January WIPocalypse

The respiratory viruses and assorted sinus and ear infections that sometimes follow have hit our house pretty hard since Christmas and to be honest I’m in the middle of my second round of it at the moment so though I’ve been thinking a lot about it I haven’t made an official 2019 craft plans post. As far as stitching goes I have a big storage bin full of WIPs of various sizes and in various states of finish so I’m really not planning a bunch of new starts to add to it. I’m hoping to spend a lot of time on Coppervein with some deep dives into the WIP bin and maybe even a finish or two. The new starts I do have in mind are a Russian alphabet sampler I meant to start last year and some Christmas ornaments for the kids. Haven’t made a final ornament decision yet but I’m leaning toward the Mill Hill sleighs.

I have some more definite beading plans. I fell in love with Julia Pretl’s snowman box and have the beads to make at least 3. I’d like one for myself and my mother and mother in law. Might be persuaded to make them for the boys instead of ornaments if they decide they like them and the pattern works up relatively easy. I will attempt to up my skill level and tackle the Threadabead Ombré Star. I’ll decide on how many points once I get going, the pattern has directions for 6, 7 or 8. In my continuing attempt to decorate for holidays other than Christmas I also have plans for some Easter stars and have purchased Lady Lunar Kat’s egg and flower stars. 

So that’s what I have in mind and so far I’ve done pretty well in January. I pulled Space Traveler out of the WIP bin and did about half a page...

Also about a half page on Coppervein...

And a finished star, my colorway of a free pattern shared in a beading group I belong to...

And one more star, almost finished. This one was my pattern.

That about wraps it up for this month. Hoping to get around to seeing everyone else’s progress soon. Keep warm everyone! 

December WIPocalypse- Recap time!

I’m sure you’re shocked that I missed November’s check in. Nothing crazy happened except for the normal dash to the end of the year through the holidays. It was fun but I’m tired and have had way too much good food and am ready for some quiet, snowy days to craft and recharge.

I feel like I didn’t stitch near as much as I planned this year but I fell deep down the beading rabbit hole and did craft a lot overall. Glad I didn’t really set specific goals since they would have been completely out the window. I do wish I would have gotten round to the Russian sampler I had kitted at the beginning of the year so I think I will try to alternate it and HAEDs in my 2019 stitching. I don’t plan on much in way of goals since I’m apparently easily distracted but want to spend some time in the WIP pile for sure.

For now, how about a WIP/finish recap for 2018? I tried to find the earliest 2018 pics on the WIPs for a before/after. See you all in 2019!

October WIPocalypse

Well September and soccer got the better of me and I missed check in last month. But last week was the last soccer Saturday and hopefully we will now be getting back to our regular schedule. Oh wait a sec, it’s almost November so make that holiday prep schedule. Good news is that I discovered my latest obsession/hobby at a time where it can be used for holiday gift making. Bad news is that means less cross stitch this year but overall probably more crafting in general so not all bad, right? Anyway, I do have a cross stitch finish to show for my time away. I finished Silver Creek Sampler’s My Christmas List recently.

 

Stitched on Silkweaver’s opalescent Chocolate Vanilla Swirl (evenweave not linen) with some color changes, mostly used subtly variegated threads for the words and added green to the red, blue, brown color scheme. Hoping to turn it into a bellpull before Christmas. On the beading front I’ve graduated to patterned stars and am adding some to my to-do list as Christmas gifts. Here are a few of the completed ones...

And the turkey star I’m currently working on. He’s going to be giant compared to the others and will be a November birthday gift for my mother in law as she was a Thanksgiving baby.

After I finish that one I have a few more in mind for Christmas presents, probably 2 fleece blankets to assemble for gifts, and then maybe some actual cross stitching again!

August WIPocalypse

So I blinked and time has jumped from those first days of summer vacation to all the kiddos back in school. Yes, all of them.

I now have a fourth grader and two preschoolers which means lots of extra driving since preschool is only half days but also a bit of really quiet time in the house. It completely confuses the dog and is a tempting stitchy break when I happen to be home for it. I’d like to say I worked on lots of projects since my last post but I haven’t, just two in fact. I have continued the beaded stars and finished several over the last couple months. It probably helps that we’ve had some long car trips and the warped squares that form the stars are easily done while riding in the passenger seat. I work with a small amount of beads at a time in a plastic bowl nestled into a small blanket or jacket on my lap to help steady it and so far no spills.

The other project for the summer has been Coppervein. Just looked at the last post pic and I’ve come a long way since May. I think I’m on track to finish off the first column by the end of the year if I keep going, maybe the first partial page of the second column to meet back up with the random second column page already finished.

