OhSewCrafty

The People’s Choice SAL: Designers

Bella Filipina, aka Aldrin Jay Parilla, is my designer of choice to focus on this year. 

On January 11, I started Bellatrix on Dusk Belfast by Steel City Stitchers, and did 700 stitches.  I'm absolutely loving it, the fabric is perfect IMO, and it will be wonderful to make more progress next week.  She was started for a new Bella Filipina SAL with my friend Becca, also the 2022 Calendar SAL with Semisane Stitchers (FB).  The minimum for the SAL is 40 x 40, which works out to 1600 stitches (if full coverage) and that sounds like a good monthly goal to me.  Maybe I can do more as I finish older WIPs, but if not, 17,200 stitches by the end of the year would be nothing to sneeze at.

Mr. Parilla designs the most incredibly beautiful, detailed ladies, fairies, mermaids, goddesses, etc… even a regal mer-man.  His designs are large but not huge, most fit comfortably on a fat quarter. He also often markets his designs on gorgeous hand dyed fabrics, which I think surely enhances the patterns. 

Here are a few Bella Filipina designs from my stash with fabrics.  King Triton on Sweet Stash Tidal Wave Belfast, Queen Amphrite on Under the Sea Mermaid’s Sea Belfast, and Gaia on Silkweaver Rock Quarry Belfast.  Plus I ordered a few things recently to enhance my Bella stash.  Most of his new releases, intrigue me at the very least, and he is quite prolific with new designs published most months.  His first of the new year is Lakapati, Deity of Fertility and patroness of agriculture.   I think her colors are amazing and I love the grain detail. Picture copyright Bella Filipina designs.

The People’s Choice SAL is hosted by the lovely Jo at Serendipitous Stitching .

2022 WIPocalyse: January Intro

Hello, my name is Stephanie and I'm a longtime stitcher and equal opportuntiy crafter.  I frame all my own stuff, I sew clothes and home decor.  Sometimes I paint, knit, quilt, or engage in other crafts.  Last year was not the greatest for me and I'm carrying quite a few WIPs into the new year.  So those will be the first priority, of course.  Let's get to it!  

Goals 1-4 are those WIPs carried over from the WIPocalypse.  I will finish them this year, I vow!  The projects are Fata dell' Aurora by Passione Ricamo (about 50% done), my oldest WIP Fairy Rain by Joan Elliott (about 75%), second oldest Victorian Carolers by Joanne Aston (95%), and Alice's Adventures SAL by Sarah Butler / Cross Stitcher Magazinze (45%).   As for finish goals, I will try to finish Victorian Carolers and Fairy Rain by Spring, Alice and Aurora by Summer. 

5. Aladdin and the Magic Lamp by Petite Croix de Lucie on Picture this Plus Sand opalescent Belfast only got about 5 days last year, and it's about 60% done.  My goal is to finish this in February, before my son's birthday, February 10th, as gift for him. 

6. Easter Bunny House by Tiny Modernist on Seraphim Peeps opalescent Belfast is about 30% done after 6 days last year.  My goal is to finish this by April, which might be heavy lift.  I definitely want to finish at some point this year, however.  

7. Vixen by Nora Corbett on Picture this Plus opalescent Belfast has a nice start after a few days last year.  These reindeer don't take long and it's my biggest finish goal for January.

8. JCS Ornie SAL.  Well, I don't care for the 2021 Ornaments issue nearly as much as the previous one.  So, I plan to participate sporadically.  My goal is to get 8 ornie finishes, including my 2 current WIPs, Elfie Whoo by Stitchworks (JCS Orn 2016) and Santa Claus is Coming by Historic Handworks (JCS Orn 2020), both on Amber 32 count linen by Wichelt.  Some of my new picks may be from different magazines, or other sources.

9. My old stash new start (Stitch from Stash 2017-22 on FB) will be Santa's Workshop by Jim Shore on Silkweaver (vintage) Green apple opalescent 32 count lugana.  I would like to finish this project by December, it's not too large, about 10 x 12 on 32 count, with a lot of negative space.  

10. Another new start will be Bellatrix by Bella Filipina on Steel City "Dusk" Belfast, along with my friend Becca who is starting another Bella chart.  My goal is to work on this consistently throughout the year, and get at least 24,000 stitches.  We'll see how that close that gets me to finished. 

11. 2 charts that will finish the Glendon Place Halloween panels- Things that Go Bump in the Night and Witches, Werewolves, & Warlocks, both on Picture this Plus Flash Cashel (color discontinued). My goal is to have both finished by September, time to frame by October.

