August 2024

 The Summer Olympics 2024 was held July 26 - August 11, 2024. I took part in #stitchthesummerolympics on Instagram. I was able to stitch on all most all of the suggested prompts. I have completed the stitching on two of these projects and I’m in the progress of fully finishing one.

American Strawberries, Prairie Schooler

Soon this will be a strawberry, I just need to made and attach the top.

Prompts: Stitch something patriotic, Stitch with floss from a color in the Olympic rings

A Summer Road Trip, Silver Needle

Prompts: Stitch something related to Summer

I had some new starts, Peacock Pincushion, 12 Days of Christmas Stocking 7 Swans, and Slice of Harvest. 

Peacock Pincushion, Cottage Garden Samplings

Prompts: New start in 2024, Something round, and Something with an Animal

12 Days of Christmas-7 Swans

Prompt: Something with water

Slice of Harvest, Erica Michaels

Prompts: Something that is part of a series, and Something you can’t “weight” to work on.

Day of Jubilee was another of my SSO. I started stitching this with one strand but didin’t like the coverage so I’m stitching to 2 strands.

One Dozen Quaker, Rosewood manor was the project with the most progress and one of my finishes for August. 

One Dozen Quakers,

Rosewood Manor 

My other finish was Prince of Peace by Erica Michaels.

Prince of Peace

Erica Michaels

Thanks for stopping by, 

 Gwen

Hop Happily

This is my latest fully finished project. 

Hop Happily, 

Be Like a Crow

Erica Michaels

I'm working on finishing a second project but it's taking me awhile to get it done. Hopefully I'll have something else to share soon. 

Thanks for stopping by,

Gwen 

May 2024

Finishes

 During May I managed three finishes, Slice of Summer, Be Like a Crow, and Anjour Pears-Swirl.

Slice of Summer, 

Erica Michaela’s

Be Like a Crow: Hop Happily

Erica Michales

                                                             Anjour Pears, Swirl

Annie Beez Folk Art

I have selected some trinm and backing fabric for Hop Happily and Anjour Pears; I will try for some finishing this weekend. '

WIPs: 

I’ve added the outside border for Prince of Peace as well as all the mini motifs on the inside. Coming in to the home stretch.

                                                                Prince of Peace

Erica Michaels

One Dozen Quakers is ahead of the suggested stitching schedule. The large motif I was working on is now done as well as the main motif for May. Next up will be some more initials and the smaller motifs in this top section.That will put me through suggested stitching through July.

                                                             One Dozen Quakers

Rosewood Manor

This month’s WIPGO had 3 numbers called. Since I had completed the stitching on one of the numbers that was called I added Prince of Peace as my number 13 (free space). I accomplished my additional 5 days on Prince of Peace and.  3 days on Lady Justice (#19). The numbers for June are 2, Cinnamon Stars and 25, Monica. If I complete her over skirt on this go round I can start putting her together.

Thanks for stopping by,

Gwen

More April Stitchng

With my April stitching, I continued to work on my Year of WIPS (YoW), and my WIPGO Boards. I’m  also using the Magazine Monthly Challenges to help me pick my focus pieces each month.

I did some frogging on this one and will most likely do some more. I’ve changed my mind about the colors in that top border. The border is repeated below ‘ A Son is Given’. This is my progress so far.

Prince of Peace

Erica Michaels

I’m working on the largest motif on One Dozen Quakers. A few more hours and it will be done. I’m not strictly following the SAL schedule but I’m still on track. The Zoom meeting on Friday helped my get most of the inside of the motif done. I’m switching the numbers for initials of my family.

One Dozen Quakers

Rosewood Manor

My starts included A Slice of Summer and Swirl Anjou Pears.

I’m stitching with the called for Dinky Dyes. I started with the one on the left, Swirl. This will be a new to me finish. Keeping my fingers crossed that it will go well

Anjou Pears

Annie Beez

This is being stitched with some called for colors and some subs. The design came kitted with the fabric and a cute ladybug button. Wish I could find the other seasons.

Slice of Summer Kit

Erica Michaels

Nativity Row

Bent Creek

Nativity Row is the second of my 4 completions for the YoW. Two more to go by December.

Thanks for stopping by,

Gwen

July 2022

 July turned out to be a very good stitching month. I was able to attend a stitching retreat, the first in a very one time. It was a very good 5 days of classes. I also took part in the 24 hours of Cross Stitch Marathon. 

I stitched Red Berry Wreath and 7 Swans for my Christmas ornaments.

Red Berry Wreath

Elizabeth 

Just Cross Stitch Christmas Ornament Mag 2018

7 Swans

Celebration of Needlework 12 Days of Christmas

I also stitched and fully finished two berries. Both of these were from the All About the Berries Club from Dying to Stitch.

The Goldfinch

Expect Less, A Quaker Wisdom Berry

Expect Less, The Goldfinch

Erica Michaels

And finally a tomato needle book. A retreat favor from Kimberly Young at Sassy Jacks.

Thanks for stopping by.

Now off to continue on my works in progress.

Gwen

 

February: Stitching and Stash

 Happy Valentines Day!!

I finished my February Monthly Markings. 

Monthly Markings Feb

Heart in Hand            

I also worked on 2 Mill Hill kits for my 21  Halloween Ornaments in 2021. I finished the stitching on Candy Corn from Autumn Harvest Collection and now I've pulled out Moonlit Owl. Hope to have both stitched and beaded soon. My other ornament stitching a start on Day 4 of Erica Michaels' 12 Berries of Christmas.

Day 4 :12 Berries of Christmas

Erica Michaels

This month, I've decided to focus on my heritage stitching. The first week I worked on Lady Justice, last week I worked on Portrait in Red. I'm almost done with the head dress and should start working on her face soon. 

