I'm behind, both on my stitching and my watching, but I am so glad you are keeping the charts on card stock. Part of the daily joy for me is the artwork that Jacob includes, and I agree that it will not have the same impact in a PDF or even on plain paper!
I'd like to share an observation, as possibly someone from an older generation. At 71, I'm probably old enough to be the mother of many of the other stitchers who follow this floss tube. I remember hand-written patterns in magazines. In fact, a year ago I finished a very tricky, large piece I found in an old magazine, to create a gift for a young woman who was having her first child. Her mother was my BFF in highschool -- we graduated in 1969. My BFF died suddenly in April 2020 (heart attack, not Covid), and her daughter gave me most of her linens, even-weaves and floss -- and I used some of that to make the project. It was a challenge to read the poorly-printed fabric from an old, well-thumbed magazine. My point here is this (and yes, I'm going to sound like the Old Woman I am): today's patterns are beautifully printed. PDFs didn't exist when I was 11 (in 1962) and learning to cross-stitch. What we have to work with today is light years ahead of what was available to me -- and even many more light years beyond what my mother, grandmother and great-grandmother had at their disposal. We are spoiled for quality...and yet so many consumers are just interested in having a perfect product, without an appreciation of the work that goes on behind the scenes to produce it. When it comes to hand-stitchers, this baffles me! How can *anyone* who works by hand fail to value the time, technology, effort, brain-power, creativity and uniqueness of the designing of patterns, the printing or digital creation thereof, the hand-dyeing of fabric and thread (or even the growing of flax to make linen, and the machinery and person-power needed to turn it into fabric and cotton or silk into floss and the dyeing thereof)??? Think about the gifts you have been given by all who have gone before you to develop these technologies -- AND STOP COMPLAINING ABOUT IT! Yes, share new ideas and suggestions about future iterations that might work, but for pity's sake, never fail to be thankful for how blessed you are to be able to stitch with good light, good magnification, a multiplicity of patterns, fabrics, threads and accoutrements. A generation that (in my view) "has it all" has no reason to whine about a missing skein of floss, a small flaw in hand-dyed fabric or errata in a chart. Take it in stride as the product of hands-on human creativity, and be thankful.
I love everything with this collaboration. Love the card stock copy. I photocopy it each day and highlight the day's stitching. Even though I am not up to date, I am enjoying this so much.
I am extremely happy with this SAL and plan to join again in 2024. I have no complaints about the presentation. I do scan each day’s chart and send it to my iPad where I can enlarge it and write notes on it.
Love how you pointed out the stitches this morning. I love this box everyday. I’m going to be in withdrawal in January till my SALintines day box gets here. Thanks for all you and your team does.
What a great response to the comments to your question yesterday! Your explanation was perfectly well thought out and makes all the sense in the world. Thank you. Your Advent collaboration is epic, once again! It is hard to tweek fabulous.🎉
You and your team have done a fantastic job on the Holiday Countdown. I am so going to miss opening those brown bags every day. The suggestion to make the current day’s stitching darker is the only thing that could make it better. The floss colors are impeccable and it will be great to use them on other projects. Thank you!
I love how your address everyone concerns and advice and handle them. I am going to miss these daily emails but I will have the valentine sal coming up
Late to the bandwagon this time. I had a friend over and am watching this the next morning my time. You, Kerri, Hannah and the team are doing a great job! I understand your striving to do better where you can. The box is great and the cardstock is fine. Loved the small ones last year too. I think your daily videos add to any searching for stitches on our piece. Happy vlogmas 🎄
I think everything is fabulous just as it is (this year, I missed last year’s Countdown box). Once or twice I just held off on stitching a small thing until there was more stitching close enough to make it easier to count, no big deal. Thanks to you and your team for the hard work that goes into this box!
I have to be honest, I love the card stock copies to open each day and I will keep all of them for the artwork on its own. It also made them last whilst I stitch each day. It is special and so much fun 💕
Thanks, Caroline for the great info and for addressing so many concerns from your stitching community. I trust you completely on always providing the best products along with explanations each day. MFE, Roxy Floss and Evertote have the BEST collaborations!
