Easter Treasure Hunt Blog Hop 2018

It's that time again for the Easter Hunt Blog hop, hosted as always by the indefatigable Jo over at Serendipitous Stitching. If you're just starting out on the hunt, you may want to go to her page here and start at the beginning. If you're on the hunt already, here is your letter:

And your next letter can be found here: http://apatchworkofcrafts.blogspot.com/2018/03/easter-treasure-hunt-blog-hop-2018.html

I don't stitch many spring related things, but one of my favourites was this little one from last year:

Hop by LK on 28 ct Realgar by Chromatic Alchemy with stash threads

Happy Easter everyone!

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

Zodiac SAL - Pisces

It's time again to catch up on my SALs. First off, we have the Zodiac SAL hosted by the exuberant Jo over at Serendipitous Stitching. Check out all the information on this month's sign, Pisces, at her page. 

I dated a Pisces for a while and the description on Jo's blog doesn't really fit that person at all. I married a Sagittarius and that one does align really closely with DH's personality. I'm a pretty solid Virgo beyond the extreme cleanliness, although maybe someone that knows me well is a better person to ask about that.

I stitched on a lot of things last month, so let's see what I can shoe horn into fitting with Pisces, a Water sign represented by 2 fish. 

Snow Rules - because what does snow turn into when it melts? 

 Fishing - naturally

 Ocean Curiosity - I'm detecting a theme...

 Yesterday stitched on Eye of Newt - newts live near and around water

Fabric from Chromatic Alchemy called Poseidon ;)

And the new shawl has these ripples which look a fair bit like waves, don't you think? 

skagen shawl pattern by Berroco, yarn is Araucania Huasco I think

Apparently there were quite a few to show off this month. I hope you've all had a good month and please check out the other participants listed on Jo's blog. 

Happy Stitching! 

Tiffstitch

WIP Wednesday and a Difficult Decision

I've been wrestling with a decision over the last week or so. I thought I'd give it a few more days to see if I really needed to make the choice, and now I have. I've decided to give up on Ballerina Dreams for a finish by mid-June. I'm just not close enough to a finish. But I will post my update as this will go away for a bit. 

End of January

End of Feburary

and now:

There's definitely progress and it's somewhat sad to put it down before I even got to the Ballerinas, but I think it's for the best. 

So if anyone has any ideas on what to stitch for a 50 year old man who likes to wear bowties, works in the eye care business, has an English degree and loves theatre and has, an amazing singing voice, plus he has 2 awesome girls and an awesome wife, please let me know!

As far as other WIPs, the Skagen shawl is moving along as well:

But that's all I have to show for now!

Hope everyone is having a good week. We were supposed to get a nor'easter (read blizzard of massive proportions) but it's been downgraded, so we should get some snow, but not too much. 

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