OhSewCrafty

2018 WIPocalypse: Intro & Plans

Hello, my name is Stephanie, aka Ms. OhSewCrafty on Youtube & Instagram (@msohsewcrafty).  My main goal for 2018 is to finish projects in a timely fashion and make new starts only when they are justified by finishes.  I do have a hefty list of goals (18 in 18) so without further adieu...

Goal No. 1 involves my oldest WIP, Maiden & Unicorn by Vermillion, which was started over 10 years ago... egads!  I tried to finish her in 2017 and got close, but did not have the stitchy time I anticipated in December.  I would like to finish her this month (she is almost done as you can see).

Goal No. 2 involves my second oldest WIP, Fall Fairy by Dimenions Gold, which I started about 3 years ago.  Hopefully I can work on her throughout the year and finish when she's seasonal, in the Fall.

Goal No. 3 is King Arthur's Court by DMC, which I started last January.  It's high time to finish; my plan is to focus effort early in the year.

Gold No. 4 is Water Goddess by Joan Elliott, which I made a tiny start on last August.  I would like to finish (the last of the elemental series, hurrah!) and start another big JE piece.

Goal No. 5 is Enchanted Mermaid by Mirabilia, which I started last November.  I would love to finish her and start another big Mira like Stargazer.

Goal No. 6 is Trick or Treat Fairy by Nora Corbett, started last October.  I would love to finish her and start another witchy project.

Goal No. 7 is Bright and Beautiful by Leslie Teare, started last May.  I should be able to finish this small piece in the appropriate season, Spring.

Goal No.8 is Charmed Santa by Sandy Orton, which I started last May.  This piece is full coverage and confetti-tastic, but it's not huge.  I hope I can finish by Christmas.

Goal No. 9 is Winnie the Pooh by MCG Textiles, fabric and floss substitution from kit, started last April.  My goal is to stitch 1,680 stitches per month, which represents two columns, from top to midline, or midline to bottom (20,160 stitches).  That will not be quite enough to finish, but I'm comfortable with the pace.

Goal No. 10 is Lizzie Kate Boo Club, which will be started in January.  My plan is stitch 1 word per month and share it on Jo's Halloween Ornie Blog (link).  

Goal No. 11 is my Mill Hill Christmas Village, specially the General Store, Cathedral, Village Bakery, and Needlework Shop.  I will work on each one with a goal for quarterly finishes.  All will be started in January.

Goal No. 12 involves new starts, specifically The Lord's Prayer by Stoney Creek and Spooky House by X's and Oh's. Both are finish goals, but Spooky House is pretty solid stitching with lots of fractionals & blends and Stoney Creek patterns are not be trifled with, lol.  Other possible starts are posted here.

Goal No. 13 is knitting- Old WIPs and a new summer sweater are my goals.  The Cotillion Shell is stashed & ready... (photo credit to Tahki Stacey Charles)

Goal No. 14 is sewing- garments.  Costumes, pajamas, holiday outfits, whatever.  I want to sew more.

Goal No. 15 is felt appliqué.  I've got ornaments and several larger kits for various holidays, I'd like to finish at least one large kit.

Goal No. 16 is home dec crafts.... I've got plenty of ideas (and a few undone projects) rattling around, time to finish stuff.

Goal No. 17 is painting (my kitchen).  I have some touch ups and special touches to add to my DIY kitchen that I renovated a few years back.

Goal No. 18 is framing.  I want to frame several projects, work through most of my framing stash, and especially frame Celtic Autumn, the Spirit of Christmas, Siren & Shipwreck, Toil & Trouble, Castle by TW, Midsummer Night Fairy, & Titania.  That is a hefty list and though I frame myself, and save a bundle on costs, it's still not exactly cheap since I order custom frames, buy acid free mats (which I cut myself), etc. However, if I stick with my focus on WIPs, I should save money on stash purchases, and it will work out.  

This is a hefty list and I'm seeking greater balance this year, more time dedicated to fitness & health, so wish me luck!  

