Team MeFi Steotchalong 2019? August 15, 2019 12:11 PM Subscribe
I know we have some cross-stitchers here, is anyone else doing (or spectating) this year's Steotchalong?
Steotchalong is a 10-week mystery stitchalong, where part of the pattern is released every week (now with release livestream on Facebook, and the traditional crashing of the website as people download the pattern). Stitchers don't know what they're stitching until they eventually do enough to figure it out, but it is usually some kind of pop culture theme. (Official info.)
The first pattern release is this Saturday. All the details are on Steotch's blog and there's a big raucous Facebook group, plus there are all kinds of teams doing team stuff in their own groups or other internet places or IRL.
It's not a very formal thing, but it could be fun to assemble a Team MeFi? This is my first year participating instead of just watching, I've been cross-stitching for 40+ years and maybe have never finished a single thing? I'm not actually very good, but this seems fun and fairly challenging but also motivational.
Steotchalong is a 10-week mystery stitchalong, where part of the pattern is released every week (now with release livestream on Facebook, and the traditional crashing of the website as people download the pattern). Stitchers don't know what they're stitching until they eventually do enough to figure it out, but it is usually some kind of pop culture theme. (Official info.)
The first pattern release is this Saturday. All the details are on Steotch's blog and there's a big raucous Facebook group, plus there are all kinds of teams doing team stuff in their own groups or other internet places or IRL.
It's not a very formal thing, but it could be fun to assemble a Team MeFi? This is my first year participating instead of just watching, I've been cross-stitching for 40+ years and maybe have never finished a single thing? I'm not actually very good, but this seems fun and fairly challenging but also motivational.
I can't commit to that time period (holy busy at work in Sept/Oct!!), but I do cross-stitch - and I finish projects! - so some sort of MeFi cross-stitch THING is appealing.
(My backs are always a mess, but the fronts look pretty good.)
posted by wellred at 12:53 PM on August 15, 2019 [1 favorite]
(My backs are always a mess, but the fronts look pretty good.)
posted by wellred at 12:53 PM on August 15, 2019 [1 favorite]
I cross-stitch and spectate a friend who does the Steotchalong. I'm usually knee-deep in large projects when it comes around (and this year is no exception). Looking at the details, that's a LOT of thread for me right now, especially since I do have that massive London stitch going on.
But I'll also cheer everyone else on, and I'm totally up for a MeFi cross-stitch group of some kind!
posted by cooker girl at 1:42 PM on August 15, 2019
But I'll also cheer everyone else on, and I'm totally up for a MeFi cross-stitch group of some kind!
posted by cooker girl at 1:42 PM on August 15, 2019
I also cross-stitch - I was involved in making some panels for this project - and I have even finished most of the designs I've started. But I'm not so good at stitching to a deadline. I'd probably download each week and finish it sometime in 2021.
It would be good practice for me to learn half, quarter and back stitches - I've always worked in just full with no outlines. But I am picky on designs (especially since I got into cross-stitch working on my own designs): is there somewhere I could look for previous designs to get a sense of their style?
posted by jb at 1:45 PM on August 15, 2019
It would be good practice for me to learn half, quarter and back stitches - I've always worked in just full with no outlines. But I am picky on designs (especially since I got into cross-stitch working on my own designs): is there somewhere I could look for previous designs to get a sense of their style?
posted by jb at 1:45 PM on August 15, 2019
This is the Steotch Etsy shop. It doesn't have the steotchalong patterns, but you can just google image search steotchalong to see some examples from past years.
posted by jacquilynne at 2:15 PM on August 15, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by jacquilynne at 2:15 PM on August 15, 2019 [1 favorite]
Yay Steotchalong! I've participated for the last two years (although last year was the first one I finished) and it's great fun.
The previous years' patterns are usually released midway through the annual Steotchalong, I think on a pay-what-you-want basis. The whole thing is pay-what-you-want and people in the FB group are being generous about sharing floss and supplies to those who need it. It's a LOT of colors this year, but most colors need less than a third of a skein, so if you can share between a few people your materials costs will go way down.
