All Purpose Mid-Month Update

BeeHive Sampler

Hello World.  I started out the month by working on a different WIP each day.  I was able to keep it up for a week or so before life got in the way.  I have been having a tough time the past couple of years, and then things just got so much worse.  A lot of anxiety, fear and sadness in 2020.  The worst was losing my Dad last Saturday.  So bear with me ... I am kind of a mess right now.  Just trying to keep busy to get through the day.

I am merging in my "Gifted Gorgeousness" update, as several of these projects were gifted to me over the years.  The "Gifted Gorgeousness" stitch-along is hosted by Jo of Serendipitous Stitching, and features projects that in some way have been gifted -or- are being stitched to be given as gifts.

I worked on many different projects since my last update.  "BeeHive Sampler" shown above finally has a beehive.  This is a Sandy Orton design from years gone by.  Here is where I left off last time:

I still have back stitching to do in the central motif, and some more bands of stitching at the bottom of the sampler.  LOVE this one!

Next  "Winter Sampler": (gifted to me)

I am working on the area around the snowman.  This sampler is working up very slowly.  Lots of color changes and small areas with back stitching.  But I did spend a few hours on it.

Also "Autumn Sampler": (gifted to me)

I am working on the grapevine to the right of the apple girl.  Again, slow progress with lots of color changes and small areas with back stitching.  

I also stitched on my "To Everything a Season" sampler (gifted to me).  Another one of Sandy Orton's designs. 

"Linen Sampler" got a completed alphabet:

Here is where this one was left previously:

"Victorian Charm" got some attention:

Other projects I stitched on include: "Afternoon Nap", "Ride to Dreamland", and "Women of the Mayflower".  Not really enough progress to show on these.   But I think I had a great start to the month - working on 9 projects!   I hope to continue making progress on my projects, and maybe have a finish before too long.



 

WIPocalypse Update for April

I'm still here and stitching for the WIPocalypse.  You'd think that I would have lots of stitching accomplished ... not quite ... however I do have some progress to report.
As you can see above, I made progress on my "Berry Patch Rooster".   The photo below shows where I left off last time.

I still have plenty to do: the remainder of the rooster, all of the berries,  most of the border, and all of the back stitching.   But progress was made.

I also had the itch to pick up Theresa Wentzler's "Castle Sampler".   I finished the basic framework of the main border and did more work on the interior border.  It doesn't look like much ... but this was hours and hours of stitching!  Progress!

Previous update:

Lastly, I stitched a bit on my "Women of the Mayflower Sampler".  I don't really have the right floss colors, but I am making do with floss I have on hand..   I really wanted to stitch this now. 

Four hundred years ago the passengers (including a couple of my ancestors) took that long journey on a crowded ship with rough seas and shortages of food and other items, to make their way to the new world for the chance at a better life.  Our few months of quarantine pale in comparison - but this does make a fitting and memorable time to stitch this piece.  1620 ~ 2020

Question of the Month: Talk to us about your longest-running WIP or UFO.

I have several projects from the 90's that were boxed up in storage for years.  I do pick them up occasionally and add a few stitches, but haven't really had the incentive to finish them.  I am drawn more to my current projects.  However, I do try to complete at least 1 of my oldest projects each year.   Last year I finished "Carousel Tiger" by Angela Pullen which was a gift from my younger sister back in the 90's.
  
I hope you are all faring well during this crazy time.  
Happy Stitching!

WIPocalypse Update for February

Bothy Threads Cut Thru' Haunted House

Hello!  This is my February WIPocalypse post.  Things have been pretty brutal here the past few months, but I still managed a bit of progress since my last update.

I stitched on (my favorite) "Bothy Threads Cut Thru' Haunted House". I am adding the back stitching to the roof and bedroom, on which I completed the cross stitching.  So I am moving right along.

I also stitched a bit on "Berry Patch Rooster".  I have made a lot of progress with this one and plan to keep on going.

 This month I had a request for a pattern featuring a camel ... so I whipped up this chart: "Scenic Camel", which I am sharing on my hobby site as a free chart.
  http://hobbyloco.com/patterns/camel.html

I did finish my "Linen & Threads 2020 Mystery Sampler" the first week of January - I just hadn't posted since December.  So here it is:

 And I stitched a little Halloween ornament in January:

I do think I will try the "March one stitch per day challenge".  Most likely I will keep working on my "Berry Patch Rooster".  I would love to have a finish soon!

Question of the Month: In honor of “Leap Year,” tell the story of a time you had to make some sort of a “leap” in stitching – taking the chance on a new style of stitching, attending a meetup or class, etc.  

My latest leap would be the leap into fabric dyeing that I made last year.  I hadn't ever dyed fabric using actual dye. Just a few coffee and tea experiments.  However, I has terrific results using a small tie-dye kit when I dyed the fabric for my "Linen & Threads Sampler" (shown above).  I loved it so much that I took a chance on the fabric from my Bothy Threads kit (it was originally a pale blue), and couldn't be happier with how it turned out!

That's about all for this update.  
Happy Stitching!

WIPocalypse Update for December

The year is drawing to a close, and it is time to post my December WIPocalypse update and year end recap.

The past few months have been busy for me, with not a lot of stitching time.  However I did manage to stitch a cute red beaded snowflake.  The original pattern (found in "Cross Stitch for the Holidays" Winter 2011) called for French knots - but I used some glass seed beads that I had on hand for a little bit of sparkle.
I made some progress on "Berry Patch Rooster":

"Women of the Mayflower": I'm not happy with the colors I used on the last motif ... I have to think about this a bit more.

"Linen and Threads 2019 Mystery Sampler": I kept up with this all year ... I should have it finished very soon, just a few more butterflies to go.  This is the last picture I took of it (it is not really THAT blue).

On a Christmasy note ... I pulled some boxes out of storage and found two needlepoint stocking that I stitched years ago.  I did not add a date to them, so I can only guess that I stitched them in the mid-90's.

I stitched on 37 different projects in 2019.  I finished 8 projects, and I made some great progress on a few of my old WIPs. 

And ... (drumroll, please) ... Here is my little montage of finishes for 2019

I managed to finish 5 small projects and 3 of my old WIPs!  I did start 3 new larger projects - so my  WIPs count is still sitting at 42.  Not my best year of finishes, but I am happy to have completed the ones I did. 

Wishing all of you a safe and happy new year!
Happy stitching.