12.  3 charts from the Hands on Designs Scary Apothecary: Cackel Lozenges, Broomstick Fuel, and Skeleton Polish, all on Antique white Belfast (Zweigart).  I Each of these takes about 2-3 days to stitch, and my goal is to have all 3 done by December.

13. Merry Christmas by Nancy Turner / Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe. Well, I've been after this chart for years and I finally got it from Etsy and ordered some Cream Cashel, I think I can find appropriate floss in my stash.  I would like to start & finishby December.

14. Mirabilia TBD, after Vixen is finished, but hopefully this month.  I'm leaning towards a mermaid.  Maybe Lilith or Renaissance Mermaid, but we'll see. The two fabrics below, I ordered with Lilith in mind.  I think the Kelpie (Under the Sea Fabrics) might suit.    

15-22.  8 frame jobs, all of which I have at least some (if not all) materials stashed.  My finishes: the reindeer by Nora Corbett, plus Vixen will go together in one big frame with 4 mat windows.  We Do Disney by StitchArea (Etsy) color converted, Harvest Witch by Stoney Creek, Twilight Bridge and Fall Fairy, both by Dimensions, Castle by Teresa Wentzler, Celtic Winter by Lavendar & Lace color converted, Winnie the Pooh by MCG Textiles.  My first goal is actually Celtic Winter since I want to hang her on the wall after I take down Celtic Christmas this week. All the materials are set aside, and I'm excited, she will be gorgeous. 

Now, for my January Plans.  I will tell you, I started the month off with a bang with 1k+ on Easter Bunny House.  The miracle of backstitch, it's coming out so cute and i've worked almost half down the chart (though the bottom half has more coverage.)

•1k each on Fairy Rain, Alice, Aladdin, Easter Bunny House, Bellatrix, and Santa's Workshop (new starts).  Or 2k, if the mood strikes.

•500 each on Frosty and Noel Angel, Things that Go Bump (new starts), & Elfie Whoo (finish)

•Finish Vixen and Victorian Carolers

Happy Stitching

December WIPocalypse: Yearly Wrap up

Hello, friends!  Time for my yearly wrap up.  Let's review my WIPocalypse goals first, then I'll discuss my stitchy year overall.

1. Toy Story 2 Cast by Debbie Minton on Silkweaver Lapis Lazuli Cashel was finished June 17, after about 12 days effort this year.  Some of those days were very long, however.  The single color blocks were handy for timed challenges; I could get 400 st in an hour easily.  I even framed it!  

2. Gryphon by Riolis, on pre-printed Zweigart 14 count aida was finished April 22, with about 7 days effort.  This piece is so cool, I almost wish Riolis would release another mythical creature on the gorgeous background, but I probably have enough already in my stash.

3. Fairy of the Wind by Joan Elliott on Colour & Cotton Hearth Belfast had about 8 (long) days of love this year, and sadly was not finished. So, that goal was not met.  I'll certainly try to get her done in the early part of next year, I’m onto the last pages at least.

4. Victorian Carolers by Joanne Aston / Cross Stitch Gold October 2016 on 34 count cream linen had about 16 days of effort and unfortunately I have stalled on the backstitching.  Normally I backstitch as I go to some extent, but with this piece, it's not large, and I miscalculated the effort required.   Well, there are 8 colors of backstitching, (of which I have worked with 6), plus french knots in 3 colors left to do.  And I certainly failed to appreciate the fact that much of the backstitching is over 1 thread, in the middle of the stitches, etc.  On 34 count, this is fairly miserable. So, this will be another goal for 2022.

5. Cupid by Nora Corbett on Picture this Plus Pewter opalescent Belfast was finished February 24, with about 4 days effort.  My pentultimate reindeer!  

6. Alice in Wonderland by Amanda Butler, Cross Stitcher Magazine (2020) on Colour & Cotton Biscotti Cashel, was a new start in January, and unfortunately I fell way short of my finishing goal.  It's about a bit less than 1/2 done.  I love the look of this piece, but it's probably my least favorite WIP, it's just so fiddly with all the backstitching and color changes.  So, another carryover wip for next year.

7. Stargazer by Mirabilia on Hand Dyed by Stephanie Winter Solstice Belfast was started in January and finished December 31, after 16 (long) days of love.  Believe it or not, she stitches quickly for a Mira. A finish post with more pics and details is forthcoming. 