I would love to join a Mefi team except I'm on Team Tater Tot Hot Stitch, which is a delightful group - if you're in the Twin Cities and you're interested in joining, memail me! It's so great. Being on a team is a great motivator to keep stitching and makes the whole thing 100x more fun and interactive. (Last year we won the Steotch team challenge and a bunch of us entered our creations in the Minnesota State Fair this year on a whim. I love my team so much.)
posted by beandip at 3:26 PM on August 15, 2019 [5 favorites]
The previous years' patterns are usually released midway through the annual Steotchalong, I think on a pay-what-you-want basis. The whole thing is pay-what-you-want and people in the FB group are being generous about sharing floss and supplies to those who need it. It's a LOT of colors this year, but most colors need less than a third of a skein, so if you can share between a few people your materials costs will go way down.
I would love to join a Mefi team except I'm on Team Tater Tot Hot Stitch, which is a delightful group - if you're in the Twin Cities and you're interested in joining, memail me! It's so great. Being on a team is a great motivator to keep stitching and makes the whole thing 100x more fun and interactive. (Last year we won the Steotch team challenge and a bunch of us entered our creations in the Minnesota State Fair this year on a whim. I love my team so much.)
posted by beandip at 3:26 PM on August 15, 2019 [5 favorites]
This sounds super fun, and I am in the Twin Cities! It's been awhile - my last project was in four parts and dragged on for years - but I've been stitching since junior high. Currently there are three boxes of floss and a partly finished Hyperbole and a Half piece down in the living room to demonstrate my nerd cross stitch cred.
posted by Flannery Culp at 4:44 PM on August 15, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Flannery Culp at 4:44 PM on August 15, 2019 [1 favorite]
I came to meta to post asking which mefites were doing it this year! I am going to post a shoutout in the fb group. I am already on a local team but am down to be support.
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 3:26 AM on August 16, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 3:26 AM on August 16, 2019 [1 favorite]
I am, for the moment, resigned to FB groups still and happy to create one if that works for interested parties. Does anyone have an alternate preference for a place to group-hang that's less evil but has some privacy controls and ease of use? (I'd say not here, since images would be useful.)
posted by Lyn Never at 8:09 AM on August 16, 2019
posted by Lyn Never at 8:09 AM on August 16, 2019
Facebook groups works for me, sadly. I keep trying to get into Mastadon and other stuff but they just don't work for me.
posted by cooker girl at 8:10 AM on August 16, 2019
posted by cooker girl at 8:10 AM on August 16, 2019
I'm deliberately not putting "Metafilter" in the name, for discretion, and I am going to set it to "closed" because I *think* that lets you see it and request to join without needing to find someone to friend and add you. I will post this in the groups thread on the main FB group, but that should be as searchable as it's going to be, aside from FB skeeviness.
There are two questions to filter out bots and low-motivation randos, and there are group rules about not being an asshole.
MeFiotchalong 2019
posted by Lyn Never at 8:43 AM on August 16, 2019 [1 favorite]
There are two questions to filter out bots and low-motivation randos, and there are group rules about not being an asshole.
MeFiotchalong 2019
posted by Lyn Never at 8:43 AM on August 16, 2019 [1 favorite]
By the way, since this is likely going to be a smallish non-IRL group, we might as well keep it unofficial. If you want to be on a real team and also hang out in our group for fun, that's totally a thing.
posted by Lyn Never at 10:05 AM on August 16, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Lyn Never at 10:05 AM on August 16, 2019 [1 favorite]
I have never heard of this and it seems awesome! I totally expect not to finish but may give it the old college try. My unfinished works outnumber my finished works for sure. But I could use something fun for a while that doesn't involve a screen.
posted by percolatrix at 8:34 PM on August 16, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by percolatrix at 8:34 PM on August 16, 2019 [2 favorites]
Ok, I've never done this but considered it in the past. I'll be getting a slightly late start (just ordered some thread I don't have), but I'm in!!
posted by Secretariat at 12:39 PM on August 18, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Secretariat at 12:39 PM on August 18, 2019 [1 favorite]
I'm a fanatical cross stitcher and I've never heard of this. Totally in.
posted by gerstle at 5:21 PM on August 22, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by gerstle at 5:21 PM on August 22, 2019 [1 favorite]
Arrg where is my floss. Hurry up, USPS!
posted by Secretariat at 6:03 PM on August 22, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Secretariat at 6:03 PM on August 22, 2019 [1 favorite]
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About 30 years for me and, uh, same.
This is an awesome idea! Though I am not sure I'm up for buying that much thread, and I've got a tapestry crochet project that has good momentum going right now...
I'd definitely cheer on any participants (and if there are any other Colorado stitchers around I can probably be persuaded to split a thread purchase and do this instead of my current WIPs.)
posted by asperity at 12:29 PM on August 15, 2019