June Stitchy Update

Hola amigos!

…And so, we have come to the end of June… and the beginning of Summer (my least favorite season). July is literally around the corner and I have some plans to try and get some stitches in some of the projects I haven’t worked on. I have done a lot of stitching this month. I have a finish, a start, and lots of WIPs in between. In this post, I will be showing you what I have accomplished with my current WIPs, some of the purchases I’ve done, the project I FO’d and a start.

First of all, let me start by saying that, although I tried to keep a record of how many stitches I do in a day or with a particular project, I just cannot keep up with it! I need to do a better job about it because I truly want to keep track of that. I feel like I’ve improved on how fast I stitch (slow stitcher here) and I think I might compare as a new month starts. But that’s another subject that, after I get to count those stitches, I want to record a good report here in my blog.

Let’s start with the WIPs I worked on this month. June 1-7 I started and completed the June section in the Welcome to Pumpkinville SAL by The Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery. This time we went to the Carnival! I adore these characters. I know that some stitchers are making this piece a themed one; meaning with animals instead of people or personalize it with loved ones rather than stitching the little people as charted. I opted with stitching it as charted. All flosses as charted but I changed the fabric to 28ct Jobelan in Ostara by Chromatic Alchemy; it is one of the fabric of the month. I’m not sure if you will be able to find it in their website as it is a limited edition. Below you will see the June section finished and the whole piece as it stands at the moment.

June 8-17 I finished the F151 section of the 3 Little Words piece by Lizzie Kate. I love this project and all of the materials. I am stitching using DMC floss and 14ct Aida fabric in Oatmeal.This one is stitching up rather quickly. It’s taking me about 7 days to stitch each section and there are 4 left to do. So, in July I’ll see if I can add two sections in my rotation. Therefore, I am estimating I will be finish with it by the end of August.Below, you’ll see section F155 and the whole piece as it stands right now.

Next, I started a new piece. It is a Dimensions kit called “He Spoke”. It’s a small one and I think I might be giving it away to a friend at work. Below, you’ll see my start and I am planning on stitching on it 5 days next month. So this is how it looks right now:

Aaaaannd I have a FO and a FFO! I finished the piece my mother asked me to stitch for her: Our Lady of Guadalupe by Janlynn. I started this piece 2/20/2017. It is a kit from Janlynn which it came with DMC thread and 14ct off white Aida fabric. I stitched on it on and off throughout 2 years. Honestly, I don’t know how many days it took to finish her as I didn’t keep track but I am done. I used the floss that came in the kit; I was not very happy using the metallic thread from the kit. It was kind of difficult using it. The piece is a full coverage and, I have to say, it’s my first full coverage piece I finish… and I want more. I loved the experience and will definitely do it again. I have a few WIPs that are full coverage. Here is the picture before I finished her and after. The only thing I need to do is stitch my initials.

My FFO is a project that I finished in April (I think). This is a Joan Elliott design which it was a kit and I used everything in it. Except that I made some changes. I entirely changed the lady in it (hair, skin color, sweater color) and the big words at the top. I wish I would’ve wrote down the substitutions but I kind of did this quickly for a co-worker. The frame did not cost me a lot and I thought it was a good fit. Mind you, it is the first time I did the whole framing thing; lacing and all.

Plans: I am in the mood of stitching on pieces I haven’t touched in a long time. Therefore, next month I am following Stephanie’s rotation (MsOhsewcrafty) and stitch on 8 pieces in July. The rotation is as follows:

July 1 – Picnic Ants Coasters by Sharon Pope

July 2-7: Welcome to Pumpkinville – July by Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery

July 6-10: 3 Little Words (F152) by Lizzie Kate

July 11-14: He Spoke by Dimensions

July 13-14: Four Seasons by HAED

July 15-17: Stitch Stash by Rhonda Norrie

July 18-21: Village Canal by Dimensions

July 20-21: Flowers of the Month by Bucilla

The last two weeks of July are still empty and I’m not 100% sure which pieces I’ll choose to work on. I’ll try to remember to write a post for a mid-month update. If not, then I’ll write a full report by the end of the month.

Lastly, I did purchase some stuff. I’m trying to have the whole collection of the Christmas Village by Mill Hill and stitch it in one piece of fabric rather than using the perforated paper that it comes in the kit. I started with the Needlework Shop:

I am also working on getting all of the cottages of the month from Country Cottage Needleworks. I’m up to June.

Then, I also want to have all of the Element Goddesses from Joan Elliott. So far I have Air and now Fire Goddesses:

Also, I’m working on getting all of the Queens from Mirabilia. I have all of them but Spring; which is out of print :(. Some day, I hope I can find it and buy it. However, I’m happy I’m able to find all of the Celtic ladies by Lavender & Lace. So far, I have Noel, Autumn, Winter and now Spring. I’m just missing Summer:

Lastly, I bought some Classic Colorworks and Weeks Dye Works flosses that I needed for the cottage of the month projects, some scissors (you could never have enough scissors… or needleminders!)

By the way, did I mention I’m starting a collection of minders and charts for the TV show Friends? No? Well I am. The above are just some of them. The needleminders are from Needle Attractions in Facebook. I got a few charts too from Etsy. Including this one from RockingHorseCS:

Frankly, this subject about Friends charts and needleminders deserves its own thread. So I’ll go into more detail in a separate post. For now, I think I’ve wrote enough. I’ll try to make these update a twice a month thing rather than just one so the post is not so lengthy.

Happy stitching!

Kass

Yearly SAL: Pumpkin Passport Day 1

So I’ve been looking at the pattern from The Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery from many stitchers and the different way they stitch this project. I’ve wanted to join in the fun but my budget wouldn’t allow it. I finally am in!… and I have A LOT to catch up. January, February, March, and April have to be done before the end of May.

