The Fourth Annual Stitching Limerick Contest

Back in March 2011 and 2012, I sponsored a stitching limerick contest.  I had intended to make it an annual event but somehow dropped the ball in 2013.  But i picked it up again in 2014.   And here it is, March 2015, and time for another round.   For educators, March is the longest month of the year, no holidays or long weekend breaks, the kids are bored to tears with school and longing for the summer, discipline problems arise, exams loom ... well, you get the idea.  So, in March, I tend to find or make up reasons to play.  So, let's all have a some fun and exercise our little grey cells as Hercule Poirot would say.  Writing a proper limerick is a disciplined exercise so to make it worthy of your effort, I am offering a $20 gift certificate to 123stitch as the prize for the winning entry.

Remember, limericks are defined by Google as a humorous verse form of 5 anapestic lines with a rhyme scheme aabba i.e., they have a definite pattern:
10 syllables/beats to the first line,
7 syllables/beats to the second line,
6 syllables/beats to third and fourth lines,
9 syllables/beats to the fifth line.
The rhyme pattern: lines 1, 2 and 5 rhyme; lines 3 and 4 rhyme.

Any entry not meeting these very exacting standards will be disqualified.

Here's my 2011 limerick:
There once was a stitcher named Riona,
Who used up all of her toner,
Printing freebies galore
Till she had so much more
Than anyone ought to be owner!

And here's my 2012 version:
There once was a stitcher named Riona,
Who, when you tried to phone her,
All your calls she'd ignore
As she stitched more and more.
Her friends thought this flaw a real groaner!

And my 2014 version:

There once was a English Band Sampler,

Stretched on a stand with a clamper.

The stitcher who owned it

Had diligently sewn it

Till she was one happy camper.

And now for my 2015 effort.  I confess I had to resort to an internal rhyme for lines three and four to make it work.

There once was a stitcher who loved dragons

And tea consumed by the flagons.

She combined these two loves

Armed with needles and mugs,

Stitching till all done were the dragons..

All you need do is write your limerick in the comments and I will choose a winner on March 28

Monday Medley

This was supposed to be posted on Monday but I have been dealing with a crisis at work that has consumed my attention.  Nothing else seemed important while we worked toward a resolution. 

First, the winning limerick.
There were so many creative and clever limericks that it was very difficult to choose from among them.  Only a few entries had to be disqualified because they didn't fit the rhyme and/or rhythm patterns of a true limerick.  In choosing the winner, Misty, my husband cited similarity to me as the reason for his choice.  The only difference is I take over the dining room table instead of the couch.  I have contacted Joanne today and the winner should receive an e-mail gift certificate soon.  Here is the winning limerick

A stitcher who lived in Vancouver
Sat on her couch and took over
Between fabric and floss
She was clearly the boss
And everyone had to move over.

Second, Pineberry Lane's Autumn on Marigold Lane.

I have made a great deal of progress during the past week.  But I still have a few decisions to make.  I don't really like the charted date, 1837, that brackets the urn above the fence.  I am wondering whether to a] replace it with 2014, b] replace it with my own initials or c] leave the space blank.  I am leaning toward leaving the space blank.

And, I have yet to choose a substitute for GAST Autumn Leaves.  I have pulled the following colors for a floss toss, from top to bottom: WDW Sweet Potato, GAST Burnt Orange and Crescent Colors  Persimmon.  I am not quite sure which I like best.  The charted Autumn Leaves has a color way from rust to rusty tan. None of these is an exact or even nearly exact match for the suggested fiber.  But that's not necessarily a problem.  I believe the shade that works best with what is already in place is WDW Sweet Potato.   With its muted rusty orange, it blends best with the mood of the piece.

Since, I wrote the above post, I have continued work on Autumn on Marigold Lane, with this result.  Even though I have only stitched one flower in Sweet Potato, I think you can see how well it is working.  I seem to be flying through this piece.  With just the cauldron, two black cats and 8 flowers to stitch, I expect this will be finished on Friday, making it a ten day stitch.  But no wonder.  I find it to be such a joy to stitch.  This is my second Pineberry Lane chart and I am loving it.  I look forward to starting my third one later this month: Tansy, Yarrow and Rue.  If any designer can tempt me to violate my no new chart purchases rule, it'll be Pineberry Lane.  But I am assiduously avoiding temptation by not visiting her website.