8. Fata dell' Aurora by Passione Ricamo on Silkweaver (vintage) Porcelein Belfast was also a new year start, my goal was to get it at least halfway.  I suppose that goal is met.  That voluminous skirt needs finishing, then stitch her wings, hair, face, also the grass, mountain ranges, sunrise, etc, but the backgroud isn't too extensive.  Another carryover WIP. I do really love this design and it's a joy to stitch.

9. Just Cross Stitch Ornaments SAL, I managed to finish 11/12 throughout the year, spending around 15 days on the 12 (1 is unfinished).   Clockwise from top left: Love on ice by Danielle van Nuys, Chris-lolly by Sharlotte DeVere, Santa Claus by Autumn Lane Stitchery, Guiding Star by Katrina King, My Friendly Gnome by Ursula Michael, Juggling Snow by Frony Ritter, Pointsettia by Punochka, & Vintage Angel by Tiny Modernist. In the middle: Caroling Friends by Carolyn Manning and Polar Bear by Natalia Luneva. My favorite is probably Golden Filigree by Arlene Cohen / Works by ABC on Ruby Wine Belfast by Zweigart (below) She has the most lovely, delicate and detailed designs.  

10. Glendon Place Halloween Panels by Cheryl Granda, I started (and finished) 2 of the 4 on the Picture this Plus Flash Cashel, requiring about 10 days overall.  These aren't exactly heavy lifts, but I spent weeks and months without touching my projects, this year.

11. Alphabet Inspirations by A Fox Originals / Mary Fox Bluge on Picture this Plus Vellum Cashel was started in January and finished December 19, with about 11 days.  I was happy to complete the Alpha-my-Bet SAL with Semisane Stitchers.

12. Large Halloween piece, nope.  I'd like to finish those Glendon Place panels first, plus I have another series on the go (see below).

13. Large Christmas piece, nada.  I'd like to have Victorian Carolers finished first.

14. Scary Apothecary by Hands on Designs on Antique White Belfast.  I started (and finished) only 1 of the 3 planned.  So, short on that goal too.  But at least I stitched Bitter Brew, gave it 2.5 Days.

15. Vixen by Nora Corbett on Picture this Plus opalescent Belfast was started May 22 and 1.5 days, has a decent start.  

16-21 were framing jobs (I do my own). Well, I framed 5 and crafted 2 ornaments which involved lacing and/or sewing, so I'll call that goal met.  Clockwise from top left: Father Christmas by Sandy Orton, Gingerbread Grove by Glendon Place, Boo Club by Lizzie Kate, Cathedral Woods Goddess by Mirabilia, Snowman Mitten by Ursula Michael, the Lord’s Prayer by Stoney Creek, plus (at center) Toys Ornie by Better H&G CS Xmas “Timeless Treasures”.

So my overall goal was 200 k stitches and 25 finishes, 12 ornies and 13 larger.  Well I got 19 finishes (11 ornies and 8 larger).  I definitely fell short on the stitch count goal, though I can't say precisely, since after I lost my stitchy bug in June, sporadically I did feel the desire to stitch (and worked on a few projects, at least), but I didn't count my stitches.  (I have recently begun counting again).  

 Yeah, so I fell of the wagon big time.  I stitched 143 days, or 39%, mostly from January - June.   2021 was not the greatest year for me; started with injury and ended with illness.  I slept way too many hours, consumed excessive calories, and was generally not a happy camper for a significant chunk of it.  Living through a pandemic isn't so peachy, eh.  I started feeling better about a week before Halloween when I made an effort to be more active, eat less, and pounds started to drop. 

As for what I learned about stitching this year (November's Question of the Month) I came to appreciate there is a line when it comes to competitive stitching, timed challenges etc.  Some structure is good, weekly and monthly goals keep me on track, and I enjoy matching my projects to prompts. But I don't enjoy feeling compelled to crank out 1-2 k / day for my team, and having my rotation biased to those projects that stitch up quickly.  So I don't think I'll be doing those sort of stitchy war games anymore. It's just not my cup of tea. 

So, my stitchy bug is definitely revived (recently) and I have big plans for next year, both with my WIPs and planned new starts.  Please come back & read my upcoming post for the beginning of WIPocalyse 2022.  

Thanks for reading and your support all through the year.  The stitchy community is the best!  

Happy New Year!

