Progress and new SAL

Yesterday I got a decent start on my Winter Ambiance SAL sponsored by Tezca on her blog. I found a left over piece of fabric that originally came to me in an exchange. It's a very pretty light blue hand dyed Silkweaver piece. I also found I had two skeins of WDW Americana. Since these go so well together I didn't have to purchase a thing. I took a picture for you (it's clickable), but I probably won't get back to this until the weekend. I get to SAL one of my Huge Projects with Feathers tomorrow and then I'll work on Annubis later in the week. But I'm pleased with this bit of progress. The first installment is to finish the house, and I'm almost there with two weeks to go before the next assignment.

Then, I've been trying to think of a way to make my new blog a bit interesting in its newness...who wouldn't?...when this morning I came across a terrific little SAL on one of the French blogs I read. Now I know most of the people who read my blog don't read French, and probably rarely visit too many French blogs. So, I thought, that is really a cute idea, why don't I put it in my blog and have an English speaking SAL along the same lines. Ok, love it, let's go for it. Are you up to a "Totally Useless But Fun and Artsy SAL"? Well, let me explain the Totally Useless SAL before you say, "No".

• The Totally Useless SAL will begin January 26 the date of the next New Moon and end December 16th. New participants will be welcomed at any time throughout the year. If it is November and you are reading this for the first time, don't worry. There is no need to "catch up", if you feel the pull, join us.
  
  
• You are allowed to check the permanent Totally Useless Membership list to see how many of your friends are already stitching along with us.
  
  
• You have to register by posting a comment saying you want to participate on this post so that we can all go to your blog to view your Totally Useless SAL.
  
  
• Find a see-through container: i.e., mayonaise jar, fish bowl, jelly/jam jar, something you'll enjoy. Containers may be changed at your pleasure -- but not any previously posted contents.
  
  
• Every time you are stitching throughout the coming year you agree to put all your "stitching throw aways" in this container. This may include:
  
  
  • regular Orts (thread ends)
  • little snips of fabric
  • broken buttons you were going to use on that little Lizzy Kate flip it
  • a bead or two from your Mirabilia design
  • worn out needles
  • the labels from used up floss skeins
  • whatever you like, as long as it is, or rather, was (LOL) going to be part of a stitching project currently underway.
  • you may include orts from any type of stitching project: cross stitch, knitting, crochet, whatever, but please do not include other craft leftovers such as paper crafts, rubber stamping, etc.
  
  
  
• This must be a new collection not an ort container you have already been collecting.
  
  
• Each month, on the date of the New Moon, or very shortly thereafter, you will post progress pictures of your Totally Useless SAL on your blog. You may or may not describe a few of the interesting new items in your container. (If you do not have a blog you may send your pictures to me and I will post them for you.)
  
  
• Now as the organizer of this Totally Useless SAL I have to do all the real work...ha ha...
  
  
  • I have to let you know at each New Moon the dates of the next New Moon -- what a huge job (te he). Or, you can check the Phases of the Moon photo at the top right of this blog to find the date of the new moon any time you're here.
    
    
  • Well, I also have to maintain a list of participants and each month post it with a link to your blog, so maybe that "ha ha" was a little premature. (Edit: Click here to view the permanent Totally Useless Membership list.)
    
    
• On December 16th our SAL will end with the beautiful projects we have created. You might even arrange a trade if you like somebody else's Totally Useless SAL better than your own. There will be one or more Totally Useless Prize awarded at the completion of the SAL, but I haven't quite pinned that down. If there are just a few participants everybody could get something. But if we get many participants it would have to be some kind of random drawing, I can't work out any criteria for that until I know how many participants there are. So sign up early, the prize is a surprise!

Okay, that's it, the Totally Useless SAL. What do you think? Would you like to participate with me? I think it will be a really fun activity myself; not very time consuming; didn't incur any 'additional' stitching for yourself; sort of useful because now when you find that odd bit of thread on the kitchen floor you'll know right where to put it; and will create a pretty little project.

My virtual friend Milly posted a picture of her "orts jar" a while back (first photo). And Milly collects not only orts but the labels off DMC skeins as well, that's the second container in her photo. The second photo shows an orts jar that has obviously been in the WIP stage for quite a while. And the third photo is the orts jar I started last night, boy do I have a ways to go to catch up with those other two! We'll do all the encouraging we can to keep you on track -- we certainly wouldn't want your Totally Useless SAL to land in the UFO bin, now would we.



Leave your comment on the this page only and tell all your stitchy friends to stop by and register for the Totally Useless SAL. Let's make it lots of fun!!

Please be sure there is an e-mail or blog link where I can contact you in your comment.



Don't forget to sign up for my first Pay it Forward on this blog by leaving a comment on the PIF page.


More next time,