the winner of June's lucky draw is ...

There were three participants with nine thimbles/pin cushion in June's Share Your Thimbles Flickr photo sharing. I have to say I am kind of disappointed with fewer people joined this month, but you all must have been very busy with other crafts as well as your daily obligation.

Although there are three people participated, only two of them entered the draw, Rebbecca of temari addict and Debi of temari debi. This is the reason I postponed to announce the winner so far. As you may remember, Rebbecca won the last month's draw. Since I started the monthly photo sharing I have been worried that someday same person won the prize, or everyone have won previously but one participant, because there have not been many participants. I just didn't expect to face it so soon. It's fair to draw the winner regardless of past winning record. Still I think it is also fair to award the person who never won before.

I thought it through and decided that I would just have to flip a coin because the rule is the rule and the winner of June's is Rebbecca of temari addict in Perth. I should have shown the picture of how she won, but for some unknown reason (again) I cannot upload a photo. I can swear that the coin flipping was done quite fairly. Rebbecca, I will post your watermelon thimbles tomorrow. Debi, I am sorry but will you please continue participating the photo sharing.

The next month's photo sharing will start tomorrow. I would like to expect more participants next month. Wish you happy stitching!

flower basket

It's so humid down here it's suffocating. I know there are a lot of places with more severe climate in the world, but 80% humidity at 29 degrees C inside is bad enough for me. And it's just started, it's getting worse...

The Japanese embroidery class I attend is only held twice a year, 3hrs x 6 times over 3 months twice a year. So there is no wonder (at least for me) I cannot finish the flower basket in timely fashion because I do not do it at home. I have been working on this since summer in 2008 and I really would like to finish it this year.

*** shop update ***

Since my declaration to keep a slower pace at my shop, I have time to enjoy other things, including spending the evening doing nothing particular, than just filling the order. I really was exhausted I think, not that I made that big a sale. Now I think I am ready to pick up the pace a little bit. Your First Thimble kits are now available again and I am working on the medium pin cushion kits (I have not forgotten that I had got a request for two of them) and of course Starter Kits. I will notify here when they becomes available, pincushions soon, starter kit hopefully soon.

The winner of the last week's giveaway is ...

As I told you last week, I am going to announce the winner of lucky draw but firstly I would like to share with you this soon-to-be a small pin cushion as soon as I filled the ring with the pillow as my contribution of Pink Saturday this weekend. You can find a list of the participants at Beverly's How Sweet the Sound for more pink.

Now the lucky draw...

Very primitive compared to random.org, isn't it, but it works fine.

The winner is number 6, Catharina Maria in Netherlands! Catharina Marina, I have left a comment on your recent blog post and look forward to hearing from you. I would like to thank you all who read my posts and I am sorry that you could not win this time. I may be able to offer another give away once I could find a way to draw the winner more efficiently and for free.

Share Your Thimbles June 2010

Today is the first day of the sixth month of this year. Time flies, indeed. So, the first day of the month means it's time to start another thimble sharing at Flickr. My contribution to this month's photo sharing is the one shown above. I really hope you would recognize what it is.

Here are the rules:

1. The thimbles/rings/pincushions/bracelets/etc you are going to share with us have to be the ones you yourself made. No borrowing. I do not think any one of you will cheat, but I have to say it here and I hope you understand.

2. Although the name of the group is"thimble", you can make your rings in any size you like, and not necessarily a circle shape either. I have made some oval shaped ones and they turned out just fine.

3. You can use ready-made ring bases if you like. I don't see a valid reason to exclude the very first thimble, just because it was made from the kit.

4. Your thimbles or any other ring shaped objects have to be made using only forward stitches at this time. No back stitches or weaving, please.

5. You can use any materials, in any colours.

6. You have to state the size of the mould on which you formed your thimble/ring bases in the description field of the photo(s). Please also mention what threads and padding material you used, too. If you are going to upload the thimble from the kit I sell, it's 50mm in diameter, silk hand sewing size 9, and floss silk padding.

7. You can upload as many as you like.

8. The closing date is 21st of June, Japan time. Please note that we are 9 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) in Japan.

Now, you can start uploading your photo from here.

We are going to have a lucky draw this month, too. In order to enter the draw, please leave a message at discussion board at Flickr after uploaded your photos. You can upload as many photos as you like, but you can only enter once. I am going to draw one lucky winner and she/he is going to get two watermelon thimbles shown above.

Yes, they are watermelons. If you didn't find them look like slices of watermelon, please humor me and just pretend you think they are. They need more work, especially where placement of the seeds is concerned.

Can you tell the difference between the two? The first one shows furrows while the second one shows a trace of distinct vertical lines. I am not sure which I like better. Putting seeds in is tricky. The easiest and neatest way to put seeds is to apply knot stitches or seed stitches. Although I like the "built-in" seeds, I may have to embroider, just to see what it will look like.