Stitching HD: Alphabet Inspirations

• Pattern: A. Fox Originals / Mary Fox Bluge 
• Materials: Vellum Cashel (Picture this Plus), DMC 3802, Threadworx "Purple Ash"
• Size: 9.25" x 13.5"
• Time to stitch: 11 days since January 2021

Presenting my 2021 alphabet sampler stitch (and possibly the only one I'll ever do; stitching the alphabet isn't really my thing)

The pattern is easy enough to follow, though printed quite small and it was easier to see all the tiny quarter stitches with an enlarged working copy. I love all the phrases, inspirational, indeed.  There is a lot of backstitching, every letter and the boxes around the capitals.  

As for the materials, I chose my favorite hand dyed neutral, Vellum, by PTP.  It looks like aged paper and is a dream to stitch on.  I opted for 28 count so the words wouldn't be too small.  As for the floss colors, I chose my own.  A subtley variegated grey/maroon hand dyed by Threadworx, which Brittany Blimey Cat gave me, for the capitals and their boxes, and coordinating "aubergine mauve" DMC for the rest.  

The colors were chosen with respect to my rich red dining room walls.  This will definitely be a framing priority for 2022.

I stitched this as part of the Alpha-my-Bet SAL with Semisane Stitchers (FB).  I didn't fancy hauling this out every 2 weeks for each letter, considering each one only took around 2 hours, so I tended to work on it in chunks.  I'm happy to have it finished this year, in any case.  

2021 WIPocalypse: June, July

So it's summertime for a few more weeks at least.  It's been about 2 months since my last post, but my stitchy bug was dormant all the while.  WIPocalypse is a super flexible SAL, thankfully.  Anyway, June started with Victorian Carolers.  I gave it 3.5 days overall and 2,104 stitches.  

Alice in Wonderland came out to play and got some good effort.  First, I completed the cross stitch on the Mad Hatter and finished the panel with backstitch and borders.  Then, I started working on the hookah smoking caterpillar (my own design, based on Tenniel).  Ultimately, it was 3 days and 1,489 stitches (backstitch counted as half).

Aladdin got a little love, less than a day and 500 stitches.  Aladdin is starting to appear, but his head will be huge (Chibi style).

I worked on Toy Story Cast quite a lot (3 days & 1,473 stitches), and got a finish!Stargazer got some love, about 2 days and 1,532 stitches, and she's ready for beading!  I did a hair conversion because the dark brown as charted wouldn't pop on my fabric.  I did a slight conversion on the bodice as well, it's still dark grey, just a slightly different shade that contrasts more against the fabric. 

Easter Bunny House got a fair amount of time, a day and 958 stitches, for some extra credit with Enchanted Stitching (FB group).

Bats Bugs came out late one evening and I did 440 stitches to finish it.

Fairy of the Rain was another focus piece with a 2 k goal, which I knocked out with 2.6 k over a few days.  Alas, not enough to finish, not even close.  

Fata dell' Aurora had a nice long day of attention, 824 stitches added.

Last by not least, I gave about 2 days to my beloved little ornies, 873 total stitches and both are finished.  June and July ornies for the JCS SAL (wildcards).  Polar Bear by Natalia Luneva / JCS Ornaments 2020 on Winter Soltice Belfast from Hand Dyed Fabric by Steph.  

Snowman & Friends by Carolyn Mannning / JCS Ornaments 2020 on Sea Spray 32 count linen (Wichelt).  

June Question of the month: Half Year Recap.  

1. Toy Story Cast is finished as of June 17.  Yay!

2. Riolis Gryphon- finished in April

3. Fairy of the Rain- goal to finish in June.  Nope, not yet.  She's at least half done! (pic above) 

4. Victorian Carolers- goal to finish in July.  Nope, didn't happen.  December is a feasible finish date though. The bottom area needs filling in, then backstitch the whole thing.  I'm hoping the backstitch won't be too bad, it's mostly the people and some of the architectural details.  (pic above).

5.  Cupid Reindeer- finished in February
6. Alice SAL-goal to finish in December.  Well, it's almost half done.  And my self charted hookah smoking caterpillar worked out great (though it still needs backstitch), which has renewed my confidence in the piece.  I won't be stitching the Duchess, she's fairly grotesque in my opinion, which I know is sort of the point, but I'd rather have the caterpillar.  There are only three other large pieces left in my rotation with significant stitching to do, so maybe I can spend more time with Alice. (pic above)

7.  Stargazer- goal to finish in December.  I'll probably finish her a lot sooner.  She's all ready for beading!  I made her a red head.  Lord Libidan is a great resource for skin (and hair) conversions.  (pic above)

8. Fata dell' Aurora- goal is 50%. I'm fairly confident about reaching that. (pic above)  

9. JCS Ornament SAL , 12 throughout year.  I'm keeping up, assuming I can finish my August ornie within the next two weeks.  

