September is coming to an end...so sad

September is my birthday month, but since my daughter passed away 8. years ago, I just don't enjoy it like I used to enjoy it.  She always remembered to send me flowers on my birthday, funny how those little things end up meaning so much to you later.  My hubby has gotten me flowers before, but he just doesn't think about it so it's often a last minute thing.  So for now I just chose to acknowledge I'm older, but not celebrate that I'm older.  So no month long, week long or even long weekend celebration here.  Also got reminded I'm old because we had a high school reunion - too many years.  I went to one even and decided I really didn't want to talk about "the good old days" because I really hated school back then.  It's amazing how much I loved college and graduated with a 3.8 GPA, and barely got out of high school.  So that is my life update.

So it's time to post what I've done in the past month - WIPocalypse is hosted by Messi and each month we post what we've accomplished.  the goal is to knock down the WIP, but so far each year it seems like I have a few more than I did before.  That doesn't mean I don't get stuff done, I just always go on a starting spree in December which adds to the numbers.  Anyways, you can find her blog here:

https://measi.net

So each month we are asked to answer a question this months is:

Question of the Month: Are you a seasonal stitcher? If so, which seasons do you find yourself more productive or less productive?

To answer this question - no I'm not a seasonal stitcher, either in my stitching time or in what I stitch.  I know when I had kids and they were in school, my stitching time during the school year was limited, but they are all grown now, so my time belongs to my aging parents, my employer and my husband LOL i.e not to me.  However I do find time to stitch again.

With that being said my stitching habits are based on my workload - if I'm working OT to get stuff done, I stitch less, if I have light loads and work 7-8 hour days, then I probably stitch a little bit more.  I love to get bulk stitching time in on the weekends.  I strive for at least 5 hours on at least one weekend day.

So what did I accomplish this month?

First up was All Creatures Big and Small by Barbara Ana Design.  I love this one and enjoy stitching on it.  What I like are all the motifs, you can do one or two and see progress.  

I didn't get a page finish, but did get quite a bit done - like that barn and the farmer's wife!!  I think when I picked it up I had some of the border and the key, the rest was all added this time.  I gave this a full week with the hopes of having a full page done, but didn't happen.  I need to move the fabric down a little bit so I can get the top border in and more below the line.  

I love the warm colors and the fabric is wonderful to work on - I think it's 36 ct or maybe 40 ct.  I think I got all 40ct. when I buying fabric that day - love the one thread over 2.  

Next up is the baby sampler for my granddaughter.  This one was originally a kit I had done for my daughter, didn't finish it until she was 9, but hey. it got finished. And since it was my first really big project and I had no clue how to stitch, it was really bad, but she loves it.  I reframed it about 15 years ago for her and she has it hanging in her room.  So while she started a baby sampler for her daughter and I probably should have let her do her thing, she really doesn't stitch and the only thing that has been completed on it is what I did when I started it for her.  So thought I would do this one and get it framed and hang it in her room where her's hangs and see if she notices it's different.  She should notice as the matting is completely different and the frame is totally different, but you know after a while do you really notice the stuff on your alls?  We'll see.

This is my 3rd sampler for Sampler September - and it's called His Eye on the Sparrow by Heartstring Samplery and I really love working on this one, close to a page finish, but not quite.  This is stitch on a 40 ct that is printed on the front - can't remember the dyer - anyways, it shreds the thread if the lengths are longish.  Really disappointed and won't use that linen again.  Thought it was my needle at first, but changed to an old faithful needle and it did the same thing, so know it's the linen and not the needle.  

There are some words under the deer that need to be done and part of another bird that goes between pages 1 & 2.  The deer was no joke to fill in and yes he was not in the right place, but does it really matter?  Just need to remember not to count off of him for anything else.  Love the peacock.  

I'm working on one more, but don't have a picture of it yet - just started working on it Saturday, it's Vexation Sampler - with a multiplication table on it.  It is full of mistakes, but I'm making it work!!  That one will be shown next month.

Last one is also another finish - it's Bless is the life by Little House Needle.  This one was a fast stitch and love how it goes, the house at the end is off, but again, do I really care?  It's not obviously off and unless you really look, you wouldn't notice it, so I'm good with how it turned out.

My finish from last month and the two from this month are at the framers, can't wait to see how they look and get them hanging on my walls.  

I think this has been a productive month - can't wait to see what October brings me :). 

Sandy