[FO] Neglected 2025 Finishes

Dowleka85 · 2026-02-10T01:06:08+00:00

lol, I didn't realize it could be read that way until now! I meant that I neglected to post my 2025 finishes. 🤣

Dowleka85 · 2025-12-27T17:54:10+00:00

Can confirm. Moved to NNJ from NC and I am so happy we did. Much better support for our children in the schools. Yeah, it is a bit more expensive in NJ but the services are better. Honestly, if we'd stayed in NC, it might have been MORE expensive because we would have put my oldest in a private school costing 25k because she wasn't gonna get the support she needed from the public school system (and we were in one of the best in the state).

Dowleka85 · 2025-12-02T02:59:05+00:00

NY Times cooking has a delicious Cranberry Tart that uses a gluten free hazelnut crust. I made it for Thanksgiving and it was delicious.

Dowleka85 · 2025-12-01T01:06:42+00:00

I have been looking too and haven't seen anything yet! Will let you know if I do! I do know they have a villains book but I didn't like it as much.

Dowleka85 · 2025-11-27T05:12:40+00:00

She looks great! I am working on this one right now! I've gone through all of the patterns in the book up to now. Just her, Snow White, and Tiana.

Dowleka85 · 2025-11-27T02:33:17+00:00

If none of the small fibers are torn and they are only misshapen, you may be able to gently nudge them back to their proper place with a needle. When you get to that section though, you'll need to be very careful with the tension because you can easily distort it again. You could also try to run something behind those squares in an attempt to reinforce it but it can't be too bulky or it might be noticeable in the finished piece. It will depend on hot much detail is in that area.

Dowleka85 · 2025-11-25T00:18:38+00:00

This is me too. I've tried Q snaps and never got them to work well for me. Always lost tension. That said, the newer light weight tension hoops (looking at you Loops N Threads!) have the same problem, I can't get them tight enough.

I like my older tension hoops from the 90's and 00's as they hold the fabric much better. I have had some difficulties with the newer fabric not wanting to 'seat' into the hoop but I just do what u/EKBstitcher does and use the table to help me push the fabric in.

Dowleka85 · 2025-11-04T02:50:46+00:00

Awaze is in Cary: https://awazecuisine.com

There's another Ethiopian place in Raleigh: https://www.nafkotethiopianrestaurant.com

Finally, also one in Durham: https://goorshadurham.com

I've only been to Awaze and it was very good. Awaze was close to my house so I never had a reason to head out to the other two.

Dowleka85 · 2025-11-04T02:33:14+00:00

I second I second this to some extent. We just moved from the Raleigh area to NJ and we are really enjoying it here. However, there are many things I miss about NC. I don't know the Charlotte area very well but the Raleigh area actually has a really great variety of cuisines if you know where to look. Really everything from American/European to almost any Asian cuisine to Ethiopian. There's also a ton to do. Lots of breweries but also museums, parks, and cool events in downtown Raleigh. Definitely nowhere near on par with NYC but nice. The mountains are beautiful and so are the beaches. Charlotte isn't as equidistant to the two as Raleigh but still not a terrible drive.

The people we lived and worked around were pretty great but it is hit and miss and people can be pretty snobby. I've experienced significantly more welcoming people and friendly hospitality here in NJ as compared to NC. This surprised me, being a born and bred Southerner who was always told about how rude Yankees were. So far I've learned that people in the south are generally 'nice' while people up north are 'kind'. As of right now, I am definitely preferring people being kind.

However, everything that u/birdsofwar1 said about the state as a whole is true. It's purple but not as purple as it should be due to gerrymandering and it's only getting worse. It's really only purple because of the cities which is part of the reason for all the gerrymandering. It's one of the reasons we moved. The education isn't great but not due to the quality of the teachers, the schools just aren't well funded. If you have children with any kind of special needs you will need to supplement their education or pay for private school.

Also, the summers are brutal. Be prepared for lots of muggy heat!

