March not sure if we are Lions or Lambs - seems like the weather wasn't great beginning or ending, but stitching was good

 the weather in MI hasn't been the best, we get a little nice and then get snow again, but at least it's not accumulating this time.  But still good weather to stay inside and stitch!!

I love WIPocalypse, while it would be a shame for me to finish all my WIPs and have the world end before I could fully finish them, I love the idea of getting all my WIP's done.  And one day I will actually start the year with less WIPs than I had at the being of the year before LOL.  Or is it ending the year with less than you being with?  I decided that I want to spend one week with each WIP, so I needed 52, I'm not up to 52, but would be good with 52 if it happens.

So if you want to see what people are doing and be enabled like I have so many times - please visit Messi's Musing which can be found here :   https://measi.net/march-wipocalypse-check-in/

The question for March is to name our favorite designer.   If you had asked me in the 90's it would have been hands down Shephard's Bush and Lavender & Lace.  But since then my world has expanded a lot and I really don't have a 'favourite' designer anymore, but I do love the antique/reproduction samplers.  I have several of those in my WIP piles and while I don't buy them all, they tend to be ones that I buy now.

So what have I done in March you asked?

This was a start and a finish in March and the last thing I stitched on this month.  This is Tribal Owl 4.  I picked the colors and the linen - I love how this one turned out and I'm excited to do the rest of the ones I have.  Now I know you are saying - wait she said she loves antique samplers - this isn't that....

My Mom who has dementia was a huge bird lover and Owl's are her favourite.  So my plan is to stitch one of these owl's for each of my remaining siblings in honour of her and I'll finish them into ornaments.  I have a small finish for a few month's ago that I will experiment on putting together before I start on these.

This one is Haf the Fun by Ink Circles- again not a sampler (none this month - sorry).  I wanted to experiment with Silks4U and see if I liked them as I want to do a Long Dog Sampler and wanted to know if I enjoy stitching with this silk before I committed to doing a LDS - I love the silks, its like stitching with butter!!  And I'm very happy with the variation on this one.  I'm calling it about 48% done.  It has been fun to stitch and I've been counting and recounting to make sure there are NO errors and so far, so good.

Put a Bird On It by Modern Folk Embrodery is from a SAL - by the end of March you were suppose to have all across the top (or down one of the sides or across the bottom).  I am a little bit ahead of the game - I have reached two corners and also close to the bottom.  The is a huge motif in the left center section, I will leave that one until last as I'm not sure how I want to do it.  I need to go back and put the letters and numbers in at the top and then will work my way across the bottom.  

You will see this one each month until it's done.

Good Heart by Dirty Annie - is a finish!!  I loved this chart when I saw it and will give it to my middle daughter.  She has a huge heart but boy she can make a sailor blush with her mouth.  

I had done the bottom row incorrect and debated taking it out or trying to fudge it.  Froggggggggging won out because I wanted it done right.  It is currently at the framers and will go to her when done. I don't wait for birthdays or Christmas, I give gifts as the mood strikes.

Wicked Was Here by Heart's Content.  I saw this kit at a shop in CA many years ago, and I think last year or the year before I started it but didn't do much.  So I've determine to get it done this year.  It is all over one, I am working on the roots of the tree, next will get the branches on the right side done and finish off with the witch's hat at the top of the tree.

This one comes with all the finishing supplies to make it into a small pillow.  I can't wait to get it finished and then fully finished.  I am changing the colors of the hat to purples, I think it needs a splash of color.

Frankenstine Sampler, I had the first square done, so this time I pull the border to the right and start down the right side. Then I started to work on Frankenstine, I'm outlining the jacket and the head so I can do fill in.  Not sure if this will come out again this year, but it might as I would like to get that square done because the rest will go fast.  

I like the saying - I am fearless and therefore powerful.  This one is for my granddaughter.

Tribal Owl 1 - this was a finish from the beginning of the month.  Isn't that neat how I started the month with a finish and the end with a finish by the same designer and similar designs?  

When I did a floss toss you can see the difference in the two floss, but once I started to stitch, they both looked a lot alike.  But I like this owl just the same - it has mistakes in it, but they aren't too noticeable and I learned a lot about doing these owls.  Hence the second on at the top going so much faster and without errors.

So that is my stitching for March - I'm happy with my progress and look forward to what I get done in April - I have my projects pulled and a few that will be worked on if I get done with anything.  I'm thinking I can have another finish, so wish me luck

Sandy

February for being a short month has seemed soooooo very long - but here we are....