 

2017 WIPocalypse: Intro & Plans

Hello, my name is Stephanie aka Ms. OhSewCrafty and I'm an incorrigible crafter.  Name any craft, I've probably tried it, but cross stitching is my enduring love.  2016 was my year of starts.  This year, though I will certainly make some starts, the focus will be on WIPs.  It is in fact, the Year of WIPs (Soulful Stitchers FB group).  Here are are my WIPocalypse goals.

Project 1.  Maiden & Unicorn by Vermillion, started in 2007, resurrected from UFO pile in 2016.  50% complete.  The goal is to finish.  (Spoiler alert: finishing everything is the goal!)

Project 2.  Snowman & Friends Stocking by Dimensions, started in 2014.  Currently a UFO though I did work on a bit in 2016 (a few hours).  Goal is to finish and sew into stocking by December 1.  As a subgoal, take apart my other cross stitch stockings and refinish in a way that befits their splendor.

Project 3.The Castle by Teresa Wenztler, started in 2015. 70% complete.  Finishing is the goal.  Starting Fantasy Triptych would be a bonus.

Project 4.  Fall Fairy by Dimensions Gold, started in 2015, 5% complete, currently a UFO.  I want to finish this one, too.  There's a long way to go but a significant portion is tent stitch.

Project 5. Summer Bellpull by Stoney Creek, started in 2016.  80% complete.  The goal is to finish and sew into bellpull by June 1.

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Project 6.  Earth Goddess by Joan Elliott, started in 2016.  65% complete.  Finishing by July 1 is the goal.  Starting Water Goddess would be a bonus.

 

Project 7.  Aphrodite by Mirabilia, started in 2016.  45% complete.  I want to finish.  Starting another mermaid would be a bonus.

Project 8. New starts, especially King Arthur's Court, Titania by Mirabilia, and Fire Goddess by Joan Elliott.  I want to finish those.  I also want to try some new to me designers this year, like Sue Hillis, Ink Circles, Glendon Place, and Passione Ricamo.  For these, progress is the goal.

Project 9.  Handknits: several knitting projects need finishing, or the very minimum photography & blogging.  These include Ruched yoke tee, Baudelaire jacket, Retro jacket by Classic Elite, Frost Tapestry set (cowl & mittens), and Kingscot cardigan.

Project 10.  Sewing clothes & Home dec, the latter which also encompasses general crafting.  Bat bunting.  Pumpkin witch ceramic bisque.  Vintage Santa car felt applique.  Felt applieque ornaments.  Elf dolls.   Peppermint wreath. 

As for the cross stitch finishing goals, at least 2 weeks each month will be spent on those projects, until such time I feel that all will completed during the year.  2016 was my first year with a more formal (weekly) rotation, and it worked well for me. My rotation is both time and goal based.  Most months have a few extra days beyond 4 weeks so those days at the end are bonus, often devoted to focus for a finish.

 

2016 WIPocalypse

It's 2016 and time for a new WIPocalypse!  I'm Stephanie and crafting keeps me sane.  I love this SAL because it encourages me to think about old projects, prioritize, plan, and finish things.  I am very much a "product" crafter.  I enjoy the process, but I primarily stitch, sew, knit, etc because I want that pattern hanging on my wall, or to wear that unique dress, or see that cute sweater on my baby.  The past years' WIPocalypse(s) have been very fruitful, so I'm really digging deep this time.  Also, I'm planning lots of new starts.

Goal No. 1: Celtic Christmas by Lavendar and Lace.  The goal is to finish. Starting Celtic Autumn would be a bonus.

 

Goal No. 2: Midsummer Night Fairy by Mirabilia.  The goal is to finish (little touch ups, backstitching, and beads) and start another Mira, perhaps Titania.  I think she and Middy would make a pretty pair. As a subgoal, framing (DIY) of some of my older finishes, especially the Miras.

Goal No. 3:  Mask of Colors QS by HAED.  Currently 50% finished.  Goal is to progress to 75%.

