New Year, New Goals and maybe some new WIP, and hopefully less old WIPS

 Hello all

It's the start of new year with WIPocalypse and the prospects of getting some of these older WIPs done and off my list!!  If you'd like to join the fun, or learn more about it all please go here

Measi Wipocalypse-2025-kick-off/

So our task for this kick off is to introduce ourselves, our WIPS and our goals for the year.

I'm Sandy and I've been doing this for maybe 10 year??  Need to look back at my first post to tell me exactly when I joined the group.  I know at first I just lurked because I knew nothing about Blogging or how to even start.  Still not too talented at this all, but love to post my pictures each month and then scroll back through them all when I need inspiration that I'm really accomplishing something.

So as of today I have 43 active WIPs and about 5 that have been transitioned to UFOs for now.  I know at some point 3 of those will come out to play again, but not today.  One might end up in the trash because I really don't like it and the intended person really isn't into my stitching, so no lost love there.  In the 40 years that I've been stitching only ONE project has ever been actually tossed in the trash - and that was a wedding sampler I had started for my ex-husband and myself.  After carrying it around for 15 years and being re-married to someone else I decided I really wasn't ever going to finish it and it was time for it to go - so it did, chart and all.

My taste are all over the board, the only thing I have not jumped both feet into are full coverages, but I tell you I'm being swayed to the dark side with those and might try my hand at one or two in 2026 - which I'm hoping will be my first year of actual retirement - all depends on my folks and if I need to continue to help them.  I have over 1600 charts and kits, so I don't have a lack of things to stitch.  Of those charts and kits I've completed about 13%, maybe more because I didn't track my finished for a long time.

My goal last year was to touch all of my active WIPs and I accomplished that goal.  My goal this year is the same, but I'm adding to that with hopefully 8 finishes.  I've estimated the percentage of completion on each of my WIPS and then highlighted those I thought could be finishes.  Some are smallish projects and others are larger that I've been working on for a couple of years that could be a finished with a little effort.

At the end of the day I'm a process stitcher, not a completion stitcher.  Finished projects are icing on the cake for me, I enjoy the journey.  I love starting new projects and getting a lot done.  When I get to the middle I get bored with it and it tends to languish and then when I get to that last 10% I get excited about it again and start to push for a finish.  I rotate what I'm working on, but found that I need 5-7 days on each project, I tried daily rotation, but found I didn't enjoy changing so often.

I also want to learn more about doing my own finishing, so have a couple of small designs that I don't have any real love for that I will use as practice pieces.  I have a needlepoint that I might use as my practice piece as well.  With retirement close at hand I know I won't have the funds to have things professional finished anymore.

No pictures this time - those will come at the end of the month, with any luck I will have touched 4-5 projects.

Sandy

WIPocalypse END of YEAR - 2024 is now in the books

 Wow, can't believe we are at the end of the. year and it's time to look back at what we accomplished, which for me wasn't a lot, but that's OK.  I did manage to stitch on all of my WIPS during the year!!  I didn't do that in 2023, so that is a win for me!!

If you want to know more about WIPocalypse you can find more information here:  WIPocalypse

2025 is getting ready to kick off next weekend, so a great time to join and show off your work.

but first lets put 2024 into the books - 

L&L - EarthDancer - (or is it SpritDancer?) any ways I didn't do a lot on this one, just wasn't feeling it, but did get some done.  I really need to get back on track with this one and just get it done.  I'm calling this one about 20% done.  

I think I burned myself out on angels - but I have 4 going, so I really need to get them done.  

Next picture up is a finish - I put it into a box.  This is the Storyteller by Lulu who did painted canvases.  I purchased this canvas probably 20 years ago from a sale table.  My sister Carol had some Indian designs in her home - she had several woven rugs and a x-stitch I had done for her.  So the intension was to get this and stitch it up fast and give it to her.  

Well that didn't happened and as life our happen we lost my sister 9 years ago to Ovarian Cancer.  Almost 2 years ago her daughter got married and I thought this was the perfect gift for her and had my siblings and Dad write some stories of my sister to put into the box.  

My niece had a baby in October, so thought it was time to get this done and out to her.  She got this with a stocking (see the picture farther down in this blog)

Next one is a new start for December - I'm doing the SAL with the Sunshine Stitchers, they have a floss-tube and a FB group.  This is Put a Bird on It by Modern Folk Embroidery.  

