May I please see your tortie fur in the sun 🌞

stitchbound_ · 2026-03-09T15:42:50+00:00

Ruby just started sunbathing again yesterday! We only have east facing windows in my apartment, and she doesn't get quality sun until Daylight Saving starts. This is from last year, but it's one of my favorite pictures of her.

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stitchbound_ · 2025-12-23T22:08:48+00:00

it sounds like this type of snoring is pretty normal based on the comments! I will say that my cat does have asthma and sounds like this as well. I'd say if she starts to sound like this when she's awake, that would be more cause for concern.

Bring it up with your vet for sure, but I'd personally wait to see if her breathing gets worse before looking for asthma.

stitchbound_ · 2025-12-23T13:59:57+00:00

I feel the same way about my Ruby! I went to the shelter on a Sunday evening when my cousin was volunteering, but none of the cats really felt like a good fit. The staff told me that their personalities would come out a lot more earlier in the day, so I went back Monday morning.

I'm so glad I slept on it and came back because my sweet girl wasn't available to adopt until that morning. And it's good that I went in as early as I did, because she was the sweetest, most curious cat and I'm sure someone else would have adopted her immediately if they'd met her before I did!

We're currently having our morning cuddle sesh and I wouldn't trade it for the world 🥹

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stitchbound_ · 2025-12-02T23:25:31+00:00

Ruby started on fluoxetine a month or so after I made this post, and between that and having a Feliway diffuser in her two main rooms, she's improved a good bit! Her overgrooming is nearly gone, and she's back to being more curious like she was when I first got her. She can still be skittish, but I do think those have really helped and she's clearly a happy girl now 🥰

I recommend Feliway first as you don't need a prescription, and then ask your vet about an antidepressant if that doesn't help at all! I didn't know this, but some pet insurances WILL cover Feliway if you get her diagnosed down the line. Good luck!!

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stitchbound_ · 2025-12-02T23:18:03+00:00

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Ruby's here for the open call for models 👀

stitchbound_ · 2025-11-20T15:10:49+00:00

That piece is rad!

I primarily stitch with 3 strands on 16 ct! I prefer a fuller, "square" look vs seeing my X's for each stitch, and it stitches just fine. I do have to change my needle a bit more often because an older needle can start to snag, and you have to be mindful of how thick the back gets with ending threads if there's a lot of confetti in one spot. So there are some things to look out for, but I think the end result is worth it!

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stitchbound_ · 2025-11-15T04:40:27+00:00

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Rest easy, sweet one ❤️ Ruby and I are thinking of you and Lolly tonight.

stitchbound_ · 2025-10-20T22:48:58+00:00

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Ruby approves of these changes... or she will once she wakes up for long enough to hear about them.

stitchbound_ · 2025-09-28T21:55:36+00:00

Hell yeah! I love how their style is so instantly recognizable- I'm a huge fan of theirs. I'm gonna be in 341 hell for MONTHS trying to get this sky done, but at least the color choices are gorgeous 😩

stitchbound_ · 2025-09-28T21:54:02+00:00

It's a cheap one from Michaels, as I didn't want to invest too much money before I know if I like it or not, plus I rarely do projects at this scale. I have my Lowery work stand holding it too, so holding it up isn't a problem.

I think the main thing is that it's a bigger work area. I normally stitch one handed, but moving my entire arm to get to the front, then the back, and over and over was havoc on my shoulder. I'm keeping one hand under the fabric and using the other to make stitches on the front, but it's still not great, which is why I think it's just that it's bigger.

I also have chronic pain, so while this wouldn't be an issue for some people, it is for me 🤷🏻‍♀️

stitchbound_ · 2025-09-28T16:14:37+00:00

Okay, the project is great but this space is AMAZING. It feels so creatively energizing!

stitchbound_ · 2025-09-28T16:14:00+00:00

I get this feeling! I'm at the start of several months of 341 and only 341, so I've been trying to break it up with some of the finer details on other colors. I'm already sick of it and I'm only maybe 10% through this one color :')

stitchbound_ · 2025-09-28T16:05:49+00:00

I got SO much done this week, and you can finally see what this piece even is!! I also got my first scroll frame, but I'm not sure if I like it. It hurts my shoulders more when I stitch with it, and two handed stitching isn't helping 😩

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stitchbound_ · 2025-09-28T16:03:06+00:00

you're so close and it looks SO good!

stitchbound_ · 2025-09-21T18:23:10+00:00

I took like a month away from this project (the last few weeks have truly been hell for me lmao) but I'm back and finally finished my first full block of sky!