Goal No. 4:  Maiden and the Unicorn by Vermillion.  Currently 20% finished.  I started this in 2007 and put it away after getting frustrated with the border.  Maybe now that I'm more experienced with evenweave it will be easier.  I still love the pattern.  The goal is to progress to 50%, including 2 sides of the border.

Goal No. 5: Merlin & Arthur by HAED.  I stitched about one page back in 2005 (4%).  The goal is to finish 2 more full and 1 partial page, which would complete the first column of pages and bring me to 14%.  Slow and steady to win the race, I hope.  

 

Goal No. 6.  The Castle by Teresa Wentzler.  Currently at 45% done, progress to 75% is the goal.

Goal No. 7.  New starts.  Christmas projects- The Spirit of Christmas by Lavendar & Lace.  Seraphina and Angelina, Mill Hill ornament kits. Nora Corbett's Christmas couriers (reindeer)- at least 1 of them.  Another Mirabilia-Siren & Shipwreck.  Joan Elliott's 12 Days of Christmas.  Also by Joan Elliott- the elemental goddess series- starting with Air.  Love with a Capital L by Papillon Designs, as a wedding sampler.  (Those last 5 were started in late December or as part of my crazy January extravanganza).  Spooky House by X's and Oh's and/or Eerie Express by Glendon Place.    Something for a tall, narrow space in my kitchen- the Bordeaux Bellpull (most likely, I keep changing my mind about this one).  Finally, something by Passione Ricamo, either Morning Fae or Selene.  Most of these are large projects and I have no illusions about finishing quickly.  Progress is the goal.  

 

 

Goal No. 8.  Sewing- home dec.  Oliver's crib quilt.  Must finish before his 2nd birthday, for sure!   Some seasonal decor pieces, including lots of felt appliqué.

Goal No. 9.  Sewing- garments.  Special holiday outfits for Ollie and me.  And some pajamas for the family.  

Goal No. 10.  Knitting.  Old UFO's need attention and some may even be finished.  The Ruched Yoke tee, needs blocking and photos. Nespelem, needs some ripping and re-doing.  Frost Tapestry- the hat is finished but cowl and mitten need love.  Retro Jacket- needs photos and a dress sewn to coordinate.  The Ivy League Vest- I should finish this colorwork project already, or at least make some progress.  Kingscot- this would be a great sweater for Valentine's day.  Only the back is finished so far, but the back is the biggest piece, eh?  Some new projects are on my radar, as well.  A sweater for Oliver (Lancelot) and one for me (Shakespeare in Love).  

Is that enough?  I do belive my work is cut out for me this year!  

I have enough WIPs now (12 active) that I feel a more organized rotation is in order.  So, I will work on the 12 Days of Christmas during the first full weekend of each month, and Love with a Capital L on the 3rd weekend.  These projects are particularly suited for short bursts of effort since 12 Days is a kit and Love only involves a few colors.  The rest of the time, I will work on a few projects each month, whatever is calling me.  In addition to those "regular" projects, next month my plan is to work on Air Goddess, Celtic Christmas, and the Frost Tapestry set.

Knitting FO: Declan Hat

• Pattern: by Samantha Kirby, free via Ravelry
• Yarn: Mystery worsted weight stash wool in grey (probably Patons Classic Wool), 100 yards
• Size/Needles/Gauge: Toddler/5.5 st per inch in 2x2 rib unstretched on US 6's
• Time to Knit: A few days in November 2015

Oliver needed a new winter hat.  My child loves to be outside and we do spend plenty of time running around playgrounds in the dead of winter (sufficiently bundled up, of course).  

The pattern is fine, written and charted.  The way it describes the ribbing is a little confusing.  Essentially you knit 2 x 2 rib for whatever measurement corresponds with your size, then begin working the chart on row 2.  I created a hybrid (toddler) size by kntting the infant size with a few additional rounds to the ribbing.  And I did a long tail tubular cast on (per Ysolda) for stretch and recovery at the brim.  It fits my 23-month-old perfectly.  Who knows about next year, though. 