I almost never remember to look at the question of the month but today I did so... Question of the Month:Which is more satisfying to you and why – the process of stitching a piece, or the finish? Both, actually. Finishing a quick project is quite satisfying especially if I can actually finish it off into a usable object quickly too but there’s something about the process of working through a large project and watching the small elements come together and gradually form a complete project that is also very satisfying. Been thinking about September plans and I think it’s going to be more of the same. I really want to finish off a few more stars because Christmas is starting to get uncomfortably close. I’d also like to work through close to another page of Coppervein while it is still interesting. I know I’ll eventually get bored with it and have to rotate to something else for a bit but I want to get through as much as possible until then. See you all at the end of September!

May WIPocalypse

Back after a month’s break and a trip to Celebration of Needlework at the beginning of the month. I had an excellent time and stitched with old friends and new, brought home some goodies too. Four days was too short though, there were still a few people I only got to say hi to in passing and didn’t really get to spend time with. Next year!

 I took two classes while there- a crown sewing basket from Simona Bussiglieri and a Battenburg lace angel with Sue Blomley. Both were amazing teachers though the basket will take much more courage to finish than the angel. Pics below of the basket model (mine is still in the package!) and my lace angel which is almost ready for decorative stitches.

 And onto WIPocalypse- I did pretty much what I hoped since I’ve been gone. I completed not one but two beaded boxes. One has gone to my Mom (who loved it!) and the other will go to my mother-in-law shortly. I’ll just show one since they are the same, design is by Katie Dean.

I pulled threads and started My Christmas List at Celebration. I found the perfect size cut of Silkweaver Chocolate Vanilla Swirl sparkly evenweave in my stash and changed a few colors around to brighten it up an extra bit. I’m happy with the results so far...

Since I’ve been home I’ve been alternating Christmas List with Coppervein and I’m so close to a page finish!

June goals- I don’t really have a beading project in mind but it would be nice to complete the green star I’ve got almost done and finish another. I’d love to finish another page of Coppervein and another page of My Christmas List but that’s a tall order with all 3 kids home for summer so we’ll see.

Can’t wait to see what you all have been stitching!

March WIPocalypse

I’m a little late for WIPocalypse this month but better late than never:) Life kind of got in the way and work and Easter prep have taken a lot of my time. Hoping life slows down but Spring is here and soccer is starting so April will be filled with rides to and from practice and games. 

Thank you for all the kind words on my work last month. I had a lot of fun working on the stars and actually purchased a couple Katie Dean Spring patterns to work on this month so I have some bunnies and chicks to show you...

Most of these are Easter gifts but the boys want some for home too so I’m sure I’ll do a few more next Spring but I need a little break. I have plans to try a box in April but we’ll see how fast my beads arrive as I’m currently waiting on two orders. 

Didn’t get nearly as much done on Castles as I’d have liked to but I’m hoping April will be the month. With all the beading I’ve been doing I’ve really missed stitching and my fingers are itching to get back to this one. This is the current state of Castles... 

Just about 30 days left until I leave for Celebration, looking forward to the long stitchy weekend and hopefully finding some fabric for Silver Creek’s My Christmas List which I received as part of my birthday present. 

So then April goals- work on Castles, try a beaded box and pull threads for My Christmas List. See you all in a month! 

February WIPocalypse check in

My update will be pretty short and sweet this month. My original Olympics plan got derailed by both Zelda and the stuffed beaded stars. Not only did I finish the blue one I showed last time but several more as well.  They don’t all have their little rhinestone centers yet but only because  I’ve found I need some good tweezers for placement and I want to try to glue them all in one big batch so I only have to deal with the glue fumes once.

I can’t complain too much about them taking up my stitching time though since they are going to be Christmas presents and now hopefully I won’t be frantically trying to finish things off in December. We’ll see if I can keep on track. I’m getting more requests for them by the day it seems! This is where the pattern can be purchased if you are interested. They aren’t difficult once you get through the first piece or two and memorize the start. 

The sad little bit of actual stitching I did get done was on Castles. Thank you for the kind words on the last post about fabric choice.  I decided the over one was too much to do all at once so I’m trying to alternate strands of over one with some of the regular stitching. Seeing the rest of the design start to emerge really makes me want to keep going on this one but I really need to show poor Coppervein some love in March too. Tune in next time to find out who wins my attention!

So March plans- probably more stars and hopefully a combination of Castles in the Air and Coppervein. I think I’ve got most of the obsessive Zelda playing out of my system now so hopefully that won’t eat up too much of my crafty time. Been spending some time watching our oldest son play and helping him out lately which leaves my hands free to bead or stitch so maybe I’ll have a more productive March.

In other stitchy news the registration is up for Celebration of Needlework in NH this May. We have the money and I can take the vacation time so I got registered and am counting down the days until my plane leaves. Very much looking forward to seeing everybody I stitched with last year again and making some new friends too.