DoLolly - Tail Catcher - Retreat

A while back I posted about my DoLolly, and said my LNS was attempting to find an alternative. I just saw it on their web site, so do have a look. It's called a Tail Catcher.

I also mentioned a Stitching Getaway, and that I'd let you know when it was advertised. It is on the site now, as well. Check out Tea With the Queen!

DoLolly

Someone asked the question on one of my stitching groups, "Can anyone tell me how to fasten off neatly when you are stitching over-one on higher-count fabrics? I'm working on some 36 count linen with a single ply of silk floss, and my needle (a size 28) simply will not go through the back of the stitches to fasten off - at least not without distorting the stitches quite badly!" My reply straightway was, The Dololly.

What is a Dololly, you ask? In the South, 'Dololly' is slang for a thing you can't really describe by known terms, the same as 'thingamajig,' 'doohickey,' the really descriptive 'whachamacallit,' or the ever popular, 'You know...'.

But in stitchers' terms, it is a wonderful little two-piece tool to help hide away the ends of threads. On the back side of your work, slide the threader-type piece (bottom of three)through the stitches, take the hook piece to grab the 'tail' of thread through the threader, then pull the threader out of the stitches; Voila!

The actual needle threader that came with my set is pictured in the center above. For those really small stitches - like the ones asked about - you could use the threader since it is tiny.

I hadn't thought of it in a long time, but at Camp Stitchaway I made a mistake while learning hardanger stitches and was trying to fix it. Angel came to my rescue with her Dololly and fixed my mistake. As soon as I got home I went in search of mine, and now it is in my stitching toolkit, again!! While trying to find some evidence of the Dololly's existence, I found that someone else had this dilemma here.

Below is the set I got about five years ago. At the time I wasn't really doing much cross stitch, but a lot of embroidery on Crazy Quilts. Always being a fiber miser, this was just the ticket. It was an eBay item, and I even asked the seller if she sold the pieces separately, but she didn't. Am I ever glad now!! It came with the Dololly, a needle threader, the stitch pins, and the fob that I use for scissors. What a bargain! Someone just told me the last Dololly they saw on the rack in a LNS was $32.

I checked with my LNS yesterday, and she reiterated what's mentioned here. They are no longer in production. She did tell me that she has ordered a similar product to see if it is up to par, but had not received it yet. I think she called it a 'tail tucker' or something similar, but I can't find it.

? Stash ?

Today I read a post by Mary Corbet at Needle'n Thread about Stash, and it got me thinking...

I often ponder why crafters have so much stash

1. Be ready at a moment's notice
2. Always have anything one needs without having to leave the house
3. To quote a friend, "because we love it!"

I have more of everything related to any needle art than I'll ever use in three lifetimes, but I love it! And I can be pretty much prepared at a moment's notice without leaving the house ;-).

For example -- while stenciling the carpet (see previous post) in which directions said I could use any implement for applying, the foam brush was just not suiting my fancy. Then I remembered from my former figurine painting days, I had stencil brushes. I went to the closet and found the jar holding brushes, and there were two sets! Prepared! When I wanted to detail some fine lines on the table I'm refinishing I thought, there are some small brushes with my lace painting/dying stuff ~~yep, there they were. Of course you notice a couple of words that are key to the use of stash...remember and find. This is without doubt just as important as acquiring space to house said stash!!

Now the next question: When does one go from Stash Collecting ( A person who makes a collection, as of stamps) to Pack Rat ( collector or accumulator of miscellaneous objects) status?

The little 'serving size' containers that I can't stand to toss. Sure, I could put them in the recycle bin along with the soda cans, but they make excellent receptacles for seed disposal while eating fruit and are perfect for paint trays as are plastic lids for resting the paint brush and coffee cans for holding the supplies in route. Is this not a form of recycling...

And larger containers? Well the old vinegar bottle in great for mixing hummingbird food, and the old coffee creamer bottle or any big mouth container (especially if it has a flip top lid) is wonderful to put your ball of yarn while knitting, tatting, or embroidering!! Keeps it from distracting fur babies by rolling around on the floor, and from gathering dust bunnies.

Hum...according to Houghton Mifflin (and proven by above examples), I've achieved Pack Rat status! But in my mind the things will be of use/value to me at some point. And if not... Well, DS will one day probably back a dump truck up to the the door and head straight for the dump ~ or the recycling center?? But this will be an excellent excuse for haunting him for the rest of his days!!

Boo!

A Grab Bag Windfall

On one of the cross stitch lists I'm a member of, someone commented that Cheryl was closing shop and offering Grab Bags for $23 including shipping of the 8.95 priority mail box -- stuffed full. I don't usually go for unseen bargains, but decided to take a chance. Boy, am I ever glad I did. As closely as I can calculate, there must be over $200 retail value of materials in this box.

Two boxes of Anchor pearle thread, 4 sets of Mill Hill buttons, Kreinik spools, packs of Just Nan bead sets, many, many Mill Hill beads, Charles Craft fabric, and at least 20 booklets or kits.
Totally amazing!



Thank you so much, Cheryl.