I love traveling. I didn’t know I did until mid June of 2013. Now, I’m making it my goal to stitch anything that has to do with traveling. Pumpkin Passport is one of them. So, here is my first day’s update:

This is the finish piece (up to May; there is a new one each month):

This is what I’ve stitched so far:

So, as you can see, there is a lot to stitch. I’ll be dedicating this piece at least an hour each day during my rotation. My goal is to finish the letters and at start January’s part (which is England) before Tuesday.

WIP Wednesday

A little late but I had to write my WIP Wednesday post. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I haven’t been following my rotation. I did work on Fergie and Fergus which was also the one day SAL for the 24th of April called “Purple Haze”. Purple Haze is a one day SAL, part of Stitch Maynia Facebook group, which we had to stitch using only the color purple.

This was my starting point:

This is where it stands right now:

Not much but there are stitches there. Anyway, that was my WIP Wednesday 🙂

Pink and Blue Flower SAL

Hola again stitchers!

This is my update for my April Showers Bring May Flowers SAL. I had a little bit of an issue with the fabric for Pink Flower: I cut it too short! It was my mistake mainly because I didn’t think of the border. Sometimes my mind takes a vacation and only leaves the excitement I’m feeling at the moment.

So, I will only have one little square left over which is obviously not good! Therefore, I will have to change that border. Don’t know what I will do but I’ll figure it out. I still feel a little bummed though. Anyway, this is how they look like as of today. I got these patterns free when I bought the new DMC colors. I decided to stitch them as part of the April SAL at Stitch Maynia. Pink Flowes is stitched on 14ct ivory aida and started on 3/13/16 and Purple Flower is stitched on 14ct oatmeal aida and started on 4/1/16. I’m almost done with both vases. My next step will be figure out how I’m gonna do the borders.

Advent Animal SAL

Hola stitchers!

So last week I mentioned that I did not like the way Katie Kitty from the Advent Animal SAL came out. This was mainly because of my poor choice of fabric which was white aida. Yesterday I spent almost the whole day trying to decide. I had a blue aida that I chose for another project. So, I swiched fabrics. Now, this SAL will be done in 14ct blue aida (as opposed to 16ct white).

In addition, I changed the border and chose to do a border that a fellow stitcher in the SAL Facebook group designed. It is of a cute little christmas stocking:

This will be the new home for Peter Polar Bear

My intention, once I finish the whole series, will be to make it as a pocket ornament. I will be starting Peter tomorrow.

Gracias for reading! Happy stitching!

Lucy

Fergie and Fergus

This piece is very special for me because I’m stitching this for my daughter who loves foxes. As a matter of fact, she is known as “foxlover” in her pc games community. This project was a freebie from Kinkavel Krosses. When I saw it I immediately thought “I’ve got to stitch this”. I still don’t know whether to turn it into a small pillow or frame it. Either way this cutie of a project is stitching up quickly.

The only thing I’ve got to say is that it has A LOT of pinks and blue! OMG! Lastly, I changed the blue for purple. My daughter loves pinks and purples. Therefore, I’m turning it into mother and daughter foxes 🙂

Fergie and Fergus by Kinkavel Kross

Started on 3/6/16

Stitched on 14ct oatmeal aida

This is what it looks like today.

I have to admit that I got a little bit of a problem with the lining up of the outline of the foxes; they were always off by one or two stitches. But now that all is set now is all free sail. All I have to do is fill up the foxes with their respective colors and think about whether I want to add a border or not. The fox is entirely filled up with either pink or purple with the exception of the tip of the tail, center of the ear, eyebrows, and the little center of the eye which are all in white.

Thanks for reading! Happy stitching!

Lucy

WIP Wednesday! WIP Gallore…

I’ve been a bad blogger lately. I have not posted anything in the last week or so. But I have an excuse: I’ve been stitching up a storm. I’ve started three new projects and worked on my current WIP rotation. In addition, I was dealing with the flu; I’m all better now.

The pieces that I’ve been working on are all a joy to stitch. The first one is Candy Cane Basket. I didn’t share this with you but I’m planning on making Christmas ornament for my new apartment. I’m planning on getting my own apartment soon and, unlike my previous apartment, I’m planning on decorating it with lots of pretty things. My Christmas tree will be making an appearance and most of the decorations will be from cross stitch ornaments that I want to make. (I’m rambling, sorry.) Well, here is the piece:

Candy Cane Basket

Started: 3/13/16

Stitched on 18ct white aida

Update as of today

So, as you can see, I’ve added the bow to the basket. My next thing to do is stitch the whole basket and then have a starting point on the greenery.

My next piece was Do not Interrupt me by Kinkavel Kross. Not sure what I will be doing with it after I’m done but it sure will be either a little hanging pillow or just frame it to decorate my little stitching spot in my apartment.

Do not interrupt me by Kinkavel Kross

Started on 3/4/16

Stitched on 14ct white aida

Update as of today

As you can see, there are more words and I started the vine border. I’m planing on finishing the border first before I finish the piece off with the rest of the letters. So this will be stitched up quickly.

The next piece I worked on was Nativity by MCG Textiles; another Christmas ornament for my tree.

Nativity by MCG Textiles

Started on 2/29/16

Stitched on 18ct white aida

Update as of today

As you can see, I started up with a little blop but now you can note what it seems to be the little nativity house. I’m planing on finishing it up and keep stitching the little girl’s dress in my next rotation. Also, this kit came with the little plastic square that would finish off the ornament. Well, I lost it. Can’t remember where I put it. So, I think I will be finish it off differently. I will share my idea when the time comes.

As I mentioned earlier, I have three new starts. But I will write a new post about it.

Thanks for reading! Happy stitching!

Lucy