On the weekend I got officially fed up. From about 10pm on Saturday night until about 8am yesterday, I got something like 70 spam comments on this blog. One or two – okay, I can put up with that. 70? No way, I am not going to put up with that!
And so, off came the old antispam plugin (which wasn’t working anymore, and apparently was no longer supported by WordPress) and on went a new one. This one requires you to type in (or copy and paste) a password that is displayed in the comment form. Yes, this will make the process of posting a comment just a little bit longer, but I hope that you will put up with this for me, so that I don’t have to drown in spam comments.
So far it seems to be filtering practically all spam out. However, I need to know that its not also filtering out your real comments. As I often don’t get any comments on the weekend, because I don’t post on the weekend, I haven’t had any come through. It would really help me if you could post a comment for me to make sure that they’re not being filtered out either.
Rather than just making it some boring comment like “Is this working?”, let’s make it a little more interesting. How about telling me what your current embroidery, sewing or crafting project is? Thanks for your help with this!
White Threads is the blog of Yvette Stanton, the author, designer, publisher behind Vetty Creations' quality needlework books and embroidery products.
My current project other than digging out my messy studio space is covering over with embroidery ‘naughty in the loom’ bare patches on a beautiful tailored flannel jacket for a friend of mine.
Hi Pat, tell me more! What are “naughty in the loom” bare patches? When you’ve finished with your messy studio space, do you want to come and tidy my office?! 😉
I’m waiting for the Pearselle’s Filoselle and dupion to arrive in my mailbox for my new Bishop’s Cope project! Yummy!
Wow – 153 spam comments blocked so far?
How exciting Elmsley Rose! And yes, you can see how I was drowning in comment spam, because that’s only since yesterday morning. Very happy with the new plugin!
I am currently working on decluttering so I can do some proper craftwork! Might need to use this plugin for my site too, although most spam aren’t coming through.
156 blocked so far!
I just finished a pillowcase for my youngest daughter. I’ve got several goldwork projects going that I hope to finish before the academic year begins again, and a bunch of things I would like to start. I don’t have any shortage of projects, just a shortage of time!
Carol, I think we can all identify with that! There are so many things I would like to do and try, if only I had the time! Alas, I have many people breathing down my neck for a certain book!
Belinda, the plugin seems to be working very well.
I can see your comments are working, and I don’t NEED to respond but thought I would anyway (might help me to stay accountable). I am 1/3 of the way through my first hardanger project – the ‘Karen’ doily from your book. I am ashamed to say it has been shelved for about 10 months due to other commitments, but I see light at the end of the tunnel and hope to complete this projet by early next year 🙂
(Wow! this is showing that it has already blocked 159 spam comments for you, Yvette.)
I’m currently struggling with my first attempt at picture smocking. Enjoying it but I think smocking will not become my favourite form of embroidery though it’s good to be able to do it when one wants to.
It is lovely to hear that you are working on one of my projects, Fiona. Just keep getting a little bit done as regularly as possible, and it will get done! Don’t feel bad about having to shelve it for a time – I had to shelve writing my Portuguese Whitework book almost as soon as we got back from Portugal, due to getting sick with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Obviously I’m back to it now though, and enjoying it greatly. But there are seasons when sometimes we just *have* to stop doing even the things we love.
Thanks Cynthia. I have never done picture smocking, though I have enjoyed regular smocking, learning it first at school and making a big christening gown in Year 10. When my first daughter was born and we learned she was a girl, I exclaimed “Now I can make smocked dresses!” It took me about 3 years to get the chance and inclination to make one!
I have several UFO’s, one of which is a certain Mountmellick class project (much to my regret). I intend to get back working on it as soon as I finish the Applique/Quilting Class I signed for with my Embroidery Group over 6 months.
So many beautiful things to work on and learn about, if only there could be more hours in a day!
I’m not going to rap you over the knuckles for that Sue, but I do look forward to hearing that it is finished! Oh, for more hours in the day…
I’m working on Fairy Grandmother from Lavender and Lace. I’ve been working on it for several years but I’m making a concentrated effort to finish it this year.
Cheering you on – go Chris! Imagine the feeling of accomplishment you’ll have when she’s done. 🙂
I just started a new project: 1914 tea gown. Purchased a pattern and also enrolled into an online class which I can do it in my own pace. This is about heirloom sewing and embroidery…so am thinking on white on white embroidery type of thing. Don’t know when to finish this gown, but at least I have started.