The chart was charted in monochrome, the picture had 4 or 5 colors and I was going to do the colors from the picture, but when I started I decided to change it up.  The dark blue, light blue and dark green will be constants in the design, but will put other colors in as I go along as the mood changes.  I really love quaker design, but don't want to go too over board with the number that I ultimately do.  

I've stitch a little beyond the monthly challenge, but that's OK my work life gets busy in March, May and July, so I'm sure I will fall behind again.

Next up is SB stocking Peter's stocking.  I finished this one for my new great-grandson.  I can't believe I'm old enough for a great anything!!

I left off the very bottom row of the stocking - didn't like it and I added a small kitty cat in ivory that was from my Mom's charm bracelet.  My grandson and his girlfriend are both cat people.

My someday to be daughter-in-law asked me if I would stitch another one for her as she wants a little girl.  I told her I would - which btw she gave me the best Christmas present - a DMC color card and DMC box with threads.  Told her if she and my grandson ever break up I'm adopting her!!   She also said she would love to learn to stitch, so maybe I'll have someone to left my stash too one day.

Next up is another SB stocking - this one is Marie's stocking.  I changed the section to the right of the angel.  My niece is not a dog person, and this one had a dog there.  So I added a few more mushrooms.  

It was also missing the red buttons on the skirt, so I added lady bug buttons and like my great-grandson's stocking I added an ivory cat and a jade owl from my mom's charm bracelet.    

My niece said she got the stocking and loves it.

the next up is my Simple Gifts - Courage by Praise Worthy Stitching.  This one is being done in colors that will range from dark blue to teal and purple.  I will add the names of each person in our family who has had cancer and my Mom for her dementia.  While this one got worked on earlier this year, I pulled it out to give it a little more love.

I would love to have this one done in 2025, but not sure that will happen.  

Next up is Good Heart by Dirty Annie - this one is about 1/2 done now and another week it will be a finish!!  

I like this chart because I've found as I've gotten older (note I'm not only a grandmother, but now a GREAT-grandmother) that the filter on my month is dissolving and I have no patients for nonsense!!  

I think I will finish this one into a pillow vs. framing it, but we'll see what happens when it finished.

OK - the next two are finishes from this year!!

Inspire Others by Heart's Content is done on 32ct over one with one thread.  The middle part took forever to do and then all of a sudden, the rest of it seemed to stitch itself!!  When I picked it up this year I had the middle and maybe four corners done, the rest was done in a week's worth of stitching.  Like I said it just seemed to stitch itself.  

I plan on putting this into a wooden box for my granddaughters high school graduation in May.  She lost her Mom almost 10 years ago to stomach cancer - it was less than a year from being diagnosed and her death.  My granddaughter was sent to live with her dad, someone she knew, but hadn't spent a lot of time with and his wife and soon to be 9 other siblings.   She was not welcomed into the family, but there wasn't anything we could do, but continue to get visitation as much as possible.  We are very lucky that we are still very close to her and have been there for her.  I am so proud of her - she was accepted at 4 different colleges and has decided which one she wants to go to next fall.  She will do great things!!

The last up is my Vexation Sampler by Plum Street.  The colors are basically my choice.  There are errors in it, or as I like to call it - personalization.  At some point I will frame this one, I have another table that I want to do.  

in 2024 I did most of the numbers, the right side, bottom and finished the border.  

So all in all I completed 5 things this year, one being a start and finish in 2024.   Last year I had more finishes, but didn't touch all of my WIP.  This year less finishes, but more stitching on all of my WIPs.  

Now to get organized for 2025.  My goal is about 10 finishes, so we'll see where we land.

Sandy

OMG how did we get to the end of November already??!!

Another year is almost over and I'm not ready for 2025 to come.  When I was young it seemed like the year 2000 was forever away and look at it now, we are almost 1/4th of the way to 2100!!  I won't see it, but my great grandchild will

So each month we post what we've accomplished in the last 4 weeks and are we getting closer to having all of our stuff done???  Well if I'd stop doing new starts I'd probably be a lot closer to getting my WIPs back where they should be, but then I'm a process stitcher and enjoy the journey and finishes are only icing on the cake for me.  So if you want to see what others are doing join the FB group or go here

https://measi.net/.

So the question of the month is: How do you begin planning for the next year with your stitching?  Tell us your process.

Ot be honest until a few years ago I had no planning or process, I just stitched as I went along.  Yes I've been doing WIPocalypse for a long time, but that doesn't involve planning - just working on my WIPS.  

