Not everyone has a “helper” while trying to cross stitch!
He’s the cutest little guy ever and he’s so fun but he’s a rascal and when it comes to my cross stitching, he’s constantly looking to see what he can grab. Of course, we don’t want Oscar eating floss and we don’t want him grabbing my scissors, jumping off the chair with them in his mouth or running with them. Nor do we want him sneaking off with a highlighter and chewing it up and leaving a bright blue spot on the carpet.
Every time I get up to leave my chair, whether it’s to take a 1 minute break to check on the freeze dryer or whether I’m going to dig for pinkish peach floss, I try to be sure to zip everything up in a project bag and place the bag somewhere that Oscar can’t get to it. But, he’s a sneaky one. I can be counting stitches and first thing I know, he’s grabbed my scissors or he’s sneaking off with a pencil.
I’ve added several fairly inexpensive little gadgets that help me keep organized and hopefully help keep Oscar safer.
There are Amazon links to most everything I will mention and they are affiliate links. These items may cost less at other places but I did get mine from Amazon.
First off are these magnetic cable ties. These are mostly for my benefit. When using the frame, I pull the sides taut with these ties. When I’m using a hoop or Q-snap, I use these to roll up the extra fabric and keep it out of the way.
As you know, I use a Lowery stand with my Rolaframe frames. I buy most of my frames from A Stitch in Time in Florida. These frames are not easy to find. You will need a set of roller bars and a set of end bars.
I also appreciate this magnetic board holder. I make working copy of whatever chart I’m stitching and put the real chart safely away from Oscar. I like this “magnetic line minder” from Hobby Lobby because it has a hole in it. I put the screw from the board holder through that hole, and use a wing nut on the back side of it to keep the magnetic line minder from flopping around.
I always have a mechanical pencil and a highlighter handy. I make notes on the chart and I keep a pad handy to make notes for myself. I may see a recipe on youtube and I make a note so I can go back and watch it again, or at midnight, I may remember that I need to make an appointment for Oscar to get his checkup/vaccines. Or, watching a flosstube, I may see a chart I need and I’ll make a note to check it out when I’m not stitching.
If I’m stitching from a pdf and using the Pattern Keeper app, then I keep all my tools handy on the front side of the magnetic board.
As soon as I put a chart on the board, I place the pencil and highlighter on the back side with them sticking up over the top so I can grab them easily.
These magnetic pen holders are great.
They will work for pens but they really work well for scissors.
These are not my favorite scissors because they’re a little larger than I like for snipping thread but I keep them handy because every now and then I need a pair of scissors that are a little larger.
I love little bitty sharp pointy scissors when stitching and I keep them hanging on the screw that holds the magnetic board.
I like these little magnetic holders for the pens because if I can get them close to the metal board, they stitck. Since I’m keeping the pens on the back side of the board, it’s not easy to poke them through the meshy circle shown above with the gold scissors. I leave these on the pens where the one for the scissors stays attached to the Lowery frame and I pull the scissors out of it and then put them back in.
Those are a few things I’ve added to my stitching setup lately to make it all safer and more convenient and I thought they were worth sharing.
Susan says
They are worth sharing, but I don’t think I better get a dog (or anything else – maybe a fish!) with all the variety of needles and tools I use in my embroidery and CQ! Taking care of its safety is difficult even with your great ideas!
judy.blog@gmail.com says
It is difficult but I think Oscar makes it a little more difficult that some dogs would.
pat edinger says
i got a question all you talk is about oscar don’t you have Rita anymore or Boots
judy.blog@gmail.com says
There was a post about Boots this week!
Ginny says
It is a good thing to be careful with all of those things. We had a dog that eat a needle with thread attached and needed to have surgery, boy was my father upset about the cost of that. It was not one of our doxies ( my family growing up had a series of doxies) it was a mix breed, but they are your babies.
judy.blog@gmail.com says
I think about that all the time but he can get things so quickly. I would hate to do something that caused him medical problems.
Dorothy Matheson says
I have two doxies but they do not bother my stitch things. I am careful and keep things in a box when it is not in my hand. I have taught them since they were little to not play with thing except their own toys.
Cindy F says
I love when you show things that have been working for you. I had to smile as I had many of the things you posted but I didn’t know about the magnetic pen holders! I will have to get some of those! I have a container next to me I usually put my highlighter in but I forget, put it on the table and then it usually ends up on the floor somewhere. I will help with the scissors too as they end up on the floor at times too! Thanks!!