FFO Frenzy Part 1

 I haven’t done much finishing lately; but I now have a few over the last two weekends.

First off I stitched 2 items from the 2023 Just Cross Stitch Halloween Magazine. Seasonal Celtic Knot was presented as an ornament. I finished the ornament and a partial knot  and used them to make a biscornu. 

Seasonal Celtic Knot

Just Cross Stitch Halloween Magazine 2023

This pillow is a portion of Spooky Greetings project.

One last fully finished was Strawberry House by Scarlett House. I used the supplied kit materials to make the pillow and adapted the fob to a mattress pin cushion.

Strawberry House,

Scarlett House

Thanks for stopping by,

Gwen

August Progress

I started 2 new projects that took a lot of my stitching time in August. Book of Spells and Book of Shadows. Book of Shadows is a current SAL from Living on the Rainbow, Etsy. The covers of both books are full coverage. Book of Shadows got a little bit more stitching time, as I wanted to be in a good position to work on the pages for this book. I want to be able to complete at least 2 of the pages during the SAL.

Book of Spells, Living on the Rainbow

Book of Shadows, Living on the Rainbow

As Life Wears Away,  Carriage House Samplings is on track for a finish soon. 

I also worked on Hares' Christmas by Plum Street Sampler, and Halloween Delivery. Both are part of  year long challenges on FB's Halloween Cross Stitch Challenge. 

Hares' Christmas, Plum Street Samplers

Halloween Delivery, Plum Street Samplers

For Sampler September I will be working on Mabel Tuke 1779 and Margery Dean. 

Time for a Catch-Up!

Okay, let's be honest, it's way past time for an update. A portion of this short post has been on the drawing board since May. I did quite a bit of stitching but didn't post. I will sprinkle the summer stitching in as I try to get back to semi-regular posting.

 My focus piece for May was As Life Wears Away by Carriage House Samplings. I managed to complete the verse and made good progress on the bottom bargello portion. It’s been really fun watching this come to life.

Progress at the end of May.

Progress at the middle of August.

Junes’s focus stitching was on Strawberry House by The Scarlett House. This would be a sweet summertime finish.

I managed to finish Strawberry House. The kit included fabric for a scissor fob. I stitched the fob pattern 4 times and plan to make this a mattress pincushion. I think I have some fabric in my stash that I can use to make a fob later. 

Be Back Soon

Gwen

Easter Treasure Hunt 2023

 Time for another blog hop. 

Jo, Serendipitous Stitching, is giving us a chance to share our stitching. Since Easter will soon be here we are hopping around the blog world collecting letters to make a phrase. We also get to view some fabulous stitching/crafting along the way. 

If this is your first stop you will want to go to Jo's blog so you don't miss any of the participating blogs

Start: https://serendipitousstitching.blogspot.com

Since this is the Year of The Rabbit I thought I would share 3 rabbit projects I stitched in the past.:

Blackbird Designs, Easter Parade

Easter Holiday Hoopla, Brenda Gervais

Spring Hare Etching, Heart in Hand

Oh, Yes you're here for a letter.

;

Hop on over to: https://lifeoutsidethewashingbasket.blogspot.com/ to continue with the Treasure Hunt.

Happy Easter!

Mad Stitching in March

Most of my stitching in March were for challenges. I doubled up on some and managed to get 3 finishes. WIPocalypse's March Challenge was to make at lease one stitch on a WIP each day of the month. Halloween Cross Stitch Challenge (HCSC) had a challenge to stitch at least 100 stitches per week on a project for their "Haunted New Orleans Tour Challenge". I used Nevermore, Lila's Studio for both of these challenges. Nevermore was also my project for  HCSC's Big Spooky 3 in 2023 Challenge, stitch 3 larger Halloweenish projects through the year. This was my project for the first quarter. As a result the bottom border of Nevermore (that I was dreading) is done.

My starting point.

My progress. 

Nevermore, Lila's Studio

I finished Spring Has Sprung, Country Cottage Needleworks, HCSC Year of the Rabbit SAL. I wanted to get this one done for Spring this year. I was able to complete the stitching. Now I'm on the hunt for a suitable frame.

Spring Has Sprung, Country Cottage Needleworks.

I also finished stitching the last three hexes from American Patchwork Quilt Magazine. 

Now that I have all six done, I'm all set to put them together. I think I will finish them on a pillow as Cathy Haberman finished hers in the magazine.

As Life Wears Away has some other colors (aside from green). This Carriage House Samplings chart is all cross stitch and packs a lot of stitches in to achieve the bargello look. It was designed for satin or cross stitch. I choose cross stitch. Carriage House Samplings was the Designer Focus with GaRon Stitchey for March.

As Life Wears Away, Carriage House Samplings

I will continue this one in April. My other plans include Blooming Tiny Town, Heart In Hand, Strawberry House, Scarlett House and my WIPGO #5, Prince of Peace, Erica Michaels, and #17 Mabel Tuke 1991, Sassafras Samplers

.