Anyways I've joined a couple of FB groups that have made me think a little bit more about the next year.  To be honest WIPGO was an epic failure the first year I tried it, didn't want to work on what was called and then this year I've embraced my board my rules concept.  Last year I almost had a black out on my board and this year with the exception of one square I've already completed them!!  

I put two of my WIPs in each square - and then 2 squares are called each month.  My goal is to stitch 7 days on each WIP - so I'll have 52 WIPS on my board :).   

My other group is WIP Warriors, I've not played their games because I found I'm not someone who enjoys switching projects every day, but I will try to do some in 2025.  I got their planner so we'll see if this helps me get organized.

So what have I accomplished this month?  Not a whole lot because we had a wedding so there was a week of no stitching at all:

I did manage to get 2 squares done on my CB Noah's Ark afghan, the Vicus and Urials.

Both of these are small squares - about 48x48 so I got 2 of them done in a week of stitching.  

There is supposed to be a hidden letter in each square, but to honest I don't see it, so if you see the V or U let me know where you see it.

So I have 22 of 26 animals done - I have the center chart as well, which is all backstitching, so will see if I can't get this done maybe in 2026, but who knows I might just decided this one needs to get done and just do it.  I've been working on this one since 1997 or thereabout.  So it's time for it to be done!!

Next up is my Peace Angel by L&L.  

I worked on the right wing this time, just stitching white.  The next time it comes out I will fill in the other colors in the wing so I can move the q-snaps and get more into the dress.  Not sure I will enjoy this one as much as I was hoping, but I do love the angel itself.  I have 4 angels going, but since I've completed 4 already I'm kind of burned out on them.  

My goal is to get the wings completed and the face done in 2025, but my focus will be one of the other angels next year - would like to get at least one of them done and off my WIP list.

Next up is the stocking for my new grandniece June who arrived in October.  The stitching is done and I'm working on putting on the embellishments now and then will sew it into stockings and get them sent.  My goal is to have them in the mail by the end of next week.  I had to find some cording to go around the stocking, didn't realize how hard it was to find that stuff anymore.  Our JoAnn's seems to be stocking down on their stuff which tells me they most likely will be closing after the first of the year.  Michael's no longer carries that stuff, and Hobby Lobby didn't have a lot either.  So I ordered some and hope that it comes in this week.

I am adding a few things that are special.  My Mom has a charm bracelet that was some elephants and cats - so I'm adding one to this stocking and one to the other stocking that I finished last month.

This one is a new start - Haft the Fun by Ink Circle.  I've seen many people doing this one and they seem to get off around the trains, so I'm counting and counting again hoping that I don't have the same fate.  If I do, it most likely will go into time out for a long time!!  

I'm using Silks4U for the first time and must say I really love the rich colors and the thread is like butter going through the linen.  I'm just using it as it comes off the hank (yes I got a hank) so no real planning.  

I would like to do this one into a small pillow I think vs. framing it.  I have someone in mind for it, so hoping this will be a 2025 finish.  I'm almost across the top so it's not very big, something like 120 x 120.

I had one other that I worked on, but didn't take a picture and it's been put away - it was my stitching group stitch, so it only got one day and not a lot of progress.  

The rest of the pictures are my daughter and new husband and my daughter and granddaughter (her niece) who was the flower girl at the wedding.  We had the wedding in our front yard and the weather was perfect!!  Not too hot and no rain.  We didn't get as many people as we had planned on, but that's OK the people that came enjoyed themself.  By Monday the yard was cleaned up, the tent was down and the house looked normal again.  I have to say I won the jackpot with this son-in-law!!  He is very nice and loves my daughter to the moon and beyond.  

Not sure how much stitching I will get done in December, it tends to be a crazy month with the holidays and all.  I don't really do gift stitching other than the stockings for newborns and I tell my kids I do things for them all year long so not to look for stuff under the tree from us.  I'd rather do small gifts during the year than hold it all for one day - to me Christmas is an all year around thing.

Happy stitching all.

Sandra

Another Month over

 I guess I knew it was the end of October, but totally forgot that I needed to post until I opened up FB this evening.  So here is my update such as it is....

Each month we post our accomplishments for WIPocalypse, which the founding mother of the group can be found here in. WIPocalypse.  The idea is to finish things before our time on earth comes to an end, but it seems that each year I end the year with a few more WIP's than I started at the beginning.  Oh well, if I have WIP's I'll live forever.

