originally from Christchurch NZ which is a very English city with beautiful gardens and at this time of year heaps of glorious autumn colours which I do miss big time.

[mayflowers]

thank you all. Will certainly ask for help when I need it. Nice to know you can ask anything.

Only have few pics of prev makes. Will try & put them up in next few days. Twice spent ages yesterday trying to get different avatar pic but never managed, will keep to the one I have now - so need to catch up few things today. You are the Chester end then Garnet.. Beautiful round Llangollen, only been there once - years ago.

I've seen pictures & programmes with brightly coloured Australian birds. So beautiful

NZ is greener I Believe. Have heard people say who have been out there, say is it similar to UK but warmer. Imagine in good summer that Australia gets to reach very high temperatures. All that red earth in one of it;s areas, stretches for many miles I do believe. Saw programme on TV about cattle ranchers out there, couldn't believe ground was so red, amazing.

[mayflowers]

thank you all. Will certainly ask for help when I need it. Nice to know you can ask anything.

Only have few pics of prev makes. Will try & put them up in next few days. Twice spent ages yesterday trying to get different avatar pic but never managed, will keep to the one I have now - so need to catch up few things today. You are the Chester end then Garnet.. Beautiful round Llangollen, only been there once - years ago.

I've seen pictures & programmes with brightly coloured Australian birds. So beautiful Was amazed on one David Attenborough programme they showed a huge flock of budgies at a watering place. They were all green. Did not realise they stayed in such big flocks.

NZ is greener I Believe. Have heard people say who have been out there, say is it similar to UK but warmer. Imagine in good summer that Australia gets to reach very high temperatures. All that red earth in one of it;s areas, stretches for many miles I do believe. Saw programme on TV about cattle ranchers out there, couldn't believe ground was so red, amazing.

[Alaric]

Hi there, Newbie. Welcome from les Iles de la Madeleine, Canada. Wether stitching large or small, there is joy in every stitch. (Except in the ones you have to rip out.)

I enjoy the larger projects, and use a pattern maker for the job.
Our lambs are mostly seals, newborns sticking close to mom for shelter and support.

Greetings .... Alaric

[vanessanjf]

Hello and welcome

[mayflowers]

thank you both

[piercedprincess]

Welcome! I’m a newbie too.. I originate from the West Midlands and I’ve visited your location many times- beautiful place

[fccs]

Hello from Colorado and welcome to the forum.

I don’t like big, hairy spiders either - or even small, hairless spiders. Lady bugs and butterflies - I like those bugs

[mayflowers]

Thank you both. piercedprincess left a message for you on another topic

What are you working on? I've got my next project, pink peony head, entitled Emperor Bloom, ready but not started it yet. Hope to do so in next few weeks, what with one thing & another not got round to stitching again.

[sina28]

Hello and a very belated welcome to the forum from Germany!
I too love bees and birds, such wonderful little creatures.
Hope you enjoy yourself here on the forum.

[Squirrel]

Blossom, yes Australia is a large country with many different climates. To give you a bit of an idea of size when I fly to visit my son and grand daughter in Perth WA it is a 5 hour flight.
Yes red dirt for thousands of empty miles. It takes hours to get anywhere outside the city one lives in. a bus trip long ago from Sydney to Townsville (north Queensland) was about 30 hours or so. Coming from little (in comparison to size only) NZ I have always found it difficult to comprehend the distances one needs to get from one city to the other. When I fly to Melbourne - way down south - it is almost 3 hours in the air.

To fly to the Uk from here takes 23 hours with 1 refuelling stop.