2026 Year of 100 Starts: Start #44 - Punch of Color Girls 6 by HAED and Hannah Lynn (Mega-Maynia)

Another full coverage start this past week! I've had this chart for a while and it was just waiting for the right time to start. I have another Hannah Lynn that I've started, but it hasn't had much progress yet. This one will eventually look like this:

I found a nice fabric from BeStitchMe and I managed to get 3507 stitches into it, all black. I thought that would be the easiest way to get a lot of stitches in. I think there's still about 10K black stitches left though!

Here's where I got to:

Punch of Color Girls 6 by HAED/Hannah Lynn

stitched 2 over 1 on 18ct Scroll by BeStitchMe 

with DMC as charted

I like this one a lot, it's the only chart where I've seen someone in glasses and with a book. I think it will be a fun one to finish, but I'm not getting ahead of myself, there's a lot of stitching left to go. 

DD was looking at what I was doing and really liked the look of it as well. I asked them if they'd like to pick the next one, and after a lot of thought and a couple false starts with charts I've already started, they settled on Kirby! 

If you don't play video games, you may not have heard of him. Kirby is a video game character that sort of swallows his enemies and gains their abilities. The opponent shown is Meta Knight, one of the fierce enemies you have to battle. This chart is discontinued, so not sure if it's available elsewhere. 

Hopefully I'll get some good stitches in, although I'm going to have to use easy guide, so this one will take a long while to get finished. 

I hope you've all had good stitching weeks!

Happy Stitching, 

Tiffstitch

2026 Year of 100 Starts: Start #43 - Basset Hound Night by Unconventional XStitch (Mega-Maynia)

Here it is, my first Mega-Maynia project. My goal was about 3500 stitches, and I got close. I ended up with 3450, and since that was a nice round number, I stopped there. Again, eventually, it will look like this:

And this is some of the top left corner:

Basset Hound Night by Unconventional XStitch

stitched 1 over 1 full cross on 25ct easy guide

with DMC as charted

This is my first Unconventional XStitch project and so far it's been great. Easy to get into Pattern Keeper and the colours seem to flow well. That could be how the design is, or their charting, not sure. It seems easier than the HAED SAL project, but again, could be I'm comparing different things. 

Anyone else notice differences between full coverage designers? I don't think I've stitched enough of them to know much difference at this point. 

Hope you've all had good stitching days!

Happy Stitching,

Tiffstitch

What is Mega-Maynia?

Like many other stitchers, I often participated in Stitch Maynia, and I think a lot of stitchers have carried on some kind of tradition even after the FB group closed. There's lots of ideas on FlossTube, and I decided to keep it part of my new starts for this year and do "Mega-Maynia". 

I dubbed it that since I'm going to spend one week on 4 large projects, be it full coverage, or just really large stitch counts. 

First up is a new designer to me, Unconventional XStitch! I found this amazing project on their page and started it this week:

I have some easy guide 25 count that will work well, and will use my DMC master set for the week. I'm interested to try a different full coverage company. I've stitched HAED, Cross Stitch 4 Everyone, and Cross Stitch Collection. 

My loose plan is to stitch 500 stitches a day for 1 week, or a total of 3500 stitches, and try and keep that up on each big project. Wish me luck!

Happy Stitching,

Tiffstitch

April 2026 Stitching/Crafting Update

Another month has passed, and time to see what else I've managed to work on besides all the new starts!

One big knitting finish was completed, one small start and finish, and two new starts were begun, so let's start there. 

I finally finished the 2024 Advent KAL!

Logamancy (2024 Advent Shawl)

by Renee Stouts

knit with 3.5mm needles and scrap fingering weight yarn

This was a really interesting knit. You start with knitting a triangle, hold the active stitches on one set of needles, then use another set of the same size to pick up one edge and then create a rectangular shape, hold the needles on the active edge, use the other set to pick up a knit edge, and knit another rectangular shape, etc. I used a sock yarn I had an excess of, Unicorns in Space by a local yarn dyer, FiberStash to give it a sort of theme and then used random sock yarn scraps or mini skeins to get the rest of the colours. I still need to block it, but otherwise it's done!

Next, I started on a new scarf/shawl for my Mom. Her birthday is coming up next month, and I think i can get it completed? This is where it's at so far:

Cold Snap by Angeline Webb 

knit with 3.5mm needles 

using Great Adirondack Yarn Co Cotton DK in Hydrangea

My Mom isn't allergic to wool, but finds it scratchy on her neck, so this is all in cotton. It's a really pretty colourway and you need to use 2 skeins. Another new thing for me is the Andalusian stitch. You're mostly knitting in stockinette, but every 4th row is K1/P1. I believe the idea is that keeps the scarf from curling as much. When I first learned the stockinette stitch and realized how much faster it was than garter, I knit a whole scarf in it. And it constantly rolled into a tube! I've added a garter row in other projects that I freehanded in stockinette, but this is a more attractive stitch to use. 

Next new start is a free hat pattern from Celeste Knitwear. There are several free patterns on their site, so I left the link if you're interested. This is the Fair Winds hat, and I have a small start on it so far. 

