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

 

     

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

 

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

Week 1 of 2023!

 Hope your 2023 is off to a great stitchy start.

I managed a few finishes in 2022 and hope to mark off a few more finishes this year. 

1. Autumn at Hark Run Hollow

Block 3 is outlined and ready for some stitching.

2. Lady Justice

I'm almost finished with the lower right portion of her sash, then I'll continue with her dress.

3. Nevermore

Time to finish up the raven.

4. Cinnamon Stars

5. Outstretched Arms

6. The Game

7. As Life Wears Away

Are the WIPs that are now on the top of my stitching list. I also will be taking part in a few Challenges and SALs, again this year

WIPocalypse 2023

WIPGO 2023

Christmas Ornie SAL  and 

Halloween Cross Stitch Challenge are some that I'm taking part in so far.

Beading has also now a very prominent part of my crafting. I managed to complete a few projects last year as well. The inventory of beads and the pattern collection is expanding. Thus far I've been able to keep them organized so hopefully that will continue. Just need more hours in the day to get to everything.

Here's to a crafty 2023.

Thanks for stopping by,

GWEN

 

Three Finishes and A Marathon

 Brave New Year by Ink Circles,  the designer focus for April, is stitched. This is stitched with DMC 4515. Instead of stitching a year I plan to add this Mill Hill heart charm. Still need to decide exactly how I will finish the piece. 

Brave New Year, Ink Circles

I finally put the last stitch into Halloween at Hollyberry Farm. This was turning into The Neverending Project. So happy to have it done.

Halloween at Hollyberry Farm, Stacy Nash Primitives

My Christmas ornament for April was Yule Flower from JCS ornament issue 2004. 

Yule Flower, JSC Ornament Issue 2004

Fourteen hours, 31 minutes , 15 seconds. My total time stitching time for the April 24 Hours of Cross Stitch Marathon. I worked on Autumn at Hawk Run Hollow, and started a second Ink Circles project, Another Year Creeps By. It's just a small section of the border. I will be stitching this as one piece, instead of individual ornaments. 

Autumn at Hawk Run Hallow, Carriage House Samplings

I didn't meet my WIPGO goals but I did spend some time on The Game and Olive Harrowgate. The numbers for May are 8 (Hello Summer, Plum Street Samplers), 13 Free (Lady Justice, Mirabelia), and 14 (Lady Justice, Mirabelia). I wanted to make some make some real progress on Lady Justice, so I have her on my board several times. For May she got called twice. I'm a little over working on the green in her dress. Switching back to working on the ribbon of her sash seems like a great idea. May work 5 days on dress and 5 on sash. We will see. 

Thanks for stopping by, 

Gwen

Monday Blahs

I had great and lofty plans for working in the yard this morning then stitching all afternoon, but the weather has been yucky since Saturday. We have had thunderstorms and some rain all weekend long. It should have been a good day to just sit and stitch but I have a case of the blahs and haven't done much today. Hopefully this post with help me shake this off and get some work done.

Last week I finished Block 1 of AHRH.

Also worked some more on Beyond My Heart.

Thanks for stopping by,
Gwen

The Promise of Spring

I was without internet service for a week and then had to travel out of town so my postings have been slower that usual. I do have a few things to share as I get back to a routine. While I was away I continued to work on my ornaments. I have several Little House Needleworks 2010 ornaments that I am working on. My first finish was He's a Flake.

 

 He's A Flake - LHN

The next one I tackled was All is Calm. Like a number of other stitchers I changed the colors of the houses. They look more like Christmas to me now, everything else was as charted. 

All is Calm - LHN

While Autumn is one of my favorite seasons, and I am enjoying AHRH, on the first day of Spring I was seduced into starting another project. I tried to resist but failed, the colors of new blooms and the sounds of birds singing  were calling to me. My new start is Beyond My Heart by Blackbird Designs.  

Beyond My Heart - Blackbird Designs

 I got a restless working on the mortar for the house in Block 1 and started Block 4, so I am still not done with Block 1 yet, but here is my progress so far on AHRH.

Autumn at Hawk Run Hollow - Carriage House Samplings

Hope that you are enjoying your stitching and the weather in your part of the world.