10.Glendon Place Halloween panels, finish by October.  Well, I have finished 2, so perhaps I'd better pick up the pace a little.

11. Alphabet Inspirations, finish by December.  I'm behind schedule, but it shoudn't be hard to catch up within the next few weeks.  This one is not a heavy lift.

12. Large Halloween piece, TBD.  Well, it's still TBD.  Maybe inspiration will strike when Halloween is closer.

13. Large Christmas piece, TBD.  I'm leaning towards Father Christmas by Joan Elliott, but I need to floss toss.

14. Scary Apothecary, 3 pieces. Only one is finished so far, but these are pretty quick stitches so I should be able to do 2 more.

15. Vixen, goal to finish and frame by December.  It's started and I should be able to do that.  (pic above)

Goals 16-21, Framing of TW Castle, Celtic Winter, Winnie the Pooh, Lord's Prayer, Boo Club, Charmed Santa.  I haven't framed anything so far this year, oops.  But last December, I framed several pieces.  I should be able to do the same this year since we're still dealing with the pandemic and holiday celebrations will be at home.

July Question: Have you ever attended a stitching retreat? If so, tell us about your experiences.

I've attended about 8 or so since my baby was 2 (2016).  They are so fun, a great way to meet new friends, get inspired, enhance your stash, and stitch to your heart's content.  I really miss retreats; I was registered for two in 2020 which were both cancelled and my local retreat (StitchFest) is not happening this year, either. Even if it were, I wouldn't attend unless everyone in my house were vaccinated (kiddo is too young).

As for the next few weeks, my August goals include:

•Finish Chris-lolly (JCS ornie SAL)

•Catch up Alphabet Inspirations (L,M,N,O,P,Q,R)

•Stitch 2k on Victorian Carolers and/or Fairy Rain, and/or Alice SAL.  

Happy Stitching  

Stitching HD: Toy Story 2 Cast

• Pattern/kit designed by Debbie Minton
• Materials: 28 count Cashel "Lapis Lazuli" by Silkweaver, DMC, Kreinik
• Size: 21.5" wide x 8.5" tall
• Time to stitch: 30 days since January 2020

Presenting a massive BAP finish, which I stitched for my darling child (currently 7 years old)!  

The pattern is fine, though I do think it has a little errata.  Specifically Bo Peep's skin was charted as white, which is wrong.  She's not a ghost; I used 3773 for her skin.  Other than that, the pattern is quite large, very detailed, with tons of backstitch and a sprinkling of french knots (for eyes).  The color selection is quite extensive though it does involve a lot of single color "block" stitching.  Backstitching is mostly black, but several different colors are used for various details. 

As for materials, I used evenweave (linen) instead of Aida, which I would highly recommend considering the number of quarter stitches and other stitches, which "should" have been charted as fractional.  I added in my own fractionals as I went along to stay within the backstitch lines.  The Lapis Lazuli linen is a very pretty variegated blue, kind of a nice sky effect which I think it's perfect for Toy Story.  One substitution I made was the backstitching for Slinky Dog's wire, is charted for two strands of dark grey and I opted to use a dark grey Kreinik #4 braid instead, double stranded.  It is kind of bulky but I think it looks right, the slinky part of the toy is fairly thick.  Yes, I do have a Slinky Dog toy in my house for reference.  My kiddo has a whole assortment of Toy Story characters, he truly loves the franchise; which I why I undertook this huge project.  

I really love all the detail in the chart, and the personality of all the characters.  The Potato Head couple is really cute, leaning together for a little tête-à-tête.  Bo Peep is so lovely and serene with her blue staff.  Rex the Dinosaur's diffidence comes through with his diagonal pose and folded hands.  

Woody and Buzz  are, of course, the heart of the story and I like that they are standing together.  Woody has his leather hat, sheriff badge, cowhide vest, holster, boots, and spurs- so much detail for the Sheriff!  Buzz's space suit is awesome and I love the shadow effect inside his clear helmet. The alien is super cute and welcoming and Agent Zurg is suitably foreboding.  Slinky Dog has his mouth open, panting, as dogs do.

The Kreinik is pretty cool effect for the Slinky. Jessie has a sweet pose with one hand on her hip, next to her horse, Bullseye.  Stinky Pete is adorably rotund with his silver pickaxe, of course .  Finally, Hamm the Piggy / Evil Dr. Pork Chop, his penny slot is just too cute, but wow, that was a lot of pink!    I did personalize the project for my son, over 1, below the Slinky.