Each month we have a question to answer, this month's is how do you store your WIPs and your stash.  Normally my stash if VERY organized, but over the past several years it has gotten very messy because I just keep adding to it without really putting anything away properly.  My goal is to get my charts to where I can find them and my linen separated by count.  

As for my WIP's, the ones that I am actually going to work on are in my living room (we live in 800 square foot house, so not a lot of options).   At the beginning of the year I had them in one area and as I worked on them I moved to another area so I knew what received loved and what hadn't.  That worked for awhile, but not so much anymore.  Thankfully I only have 3 projects that I have not touched this year.

So what have I done this month?

I pulled out Family by Dragon Dreams - this one gets put into timeout a LOT, but I'm determine to get it finished, mistakes and all - or maybe I should just call them creative differences between the pattern, my fingers and the frog.

All the words are done, and the right hand is just about done - just need to finish back stitching, but need to get the other hand going because the fingers intertwine 

I have another one called Friends, not sure if I will start that one anytime soon.

The next one up is a new start (see what I mean about ending with more than I start with??).  This one I saw and decided I had to stitch it, so I ended up ordering the chart.  It's called Good Heart by Dirty Annie.  I kitted it up on my last trip home to KY, with all but one color - guess which color I'm missing???  The buds on the border!!  Oh well, I found another color that will work from my stash.

this one is stitching up really fast.  What I have is from one day at a stitching get-together, so I think the next time it comes out if it's not a finish, it will be close to a finish.

Below is the chart if you are interest - it seems the older I get the more that mouth filter fades away and I tend to just say what's on my mind.  Still able to avoid some things, but it's getting harder and harder.

The next one up is Parker's Stocking by Shepherd's Bush.  This is the middle section of the stocking.   It was a start in September, but I didn't have a picture to post on my last blog, so posting it now.  My niece was expecting a baby and for some reason I now do the stockings this next generation of kids.  Since she didn't know if it was a boy or girl I needed to make sure I had one of each started.   

The girl stocking is already started, but I failed to take a picture of it, so you will see it next time, hopefully fully finished as she had a little girl!!   this stocking will get finished at some point as I'm sure there will be more babies.

This is PeliCan by Courtney Design.  I'm doing this on a 40 ct. linen with one color of thread.  Below is 2 pages finished out of 20!!  This one will take me forever to finish.  I measured the linen wrong so there isn't much of a top and bottom margin, so it's hard to put on the q-snaps.  I think I need to get a hoop to put it in so I can have it tight, then maybe I'll make more progress on it.  I really love chart and think I would enjoy stitching it more if it weren't so hard to hold.  

This last picture is a x-stitch my friend did for me as a surprise!!  She gave it to me the last time we were driving down I-75 from MI to KY.  She lives in Findlay which is a nice stopping point on the long drive.  It's even a better stop when it's on a Saturday and I can meet her at Kraft Gallery!!  If you've not been to the store - it's a must see if you are in OH.  

I have several more starts planned, I'm hoping to start some of them next week while I'm on vacation - so hopefully you'll see more then.

End of September Posting

  Wow, can't believe we are at the end of September, this year is just flying by and while this wasn't a great stitching month, I did get something done.

This monthly update is brought to you by:

WIPocalypse. Where we work on all those WIP's we'd like to have done before the world comes to an end - which as my WIP list keeps growing thankfully this hasn't happen.

So the question of the month is How did you learn to stitch?  An interesting question - I actually started to hand sew as a very young child who loved to go to my Grandma Millie's house with my Dad (who worked in the family business out of her house).  I think the question was always how to you occupy a young child when there is no TV??  So my Grandma taught me how to stitch - first it was sewing on button's, snaps, hooks & eyes, then doing x's on gingham cloth and then surface embroidery on pot holders and towels.  I'm sure my grandma took out the surface embroidery I did as it wasn't very good and it seems like I work on the same design over and over.   When I got married in the early 1970's I got several different kinds of kits to try out - stamped, crewel and needlepoint.  I finished the crewel, tossed the stamped and have one of the two needlepoints done - the other is my oldest WIP.  then went to sewing clothes, some crocheting and knitting until I found counted cross-stitch and as they say the rest is history.

