I rarely comment, but i appreciate your wisdom and tips, Jean. I started using a dampened sponge around 2005 for all my threads. It helps tremendously! A viewer on my channel reached out to me. A small group of stitchers in MS meet up occasionally. We're meeting at a restaurant the end of this month. 😊 I also took a quilt block with embroidery project to a teen homeschool year kickoff held at a skating rink. As I was stitching at a table, a young lady approached me, saying she did quilting and sat down as we chatted. Two of her friends sat and we all chatted about hobbies and here I was, an old lady (mom) 😂 with three charming young ladies at my table. Come to find out, one girl knows my daughter from dance class, so now theyre also talking more. Its true you never know who you will inspire and encourage to pick up a new hobby or restart one! In turn they made me feel relevant, and it also encouraged another friendship to form. ❤
THANK YOU!! so the tip with the water has been a game changer, I am at a retreat and I brought my table mates a sponge finger wetter each and they all love it too, less knots and less twisting!!
Thank you for all you do to share our hobby. One great experience I had was at an airport, Montreal maybe. I was stitching and an older Asian lady came over to sit by me. She pointed at my stitching and gave me a thumbs up. She looked it over, front and back, and another thumbs up. Then she pointed to her eyes, which I took to mean she couldn't see well enough to stitch herself, so I showed her my flip up magnifiers. She watched me stitch awhile, then with another thumbs up, she left and went back to sit with her husband. I was so touched she made the effort to communicate with me.
Jean...thanks for your lovely visit...I am glad to experience your travels...good to see you back and sorry about that severe cold...I wash and iron my stitch pieces per your instructions...best wishes and happy stitching ❤
Thank you as ever. When I picked cross stitch back up about 14 months ago after 30 years, yours was the first Floss Tube i found that was a teaching one...and it has remained about the best. I have learned from you or because of you so much...how to stitch on linen, using color dyed, loop starts, some finishing stitches, some specialty stitches, how to finish my stitching....soooo much! I just learned 2 ways to thread my needle without licking o a threader, for example! I just turned 70 and am loving learning all this, and you have been a great scout in my trek through new territory! I dont have any stitching buddies in person, so do appreciate the FT world. Also I have Parkinsons tremors...pretty mild so far...and i think stitching has been good therapy for that, too. (Ps....I will get to see The Milkmaid in about 10 days and will think of you!)
I’ve been stitching for 27 years by myself. None of my family or friends stitch. And my LNS closed 4 years ago because the owner retired. You get used to stitching alone.
Great advice on learning something new to keep your mind active. I do the sudoku puzzle in the paper every day (retired math teacher) but I have expanded and do some word puzzles now. I don’t have the vocabulary to do crossword puzzles but the Jumble and Seven Little Words I can have success with. I rejoined EGA a few months ago to get out and stitch with others. Take care.
You always have something new for us to think about. I meet once a month with a stitch group at a local library . It’s such a fun time to see what others are working on. Cross stitch, embroidery, knitting etc Thank you for your insight.
Thank you again for another great flosstube video. I have a small group of stitching friends that started at a LNS near me. We are down to only 3 of us but we still meet weekly at the home of one friend. Over the years I was able to learn many types of needlework by following diagrams (no internet back then). I then connected with classes at a LNS near me and learned so much more in specialty stitches and embellishments. The ladies who took the classes eventually evolved into a weekly stitching group that met at the LNS but is now just the three of us. It is so true that these friendships can grow by sharing a mutual love of a particular hobby. My extended family was great card players, especially pinochle! A few years ago, I went to a class to learn Canasta. Unfortunately, I could not find a group to play with so I may have forgotten some of what I learned. The only thing that I could not learn myself was tatting. I took a class with a lovely 80+ year old lady who was wonderful and taught me a lot. My one downfall is picots! I cannot do picots in tatting, hardanger or crocheting! They never seem to lay correctly or come out the same size! I do miss having a LNS near me where I can take classes. Retreats look wonderful but fitting them into my schedule can be difficult, especially with travel involved. Thanks again for a great video. I am in several cross stitch groups on Facebook and share information about these wonderful flosstube videos!
As with many things in life one is never too old to learn new things. I may know how to do something but I always learn a better, easier, smoother way--especially when it comes to stitching. I always learn from you. Thanks!
I have gone to my library to stitch in the past and haven't had any curious people stop by - but that doesn't stop me from going anyway! Even when I'm waiting for a car repair of a couple of hours. I watched a new Floss Tube recently and see looked at it this way "ABC - Always Bring Cross stitch" - I love that!
I'm so happy to see you again. Please tell me where I can buy Cosmo floss. I took a class at Barefoot Needlearts that you taught (I was thrilled to meet you), and I fell in love with Cosmo. It's such a beautiful floss. However, not everyone carries it. I would love to start to transition to Cosmo. Can you point me in the right direction? As always, I learned so much from you. Thank you for your informative videos. BTW, you totally converted me to linen fabric (36ct is my sweet spot) and I don't stitch without dampening my floss first. All I can say is thank you. ❤
I'm going to recommend one of the fairly new shops that has great customer service and is in a definite growth mode: www.beeyoutifulsipandstitchery.com I know they carry the full line of Cosmo floss. If you contact them, tell Brett (owner) I said hi!
