Craft Gossip

Independent craft blog since 2007

Bead Makers Win the Flame Off in Tucson

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The Flame Off is a very important part of the Best Bead Show that takes place in Tucson. The show has ended as of today but I’m sure their memories live on. The Best Bead Show is the bead makers show. The best of the best show here as well as the suppliers of glass and tools and equipment. After a full day of selling their wares they gather and show off their glass working skills in the Flame Off. Crazy! So some of my favorite bead makers won! Whoo hoo!! Check out the winning piece above. So awesome. And the winners are…JC Herrell ( you soo her work all over this blog), Kim Fields and Judy Carlson. Go ladies!! And Judy is pres of the So Cal Flame Surfers, the local Southern California chapter of the ISGB. I”m posting other pictures from the Flame Off but if you can get over to Facebook look around and see the other guys…and their big flames! Wish I could have been there!

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How to Travel with Cross Stitch

Cross stitch is not a craft I generally travel with (since I’m not that good at it, I prefer not to be moving while I’m doing it) but I’m sure there are lots of stitchers who would like to take their projects with them when they travel. 

Koekoek has a post all about cross stitching on a plane, which is a great plan since it’s lots of uninterrupted time to work. As mentioned in the post, you should be able to bring embroidery needles (which tend not to be that sharp anyway) on an airplane with you. 

Regulations in the United States say that scissors with blades up to 4 inches/10 cm are allowed in the cabin, but whether they are allowed by security as you pass through it is up to their discretion. And thread cutters that use a razor blade are not supposed to be allowed at any time. 

Alternatives include bringing nail clippers to snip your threads, or pre-cutting thread and placing it on bobbins so you can stitch on the plane. Then pack scissors in your checked bag so you can cut any loose ends or extra long strands later. 

Check out the post at Koekoek for more tips on traveling with cross stitch and suggestions for projects to pack when traveling. I’ve also written in the past about this post from Caterpillar Cross Stitch about traveling with cross stitch supplies and, importantly, what to do to make your screening as smooth as possible. And, importantly, what to do if the security agents question your supplies or want to confiscate anything you brought. 

And that’s a great tip, too: if you are packing scissors in your carry on but you’re also checking a bag, pack extras there just in case. 

Do you have any tips for traveling with cross stitch projects? I’d love to hear them. Also check out my post about planning a travel stitching kit.