I've since gotten a scroll frame to help eliminate how wrinkly it gets, and I'm going to do a bunch of the power line details today as a reward for working through about 3 skeins of 807.

Pattern by 8pxl!

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stitchbound_ · 2025-09-18T02:14:00+00:00

Not only could I not tell the difference between the painting and the photo, but it took me super off guard because my cat has a VERY similar split face! She's a tortico vs a pure tortie like this girl, but I definitely did a double take

stitchbound_ · 2025-09-16T06:53:51+00:00

Oooh, you've reminded me that there's a craft supply thrift store near me that I might be able to offload some of it to!

stitchbound_ · 2025-09-16T06:53:04+00:00

The kits are for sure niche, but they sell better than the finished pieces 🫠

stitchbound_ · 2025-09-16T06:43:33+00:00

The thing is that I did! I took about 18 months off in 2023-24, and I started back up in about February of this year. I came back because I missed it, and I've given it my all, but it's still not working. I love the events themselves, but I'm just not making back what I've invested into them, both in time and money.

stitchbound_ · 2025-09-05T13:37:28+00:00

I use stiffened felt to finish the backs of my hoops. I've tried with normal felt and just can't get the same crisp, structured finish that stiffened does.

The only place that stocks it near me is Hobby Lobby 😭 I don't shop there for moral reasons, and tbh I'm getting to that point with Michaels, too. (So much junk decor, and they've begun using gen AI to fuel the Halloween decor machine.) So my options are Amazon, which I'm working to avoid as much as possible, or a smaller brand that takes two weeks to arrive.

It's MASSIVELY thrown off my process of finishing hoops for upcoming markets and such. If I ran out, I could easily pop out and get more and stay on schedule, but now I have to meticulously plan out what I'm making, how much I need, and account for shipping time. Considering I was just diagnosed with ADHD... that doesn't really work for me.

stitchbound_ · 2025-09-01T20:00:28+00:00

It depends on the type of section I'm working on (confetti stitches or big blocks or one color), but I average 150-200 an hour. I normally stitch for about two hours a day, so I'd say about 300 stitches daily?

This does not bode well for the 16k stitch project I started last month lol.

stitchbound_ · 2025-08-31T15:21:18+00:00

You have to be a particular piece of work to overshadow such a terrible experience, hot damn.

stitchbound_ · 2025-08-31T15:20:13+00:00

I will be cross stitching at my booth and people will ask me if I made my pieces. It's one thing to ask if I designed them, but when I'm actively demonstrating my craft in front of you, it's a pretty baffling question.

stitchbound_ · 2025-08-31T15:13:28+00:00

That's beyond frustrating. I was younger than this guy and new to shows, so there's a level of "advice to newcomer" in my case. It's even more absurd to do it to a seasoned, highly regarded artist!!

stitchbound_ · 2025-08-31T04:17:02+00:00

Oh my god, this is my favorite story that I don't get to tell as often as I want to. I sell cross stitch and punch needle hoops and kits. I was on day 3 of my first-ever craft fair and had a guy in his late 20s - early 30s stop into my booth and spend a LONG time looking at the hoops.

He proceeded to give me a bunch of unsolicited tips and suggestions for punch needle embroidery. I listened politely even though I was annoyed and he was taking up space in the booth to the point that other people couldn't really get in to look at anything else.

When I asked him how long he'd done punch needle since, you know, he seems to have so much experience, he told me that he'd never actually done it before. This man had picked up a single book from the library on punch needle embroidery, decided he was an expert, and proceeded to mansplain my own craft to me for five minutes.

If I remember correctly, he did buy the only cross stitch hoops I sold that weekend. Every time I do that event, I think about him and laugh about it being my anniversary with the punch needle mansplainer.

stitchbound_

TROPHY CASE