Overall I'm really pleased with the project and kind of amazed with the 30 day total time, it seemed like longer.  Perhaps I should note some of those were long stitchy days, this project definitely leant itself to timed stitchy challenges.  With the large areas of single color, I could knock out 600 stitches or so relatively quickly.  This is probably my first and last of this style.  I'll stitch more Disney, but maybe more stylized designs like the Chibi ones by Petite Croix de Lucie, or Thomas Kinakade Art of Disney.  

2021 WIPocalypse: May

Long time no chat!  I skipped the April check in because I stitched very minimally that month, about 3k total.  May was much better, I managed to stitch 23/31 days and got over 19k in all.  Here's hoping June will be better still.  

My Bats Bugs project was up first.  I gave it 1 day and 1,047 stitches.  All the regular cross is now finished, plus backstitching on two of the creatures, and borders on 3 of 4 sides.  It won't take too much more to finish it up.

Toy Story Cast had a 2k goal for May.  I surpassed that, with 2,258 over 3 days.  I worked exclusively on the left side, finished the potato head couple, stitched Bo Beep, and started backstitching Rex.  It's definitely a finish goal for June.

Stargazer came out to play early in the month, since I had a goal of 5,423 stitches for the Needleworker Sweep event with Semi sane Stitchers.  Well, it took over 5 days, but I managed to finish on the 11th hour.  The skirt is all finished except for a few random stitches, and the beading of course.  

Alice was another lofty goal, sadly I must admit I've gotten behind, not keeping up with a panel per month.  On the bright side, I finished the "Drink me" panel with border and backstitch, and the "Tweedle twins" as well, almost.  I gave it 3 days of attention, and 1,626 stitches.  

Victorian Carolers came out for 1.5 days, and got 825 stitches, working on the bottom from the left side.  This project seems kind of never ending.  It doesn't help that there is a ton of negative space at the bottom, that I don't want to leave empty since my fabric isn't white.  (it's ecru).  I might use petite treasure braid, pb10, to give it a little snowy sparkle.  Or maybe just DMC blanc.  If you have an opinion on this matter, please leave a comment below.

I got a nice chunk of progress on Alphabet Inspirations, 553 stitches and only 1/2 a day, to stitch "Joyfully give" and "Keep Promises".  So I am keeping up with the Semi sane Alpha-my-bet SAL.  

Rain Fairy was another big goal.  It took 2 days to get 3,261 stitches.  She does stitch quickly, though the dress is voluminous, especially the bottom.  I finished all the puddle, too.   

Aladdin had 1 day of love, 704 stitches.  I worked on the genie's tale, the magic lamp, and started Aladdin's pants.  This piece isn't large, and I would like to have it finished for Christmas, as a present for my son. 

So it was last official Stitch Maynia, and I wanted to touch all my projects and make a few new starts.  Both Fata dell' Aurora and Easter Bunny House got a little attention, 1/2 day each, 501 and 300 stitches, respectively.  Actually, a bit more on Easter Bunny House since I worked on it June 1st too, an additional 250 st.

My new start was Vixen by Nora Corbett.  He got 1.5 days progress and 853 stitches.  This is my last Reindeer!  The end of an era.  It will be nice to have to full set up on the wall.  

As for all my little ornies, I did finish My Friendly Gnome by Ursula Michael Designs / Just Cross Stitch ornaments 2020 for the May JCS Ornie SAL, stitched on 32 count white opal Belfast (center).  It took 1/2 day and 372 stitches.  Polar Bear (top center) and Snowman & Friends (bottom center) also got some love, 250 and 403 stitches, respectively.  Then I made several new starts.  From the top left, clockwise: Chris-lolly by The Queen Stitch on 32 white opal Belfast. Golden Filigree by Works by ABC on Ruby Wine Belfast, which is almost done after ~670 stitches.  Santa Claus is Coming to Town by Historic Handworks, and Elfie Whoo by the Stitchworks, both on 32 count Amber linen (Wichelt).  All the ornies are from JCS Ornaments 2020, except for Elfie Whoo, which will be my son's 2021 ornie and is from the JCS Ornaments 2015.

So that was 17 projects in all that I touched in May!  Quite a successful Maynia overall, I'd say.  

Question of the month: What was the first project you ever stitched?  I cannot say, it was too long ago!  I have a vague memory of plastic canvas tissue holders and stuff like that, that I worked with big plastic yarn needle and yarn (tent stitch), when I was around 3.  As for cross stitching, I remember a Hummel boy and girl, under an umbrella, that I finished for my grandmother when I was elementary age, but that surely wasn't my first project.  