Fair Winds hat by Celeste Knitwear

knit with 3.5m needles after 3.25mm for ribbing

in Malabrigo Rios Purple Majesty

I've been doing some spring cleaning/organizing and it's made me want to use some of the yarn that's just hanging around. Possibly all the cross stitch is making me want to change up crafts as well? Whatever the reason, I have several hat patterns saved from Celeste Knitwear and I'd like to use some of the DK/worsted I've had sitting around for years now. So here's a start!

For the last finish, I made a dishcloth from some of my dish cotton yarn. I've been collecting it for probably over a decade, maybe 2 at this point, so it's good to get some used up. I'd like to try and get a dishcloth done after every medium/large project, which right now means after everything that's not a hat. 

I didn't get any other stitching done since I've been concentrating on the new starts, and DH isn't going to the bimonthly group any more, so I haven't found a chance to work on his project. Maybe I'll find a time this month though. 

I hope you've all had good months and stay tuned for Mega-Maynia!

Happy Stitching,

Tiffstitch

 

2026 Year of 100 Starts: Start #42 - Don't Cry Because It's Over by Lizzie Kate

I'm fairly sure this is the first Lizzie Kate this year, which is amazing since I have several, as I'm sure a lot of you do too! Fortunately her patterns are still available through 123 Stitch, but it was a sad day when she retired from designing. She definitely has a gift. I've always loved her lettering. 

Do any of you remember these phrases that were sold in CD cases? It was quite a while ago, well before streaming I think, when we all had CD cases hanging around. I think if I gave this to DD she wouldn't even know how to open it. Here's what the cover photo looks like:

 

This also included the bonus bunny chart and a charm and some beads for the smaller design. I don't have any plans to stitch that at this time, maybe next year for Easter? It's not too big a chart. 

My floss toss since I wanted to brighten up the colours a bit:

And although it's on the included linen, which was stiff and definitely not my favourite fabric to stitch on, it's such a simple design that I stuck with it until I finished. Here's what it looks like:

Don't Cry Because It's Over by Lizzie Kate

stitched 2 over 2 on 28ct linen included with the chart

with stash threads, DD Oops, WDW Cyclamen, Camellia, and Blue Bonnet, and Soie Cristale

The yellow/orange SMILE stands out better in person. The linen was curling on the edge, so I had to hold it, and that made the colour more washed out in the photo. I'm happy with the finish and although I'm not sure if I still like the statement as much as when I first purchased it, it's nice to have a finish. 

If you're eagle-eyed, or have stitched this yourself, you may have noticed I skipped the underline on "happened" and a few little stitches. I don't think it's need the extra, so I left it out. 

Hope you've all been having a good day of stitching!

Tiffstitch

2026 Year of 100 Starts: Start #41 - Did You Take Your Meds Today by Subversive Cross Stitch

Time for another quick stitch to use up more stash thread and fabric! Another fun one from Subversive Cross Stitch. They have so many fun patterns, and as someone mentioned once, I do tend to like to stitch letters, so these are perfect for me. This is the photo from their website:

And I picked out some stash fabric and threads and took 2 days to finish this one up. Here it is:

Did You Take Your Meds Today? by Subversive Cross Stitch

stitched 2 over 1 on 14ct scrap Aida

with stash threads, Dinky Dyes, WDW

It's a fun one that I was thinking of for a gift for a friend that tends to forget to take their medication, but then I wasn't sure if it would seem like nagging? I tried to use cheerful colours that are similar to medication colours, plus did some fussy stitching to try and make the tablets look more like medication. 

For now it's in the finishes drawer and maybe a flat fold would be a good idea if I do give it away? Or something that could be hung near where people keep medications? Ideas are always welcome. 

Hope you've had some good stitching days!

Happy Stitching,

Tiffstitch

2026 Year of 100 Starts: Start #40 - Vermont Mini Block by Hinzeit

And another designer makes a return to the 100 starts year! I think I might have been able to do 100 starts with all different designers, but that's maybe more than I was up for. So many of these patterns have been hanging around just waiting for their opening, and I'm so glad 2 Martini Stitcher did this last year to give me the inspiration for this year!

The previous chart, the Canada Mini Block, had a lot more stitching because each charm will be on a maple leaf. I was debating about that for this chart as well, since the "colours" are always a big deal here each autumn. However, in the hopes of actually finishing more projects this year, I left them off and stuck with the pattern as charted. Here's their mock-up of the design:

And I stuck with this one for 2 days to get it finished! I stayed up a little later than maybe I should have last night attaching the charms, but it feels so nice to have it complete. 

Here's what it looks like:

Vermont Mini Block by Hinzeit

stitched 2 over 2 on 28ct Bridget's Garden by Chromatic Alchemy

with stash threads, Jodyri and Silks4U

In case the charms are difficult to see, in order from left to right, there's an evergreen tree, an apple, 2 skis and 2 poles, a maple leaf, a cow, a canoe and the Vermont state shape with a maple syrup bottle. 

The charms are well made and I did a kind of buttonhole stitch around the hanger so they would be secure. I do like this finish. The outline looks like the mountains here in autumn:

And the darker green fits the "Green Mountain" translation of Vermont. 

This one definitely needs to be finished, just have to decide how. Possibly a horizontal flat fold? For now it's in the "drawer" and someday I'll get the inspiration to finish it. 

Hope you've all had good stitching days!

Happy Stitching,

Tiffstitch