Thanks for stopping by,

Gwen

Week 2

While digging thorough a basket of stuff precious stash I found this Shepherd's Bush Kit, Watercolor Heart. It was a quick stitch and I was able to finish it in a couple of days. The kit included the hand painted mat by Jill Rensel. Now all I have to do  is find a suitable frame.  Michael's had a buy-one-get-one-free sale on frames last week. I picked up a frame that I hope to use for The Pineapple Sampler, but I didn't find anything of my SB piece. I also checked Hobby Lobby when I was there on Thursday but no luck there either. I will have to keep checking or find another option.

Week 2 Progress report: 

The Pineapple Sampler

I finished stitching the design on my silk gauze and started on the background.













AHRH
Still working on my house. All the windows are in, need to complete the roof and siding.













Wishing you joy in stitching,

Gwen

First Week's Progress

Have you stitched on silk gauze lately? Who knew it could be so much fun! I have several kits in my stash, and may have started 1 or 2 many years ago before my floor lamp/magnifier. This is the first time I have really had fun stitching on silk gauze. There is hope that some of those kits in my stash will make to the top of the pile and on the walls. Here is my progress on The Pineapple Sampler from Threads Through Time.












My other New Year start was AHRH. I have also made progress on Block 1.




 Last but not least I have stitched a portion of the JBW design The Shoe Shopper on their pre-finished shoe bag. Trying to get my hands into the area to be stitched has not been fun, so I have opted just to stitch the shoe for my shoe shopping DSis. This will be part of her B-day present. I can't believe I have something done ahead of time. Okay, okay I admit I started this in Dec, 2009 (it was originally to be a B-day present in 2010) got frustrated and put it away until now. 

Many stitches and lots of finishes,

Gwen

Happy New Year!

Hope you had a good time over the holidays and had some time to get some stitching done. Did you start a new project for the New Year? A lot of stitchers start a new project each year, a lot of stitchers have avowed to make this the year of finishes/stitching their stash etc.. Where do you stand? I double dipped.  I would really like to finish more this year than I did last year (especially things already in my stash), but I also succumbed and started 2 new projects on the First. My new projects are Autumn at Hawk Run Hollow (AHRH), Carriage House Samplings and The Pineapple Sampler by Threads Through Time.

I want to spend at least 1 hour per day stitching. I don't have any hard and fast rules about a rotation, but if I stitch 1 hour or 1 strand, I will make progress and be closer to a finish.


So let the stitching begin:

 Autumn at Hawk Run Hollow
40ct Sand Dune
NPI
 



Pineapple Sampler, The
40ct silk gauze
DMC


Wishing you joy in your stitching!

Gwen

Fall must be on the way .............

School buses are running, the kids are back in school. Fall must be on the way. I am trying out a new background to reflect the coming changes.

CarolS has received her birthday present so now I can show you what I sent for her. We have exchanged before so I knew that she likes autumn and cats. I made her a mattress pinkeep and I was able to find some things from her wish list.

Pinkeep for CarolS
Pattern: Quaker Trifles of Affection,
Fiber: CC Cappuccino

Last week I finished my Tavern Welcome, since I already had the frame, I thought I would frame it this weekend. Well today has not been as productive as I thought it would be. I just could not get into a groove. Anyway here it is with the frame that I will be using.

Pattern adaptation: Carriage House Samplings Tavern Signs
Fabric: 40ct Palomino
Fibers: suggested DMC

Until next time,

Gwen

Tiny Steps

I made some progress in my stitching last week. On Friday I was able to stitch with my Friday Stitch-In group. I had not been able to attend for several weeks. It was nice to see everyone there and to catch up on the happenings and latest projects. I worked on BBD Loose Feathers #35 and got the top border and the alphabet for the pin keep started.

On Friday evening it was time to work some more on my 'Tavern Welcome'.

On Saturday I decided to tackle some finishing. I started work on some ornaments that have been lavishing in the finishing pile. I wasn't able to complete them, but here is my start.

I hope to have a new finish soon and also some assembled ornaments this month.

Gwen

Yoo Hoo......

I started a new project on Friday. I am using Tavern Signs by Carriage House Samplings to stitch a welcome sign for DS. I am using 40ct Palomino and stitching with the suggested DMC fibers.





I got 2 projects back from the framers last week!






A is for Acorn by Hillside Sampler and Where My Heart Blooms by Blackbird Designs.

Thanks for stopping by,

Gwen