I admire your willingness to problem-solve with us on how to make the Countdown a better experience. And I appreciate your explaining your reasoning behind some of the choices you have made. Clearly, you all have thoughtfully considered so many options, have embraced some and discarded others. Your commitment to our having a great experience in stitching not only the Countdown, but any of your offerings, is above and beyond. Thanks so much for all you do.
I believe I've said it before but I'll say it again, you have a truly wonderful and precise way of explaining all of the details to us. It makes me appreciate even more all of the work, time, effort and care that you and your team and Jacob put into creating such a beautiful "gift" for us. I personally love the card stock and the quality of the entire box. Ok, I have to go finish my 🥬🥬🥬 Have a lovely day.
Love the card stock. It’s definitely a keepsake because of it being on card stock! I do love pdf’s because then I have it right away but I can appreciate the logistical problems for your shop.
I just have to tell you, I have been watching everyday I couldn't afford to join in, but I must tell you how impressed I am at the quality and time taken to put this together Caroline! I have just found you recently and I couldn't be prouder of a fellow Canadian, I just made my 1st small purchase and it was promt and well packaged. Keep it up❤Merry Christmas to all.....
I have SO enjoyed your videos and can’t wait to grab my coffee in the morning and tune in…until now… you’re too into the weeds with this conversation. Stitchers can count 40 tiny threads in 25 different colors and your charts are outstanding. By spending a little of that energy already dedicated to the intricacies of the craft, the daily “assignments” are very doable as written. Thank you for the beauty you bring.
I appreciate the use of good cardstock. Im always disappointed when I pay for a pattern and it comes on regular paper. Greyscale is definitely the way to go. Thank you to you and your team for the hard work that you put into these boxes❤. By the way, jealous about your snow. Edmonton has been above 0 for most of the month and Christmas is supposed to be 3.😢
I am really enjoying this stitch along. The pattern is so special and you are so good at explaining the daily stitching. I do have a suggestion, when you show the pattern you could use a highlighter to show the stitches of the day and anyone following along that needs this prompt could also highlight their copy. Merry Christmas
Thank you!! I can’t show the chart on film because it is Jacob’s copyright and for purchase only - but I appreciate the idea! I’m trying to be more careful to show my stitches when complete in the video.
I do love the beautiful card and the images, and I totally get why it wouldn’t save much money to have a pdf version. But I find it SO much easier to stitch from a digital chart with my terrible eyesight! I would love it if there was an option to download the pdf as well. That way, everyone would have the physical chart. And I don’t think you would need to email daily - just send out one link, well before the countdown starts, to a page where each day’s chart is added. It could be password protected if you’re worried about it getting shared with people who haven’t bought the box.
I didn’t even finish watching but I wanted to comment on pdfs :) My big No to pdf in this particular case. I do love pdfs in general and buy them to save the costs of shipping but for the Holiday countdown it would make it less enjoyable, as these cards I discover every day this year are like collectable items - well, I am keeping them as a collection for sure! Pdfs just would not do it to me! Pdfs are the cheap version for a general use of our normal purchases… I am struggling to explain it 😁 Well, it’s like a grocery shopping versus getting a gift 😁 I must say that the quality of this Holiday countdown is so high plus your and Jacob’s daily videos - non comparable with anything. Keep it this way, Caroline ❤️
Love the pictures of Santa and Mrs. Claus! I am enjoying the cardstock pages with the pattern and artwork each day! I also like how you're doing it this year, and haven't found it that hard to figure out each day's stitching especially with your video to help. As far as the extras maybe some people may want them to do somewhat have the experience of the Sal? Or for the artwork? Is it possible in the future to do fewer and if there is enough need for more to reprint them? Or just make everyone aware of the deadline to order and if they don't they are out of luck.