So what did I do in September?

this was a new start - Rose Wood Farms by Stacy Nash - it was an exclusive when I got it, but it may be out by now.  The picture on the chart was a much lighter color of fabric and the colors showed up so much better.  I like the design, but not really happy with the linen they sent, but alas I'm going forward with it now.  Maybe 10% done, would have liked to have more done, but that darn frog took up residency in my pond and I unstitched almost as much as I stitched.  I think it's back on track now.

 The next one up is an older chart that I found not too long ago - the 7 Virtures by La-D-Da.  I'm not using any of the called for anything on it.  I like my color choice, have tweaked it a little bit since starting and pulled out some 36 ct. linen from my stash - can't remember the name, thinking it's an Atomic Ranch????

This one is probably closer to 25% or more done.  I don't count stitches, so I based it on the pages and their finishes - This chart has 2 pages and this is a little more than 1/2 of the first page.

The next one up is my Four Angels Mourning Sampler by Scarlet Letter.  This one has a LOT of over one - the chart called for 40ct, which I started it on, but soon discovered that wasn't going to happen - the face of the angel was my downfall.  So I started it on a larger count - also didn't work, so took that one out and went with this 28ct.  It's going to be a lot larger than intended but that's OK at this point - it's going forward.  The smaller motifs that are over one are full crosses with one thread, the larger over one are done with a half stitch and two threads.  I just need to remember to so the half in the same direction as my top stitch - can't tell you how many times I had to take out what I did on the sun and re-do.  Really like the sun and can't wait to get to the moon.   I think I will keep going in the middle section until it's done then go back to the outer part.

This I my needlepoint that I'm doing for my niece, it is her wedding present (two years late, but at least it's done now).  I have to take and put it into the box top, which I'll do sometime in October so I can send the box to her.  In side the box will be filled with stories about growing up with her Mom - I got my siblings to add stories and she already has some stories that we did when she got married. 

I love this canvas, but glad it was done, the background was a lot of work!!  I have 2 other canvases in various stages and hope to get them done - or at least one of them done yet this year - maybe a picture next month of the one that is getting close.

Next up is an actual finish!!  Yeah, for me.  This is Inspire Others by Heart's Content.  

It is all done over one, which after working on my Mourning Sampler was a breeze - it's on 30 ct. linen from the kit.  

I had the middle part done and finished the rest this time around.  It really went fast, not sure why I let it linger so long!!  I will finish this one into a box top and give it to my granddaughter when she graduates high school next spring.

Last up is my Arc of White by Tempting Tangles.  Not the called for linen color - can't remember what I used, but it's a purple and I like it.  The threads are also not the called for, but similar in color.  This one is probably 40% done - I've been jumping around where I work, this last time I did the leaves and motif in the lower left, it's close to the bottom of the design.

There was one other that I started this month - Parker's stocking by Shephard's Bush, but for some reason I didn't take any pictures of it!!  I only worked on it one day, it will come out to play this week so I'll post a picture next month.

Can't wait to see what others have done this month.  Hope you all had great stitching months.  

I have to tell you I am being pulled to the really dark side of the full coverage - I'm sure if I see a chart that I absolutely love I will surrender.  I just need to get a new tablet and program.  In the mean time I have decided to start a Long Dog, I have my silk threads and just need to pick out some linen that is big enough.  

Sandy

 So another month has slipped away and with it summer is just about over with - the kids are back in school, OK I don't have any kids, but my child who is a teacher is back in school.  A shameless plug - please if you can help support a school teacher, they do spend a lot of their own money on supplies so kids who parents can't or won't buy what they need, have what they need.  My daughter has not only gotten school supplies, but she has been known to also get clothing for kids.  OK, off my soap box and back to my daughter's wish list - I try to get her everything she needs.

so this month's question is - Do you belong to any stitching groups or guilds (either in person or virtual) and if so tell us about them.   I used to be active in the Southern California Stitchers - we would meet every Saturday in different locations - there were some that were a bit too far to go to, but I tried to go at least twice a month.  There is a group with the FB group for Michigan Stitchers and they meet up, but again not really close to where I live.  If I retire this time next year I will surely get more active in the group and set up a meet up closer to where I live.  Stitching groups are great and I've enjoyed the groups that I've belonged to over the years - if there is one near you or within a reasonable driving distance, join it and enjoy stitching with like minded people.