Lady Justice

Mirabilia

Portrait in Red

Southern Roots

This weekend proved to be very productive.  On Thursday I saw the notification  that the 13 and 14th would be the second WIPGO weekend of 2021. I set a goal of working 100 stiches on Woman Silhouette and to stitch the top border on page one of Nevermore. I was able to meet both goals and I'm especially happy with my progress on Nevermore.

Woman Silhouette

Artecy

Nevermore

Lila's Studio

If that wasn't enough I was able to purchase one of GaRon Toten Bags special February bags. It arrived of Friday and now houses Lady Justice!  

Thanks for Stopping by,

Week 2 Wrap-up: Some progress and a new start

My finish of the week was Erica Michaels' 12 Berries of Christmas, Three French Hens. I also had a small start on #4. 

Erica Michaels

12 Berries of Christmas

Last week I completed my second WIPGo Goal. I worked for five days on my WIPGo block #6 and #13. Since I would like a finish on Halloween at Hollybery Farm, I worked on that project of my Free Space (#13) I finished the tombstone and added 2 birds. On #18, Monica, I'm working on the border of the apron. I had a slight design modification, so now I'm trying to work around it. I'm hoping I don't have to frog. Keeping my fingers crossed.

The fabric is 28ct Gingham Tin Roof 

(I can't get  a decent picture of this at all.)

Monica, A Capodimonte Italian Pincushion Doll

GPA

I've made some progress on Starry Night. That should be a finish this week.

Starry Night

Prairie Schooler

The border for this Valentine Wishes pillow/ornament was stitched last year. I've one more color to add and the motif will be done. I'm not working the lettering. I'm trying to figure out if a motif is needed to compete the look.

Valentine Wishes

Blue Ribbon Designs

Today I made a small project bag. I have some more planned as soon.

Lady Justice came out today. I had to really take some time to reorient myself to the project and come up with a good working plan. My copy of the pattern is very light and some of the symbols are very similar. Now I'm working from my tablet and using the mark-up feature to highlight what  I've done. It's making it a little easier to track what I've already stitched and helping me to map out my future path. I started in the area of her right shoulder. Should have enough for a decent picture by the next post.

Thanks for stopping by,

Gwen

2021 Week 1

I spent 5 Days working on Halloween at Hollyberry Farm. A few more stitches and I'll be through with the tombstone.  

Halloween of Hollyberry Farm

Stacy Nash

May Wordplay by Brenda Gervais was  already started, soo..... I made it my first Wordplay SAL project for the year. This is my progress so far. Worked on the two flower pots, birds and wheelbarrow and the bee skep. I've got to look at that bee skep a little closely, I think I am off by one thread somewhere. 

May Wordplay

Brenda Gevais

The third project to see some stitching was berry number three of Erica Michaels' 12 Berries of Christmas. My birds are still headless. I hope to remedy that this week.

12 Berries of Christmas

Erica Michaels

My new starts were Prairie Schooler's Starry Night, and a band sampler on banding that I plan to stitch with borders and alphabets from some of my design/motif books. I have a new tabletop tree and I would like to have the PS ornaments done in time for Christmas 2021.

Prairie Schooler

Starry Night

With a goal of  working more on my WIPs and possibly finishing more, I've decided to give WIPGo a try. This is a facebook group started by Jessie Marie Does Things. This is my first attempt at WIPGo, it took me a while to decide what I wanted to focus on this year. I finally got the board done, then struggled to get it uploaded. I read Jessie's post several times but still managed to start on a month that wasn't called for January. Ahhh, Now I think I've got it straight. Still have 20 days this month to meet my goals. keeping my fingers crossed.

Thanks for stopping by,

Gwen

MId_August Check-In

I worked on this post for 2 days almost 2 weeks ago and couldn't get it to publish. I keep getting an error when attempting to load pictures and no insight on how to fix the problem. I accidentally got online with Firefox tonight and decided to try to use this browser. I usually use Chrome.The font is very small which is a struggle for me. Hope I can find a way to make it larger. Also the pictures don't come in as picutes but as HTML code, so I can't see what they look like until I preview/publish. Keeping my fingers crossed that it will publish this time.

♠ My new start was : Winter Row by Bent Creek. I'm stitching on a twilight blue 32ct fabric. I started with the alphabet and I'm ready for the first tree. After the next set of letters I'll work on the snowmen. ♠ I have 2 WIPs Portraint in Red, Green Apple Co. Working on the her red turban.

♠ My second WIPs is The 12 Days of Christms Berry by Erica Michaels. Since taking this picture I finished the stitching.

♠ This didn't take as long as my last two attempts but it's still a struggle. There has to be a better way to do this, this 'upgrade' to Blogger is not as user friendly as it could be. ♠ Thanks for stopping by, ♠ Gwen

WIPocalypse/Smalls May Update

 My stitching progress for the month of May. 

Ann Roberts

36ct Parchment 

AVAS

Erica Michaels

The 12 Days of Christmas: The Partridge 

I started Flag of Stars on Memorial Day. I managed to get this much done on the blue field. Just starting on the stripes. After this I plan to work on another Bent Creek, The Flag.

Flag of Stars

Bent Creek Kit

Tonight,I finished the stitching on this sampler. I plan to use this as the box top for a button box. The sampler is from Cartonnage Brode au fil des boiles, Sophie Delaborde & Sylvie Castellano. 

28ct Natural Linen

DMC 712, Ecru

My Smalls for May were a Christmas Ornament finish and a Halloween Ornament.

28ct Green

DMC Blanc, Krienik #4 Braid 028

Essence is stitched, just need to sort and add beads.

Mill Hill Kit

The Ghost Trilogy: Essence

Thanks for stopping by,

Gwen