Blog Clean-up, Leftovers From Crazy Challenges, and a Plan

I hope today is treating you well! I've been going through and trying to tidy up things with my blog. For example, I had kind of forgotten I had a DUCJFC progress tracker for both the 2015 and 2016 events I participated in. I updated the progress to show where I'm at currently, and it's not too bad really. I'm almost 3/4 of the way through 2015 and over halfway through 2016. Some of the projects are on both as I used it not just for starts, but also to make sure I kept working on some WIPs.

From the 2015 Debbie's Ultimate Crazy January Challenge, I have these WIPs left:

1) Otto

self charted, 2 over 1 tent stitch 

Realistically, unless I can get the pdf into Pattern Keeper, this won't get much work done on it. 

2) Ladyfee Xmas SAL

This was a free online SAL and I just haven't gotten back to it. I'm not in love with it at this point, so not sure if I'll continue on. It's a UFO right now. 

3) Sleigh Ride stocking - Dimensions

Same story here, not really in love with this one, so haven't gotten back to it. 

4) Warbreaker

I do like this one, and it's from my favourite book. Again, if I could get this in PK, it would go faster. 

5) Twilight LeMans

I still like this one, and I did pull it out last year to get some more done. 

6) Skittzzzz Fractal

Again, PK would make this so much easier, so I'll have to see if I can import it. 

7) AAN Christmas Mystery SAL - I hated this one, so will repurpose the project. I didn't even finish the first part. 

From the 2016 Debbie's Ultimate Crazy January February Challenge, I have these WIPs left:

1) Letter S

This still needs beads because I have all 3 letters on one piece of fabric. 

2) Letter H

I'd like to get these finished this year maybe. 

3) Letter G

We'll see how it goes. :)

4) Princess and the Dragon

It would be amazing to finish this one, but I don't think it will happen this year. It did get a lot of progress last year, so we'll see. I have the conference coming up that I usually get a lot done, so if I get some outlining done, that will help. 

5) Monochrome Link (new start)

This is another one that would be more fun if I could add it to PK, I'll have to give it a try. It's got a long way to go. 

6) Fleur de Lys (new start)

I'm enjoying my restart of this one, but I will have to try and figure out what thread I'm using because I don't know if I have enough to finish the whole project. It is Caron Waterlilies I think, but it's a big project. 

7) December Mini Cat

Realistically, I just need to find this one and finish it, it's practically complete. 

8) Kiss for a Snowman (new start)

I've recently misplaced this one as well, so will have to do a search to figure out what I've done with it during one of my organizing binges. 

9) Butterfly Quote (new start)

I also managed a fair bit on this one last year. There's still a fairly big chunk with the word "butterfly"and the smaller word "over", but then it will be complete. 

10) Land of the Dinosaurs (new start)

I had somewhat ignored this one because of so many other projects going on, although I did manage some stitching last year. I think it will be handy for chunks of colour if that comes up in any of the challenges. 

11) Twilight LeMans (also in 2015) - see above

12) Day 4 Dragonlet

I don't love afghan fabric, and that's how I started these. I'll get back to it at some point. 

13) Frosty Friends

There's 6 of these and I haven't managed to finish a single one yet. Again there are chunks of colour, so they might work for some challenges. 

14) Frosty Friends

15) Frosty Friends

16) Frosty Friends

17) Frosty Friends

18) Frosty Friends

19) Sleigh Ride Stocking (also in 2015) - see above

20) Do Not Meddle (new start)

I would love to finish this one this year since I was given it years ago to finish for a friend that can't stitch any more. It's more difficult working 1 over 1 on 28ct than it was when I started, but still, I can do this! 

21) Savannah Birth Record (new start)

This project also suffers from dislike of the fabric. I like hardanger, but 2 over 2 is not working for me. Too clumpy and messy. So I can restart or give up and pass this one on. DD doesn't really need another birth sampler at this point, and soon she'll be too told for this one. 

22) HAED Basset (new start)

With PK I hope to either get more done this year, or possibly finish up one of the smaller ones, then get back to this one. 

23) See Ya Later Alligator (new start)

This needs maybe a week of work? So I think it's my next focus for a finish project. 

24) Ladyfee Xmas SAL (also in 2015) - see above

25) Vermont (new start)

I think this would be fun to finish, however I keep putting it off for more interesting projects. I haven't given up on it, but don't know if it will come out this year unless I get a lot of other things finished. 

26) Snow Guide

This should be a quick finish as well if I just sit down to work on it. For whatever reason, LK letters always seem to stitch up so quickly. 

27) Otto (also in 2015) - see above

As you can see, a lot of my current WIPs are leftover from these 2015/2016 challenges. There are quite a few that are small enough to finish this year if I make the choice to stitch on them. My top ten I'd like to finish this year are:

1) See Ya Later Alligator
2) Do Not Meddle
3) Snow Guide
4) Butterfly Quote
5) Letter S
6) Letter H
7) Letter G
8) Frosty Friend - 1 of them
9) Dragonlet #4
10) December Mini Cat

Wish me luck!

