Happy Conga Time!

Well, if one finish in a week is a Happy Dance, then two must form the start of a Conga?

excerpt from Bothy Threads

Sneaky Peeky of my finish:

The whole thing:

Winter Typography by Just Nan

Stitched on 32 count Lilac linen

Started 14th March 2014

Finished 22nd April 2015

Regular followers may remember Awesome Autumn Typography from 2013 where I changed one of the Autumns into Awesome.  I have done a similar thing on Winter.  Can you spot it?

Autumn Typography by Just Nan

It was a very serendipitous finish too, just as SewandSo are having a 10% off sale, so of course I had to buy the next one in the series - Spring Typography.  I will hold off getting Summer until I have stitched Spring.  There's an incentive for me!

Here's a collage of the details:

As well as treating myself to Spring Typography this month, I purchased an app for my iPad called X-Stitch App by PerformTec Ltd for only £2.29.  They are a husband and wife team who have created this inventory app for cross stitchers.  There are three main sections; the Journal, The Inventory and the Shopping List.  Each area is accessible from every part of the app so you jump from one to another easily.  You can also access the app from multiple devices.

The shopping list is just a notepad where you can details of anything you want or need.  Because the app can be viewed even when you do not have an internet connection this would be useful when you are out shopping.

The inventory is sub-divided into Charts & Kits, Threads and Linens.  Under Linens they have included all the major linen manufacturers and hand-dyers as well as some smaller companies.  There is also a Miscellaneous category for random pieces, or those you dyed yourself.  You select the thread count and the cut size too.  The Threads section also features all the major thread brands and many smaller businesses too.  Here the colours and numbers are preloaded so all you have to do is indicate how many skeins you own of each thread.  My only complaint about this section is that the numbered threads (such as DMC) are displayed in alphabetical order and not numerical order.  eg 3011 comes after 301 and is followed by 3012-3033 then 304 then all the 3041 threads.  This is annoying and could be easily fixed by the programmer putting a zero in front of the hundred numbers, ie 0304 not 304.  You can request dyers to be added to the list under the Settings options.

The Charts and Kits section is amazing!!  Every designer I have ever heard of is there and many I have not.  Resisting the urge to Google.  You just select the designer and add the name of the project plus some free form details of linen, threads.  The designers are displayed by alphabetical order on the index screen, you click on one and it shows the designs you own by that designer, along with the first line of text which is useful.  There is also an option to view all your charts in alphabetical order.

One thing I liked was that they have included a number of magazines, just the US ones at the moment plus Cross Stitcher.  However, there is a field under Settings where you can recommend designers and I have asked for the other major UK mags to be added.  I love the idea of adding the designs from a particular issue into your inventory, very thoughtful.

The Journal section is subdivided into Wish-List, Kitted, Started, Finished and All.  A nice feature is that once a chart is in the Inventory you can do a one click to add it to the Journal and all the information is migrated across.  Unfortunately the two entries are not synced after that so any changes on one are not copied over.  Minor niggle though.  In the Journal you can add photos from your iPad really easily.  You can screenshot from the internet and then add the photos too. 

You choose a Status and then all the designs under that status are listed in alphabetical order by project name.  I found it more useful to add the designer's name at the front of the title so they are grouped together.  You get a nice little picture of the current photo next to each one which can be easily updated each time to make some progress on it.  Once you finish a project you fill in the date and change the Status to Finished and it automatically changes section.

Here's a screenshot of the first part of my Started page:

(must move Winter Typography into Finished!)

So, is it worth it?  I have to say - Yes, it is.  It's a nice little app designed by people who actually know about cross stitching.  It's been very well thought out and is so easy to use.  There aren't many instructions but there is a FAQ page and you can contact them via email.  I sent an email with a couple of suggestions and got a reply despite them being on their holidays!  I guess self-employed people are never really on holiday.

Finally, there is a new blog on the block.  This one is for fans of Teresa Wentzler's intricate and gorgeous artwork.  The Magnificent Teresa Wentzler SAL.  Why not pop over and join in or just ogle the lovelies as they are added?