March Check in and another happy stitching Month for me :)

 It's the end of March, not happy we are at the end of march as I have a zillion huge deadlines by Friday!!  But Happy that we are at the end of March because April should be an easier month with fewer deadlines and a little laid back time.  May will be busy again, so hoping my stitching keeps me sane.

So it's time to post what we've done for WiPocalypse, which is the ingenious challenge of Measi and her website can be found here:   WIPocalypse

Each month there is a question that is asked for us to answer - this month the question was where do you like to buy your stitching supplies.  I don't have any shop that I absolutely need to buy everything under the sun from, I do like to go into a brick and mortar shop when possible as I'm very much a gotta see it up close kind of person.  The shop that is in our town is nice, but I think the owner has lost her passion in the shop.  There is another one in the next town over, but again, the owner really doesn't keep up with new things, so I don't go to either very often, which leaves the one that is on my way from MI to KY - in Findlay OH, love that shop, so many wonderful linens to chose from and the charts, I find something I like each time.  Last time through I stopped at the shop outside of Cincinnati, Keepsakes - loved that shop, so packed with stuff.  I have dipped into on-line shops, but only when I know exactly what I want, so not very often.   I've not dipped into too many esty shops, nothing against them, but just don't think about them.

So what have I stitch on this month?  My pictures are in reverse order of what I worked on, with my last one being the first picture

This one is Things Unseen by Lizzy Kate - it was a new start for 2023 - started in 2022 between the end of the No New Starts and the start of WIP Warriors (same group, new name).  This one isn't all that big 165 by 205.  I basically had to have 200 stitches in for it to qualify as a WIP - so I had part of the upper border and the words The Best done.  I've added the rest yesterday and today.  

It would be nice to have a page finish, but that isn't going to happen, so we'll see where it is at the end of the week.  Would like the 1st four rows done on page one.

Next up is my Guardian Angel - this was a WiPGO call, the goal was 6 thread lengths, but I did a lot more than that, I think I meet that goal and the other goal on my board.  

I worked on the wings mainly and did a little bit in the hair.  I'm happy with the progress, still a little bit to fill in on the wing that I have all the white done.  The wing curves down and goes across the dress, so it's is huge and will take some time to complete.

This is for my youngest granddaughter, love the colors, can't wait to get back into the greens and some reds that are in the skirt.

This is a Lavender & Lace angel - they are all classics and never go out of style so don't mind putting a lot of time into stitching them as I know they will be loved for a life time.

Next up is Wintery, which was an exclusive I got last year, but didn't start until the end of 2022 so it would be a 2023 work.  The chart has been released to everyone now, not sure I would have gotten it has I seen it on the shelve at a shop, but did at the time I wanted a sampler that was a little bit different from what I had in my stash.  

I love the border on this one and almost have a page finish.  The house is just below the words - I will start the smoke next time comes out.  I wish the blue on the words was darker, it would have popped on the black that was called for, but I'm not a black linen stitcher - too hard to see, and the lights in our house aren't all that bright.  But I will keep going on it and hope for the best.

This one is a needlepoint - Mashed Witch by Rebecca??  There was a shop that showed this as a class to do on zoom.  Was disappointed in the class, but did like the witch.  So put this one on my WIPGO board with the idea it would be a finish, and it was!!  I want to finish this into a small ornament and will hang it up someplace in the living room.  

Glad to have this one done, and hope to get a few more small needlepoints finished this year.

Next up is Ice Angel with my conversion to purple.  This was on my WIPGO board and the goal was to do 6 thread lengths.  I set up my board with 2 projects for each square - one is a main focus and the other is just to get some progress on an old WIP.  

This WIP was started a long- long time ago, maybe 2000? or 2005.  I love the angel and (Lavender & Lace), but really hate working with the rayon threads!!  And blending threads!!  I'm too far to start over, but if you even want to do this one - I would use silk for whites and a silk lame for the purple (or blue if you do it as charted).  Might be more expensive, but would be well worth the costs to avoid the frustration of the rayons and blending.   

I did meet my goal and then some, so might pull it it out again.

This was my last WIPGO call - Rosewood American Flag Quilt.  I got 3 more squares done - the goal was 6 hours of stitching, I got that and then some.  

The back stitching makes the squares, but boy is there a lot of it in each one.  I would like to get the missing square completed, not sure it will come out in April, but maybe May or June.  I've decided not to do all the back stitching around the flag itself, I think it will look good without, and know that if I had to do that too, this one would never get done - I think I started this in 2015???  It has gone years without any love, so glad it's on my board and coming out for some love.

This is Nevermore by Lila Studios.  Last month I worked on the top border, but then added the motifs underneath it.  I really love this one, it is fun to stitch and when it's out I don't want to put it away!!  It will be back out again, but not in April, I want to get to the crow :). 

April numbers have been called for WIPGO 5 and 17 - with the exception of one WIP I've done these numbers already :(. They were calling my name so I worked on them and charted my progress.  So who knows what April will bring, I'm thinking I will work on my needlepoint for my niece's wedding in May - it's started, but I have a lot to get done and will need to full finish it.

Until then happy stitching everyone!!

Sandy