Now for my June goals

•Finish Toy Story Cast (mostly backstitch, plus a few more cross stitches to do on Hamm)

•Finish Polar Bear ornie for JCS SAL (wildcard for June)

•Rain Fairy, Alice in Wonderland SAL, Victorian Carolers, and Stargazer: 2 k each

•Alphabet Inspirations L & M

Happy Stitching 

Stitching HD: Gryphon

• Pattern: kit by Riolis (0078 PT)
• Materials: Pre printed Zweigart 14 count Aida, Anchor floss as kitted, Kreinik
• Size: 16" x 12"
• Time to stitch: 20 days since May 2020

Another member of my magical menagerie is finished!  

This is my second kit by Riolis and I knew what to expect (in terms of the colorful chart not matching the floss colors) but it was still a little challenging at times.  This chart has so many shades of brown, and really nice shading overall.  There is also a significant amount of backstitching, in 3 colors.  I substituted Kreinik for the backstitching, like I did on the Phoenix (another kit from this series).  

The materials as kitted are fine.  I find Anchor floss to be a little "fluffier" than DMC, no problem as long as I cut my lengths a bit shorter.  Some of the threads are very close in color.  I had to frog a few times, but still ended up with tons of floss leftover.  The background design, printed on the aida, is really beautiful.  I love the majestic snow capped mountains.  I decided to swap in Kreinik for the backstitching because I thought he could use a litttle sparkle, being a fantastical creature.  The backstitching was in white, brown, and black/brown. The colors I used are: 5555 (Oyster), 215c (Antique copper), and 010 (Steel Grey), #4 and #8 braid.  

I like the shadow under the gryphon; it's a nice touch.  The way the gryphon grips the edge of the promontory, with one claw lifted is interesting. It's like an action shot.   The wings are massive, as they would need to be to lift the lion body, and nicely detailed.

For awhile it seemed like Riolis was publishing one of these magical creatures, on the pre printed background, annually.  This year, the new kit is a couple frogs, very nice image but not magical.  Oh well, I still want to stitch their white stag on the Aurora Borealis, perhaps not fantastical, but it does remind me of Harry Potter's patronus.  

2021 WIPocalypse: March

March was kind of a strange stitchy month.  I did lots of stitching on some days, but other days, none at all.  However, I did manage to address most of my goals and the month isn't over yet.  A few stitchy activities disrupted my plans a little, March Madness, (tournament of WIPs), and Master Stitch, a color code stitchy game with Semisane (FB).  

My first goal was to finish Bats Bugs; I switched things around a bit and finished Goblins Ghosts instead.  The 2 projects got 2 days of love between them, 2,125 stitches for Goblins Ghosts & 404 on Bats Bugs.  These pics aren't great, the fabric is much brighter orange and prettier IRL; I'll get some daylight pics when I do a finish post.

I gave 1/2 of a (long) stitchy day to Alphabet Inspirations, and stitched the E "Establish friendships" and F "Forgive", 600 stitches. 

So I'm keeping up with the Semisane Alpha-my-bet SAL, for the most part.  This project is a little boring, but it does go quickly.

I worked on the Alice SAL quite a lot, 4.5 days and 1400 stitches, but it wasn't enough to finish the top row.  

I did finish the backstitching on the Alice under stairs panel, I worked on the borders and did the backstitching for I'm Late (except metallics), and finished the cross stitch inside the "Drink me" panel.  This project is awfully fiddly, and it requires a certain level of patience that was not in abundance this month.  

My goal for Toy Story Cast was 2k and I blew that out of the water, actually.  I gave it almost 3 days, and over 3,500 stitches.  

The cross stitching was on Stinky Pete the Prospector, Hamm the piggy bank, Mrs. Potato Head, and a little start on Mr. Potato Head.  As for the backstitching, I started with Round Up (the horse), then Slinky Dog, Jessie and a little bit on Stinky Pete.  I'm quite enamored with it, the backstitching really makes it pop.  

Stargazer was also a 2k goal, and it took almost 2 days and until the end of the month, to get about 2200 stitches.  

I worked on the skirt and reached the right (front) edge.  This project stitches quickly with long bands of color and I adore how she looks on the inky blue fabric.  She's definitely a favorite!  

Another goal I set out in February was 1k on Broomstitck Fuel (a new start).  I opted instead for Bitter Brew (from the same series).  I gave it about 1.5 days and almost 1,500 stitches.