Welcome to the February check in for the 2025 WIPocalpyse which is the brain child of Melissa and can be found here if you'd like to know more  WIPocalypse 

Each month we are asked a question, February's question is to talk about any SAL (stitch A long or Start A Long) that you are participating in for 2025 (or prior years).  As of today I am only really participating in one organized SAL - Put a Bird On It by Modern Folk Embrodiery that is being hosted by The Sunshine Stitchers - who have a FB group.  Generally I am not a joiner, I have done Round Robins back in the 80's and 90's, but since then I really don't do them.  However I really like this quaker design and it's not very big and thought it would be fun.  So I joined - I will post my WIP below with the rest of the things I worked on this month.  With that being said I am really considering another one this year - Lila Crow is doing. (Lila Crow Cross Stitch) a new SAL called Extraordinary Birds.  Looking at her other SAL I really liked the Dangerous Greenhouse and Aquarium and at some point might get these and do them.  So who knows you may see some unplanned new starts :)

So what have I done since my last update?

First up is Winter Comes by Heartstring Samplery - this was an exclusive on a FB group, but can be gotten by anyone now.  I chose the lighter fabric because I thought it would be easier to see.  I was disappointed in how much the words got lost on the fabric.  It shows up a little bit better in real life, but not much.  I have 1 full page and 1/3 of page to go.  There are "personalisation" in this chart where I've been off one thread :(. But going forward not back at this point.  Would like to get this done in 2025, so will bring it out for a focus challenge in WIP Warriors .

This is my first SAL - Put a Bird On It.  It was divided up into 12 sections and right now I'm a little bit ahead of schedule in getting it done.  This is really a fun stitch and you get one motif done and then start on another.  I am using the threads I got with the chart when I purchased it, but adding other colors in so when it's done it will be my own.  

A FINISH!!  Hey for me!!  I started this one last year, but I have had the kit for probably 20 plus years - OK the chart was dated something like 1995, so maybe a little bit long than 20 years.

I did cut the bottom part off, which was the date and initials because I really didn't like them and didn't want to re-chart the year.  I have a frame that I think will work well for it, just need to cut the boarding and then lace it up.  So maybe at some point you will see a finish-finish but for now I'm happy.

Ann Kirby 1845 - by Needlework Press.  This was another exclusive I got, but thinking it has been released to the world now.  I am using the over dyed cottons and again it's off, but not enough to make me want to re-start it, correct it or put it in time out.  the house is one stitch too wide - and unfortunately I counted the top border off the house, so it is off as well.  But since these are all motifs I don't think it will matter any at the end of the day - so going to continue forward, specially now that the big a$$ house is completed!!   this one most likely won't come again this year.

I love this one - it's Never More by Lila's Studio, but I have to tell you that is one big bird!!  I'm not sure I'll have enough thread to do do the bottom border, so might go and get some additional thread, so if the dye lot is different it won't matter because it's not next to the top border.  Didn't quite complete the page, but calling this one about 65% done, ok maybe only 60%.  I love the colors as well.

Alice by AuryTM came out again, well it really didn't get put away last month.  I skipped around on the pages so really don't any any full page finishes but working on it.  I want this one done this year so I can start Oz.  

Each month the FB group has you do a focus challenge, so I will make this one another focus and see if I can't get it done.

I pulled out another WIP to work, but didn't take a picture.  it's other one that has been spending time in the timeout bag because I keep making mistakes and not thrilled with my colors - they didn't translate on the linen as well as they look.

Hubby had his surgery on his rotator cuff - it was in really bad shape.  So for the next 7 weeks there is NO moving the shoulder or arm.  It's going to be long 7 weeks as hubby doesn't do well with any kind of pain.

Can't wait to see what others have gotten done this month.

Sandy

 

1 month down - 11 to go - AKA January posting

 Dear Blog world, can't believe that January just flew by so fast and we are facing February, which is a short month and always seems to fly by too.  I need just one or two months that take their time so I can stitch more.

I'm posting my first month of 2025 progress for WIPocalypse and also answer the monthly question.  But first if you want to join the fun go here to get all the info on this group.  You can also join via FaceBook.

https://measi.net

Our question this month is to tell you about our oldest WIP.  

I have inactive WIPS that are over 40 years old, OK closer to 50 years now, but those have been put in a semi-permanent time out so not going to talk about those this year.  if you scroll back to January 2024 you will see my oldest WIP of shame.