Thank you. I'm Asian and married to a veteran who served 20 years. I've lived america 46 years, but most Americans are not as friendly as you think, and that's the fact because I've been living in. I do appreciate your advice. Thank you for your tips and tutorials.
I hope that you can find more cross stitchers to share with. I have found that in many of the hobbies/interests that I love there are those who are open, welcoming and friendly and unfortunately those who are not. They don't know what they are missing! I have made friends who are from many backgrounds and that has enriched my life!
My hope for you is that someone somewhere will reach out to you and show a welcoming spirit. I want to apologize for 20 years (20 years!!) of unfriendly people. We are quite the mixed bag in America. One of the things that makes our country different from many countries is that we ARE a mixed bag. When a country's population is made up of a single primary culture, it's easier to know what to expect. Our diversity can be our strength but the disadvantage is one that you have experienced. Will you take a moment and send me an email? jeanfarish@gmail.com
@JeanFarishNeedleworks thank you so much for reaching out with kind words. Sadly, I am OK. I don't like it, but you get used to it 😉 thank goodness I have crafts and cross stitch. As always, enjoy your videos.
I definitely think that it varies town to town. People are so odd haha! We moved from a very welcoming friendly town to all the way across the country to a place where outsiders are not welcome! My mom said American women in Germany where my dad was stationed in the Army in the early 70s were not friendly, as did a friend that was there in the late 90s when her husband was stationed there. I hope you have some friends where you are!
Have you thought about converting your VHS tapes to videos to purchase? I would definitely be interested in these 😊. Your tapes were great but with the demise of VHS players, they became obsolete 😢
I have thought and thought and thought about it. The technology keeps changing. Maybe it's time to see what's involved at this point. There are some great projects in that set!
Thanks for all the info Jean, My 2 favorite things are crusing and stitching. Do you need to be asked to go on your 2026 cruise or be back of a certain group? I would be very interested in this. thanks
I have the 1996 Spirit of Cross-Stitch pin on my stitching tools bag. I only now made the connection of that logo to your chart! How fun. Your work is a classic in our wonderful world of cross-stitch. Thank you!
You are gracious with your ideas and never make others feel inferior who stitch on Aida. I love stitching on linen but treasure a few samplers I stitched in the early eighties when only Aida was available. Our love of stitching is what is important and one should stitch on whatever makes them happy. Thank you for your flosstubes.
Wow Jean, IMHO you have always been the voice of learning, assistance and support. I don’t think I have ever heard you be snobby. Your joy of stitching comes through, I appreciate all the knowledge that you share, thank you 🙏 💐🌹
I started on Aida. then I found your flosstube and found my fear of stitching on linen was unfounded. You helped me to expand my stitching ability. I enjoy linen, even weave,and Aida. I never felt you were putting down Aida stitchers. I have the Hare and Rabbit pattern and hope to start it once I have finished the current sampler I am stitching.
I always love watching your flosstubes! I remember the sampler from the Spirit of Cross Stitch Festival! I don’t find you as being snobbish about linen. I personally stitch on Aida, evenweave and linen. It depends on the piece I’m stitching what fabric I chose to stitch with. My personal favorite is evenweave because it’s what I enjoy the most. Just as linen is my daughter’s favorite to stitch on. Happy Stitching!
Thank You for what you do for cross stitching. We have to be willing to try something new. With that being said if there’s no one to give good sound advice one is left to their own devices. Instructions and directions are important for a student to learn. Wondering about if you have help and instructions for new beginner linen stitchers. Anticipation!!!!!
Thank you Jean, if people find you judgemental, they should search their own beliefs and sad lack of confidence in their choices. You, and every other floss tubers are always so fair on what and how you present. I, like you am an older person and I find this constant negative attitude very baffling. We should be grateful for all of you for sharing their love, joy and expertise with us. Thank you again Jean
I didn't take those specific comments as being directed at me but I know the feelings are out there ... and, sadly, there *are* some shop owners and designers who really do ignore the Aida stitchers.
I feel like you've made your stance on aida clear, I've never gotten the impression that you look down on people who stitch on aida. In fact I've heard you say the opposite, that there is nothing wrong with stitching on aida, several times on your channel. I appreciate your videos and all the stitchy wisdom you share with us. 😊
My first linen project was HARD - however I believe it was my fault - the project was way too big for a first learning project - a gazillion mistakes were made ( some were frogged some not) it was a 40 count fabric (not the best count to learn a new technique on) - I was very frustrated even after watching several RU-vid videos - I swore I would never stitch on linen again! Ugh! But then I tried 28 count, 30 count and even 36 count - I have given myself time and experience to learn a new thing - I now love stitching on linen and the way a fully finished project looks on it - I still stitch on Aida also but I love the look of linen -
I agree with you, Jean, people need to be willing to try something different and/or new. Don't "assume" until you've tried it and not just for 10 or 15 minutes. I also think people can be too sensitive about the videos they're watching. Just because the Floss Tuber they are watching uses linen or even evenweave doesn't mean that they're telling "you" that you have to. I find Floss Tube a fun way to see patterns I may not have seen before, love watching a pattern I love grow as that person is stitching on it and still learn from fellow stitchers.
Thanks for the video visit. I'll be looking forward to seeing more videos for Sampler September. I am finishing up some smalls and doing the monthly release of two SALs I am in before I make a final decision on what sampler(s) I will be putting time in on the rest of the month.