My final finish for March was my ornament.

12 Days of Christmas Stocking,

Annie Beez.

Thanks for stopping by, 

Gwen

 

     

2March,2023

My February Smalls Finish were three of the six hexes from Hands on Design. Hope to complete the others in March then work on the pillow. Well at least I think I will finish them into a version or the pillow that Cathy did.

Petals and Plume, Hands on Designs

WIPocalypse: Goal to work on and share the projects we want to complete before the 'End of the World. Our host on this quest is Mel of Measi's Musings. 

Mel's February question to fellow stitchers was:

 

What stitch-a-longs (SALs) are you participating in this year?

1. Magazine Monthly Cross Stitch Challenge

2. Halloween Cross Stitch Challenge

3. WIPGO 2023

4. Christmas Ornie SAL 2023

5. Cross Stitch 25/7 

This Month I will also add GaRon Stitchery Designer Focus of the Month. I am already working on a project by Carriage House Samplings.

I managed to get in a few more stitches on Nevermore and Blooming Tiny Town.

Nevermore, Lila's Studio

Blooming Tiny Town, Heart In Hand

I have a few new starts that will be popping up in a post soon.

My WIPGO projects for March are:

#2 Monica

#22 12 Days of Christmas Stocking

Thanks for stopping by,

Gwen

 

Valentine's Day

 

This is a JBW Designs heart that I stitched last year. It was in the to be finished pile. I hurriedly pulled it out yesterday and finished it so that I could use in for a blog hop. Thank goodness for deadlines. I now have another finish! 

Check out Jo's blog (Serendipitous Stitching) to see what others shared for the blog hop.

Gwen

Secret Stitching Sweetheart 2023

 It’s February 14th 

Time for Jo’s Secret Stitching Blog Hop.

Each year Jo  gives us the opportunity to share our sweetheart stitching, so visit her blog to start your journey then visit each blog and be inspired and leave a comment. 

This is the themed stitching that I received. I will be visiting later to find my secret stitcher.

Join the fun and visit Jo’s blog for the list of fellow stitchers and help me fine my secret stitcher.

START HERE.

WIPGO Progress Feb.

This past weekend was the second WIPGO weekend for 2023. I spent most of my stitching time working on As Life Wears Away. My goal was to finish the top bargello section and start the verse.  I also wanted to complete two of the houses on Blooming Tiny Town.

At the end of the weekend, I met my goal for As Life Wears Away and managed one house on Blooming Tiny Town.

WIPGO #7

Starting and ending points of

As Life Wears Away, Carriage House Samplings

WIPGO #11

Starting and ending points of

Blooming Tiny Town, Heart In Hand

Gwen

 

31 January, 2023

WIPOcalpyse hosted by: Mesai

 My January focus pieces for WIPOcalypse were Hare's Spring, Nevermore, Cinnamon Stars, and The Game. I completed the body of the raven. Just a few more rows and my raven will have claws. Hope to get that done tonight. Then on to the bottom border.

Nevermore, Lila's Studio  

I stitched more of the stars on Cinnamon Stars. I can get on a few more before I will need to move the Qsnaps. I think I will work some more on the fence and pumpkins before I make my move.

Cinnamon Stars, Plum Street Samplers

Hares' Spring is under 100 stitches so I guess it qualifies as a small. It's finished and so is my stocking from Annie Beez's, 12 Days of Christmas Stocking Ornament Club. One down 11 more to go.

Hares' Spring, Plum Street Samplers.

12 Days of Christmas Stocking Ornament , Annie Beez

Thanks for stopping by,

Gwen

Twenty four Hours of Stitching

 The first 24 Hours of Cross Stitch Marathon of 2023 snuck up on me. I thought I had my calendar all set up but I missed 24HOC. I chanced upon a post and scrambled to get my projects together. I spent the weekend working on The Game, Nevermore, Hare's Spring, and As Life Wears Away. 

The Game, Artecy is my 25/7 project. My goal is to work 25 stitches or 25 minutes seven days per week. I've finally got started on Friday. I have a new plan for working this project and spent a lot of time working on the parked threads and setting up my new plan.

The Game

Artecy Cross Stitch

Nevermore is coming along nicely. I'm almost through with the raven.

Nevermore,

Lila's Studio

Hare's Spring is my Year of the Rabbit Challenge project, sponsored by Halloween Cross Stitch Challenge. I know, not Halloween but Ana knows we stitch other things as well. 

Hare's Spring

Plum Street Samplers

As Life Wears Away, what can I say. The top portion is my current goal. It has more stitching than I realized, but  I hope to get it done my my next stitching session on this project.

As Life Wears Away

Carriage House Samplings

The next marathon is April 21-23 I hope I can get at least get this much done again.

Thanks for stopping by,

Gwen