In my active WIPs my oldest is my Curtis Boehringer Noah's Ark - which is made up of 26 animals, one for each alphabet and then a center design that is basically all back stitched.  I started this some time late 1996 or early 1997 when it came out and for several months I really kept up and with one chart a month it would be a little over 2 years to get it all Or maybe they were supposed to release 2 a month?  So it would be a little over a year???   Well seems like the charts weren't always published on time or maybe my local LNS didn't get them timely and the center was very late being published and to be honest I lost interest in it once I realized I started on the wrong edge of the afghan.  But I've determined to get it done and have made some headway last year and will again this year.   I have 4 more animals to do and the middle, so it's doable, but not sure it will be 2025, maybe it will be a finish in 2026.  If you scroll back you can see the last animals I did, I don't have an updated picture of the whole thing, but will be doing that when it's called on my WIPGO this year.

So what have I don't since my last posting with pictures?

This is my current focus - Alice by AuryTM.  It is really upside down and I'm sorry about that, but that is how I'm stitching on it right now.  I have two complete pages done and bits and pieces of several other pages.  At the bottom the picture that motif completes the width of the design.  Alice and the rabbit go on top of that row and will be the next thing I tackle, but really wanted to get a few more of the quakers done before I move the q-snaps again.   The top of the picture is really the bottom of the design, I have the caterpillar and cat to do yet, both will be fun to stitch.

This one is Faith of the Heart by With Thy Needle and Thread.  I'm still working on page one, but when that is finish I will be a little better than 35% done.  I didn't have all the called for colors, so I have been using what is in my stash.  There is a house which will take me a while to get done, as it is big.  I really like the chart and love the says - "God Finds a Low Branch for the Bird that Cannot Fly". I think I have a frame that will work for it in my stash.  I am trying to do my own framing to keep costs down as I have some bigger projects that will require profession framing.

This is Parker's Stocking by Shephard's Bush.  No pending babies coming in 2025 that I know about, so this is my effort to get ahead of the game.  I have a girls stocking also all kitted up and plans to start that one as well.  It would be nice to have them done where all I have to do is put a name on them and fully finish them into stockings.

I have switched some of the threads here too because I didn't have the called for or I didn't like it.  So far I'm happy with the results and the next time this one comes out, the stitching will be finished.  My goal is to have this one done in 2025.

The next one that got love in January was St. Ives by Indigo Rose, which I started in 2015.  I really like the riddle and want it finished and hanging on my walls for the grandchildren to reason out the answer.  I have finished page 1 of 3!!  The border isn't my favourite, but I found once I get into a rhythm it goes pretty fast.  Next row are cats :). I don't think this will be finished in 2025, but it will get done in 2026 for sure - I want to pull this one out again and work on it.

All Creatures Great & Small by Barbra Ana Design.  I am at the half way on the top row ONLY.  I wanted to get my Adam and Eve done this time with the tree and snake.  I know a lot of people don't like doing Adam & Eve, but I'm OK with it.  I enjoy working on this one because you can do a motif or two and really see the progress.  I need to finish the page, so next time will work on the border more.  I know some people do the border all the way around to make sure it meets up.  I'm going to hope for the best and figure it it doesn't I can fudge it enough.  

7 Virtures by La-D-Da.  This one I'm using my own colors and I like how it's coming out.  Again I want this one done and framed hanging on the walls as reminder of the good we all possess.  It is over 50% done, so should be able to get a finish this year.  It will be one of my focus pieces for sure.

The last two pictures are smalls that were part of mystery boxes I had gotten in the past.  Can't remember who did the Frankenstein design.  I'm not going to do the full design, it was OK, but not something that really sparked my interest.  Decided to do this so I can practice doing pillow finishes with trim.  I will pull this one out again when I want something small to work on. 

The other one I got in another box and was disappointed in the who thing as the price didn't reflect what you got - that was the chart and you got the floss and linen.  I stitch that one in about a day, not difficult at all, and again only did it so I can practice my finishing.  Decided if I screwed it up I wasn't too invested in the design and would not feel bad toss it in the trash or hiding it behind other finishes in my small bowl 

That brings you up today on what I've been stitching.  I hope to have some progress in February as well, but know I will have some busy non-stitching days.  Hubby is scheduled for surgery at the end of the month and I want to get ahead of my March work because hubby will be "helpless" for about 6 weeks so will need to carve out extra time to pamper him as he won't be able to do the cooking during that time.  Little does he know he will be eating a lot of fast food as this chick doesn't like to cook!!  It cuts into my stitching time too much LOL

Sandy

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.