Waste canvas

I was telling a friend the other day about waste canvas and how handy it can be, and while I am not achieving much sewing at the minute, i thought I would share it with you all.
Waste canvas is a type of mesh that you can use to cross stitch onto material that doesn't have any sort of grid on it.  The waste canvas which looks like this....

is tacked onto the front of your material, and then you work your cross-stitch design through both it and the material.  When you are done, all you need to do is wet it and the waste canvas pulls out from under the stitching quite easily (one thread at a  time).  And then you are left with your cross stich design on normal material. it is so versatile. I have used it to monogramme some towels for a gift and I have used it to personalise my boys' christmas stockings.

Turns out quite well don't you think?  And yes, i did have a reason for their stockings to be facing different ways; it worked for where we were hanging them at the time. And now they are in their own rooms, coincidentally, it works as they hang on their doors which face each other.

And now, just for something different, i had to mention this; we are on school holidays at the minute.  I took my two boys out grocery shopping yesterday - not the most exciting outing, i know.  But after seeing some of the appalling behaviour by other teenagers while we were out, I had to acknowledge how good my kids are.  We had such a fun day.  My boys are quiet, courteous (mostly!!!) and helpful.  So a public thanks to my kids for being such wonderful people. I am really enjoying watching them grow into the adults they will become. (And thanks Josh for the milky kiss i just received on my nose!!!)