It was a great start and there's not too many more regular cross stitches to do. It will be fun to finish it next month with the Kreinik.  

Another project that recieved a lot of love is Rain Fairy by Joan Elliott.  Over 1.5 days, she got about 2,400 stitches.  

I worked on the skirt, stitching down towards the bottom, all the way to the puddle she's standing in.  I didn't stitch any of the water though.

Victorian Carolers also received considerable attention, mostly because it won every round in the March Madness tournament (a friend chose the winners).  Overall, it got about 3 days and 1600 stitches.

So after Round 3, it's the ultimate winner and I need to do another 1600 stitches for Round 4.  However, there's only 3 days left in March, and I've got other things I want to stitch on, so we're going to have an overtime round.  Why not?  It happens all the time in sports.  

I have a small update to share on Easter Bunny House, 1.5 days love and 500 stitches.
I worked on the attic level, the roof, the window, and started filling in the 3rd floor.  Most of the stitches are on the bunny; he looks a little creepy without eyes.  

Besides those larger pieces, I worked several ornaments including new starts.  I even finished one!  At top left is my finish, Guiding Star by Threaded Dream Studio / Katrina King.  This month, I gave it 1/2 a day and about 500 stitches.  Overall it took 1.5 days, stitched on 32 count opalescent Belfast in Sand by Picture this Plus.  Continuing around clockwise: Snowman & Friend by Carolyn Manning, less than 1 day and 500 stitches (new start). Just below is the Gnome by Ursula Michael Designs, I gave it 3/4 of a day and 547 stitches (new start).  Next is O Christmas Tree by Lisa LeAnn Designs, 1/4 day and 336 stitches (new start).  I don't like it this big (on 28 count) so I need to restart on 18 count aida, like the model is stitched on (or 36 count).  Last but not least is Polar Bear by Natalia Luneva, I gave it 1/4 day and 659 stitches.  It's coming along well, still needs a little detail on the bear's head and the background.  All charts are from JCS Ornaments 2020.

Question of the Month: Are you a OOAT or a rotation stitcher? Well, how many projects are in this blog post?  Rotation stitcher, obviously.  I try to set out goals in advance, but inevitably I work on more projects as challenges arise.  For example, this month, in the WIPGO group, one of the boxes called for March is JCS ornies 5,6,7,8.  So I made some new ornies starts (in the collage above).   Once upon a time, when I was a worker bee, I worked on a single project for a few months at least, until I saw significant progress and/or got sick of it.  But now, I have more stitchy time and I've tried the monogamous thing, like for Maynia last year. Quickly it got boring and my productivity tanked.

Overall March was a good stitchy month, I expect to get over 20k in the end, which I'm pleased with considering life events that squashed my stitchy bug on some days.

Now for April goals:

•Gryphon and Bitter Brew (finish)

•Alphabet Inspiration: G, H, and I (start & finish)

•Alice "Drink Me" and "Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee" panels or 2k stitches

•Stargazer 4k stitches

•Toy Story & Rain Fairy, 2 k each

•Victorian Carolers & Bats Bugs, 1 k each

Happy Stitching

 

Stitching HD: Comet

• Pattern by Nora Corbett
• Materials: Pewter Opalescent Belfast by Picture this Plus; DMC, Kreinik, Wisper, Mill Hill & Swarovski 
• Size: 5" x 7"
• Time to stitch: 8 days since December 2020

Presenting my penultimate reindeer!  

The pattern is fine, easy to stitch and less fussy than some of the reindeer with minimal backstitch and the Kreinik used in blocks and sections.  I like the flying pose and the beaded reins are cool, but most of the other reindeer don't have reins so maybe it's a bit odd.  The antlers crowned with garland are majestic.

 The bird is a nice touch, carrying holly vines in its mouth.  The name at the bottom is my modification.  

As for materials, I used the same fabric as all the others.  Pewter is rather light, but it does work for the series and the opalescent sparkle is fun.  The beads are Mil Hill Magnifica, in 2 colors, the orange (used only for the reins) is different and vibrant.  For the treasures, I purchased Swarovski Margaritas in a dark red color (much cheaper than the Mill Hill ones), attached with one of the red Magnifica beads, and I think they look perfect on the pink/red harness.  

I'm quite pleased with Cupid and I look forward to arranging him with the others, hopefully this year.  The last one to stitch is Vixen and I hope stitch it this year.  Now my WIP count is down to 14, including two ornies, and Stargazer remains my only Nora WIP, which is cool.  I started a bunch of things in January and I'm hoping for several more finishes by midyear or so.