This is a month of new starts.  Usually I wait until December, but the new-start-ist has hit me and I'm giving into it!!   So there will be at least 2 new starts in August and maybe 3 - still deciding on the 3rd one, if it will be a start this month or in September.    I have so many things kitted up and ready to go, but I keep telling myself I should finish up some of the things that are already being worked on......and then I think nahhhhhhh it's the journey that is the adventure - not the finished.  The Finish is the end of the story and the adventure is over.

First up is Faith of the Heart - which is by Heartstring Samplery - I love the saying on this one - God finds a low branch for the bird that doesn't fly (or something like that).  I think this one can get done fairly quickly - but right now it's being put away - the frog really has enjoyed this one and has spent a lot of time messing with my stitching - you know one stitch in 10 stitches out sort of thing.  I think I'm on track with it now, but who knows.  That house is a biggie and found out I got the wrong thread for it, so will need to see what I can find in my stash, not going to go and get any more fancy floss for it.   I love the bird and that was one of the things that drew me to this design.  The greens are very close in color, you really don't see the difference when both are used in one leaf - oh well.

Next new start was Happily Ever After by Rebel Stitcher.  I have several of her charts, but this is the first one I've actually started.  Really love the colors and it's stitching pretty fast.  

This one will be a sampler for my middle daughter's new home after she is married in November - it probably won't be done until sometime in 2025, but she knows me well enough that she is really not expecting it anytime soon LOL.  But now that I've started this one, I want to start several other charts by this designer, so will be pulling fabric and thread for more starts, but those will wait for my annually start it all 2 weeks at the end of the year - or maybe I'll do 12 starts in 12 hours on December 31st!!  

Here is the progress, it's about 25% done and sorry if it offends anyone. Not something that I would hang in my home, but it fits my daughter to a T and she loved it when I showed it to her.  Even the border isn't too bad on it.

The colors are soft colors, even the darkest color isn't really too dark in real life.  Will be moving the q-snaps when it comes back out - need to get across the top so I can cut down the fabric, I'm loving this fabric - it's an Atomic Ranch.

Next up is one that I started a few years ago, and while I like the design I really am not enjoying the stitch.  And of course the frog has come and personalised the design to his liking - sometimes I catch him and can correct, other times I just don't have the energy to correct so let it go - let it go - let it go......(ok too much Disney with the granddaughter).  I managed to get the rim of the hat done and while you really can't see it, start to outline the face.  

I have pulled out another chart to work on this month, but it's been a busy week and really haven't gotten much done, so will post a picture next month.

Can't wait to see what others have done!!

Sandy

July is coming to an end and Summer will be too soon.........

Welcome to my monthly update of what I've done since my last posting.  I've been enjoying this year's journey and I'm enjoying updating what I've been doing.  Hard to believe that 2025 will be hear soon and I'll have another year of stitching in the books - but lets not get too far ahead of myself - it's only the end of July now.

This month's question is being asked by WIPocalypse very own MEASI'S MUSINGS - RAMBLINGS OF A GEEKY WITCH.  I'm enjoying her FB page and being part of her community of stitchers and hope she continues this for many, many years.

The question for July is - Which of your current WIPs do you consider your most difficult piece to stitch?

I don't have any that are technically difficult to work on because I have enjoyed doing speciality stitches and such for many years and have some excellent books that tell me how too.  I was lucky enough to model stitch for a designer who used different stitches in her designs.  I also enjoyed doing band samplers back in the 1990's (Just Nan, Shepard Bush Indigo Rose to name a few).   I also don't have any projects are difficult because of pattern itself, like a full coverage - which to me would be a difficult stitch.  I do have one that is difficult just because it was started for my oldest daughter who we lost to cancer 9 years ago.  I started it for her before her daughter was born, but it got sidelined for other things and just lingered for years.  When she got sick I thought, maybe if I work on her angel it will keep her safe, but it didn't and we knew she wasn't going to win her war.  She won a few of the battles, but in the end the cancer won as we knew it would.  So it's difficult to work on because when I do pull it out I think about her and miss her so much, so there are a few tears and it makes it hard to read the chart.

I also don't enjoy the thread, it's a rayon which is hard to stitch with, and has lots of blending threads that are added to the DMC.  I really love my conversation, and I do love the angel and it did come out this year for some love and I did get some progress.  It will be done at some point, maybe for a great-grandchild.  

Now for my update on what I worked on in July -

First up is my SB Stocking - Peter's Stocking.  I'm doing this one for our new great-grandson who arrived last week.  I need to add the name at the top and then get the embellishment pack to sew on it.  I will add a little something special but need to figure out what that will be, I have some ideas, but nothing set yet.  

