September Crazy Domino Effect - Projects 7-9

This took a little longer than I expected to get this post up. I've done the stitching, but work has been busy and I haven't been able to write a post. Usually I have time at work to write a quick post because I almost never have time when I'm home now, or really, I'd rather get as much stitching done as possible, so I don't make time. 

Anyway, here we are for the next 3 projects! 2 of these have been WIPs for a long time, one possibly my oldest at this point. This first one is Sleigh Ride, which hasn't seen much work in the last couple years. It was last here:

and I think this was all I had done after starting it in 2016 or 2017. It's a kit from Dimensions. 700 stitches made it get a fair bit farther along since I'm in the half stitch section, so that was 1400 half stitches.

                                            

This one is still a long way from complete. I switched out the fabric, since the aida was so stiff and this is 25ct pewter Lugana stitching over 2. 

Next I pulled out another old one, possibly my oldest, In Harmony, also by Dimensions. There might be a theme on the abandoned projects... 

Here's where it was:

and now, after 800 stitches, which was really about 1600 half stitches

This one still needs a fair bit of work as well, and will eventually look like this:

My last project in this set of 3 was Full Moon by Cute Patterns by Maria. I started this a couple years ago I think and it's on Pattern Keeper as well, so when it started here, I was already about 1000 stitches into it, out of almost 5000. 

and 900 stitches got it a little farther along to here:

Full Moon by Cute Patterns by Maria

stitched 2 over 2 on 28ct Lazurite by Chromatic Alchemy

 You can start to see the fox that will be sitting beside her and more of the moon, so I'm pretty happy with the progress on this one. This is close to 50% complete now, so could still be a finish this year if I get back to it. Pattern Keeper is amazing at helping you progress on these older WIPs!

I've also finished projects 10 and 11 and am working on 12, so hopefully the next post won't take me so long. I'm completing it as DD is chatting with her grandparents over the internet since she listens better to them when I'm not in the same room. 

I hope everyone is staying well and Happy Stitching!

Tiffstitch

 

 

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

IHSW - January 2020 Edition

Look, I'm posting again! We'll see if I can actually keep up with it this year; I will certainly try my best.

Today's post is brought to you by the IHSW last weekend hosted by Jo, naturally. :) Please check her post to see her progress on that amazing Discworld Mappe. Or check out everyone on Facebook in the IHSW group there.

I don't think I've actually posted anything there yet, but perhaps I'll try and keep up with that as well.

It was a fairly busy stitching weekend as I'm going to count the US holiday, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day as part of my weekend. I worked Saturday, but was off Monday, so I think that works. I was also still stitching in the Serial Stitcher event in Semi-Sane stitchers. The murderer was caught, but there was enough time in the month that we're doing it again, so I'm still stitching almost every night. I hadn't stitched much the night the murderer was caught, so that was excellent timing on the Sheriff's part. :)

Also, Stitchy Quest for the One Ring had a team event these last few days, Hobbits vs. Spiders to represent Bilbo fighting them in Mirkwood forest. I was on team Hobbit and we emerged victorious!

On to the stitching, I managed another finish, so this is number 2 for 2020:

Sleigh Ride by Mill Hill 

stitched as charted 

This was a fun little stitch as long as you don't mind beads. There's always lots of beads in these kits, and many surplus beads too, so I have quite a collection now of just beads from these kits. I haven't used them in anything else and I don't mind French knots, so not sure how I'll use them. Maybe DD will be interested in them for something when she gets older. She loved this and immediately claimed it for her room. That was pretty amazing. 

 Mini Faery Tales by HAED

stitched 2 over 1 full cross on 18ct beige aida as charted, about 2800 stitches into it

I'm a little farther than this now, since all the black is good block stitching to try and accumulate stitch counts quickly for some of these events, but this is where it was on Monday night. :) 

Mini Winter Magic by HAED

stitched 1 over 1 full cross on 28ct Monaco

Since I had time Monday to stitch in the morning while DD had school, I decided to work on some confetti heavy areas. I'm still so amazed how easy it is to stitch these with Pattern Keeper. It is truly amazing and I'm so excited about actually finishing one of these some day soon. 

I hope you all had a great weekend!

Happy Stitching,

Tiffstitch

Gifted Gorgeousness 2020 - January Edition

Look, it's the 15th! I'm posting on time! I think everyone knows this event by now, that we're stitching on anything we're going to give as gifts or has been gifted to us. It's hosted by the incomparable Jo over at Serendipitous Stitching and please check her post for everyone's gifted gorgeousness.

Jo always chooses some gifted stitching she completed in the previous year for the new badge. This beauty is Passione Ricamo I believe.

I haven't posted for GG in a bit because of life stuff, but will try and keep on track this year, all things being equal. I hope everyone has had a good start to the New Year and decade depending on how you think of it, whether 2020 is the end of the old decade or the start of the new. All I know is it's amazing how easily you can turn a '1' into a '2' when you're writing the date. :D

Since you've seen a lot of finishes, etc. from me recently, I'll try and see what I can find that you haven't seen lately.

Hogwarts in a Bottle by Cute Patterns by Maria

stitched 2 over 2 on 28 ct sparkly fabric that I think was a gift? 

I managed to fit 100 stitches in for this one on a challenge last week, and hope to get a lot more done this year. You can also put Maria Brovko's patterns in Pattern Keeper with a little PDF manipulation, so that makes it a lot easier for me. 

Do Not Meddle 

stitched 1 over 1 on 28ct white evenweave with called for DMC

This is something I'm stitching for someone who can't stitch much any longer and I've had it for years now, so would really like to get it finished for her this year. 

 Sleigh Ride by Mill Hill

stitched as charted, 3 over 1 on perforated paper and starting on the beads. 

I always do full crosses on beads even when they call for 1/2. I like the extra security it seems to bring, plus it can make the beads stay in place better, at least it seems so to me. What do you all like to do? This will be a gift for Xmas this year if I can get it finished. 

Mini Faery Tales by HAED

stitched 2 over 1 on 18ct beige aida as charted in DMC

I'm hopeful to get this done within a couple years and have it hanging in DD's room if she likes it. We read some fairy tales, and I really loved fairy tales when I was younger, so maybe she will too. 

Happy Stitching!

Tiffstitch