A Crafter's Chronology

I purchased an E-Z Stitch Lap Stand (made of Solid Oak) over the summer. I own a floor stand, but it is too awkward to carry with me when Sarah and I go to stitch with our friend on Tuesday evenings. I love this frame, and figured out how to use it without the E-Z Stitch scroll frame (shown in the picture to the right. Note: the cross stitch piece in the picture is not mine.)

I had been using a round hoop, which was a bit difficult given its small size and small working area when placed in the stand. I'm not sure where I got the idea, but I found out there is a mini scroll frame, which I searched for on the Internet, and ultimately purchased from a seller on eBay. I cut two small pieces of wood 4" long x 1/2" x 1/4", taped them together with duct tape to make a piece 4" x 1/2" x 1/2", and put it underneath the top bar of the scroll frame so I could clamp it into the sit-on-frame. It works beautifully, although the weight of the mini clip on magnifier pushes the frame down, so I simply hold it up a bit with my left hand as I stitch.

I have actually completed all of the holly and berries on this project; next comes the alphabet and, whatever is at the bottom! I find stitching over one to be tedious, even with the magnifier, and I am making a lot of mistakes, which I don't fully understand. I enlarged the chart as much as I could to make it easier to stitch . . . to say I'm frustrated is an understatement!