This is an older stocking, so not as much detail.  There is supposed to be a row of flowers at the very bottom, but not fond of them, so going to leave them off.  

So I was going to do Christmas in July and thought I would start the other stockings I have kitted up and ready to go - I have 3 of them ready to go and a 4th one that I need to cut the fabric for and it will be ready as well.  Well I've decided I'm not a seasonal stitcher, regardless of what I tell myself.   I am very much a stitch what moves you at the moment type person, but I did start another stocking

I started Marie's stocking.  My niece is having a baby in October, so need to get another boy and girl stocking ready because they decided to be surprised with the baby, which I totally support.  Knowing what you are having is like buying your own Christmas presents and then wrapping them and putting them under the tree and trying to act surprise when you open them up.  I know there are things that they don't know, like eye color and hair color, but still the biggest part of the surprise is not a surprise.

Here is where I am - that dress was a lot of stitching!!  I need to move the q-snap so will pull this out again maybe in September.  Happy with what I got done.

Next worked on with my Rosewood Manor American Quilt Flag - I managed to get almost 3 more states done and started on the words under the one State.   This is another one that I really like the design, but not enjoying the stitch, a lot of back stitching and color changes and one stitch here and one stitch there.  

I don't think this one will come out again this year, but who knows if it will call to me again.  I figure at the rate I'm going it will take me about 10 more years to get this one done - so maybe it needs more than one week a. year of love.  

Next up is a new start and a time out!!  My Mom loves owls and so I got these charts several years ago and thought they would be a fun fast stitch and I would make her some ornaments for her tree. 

Well my mom has dementia and while she still knows who I am most days, she really isn't aware of her surroundings and wouldn't be able to enjoy the owls.  I've given her a few things over the past couple of years and they sit in drawers.  So my feelings aren't hurt because I understand, so figure I will save my stitching time for other things.

But I thought I would still love doing them and maybe give them to my siblings for their trees.  So why not start with Tribal Owl 01??   This is what it's supposed to look like - decided I really didn't want to do black and red, and I got pack of different colored linen and decided I would change the colors and do them on those linens - easy-peasy right?  

Well this is the one I started.  The frog visited often (thinking he's set up residency in my home) and it's off someplace by ONE STINKING THREAD!!  So I either need to takeout back to the error, if I can find it OR re-start it.  I decided I really didn't like the colors I picked, in person the colors looked good.  Did a floss toss and on the material they looked good, but stitched they look too much alike.  So going to change to something else and probably start this one all over, just need to find the threads.  So this one got put into a project bag and put into time out.  When I pull out this project again, I might start with a different owl - I have 4 of them, so can pick and chose.  The are all about 50 x 60, so I think I can get them done in a week or less IF the frog stays at bay.

After that disaster I pulled out His Eye is on the Sparrow by Heartstring Samplary, which I really love.  I have a page finish and started on page 2, I think there are about 12 pages, so I have a long ways to go before this one will be completed.  While people complain that they don't like stitching the same thing twice on samplers, I figure by the time I get to the right side of the pattern I will have forgotten about stitching those motifs on the left side LOL.  And if I was off, it gives me another chance to get it right the next time LOL.  I generally work no more than 1 week on anything, but I keep telling myself, just one more motif and I'll put it away.  Since this picture I've finished up the vase at the bottom, the rest of the word Sparrow and more of the border at the top.  I might work on it one more day and then put it away.  Will see tomorrow.  I know I won't get another page finish as there is a big a** house that will take some time to get done.  I'm thinking I'm doing this on 40 ct, so while it will be big, it won't be huge and I should be able to get it framed and find a spot on the wall for it.

Now for a quick peek at my new great-grandson - how in the world did I get so old??  I am not as old as all those people who said they graduated with me.  But in my defence I was a very. young mother, I got married right out of high school and had a baby, then decided I needed to grow up, so got rid of the hubby, went to college with 2 kids in tow and got my degree in accounting.  So I'm not all that old LOL

My grandson says his son is a very easy baby and doesn't fuss too much, I just laugh and tell him that won't last long.  It's the quiet ones that you have to watch - they can get into the most trouble.   Griffin arrived and weighed in at 7 lbs, my grandson when he arrived weighted in at 12 lbs, so he was a wee one compared to his dad.

Enjoy your month and can't wait to see what others are getting done.