Happy Stitching,

Tiffstitch

Gifted Gorgeousness - March Edition

It's the 15th and I'm actually posting on time for once! Check out all the action at Jo's blog, there were a lot of us last month and I hope there are even more this month. Everyone has been working on so many different and exciting projects and my wish list is growing....

I had a lot of projects out last month for the Olympics and posted about them a little already. Here are some of them yet again just because. :)

See Ya Later Alligator by Jodyri - for DD

stitched on 28 ct Nuriel's Forest with some charted threads and wording in stash threads 

Maple Leaf by AAN - for SIL

 on Silkweaver? 14ct with WDW Blaze

Monochrome Link from Sprite Stitch - for DH

 2 over 1 on 18 ct? with charted threads

Tribal Dragon by WWS - for DD 

 stitched 1 over 1 on 25 ct pewter Lugana with Caron Wildflowers and Kreinik blending filament

Ballerina Dreams by Dimensions for co-worker

 stitched 2 over 1 on 18 ct Petra by Chromatic Alchemy

New start! Full Moon by Cute Patterns by Maria

stitched 2 over 2 on 28 ct Lazurite by Chromatic Alchemy

I recently discovered this designer and love some of her patterns so much! I think I bought 4 already.. whooops!

Knitted vest for DD- complete!

Skagen Shawl by Berroco for my Grandma

knitted on 4.5mm circular needles with Araucania Huasco fingering weight yarn

That's a lot of projects! And I'm disappointed that I'll be stopping Ballerina Dreams for now to try and finish a smaller project. I have an idea I'd like to find a silhouette of a singer with a microphone, but I've had no luck so far. Thank you all for your suggestions as well, I'm still determining what might be best for my friend. Please keep them coming!

Happy Stitching!

Tiffstitch

Olympic Stitching and February WIPocalypse ** lot of photos!

I hope everyone enjoyed the Olympics! I had hoped to get a mini-post up some time during the Olympics, but that didn't quite happen. Maybe next Olympics. ;D

From the various Olympic stitching SALs out there, I decided to attempt to stitch one project a day from my WIP pile. Because I don't necessarily get stitching time every day, I tried to stitch on at least as many projects as days of the Olympics. Here's what I managed:

Kiss for a Snowman - last touched January 13, 2018

and now:

Dimensions Kiss for a Snowman kit with kitted fabric and threads

 Ocean Curiosity - last touched February 13, 2016:

and now:

stitched on unknown 18 ct purpley mottle fabric 2 over 2 with WDW Michael's Navy

Do Not Meddle - last touched August 21, 2017

and now:

last of the current stunt stitching with DMC 1 over 1 on 28 ct white fabric 

I Love You More - last touched January 12, 2016

and now:

Jodyri Designs with WDW Purple Majesty so far, 2 over 2 on Eye of Newt by Chromatic Alchemy

Xmas Dragon - last touched October 10, 2017

 

and now:

14 ct gold thread Aida with Caron Waterlilies Holiday

Joy Snowglobe - last touched January 30, 2016

and now:

Dimensions kit with kit plastic canvas and thread 

Fishing project - last touched November 30, 2017

and now:

on 28 ct Tempest by Chromatic Alchemy with called for DMC 2 over 2

 See Ya Later Alligator - last touched April 15, 2016

and now: (with a cameo by Max!)

Jodyri design with charted colours for the motifs and random threads for lettering, 2 over 2 on 28ct Nuriel's Forest by Chromatic Alchemy

Maple Leaf - last touched January 27, 2016

and now:

AAN design on 14 ct brown mottle fabric from Silkweavers? 2 over 1 with WDW Fire

Monochrome Link - last touched January 4, 2016

and now:

 Sprite Stitch pattern with called for DMC 2 over 1 on 16ct black Aida

Snow Rules - last touched February 23, 2016

and now:

 Lizzie Kate design, so crazy she's retiring! 

I'm not in love with this yellow and might trade it out for WDW Purple majesty from I Love You More, the other threads are Dinky Dyes silks from an Oops bag and I'm stitching 2 over 1 on brown 14 ct aida

Tribal Dragon - last touched August 30, 2017

 and now:

White Willow Stitching design on 25 ct pewter Lugana with Caron Waterlilies/Soie Cristale 1 over 1

and last but not least, Ballerina Dreams is here so far:

Dimensions kit with called for threads 2 over 1 on 18 ct Petra by Chromatic Alchemy

Knitting Projects

I started one project for the Ravellenics, a challenge to start and finish one project during the Olympics. This is a free pattern from Berroco, and I didn't get the sleeves on, but I almost have a vest done. :) I also managed to completely forget about the button hole rows and will attach hook and loops or something instead. 

Sawtelle WIP with Plymouth yarn

Shawl for Grandma - I decided on a new start while we were waiting to see Black Panther and I'm glad I brought something to do. It's an interesting one, despite the fingering yarn, and I managed 2 full pattern repetitions before the movie started. The shawl I'm making is called Skagen, a $ pattern from Berroco. 

I really enjoyed getting out some of these older projects, most from my epic January/February challenge of 2016 and there's a lot to go on most of them. 

The WIPocalypse question is what gadget can't you live without? For me it's Qsnaps. I will occasionally stitch in hand, but I love the tension you get with Qsnaps. 

Happy Stitching!

Tiffstitch