I really like the leaves in the squirrel segments. And if I understood you correctly, the current plan is to keep the symbols, but lighten the print for earlier days' stitching so the current day's new stitches will be darker? I like that in theory. I'm looking at the December 6 chart right now and the Biscotti symbol already looks much darker than everything else n that page, because it fills most of the square; there's more white space around or inside the others.. So it might take quite a bit of fiddling with the grayscale and choice of symbols to accomplish the contrast. I don't have any printing experience to know that for certain, so that is an amateur's reasoning.
I got the Salentine box - I was so surprised because I wanted to go on right at 2 pm (my time in Winnipeg) because I was sure they would be gone but there were still some at 7 pm when I finally finished work. I have a really huge project to finish for end of month. But I got one. Thank you so much.
I made a mistake not ordering the entire kit for this stitch along so I have been ordering as the 5 day floss packs become available. That said I haven’t been able to find days 11-15 on your website yet. Will you please steer me to the right spot? I’m really anxious to purchase all I need to complete this lovely project!
Sorry - they were listed individually and we forgot to do one for the whole set - you can find them each by typing in day 11, day 12 etc. we will correct this tomorrow when we add in days 15-20
I love your teams willingness to improve. As for me, I wouldn't change a thing about how the pattern is laid out this year. Grayscale makes me nervous it will be hard to see the previous reference symbols, bit it's hard to say without seeing it. So excited for all the updates and continued collaboration between @@roxy.flossco and @@modernfolkembroidery. You 3 knock it out of the park every time! Hoping for some snow that sticks around 🤞 I don't think ours will either
I love the box as it is. Love the card stock. I hope people aren’t complaining too much. It’s hard to please everyone. It’s so beautiful.
Floss colours just keep getting better and better and better ........
I'm behind, both on my stitching and my watching, but I am so glad you are keeping the charts on card stock. Part of the daily joy for me is the artwork that Jacob includes, and I agree that it will not have the same impact in a PDF or even on plain paper!
I don’t think major changes are needed for next year! Nothing is ever perfect. But this has been really fun❤️
I'd like to share an observation, as possibly someone from an older generation. At 71, I'm probably old enough to be the mother of many of the other stitchers who follow this floss tube. I remember hand-written patterns in magazines. In fact, a year ago I finished a very tricky, large piece I found in an old magazine, to create a gift for a young woman who was having her first child. Her mother was my BFF in highschool -- we graduated in 1969. My BFF died suddenly in April 2020 (heart attack, not Covid), and her daughter gave me most of her linens, even-weaves and floss -- and I used some of that to make the project. It was a challenge to read the poorly-printed fabric from an old, well-thumbed magazine.
My point here is this (and yes, I'm going to sound like the Old Woman I am): today's patterns are beautifully printed. PDFs didn't exist when I was 11 (in 1962) and learning to cross-stitch. What we have to work with today is light years ahead of what was available to me -- and even many more light years beyond what my mother, grandmother and great-grandmother had at their disposal. We are spoiled for quality...and yet so many consumers are just interested in having a perfect product, without an appreciation of the work that goes on behind the scenes to produce it.
When it comes to hand-stitchers, this baffles me! How can *anyone* who works by hand fail to value the time, technology, effort, brain-power, creativity and uniqueness of the designing of patterns, the printing or digital creation thereof, the hand-dyeing of fabric and thread (or even the growing of flax to make linen, and the machinery and person-power needed to turn it into fabric and cotton or silk into floss and the dyeing thereof)???
Think about the gifts you have been given by all who have gone before you to develop these technologies -- AND STOP COMPLAINING ABOUT IT! Yes, share new ideas and suggestions about future iterations that might work, but for pity's sake, never fail to be thankful for how blessed you are to be able to stitch with good light, good magnification, a multiplicity of patterns, fabrics, threads and accoutrements. A generation that (in my view) "has it all" has no reason to whine about a missing skein of floss, a small flaw in hand-dyed fabric or errata in a chart. Take it in stride as the product of hands-on human creativity, and be thankful.
I sound like an Old Woman all the time 😆. Your thoughts are shared!