Stitching Limericks Redux

Back in March 2011 and 2012, I sponsored a stitching limerick contest.  I had intended to make it an annual event but somehow dropped the ball in 2013.  But it is time to resurrect the idea.    For educators, March is the longest month of the year, no holidays or long weekend breaks, the kids are bored to tears with school and longing for the summer, discipline problems arise, exams loom ... well, you get the idea.  So, in March, I tend to find or make up reasons to play.  So, let's all have a some fun and exercise our little grey cells as Hercule Poirot would say.  Writing a proper limerick is a disciplined exercise so to make it worthy of your effort, I am offering a $20 gift certificate to 123stitch as the prize for the winning entry.

Remember, limericks are defined by Google as a humorous verse form of 5 anapestic lines with a rhyme scheme aabba i.e., they have a definite pattern:
10 syllables/beats to the first line,
7 syllables/beats to the second line,
6 syllables/beats to third and fourth lines,
9 syllables/beats to the fifth line.
The rhyme pattern: lines 1, 2 and 5 rhyme; lines 3 and 4 rhyme.

Here's my 2011 limerick:
There once was a stitcher named Riona,
Who used up all of her toner,
Printing freebies galore
Till she had so much more
Than anyone ought to be owner!

And here's my 2012 version:
There once was a stitcher named Riona,
Who, when you tried to phone her,
All your calls she'd ignore
As she stitched more and more.
Her friends thought this flaw a real groaner!

And my 2014 version:

There once was a English Band Sampler,

Stretched on a stand with a clamper.

The stitcher who owned it

Had diligently sewn it

Till she was one happy camper.

As you can see, I decided not to try and find more rhymes for Riona.   It seemed more sensible to look for another hook from which to hang my rhyme scheme.

Leave your limerick in the comments ... any entry not fitting the above definition will be disqualified ... it must be a true limerick! At the end of the month, I'll have my husband pick a winner from the comments and award that stitcher/limmericist a $20 GC to 123stitch [an online shop]. Thanks to all who participate.  I look forward to seeing all the creative entries.  Also, if clicking on your name won't lead me to a profile with your contact info, please leave an e-mail address in the comments.

The Second Annual Oubliette Stitching Limerick Contest

Let's do a little something to dispel the winter doldrums. Although, truth be known, it hasn't been a very wintry winter thus far. I imagine Mother Nature has a few tricks up her sleeve. I am expecting snow on Easter! Anyway, last year I had a fun and silly contest inviting everyone to write a stitching limerick that began with the line: There once was a stitcher named [insert your name]. This generated a lot of really silly and clever rhymes. Shall we do it again?

Remember, limericks are defined by Google as a humorous verse form of 5 anapestic lines with a rhyme scheme aabba i.e., they have a definite pattern:
10 syllables/beats to the first line,
7 syllables/beats to the second line,
6 syllables/beats to third and fourth lines,
9 syllables/beats to the fifth line.
The rhyme pattern: lines 1, 2 and 5 rhyme; lines 3 and 4 rhyme.

Here's my 2011 limerick:
There once was a stitcher named Riona,
Who used up all of her toner,
Printing freebies galore
Till she had so much more
Than anyone ought to be owner!

And here's my 2012 version:
There once was a stitcher named Riona,
Who, when you tried to phone her,
All your calls she'd ignore
As she stitched more and more.
Her friends thought this flaw a real groaner!

Leave your limmerick in the comments ... any entry not fitting the above definition will be disqualified ... it must be a true limmerick! At the end of the month, I'll have my husband pick a winner from the comments and award that stitcher/limmericist a $10 GC to 123stitch [an online shop]. Thanks to all who participate.

Stitching Limerick Challenge

On the 123stitch message board, there is an amusing thread using board or real life names to write limericks beginning "There once was a stitcher [named] ..."

Here's mine

There once was a stitcher, Riona,

Who used up all of her toner,

Printing freebies galore

Till she had so much more

Than anyone ought to be owner!

I thought it would be fun to invite all my readers to write one of their own and post it in the comment section, offering a $10 gc to 123stitch for the most clever entry [as judged by my husband]. Remember, limericks are defined by Google as

a humorous verse form of 5 anapestic lines with a rhyme scheme aabba

i.e., they have a definite pattern: 10 syllables/beats to the first line, 7 syllables/beats to the second line, 6 syllables/beats to third and fourth lines, 9 syllables/beats to the fifth line. The rhyme pattern: lines 1, 2 and 5 rhyme; lines 3 and 4 rhyme.