New Cross Stitch Toy

Look what I got in the mail! After looking in every craft store I came across for over 6 months, I finally gave up and ordered a set of q-snaps online. The best price I found was from Hancock's of Paducah, whom I had never heard of. I am very happy with both the price and the incredibly fast shipping. My order left their store the same day and arrived no more than 2 days after that.

This is the 17" size that I will be using for Mother Earth, a Heaven and Earth Design by Jessica Galbreth. On my fabric (0ver 1) this pattern will be about 12.5" by 16.5". I can see why everyone raves about these. They hold the fabric snug, but are easily adjusted. Plus because of their geometry they do not put tension on a bias (or even worse on a radial bias such as with a hoop).

My fabric is light blue, but you won't end up seeing in once the piece is finished. This lets me get in another PS2 photo in before the end of the month though.

I hope you will excuse me for a moment of geekiness:

If two grids intersect
and a pattern reflect
that's a moire.

When two patterns entwine
In a way serpentine
that's a moire.*

If you don't know what a moire pattern is click the link to the Wikipedia article linked above. Basically it is when you have a set of intersecting lines or grids, that give optical illusions of other shapes. You can see some "circles" on the fabric above (near the top) from this effect.

*I didn't write either of these. I just remember them from college physics.