I love everything with this collaboration. Love the card stock copy. I photocopy it each day and highlight the day's stitching. Even though I am not up to date, I am enjoying this so much.
Rainy morning here and I'm starting my day with tea, your video and leaves to stitch! Hope you all have a great day.
I am extremely happy with this SAL and plan to join again in 2024. I have no complaints about the presentation. I do scan each day’s chart and send it to my iPad where I can enlarge it and write notes on it.
I could not resist and bought the sálvalentine
Love how you pointed out the stitches this morning.
I love this box everyday. I’m going to be in withdrawal in January till my SALintines day box gets here. Thanks for all you and your team does.
What a great response to the comments to your question yesterday! Your explanation was perfectly well thought out and makes all the sense in the world. Thank you. Your Advent collaboration is epic, once again! It is hard to tweek fabulous.🎉
Thank you for showing your finished pieces. I have enjoyed seeing each one.
You and your team have done a fantastic job on the Holiday Countdown. I am so going to miss opening those brown bags every day. The suggestion to make the current day’s stitching darker is the only thing that could make it better. The floss colors are impeccable and it will be great to use them on other projects. Thank you!
I love how your address everyone concerns and advice and handle them. I am going to miss these daily emails but I will have the valentine sal coming up
Late to the bandwagon this time. I had a friend over and am watching this the next morning my time. You, Kerri, Hannah and the team are doing a great job! I understand your striving to do better where you can. The box is great and the cardstock is fine. Loved the small ones last year too. I think your daily videos add to any searching for stitches on our piece. Happy vlogmas 🎄
I think everything is fabulous just as it is (this year, I missed last year’s Countdown box). Once or twice I just held off on stitching a small thing until there was more stitching close enough to make it easier to count, no big deal. Thanks to you and your team for the hard work that goes into this box!
I have to be honest, I love the card stock copies to open each day and I will keep all of them for the artwork on its own. It also made them last whilst I stitch each day. It is special and so much fun 💕
I do love the card sock and the images in them
Thank you for the videos. I'm not doing the count down but am enjoying the process.
Thanks, Caroline for the great info and for addressing so many concerns from your stitching community. I trust you completely on always providing the best products along with explanations each day. MFE, Roxy Floss and Evertote have the BEST collaborations!
I admire your willingness to problem-solve with us on how to make the Countdown a better experience. And I appreciate your explaining your reasoning behind some of the choices you have made. Clearly, you all have thoughtfully considered so many options, have embraced some and discarded others. Your commitment to our having a great experience in stitching not only the Countdown, but any of your offerings, is above and beyond. Thanks so much for all you do.
I believe I've said it before but I'll say it again, you have a truly wonderful and precise way of explaining all of the details to us. It makes me appreciate even more all of the work, time, effort and care that you and your team and Jacob put into creating such a beautiful "gift" for us. I personally love the card stock and the quality of the entire box. Ok, I have to go finish my 🥬🥬🥬 Have a lovely day.
Love the card stock. It’s definitely a keepsake because of it being on card stock! I do love pdf’s because then I have it right away but I can appreciate the logistical problems for your shop.
I also think the box is perfect. Thanks for the share.
🥰❤️❤️❤️❤️
I love the card stock. I love everything about your collaboration. Thank you!
Wow love the ms Claus photos
thanks for all you do
I just have to tell you, I have been watching everyday I couldn't afford to join in, but I must tell you how impressed I am at the quality and time taken to put this together Caroline! I have just found you recently and I couldn't be prouder of a fellow Canadian, I just made my 1st small purchase and it was promt and well packaged. Keep it up❤Merry Christmas to all.....
I have SO enjoyed your videos and can’t wait to grab my coffee in the morning and tune in…until now… you’re too into the weeds with this conversation. Stitchers can count 40 tiny threads in 25 different colors and your charts are outstanding. By spending a little of that energy already dedicated to the intricacies of the craft, the daily “assignments” are very doable as written. Thank you for the beauty you bring.