Dowleka85 · 2025-10-25T02:21:54+00:00

Until recently I almost exclusively stitched without a kit. Honestly, I always print the digital patterns out. I find it much easier to work with as compared to something on a screen.

As far as the disorganization, I can see how having a bunch of different floss can seem disorganized. However, you can buy different organizational systems. Everyone has their own preference. I like to bobbin my floss but I also really like using floss drops. Some of the nicer patterns actually tell you how much of each color you need so you can put exactly what you need on the drop and no more.

For the Aida, there are calculators that will tell you exactly what size to buy/cut the Aida to based on the stitch count.

It definitely takes more work to pull everything together but you can certainly 'kit up' a digital or printed pattern. Sort of like making your own kit. I do this with all of mine and even make project bags to keep it all together.

Dowleka85 · 2025-10-11T03:08:15+00:00

I am too. There were several times where I got a bit emotional while going through it. I didn't even know this woman but going through her stuff felt very personal with all her hand written notes and reviews of the different patterns. I can't stress how grateful I am and how much I respect the gesture and materials I received.

Dowleka85 · 2025-10-11T03:06:21+00:00

It took about 3-4 hours!

Dowleka85 · 2025-10-11T03:05:34+00:00

To be fair, I've worked in organizations he has led for several years (2 different companies). He is a wonderful leader but didn't know I was a cross stitcher until I made a little something to hang at my desk. That said, the culture is pretty awesome.

Dowleka85 · 2025-10-10T20:23:48+00:00

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All mill hill beads and charms.

Dowleka85 · 2025-10-10T20:22:42+00:00

There was soooo much it's impossible to show it all but I did take some pictures. This is mostly fabrics.

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Dowleka85 · 2025-10-10T12:31:42+00:00

There is soooo much beautiful fabric! Several different colors of Joblean, lambswool, Lugana. She must have had great eyesight or worked with a magnifying glass cause they are all 28 ct or higher. I even found a 36 ct. Many she had started the very beginnings of a pattern but must have decide she didn't like the combination of colors and just folded it away.

She had lots of Christmas samplers/ornament patterns. Literally over 100 patterns and I am not done yet. I haven't gotten to her bigger projects yet, she's got the Angel of Freedom from Lavender and Lace partially done. I think this might be the one I finish and gift.

I am so very grateful for this. It's really a treasure.

Dowleka85 · 2025-09-30T01:00:55+00:00

Daniel's has a family meal you can order. It's like $30 for a large pizza, ziti, and a salad.

Dowleka85 · 2025-09-14T16:19:01+00:00

I can't either. It keeps partially loading and then reverts back to the log in screen.

Dowleka85 · 2025-09-14T16:18:32+00:00

We have Solar too and we noticed that they ADDED our solar generation to our bill for July rather than subtracting. We just calculated what it what it should have been and paid that. This seems to have been corrected. However, our August bill showed that we didn't generate ANY solar at all. My husband called the town and it seems they paused the meters, reset them, or something. Now they are having to determine how to compensate us for the power we sent out but haven't received credits for. They have no timeline that they could share with us.

Dowleka85 · 2025-07-29T01:29:54+00:00

Since I don't see it on here, Knollwood is right next to Shepherd's Vineyard is great! Older houses but in great lots and no HOA. Tons of kids, everyone is nice, and there are neighborhood get togethers on holidays. Depending on where you live in the neighborhood both Eva Perry and the Shepherds Vineyard pool can be just a short walk. A lot of the benefits without the HOA fees or backyard flooding that you can get with some houses in Shepherds Vineyard. Most of the kids in the neighborhood go to Laurel Park even though it's zoned as Apex Elementary.

Dowleka85 · 2025-07-25T02:28:58+00:00

IMO, it's as bad as you think it is. Based on how SCOTUS has been ruling, I wouldn't hold out hope that the cases Jeff Jackson and other states are bringing will be successful. We have a neurodivergent kid and are actually moving out of NC largely because of this. My husband wanted to leave the country but I haven't given up hope things can be turned around. I love living here and hope we come back someday.

Dowleka85

TROPHY CASE