Thread Purchase

I have been working to get a stash of thread built up.  I purchased one of each color, still don't have them all because the stores have been out of a few colors.  However, it was a big start.  I posted about it here.  I have also been buying some patterns and kits.  They are coming in a little each day, got to love it, looking forward to mail I mean.  Between my purchases and Christmas shopping for hubby, the postal person is being kept busy.  Fortunately, hubby is used to my craft purchases so doesn't even suspect that some of the deliveries are for under the tree.

At any rate, I won some auctions on eBay for some large lots of DMC floss.

All in all it was a good deal.  One purchase was for 100 bags, three skeins in each, had .10 printed on the bags.  The description told me that,  so I knew and expected 100 different colors, three skeins of that color, each sorted in to a small baggy with a sticker that reads .10 on it.  It was also in the description that they had purchased these from a craft store that was going out of business and that it was already packaged that way when they got it. Also said that there were no duplicates.  Well, to start with, there was only 98 bags.  When I sorted through them and inventoried the color numbers, 11 of those little bags were duplicate color numbers, and obvious duplicate numbers at that. That is what the empty baggies to the left are, duplicates.  Most of them are DMC brand.  A good number of them are American Thread, which I have never used before.  I am not sure, haven't done enough research yet, but about four of those colors look like duplicates, but have a different number so not sure.  For instance there is a color 1006 and another marked color 1006-A.  Most of these do look like they are just a subtle change in hue, but not a lot.  I wanted to leave feedback, kind of neutral, but it would seem that now on eBay you cannot leave neutral or negative feedback until 7 days after the purchase. That's a little ridiculous if you ask me, there is nothing that will be "worked out" with either of these purchases.  I got my money's worth so have no intention of asking for a refund or such. I did however email the seller through eBay, will see what kind of response if any I get. This type of buy just isn't worth that hassle and I know that on eBay it is sometimes just a crap shoot.  About 97% of my purchases have all been very positive with successful out comes.  My selling experience has been the same.

Funny, I was writing this blog and had to stop for a while so saved it as a draft.  When I came back to write it, I forgot about the draft and started a new post.  That's what happens in my life. LOL

On to the second purchase.  I won 100 threads already in a thread baggy with a hole punched in it so you can put it on a ring.  I had not seen these type of bags before, but had heard of them.  Anyway, it was described as 100 bags, one skein in each, a few bags had two skeins, marked with the color number, no duplicates.  These are all DMC.  So, I sat down with my paper and pencil to inventory record the color numbers, sort them in numeric order according to color number and inventory them.  Actually this was the first set  of the two I worked with last night.  I was very disappointed in this buy.  The description said nothing about being in a smoker's home.  I ended up having to put them aside and find my inhaler because the smell of the stale smoke was so strong it triggered my asthma, which I haven't had an attack in ages.  This buy too was short, only 96 bags and four of them were duplicates.  I didn't feel like writing to this seller, so I did leave a positive feedback since they shipped quickly and like the other purchase I did get my money's worth.  However...I did leave a remark about the smoke odor issue.  That is a big point with me, as every one in this household is asthmatic in varying degrees, my grand son that I care for during the day and his mother are too.  The grand baby was born early and so breathing issues are big with him.  Not so bad as it could be, but still something we have to be mindful of.

Anyway, at least now I have a stash to start with.  I don't have that many charts, but at least I will have thread to work on them.  Good thing is that the kits all come with thread for them.  My other little habit to feed is crazy quilting, which has a lot of embroidery embellishment to it.  My older stash of thread has been reserved for that since the color number is not important.  With embellishing, you just use a color of thread that goes with what you need.  Specialty threads come in to play with this type of embroidery as well.  Fuzzy threads, metallic threads, loopy threads, as well as buttons and charms. I love crazy quilting, it is so expressive and not really any real rules to go by.  You know, satin sewed next to velvet sewed next to cotton and so forth.  It is Victorian in nature after all and that whole period is wonderfully wicked eccentric.  Here is a lovely example of a crazy quilt that Renee found and pinned to her Pinterest board. You really should go look at it.  I have never seen a crazy quilt that was made like this.  Most crazy quilts are more random in their block shapes and sizes.  The history of the crazy quilt is really quite fascinating.  Victorian girls would collect fabric "charms" or pins or cigar wrappers which at that time were made of silk.  A charm is a piece of fabric.  Young men that would gift these things to earn a girls attention.  Traditionally, a girl would collect 999 charms and who ever gave her the 1,000 charm would be her true love.  Although, in reality, crazy quilts were traditionally made by upper class women because of the finer and exotic fabrics that were used while the charm quilts evolved in to a whole different type of quilt.

My new profile photo is a heart block I made in crazy quilt style.

I used to make them to trade.  I just couldn't give this one up for some reason.

This is a traditional block.

This was part of a round robin I participated in.

Then, there is also the world of the ATC.

These were for trade, but never did.  ATC stands for Artist Trading Card and they are the size of a business card.  Kind of a good way to practice a new stitch, but a challenge due to the small size.

Okay, so I have probably bored you beyond tears so will call it a night.  I had a small flood in the house yesterday.  A hose on the washing machine sprang a hole and I had a rain storm of hot water going.  All over the ceiling, the floor (which has a drain but apparently it is clogged) out in to the hall.  Water traveled under the walls into not one but three bedrooms.  All of the laundry had to be redone because of the water.  Lost some thread and lace that I had stored on a top shelf in there, even my little shadow box was ruined.  It was a mess.  Fortunately, no major damage that would cost to repair, just mainly lots of labor.  Hubby had it repaired yesterday right away, and today I have done load after load of laundry until I am tired of it, and still have more to do.  I don't mind doing the laundry you see, it is the putting up of the clean items. You know, if I didn't have to do laundry, clean house, cook or such idiotic things I would sure have a lot more time for stitching.

Thanks for stopping buy and come back again.