I appreciate the use of good cardstock. Im always disappointed when I pay for a pattern and it comes on regular paper. Greyscale is definitely the way to go. Thank you to you and your team for the hard work that you put into these boxes❤.
By the way, jealous about your snow. Edmonton has been above 0 for most of the month and Christmas is supposed to be 3.😢
I am really enjoying this stitch along. The pattern is so special and you are so good at explaining the daily stitching. I do have a suggestion, when you show the pattern you could use a highlighter to show the stitches of the day and anyone following along that needs this prompt could also highlight their copy. Merry Christmas
Thank you!! I can’t show the chart on film because it is Jacob’s copyright and for purchase only - but I appreciate the idea! I’m trying to be more careful to show my stitches when complete in the video.
The pictures of Santa and Mrs. Claus melted my heart 💕
I do love the beautiful card and the images, and I totally get why it wouldn’t save much money to have a pdf version. But I find it SO much easier to stitch from a digital chart with my terrible eyesight! I would love it if there was an option to download the pdf as well. That way, everyone would have the physical chart. And I don’t think you would need to email daily - just send out one link, well before the countdown starts, to a page where each day’s chart is added. It could be password protected if you’re worried about it getting shared with people who haven’t bought the box.
I didn’t even finish watching but I wanted to comment on pdfs :) My big No to pdf in this particular case. I do
love pdfs in general and buy them to save the costs of shipping but for the Holiday countdown it would make it less enjoyable, as these cards I discover every day this year are like collectable items - well, I am keeping them as a collection for sure! Pdfs just would not do it to me! Pdfs are the cheap version for a general use of our normal purchases… I am struggling to explain it 😁 Well, it’s like a grocery shopping versus getting a gift 😁 I must say that the quality of this Holiday countdown is so high plus your and Jacob’s daily videos - non comparable with anything. Keep it this way, Caroline ❤️
Love the pictures of Santa and Mrs. Claus! I am enjoying the cardstock pages with the pattern and artwork each day! I also like how you're doing it this year, and haven't found it that hard to figure out each day's stitching especially with your video to help. As far as the extras maybe some people may want them to do somewhat have the experience of the Sal? Or for the artwork? Is it possible in the future to do fewer and if there is enough need for more to reprint them? Or just make everyone aware of the deadline to order and if they don't they are out of luck.
Still in Love with the Box! YAY!! Such a delightful experience. I'm in for the SALintine :)
I really like the leaves in the squirrel segments.
And if I understood you correctly, the current plan is to keep the symbols, but lighten the print for earlier days' stitching so the current day's new stitches will be darker? I like that in theory. I'm looking at the December 6 chart right now and the Biscotti symbol already looks much darker than everything else n that page, because it fills most of the square; there's more white space around or inside the others.. So it might take quite a bit of fiddling with the grayscale and choice of symbols to accomplish the contrast. I don't have any printing experience to know that for certain, so that is an amateur's reasoning.
I got the Salentine box - I was so surprised because I wanted to go on right at 2 pm (my time in Winnipeg) because I was sure they would be gone but there were still some at 7 pm when I finally finished work. I have a really huge project to finish for end of month. But I got one. Thank you so much.
🥰
I made a mistake not ordering the entire kit for this stitch along so I have been ordering as the 5 day floss packs become available. That said I haven’t been able to find days 11-15 on your website yet. Will you please steer me to the right spot? I’m really anxious to purchase all I need to complete this lovely project!
Sorry - they were listed individually and we forgot to do one for the whole set - you can find them each by typing in day 11, day 12 etc. we will correct this tomorrow when we add in days 15-20
I love your teams willingness to improve. As for me, I wouldn't change a thing about how the pattern is laid out this year. Grayscale makes me nervous it will be hard to see the previous reference symbols, bit it's hard to say without seeing it. So excited for all the updates and continued collaboration between @@roxy.flossco and @@modernfolkembroidery. You 3 knock it out of the park every time! Hoping for some snow that sticks around 🤞 I don't think ours will either