Hi Yvette
I loathe spam too! A week ago I started my first piece of Belgian (or any country) needlelace, called Zele lace. It starts with couching down a thicker thread for the outline of the pattern, then doing various stitches in the spaces (like buttonhole stitch). Trying my best to get the tension right!
cheers
Julie in Australia
Antonia, that sounds amazing! I’d love to hear about it as you go!
Julie, I’ve never heard of Zele lace, but I’d love to hear more! Wow, all these people doing such interesting things!
I am currently (and will be for a while) working on my casket pall. It will be made up of diamond shaped blocks pieced with either all black, all grey, all cream, or all white. The embellishing is very colorful and I’ve had a friend or two be gracious enough to embellish a block for me.
249 Spam comments blocked. Woohoo!
You know by now that the real comments are coming through but just to join in the fun …
I’ve finished the embroidery on Floral Glove, an on-line class but am determined to do the finishing be for I move onto my next embroidery project. Though going though because I just want to do some embroidery!
I’m sorting out the loft so as to be able to put more stuff in there and have my embroidery stuff downstairs.
And it says 251 Spam Comments blocked so far, so it is doing well!
Hi Yvette!
I’m currently up to my eyeballs in model stitching for a new pillow design for my line. Cross-eyed cross stitching!
It means I’ve developed a very bad case of “startitis”, and have started free embroidery over a printed cotton design to make a small zip bag out of, then I did it again with another cotton design, I’m drawn to my knitting, and I’m feeling the need to scour the kitchen… Oh dear. I AM in procrastination mode! I think I’d better go and spend this afternoon working on that pillow! 🙂
Hi Yvette
Sorry to hear about your spam.
I am currently enjoying working on a correspondence course with Trish Burr which comprises of a Chinese Flower Painting embroidered in long and short stitch.
Are you still working on your Portuguese white work? It looked beautiful on the front cover for your new book.
Regards Pam in the UK
How lovely it is to hear from so many of you, especially about the interesting things you are working on.
Alice, working on a casket pall. From your description, am I right in thinking you’re embellishing on a base of patchwork? Is that right, or have I got that wrong? I’d love to see photos of what you’re doing.
Carol, I’ve seen a few of those lovely floral gloves. I’m sure you enjoyed stitching it!
Rachel, sorting a loft probably isn’t much fun, but I’m sure the result will be!
Romilly, your startitis is very amusing. It sounds like none of them are inspiring you enough. 🙁 I hope you get past it soon!
Pam, I’ve read a bit about Trish’s correspondence course. I am sure you are learning a lot from her. Yes, I am definitely still working on my Portuguese whitework – both the embroidery and the book about it. And I’m still enjoying every minute of it!
The ‘naughty in the loom’ patches were originally thought to be moth damage but the patches didn’t look quite right. The flannel has been rubbed from the surface of the cloth so you can see the weave underneath. Another friend thought perhaps the jacket which my friend found at a thrift shop might be a factory second. I’m free-handing leaves and flowers over part of it to hide the damage.
Thanks for the explanation, Pat. It all sounds a bit mysterious, but a wonderful excuse to put some embroidery on clothing!
This summer I’ve been working primarily on three or four projects (depending on which sew group I’m attending). I have an EGA GCC piece, Florentine Christmas Ornaments, from a few years ago that is a summer challenge that isn’t progressing nearly fast enough to complete by September. A Laura Perin sampler, Nature, is blackwork and outline motifs that I hope to finish by 11-11-11 as a chapter sampler group challenge. I’ve picked up a redwork project that was languishing in the closet. It will be a small quilted hanging. It is going much more quickly than I expected. Two blocks completed and one to go. A canvaswork piece, Stained Glass Quilt by From Nancy’s Needle, fills in the spaces when working on the other pieces is awkward or inconvenient. It has been fun and the variety keeps me interested. And the stitching is done on a small blackwork piece I taught to my guild. It will be an insert on a new project bag (never enough of those).
Wow, Terry. You’ve been terribly busy! I hope that you’re enjoying all the variety.
Yvette, sorry I should have explained that the casket pall is a crazy quilt project. Each block is diamond shaped and then embellished with typical crazy quilting “stuff”- lots of hand embroidery, SRE, motifs, beads, etc. I currently have 6 or 7 blocks completed but will need 32 to complete the pall so you can see it isn’t near completion.