The yarn is from my deep stash and is likely Patons Classic Wool.  It's a bit on the rough side but softens up nicely with a soak and some hair conditioner.  In any case, Oliver likes to wear the hat, so I guess it's soft enough.   I chose it mainly for color- a heathered mid grey that looks good with his winter coat. 

 This is a quick little project with some flair from the cables.  Nearly instant gratification and I am happy!

2015 WIPocalypse: December Update

So, time for a recap!

Goal No. 1 was Lizzie Kate Xmas by the Letter, to finish and frame.  At the beginning:

It was finished in March and framed in December.  Success!

My subgoal for No. 1 was to do some more framing (DIY).  Some of my older projects were finished, including Home, and my Seasonal Fairies.

Goal No. 2 was Emerald Mermaid by Mirabilia, to finish.  At the beginning:

She was finished and framed in April.  Success!

Goal No. 3 was Celtic Christmas by Lavender & Lace, to progress to 50%.  At the beginning:

I worked on her in June and again in December.  Progress around 80% done.  Will finish next year!

Goal No. 4 was Petal Fairy by Mirabilia, to progress to 75%.  At the beginning:

Happy dancing in August!  

Goal No. 5 was Beacon at Daybreak by Dimensions, to progress to 75%.  At the beginning:

It was finished in April!

Goal No. 6 was Mask of Colors QS by HAED, to progress in 50%.  At the beginning:

I reached my goal in October.

Goal No. 7 involved new starts.  A Christmas project, Joan Elliott's Christmas Angel, I started in January, finished in September, and framed in December.  A Halloween project, Toil and Trouble by Erica Michaels, was started in August and finished in October. Something for my son Oliver, Dragon Dreams' Fairy Tale Sampler was started/finished in March and framed in April.  A BAP, Teresa Wentzler's The Castle was started in April and I reached the 50% mark, just about.  I started and finished another 2, Gabrielle ornament by Mill Hill (November)  and Mediterraean Mermaid by Mirabilia (September-November).  Midsummer Night Fairy by Mirabilia was started in May and now she's ready for backstitching and beads.

  

   

Goal No. 8 was sewing, garments. I did sew a Halloween costume and a little Christmas suit for Oliver (better pics of the suit to come, hopefully).  For myself, just a skirt.  Moderate success, I suppose.

 

Goal No. 9 was sewing, home dec.  Well, I did finish my Halloween ornament kit.  Oliver's crib quilt got some attention, but no work, and I'm pretty sad about that as he's almost 2.  My stained glass star quilt WIP will be finished this week (fingers crossed)!   A lot of my sewing projects never advanced beyond the planning stage, though.  So, I'll call this moderate success.

 

Goal No. 10 was knitting.  I finished Apres Surf.  And Oliver's pea coat.  It's done, but it doesn't fit (too big).  Maybe it will fit next year, but I'm worried that by the time he's wide enough for it, he'll be too tall.  That was a bitter pill.  I finished three new hat projects, Solitaire Beret, Kat, and Declan (toddler size).  Unfortunately the weather has not been conducive to hat wearing; there have only been a few days cold enough so far (very unusual for my area and I don't like it!)  And I finished some older projects, including Iris and Peach Yoke. I still have several old UFO's though, so this is moderate success.

Overall, I'm very happy with my cross stitch progress, but I think sewing and knitting could have used more love.  There's a few days left in December and I'm hoping to crank out a few FO's by the new year.

2015 WIPocalypse: November Update

Sorry this is a few days late. Thankgiving prep kept me busy for a while- I hosted.  I tried a new roll recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction- oh my gosh.  These rolls are pure bliss and the recipe is easy.  If you like to bake bread, try this one!

This past month, I worked on Mediterranean Mermaid.  Previously:

So, I finished the cross stitch and the backstitch (minimal).  Now, beading is in progress and I should be happy dancing soon. 

I started a small project (Mill HIll ornament kit) and had a happy dance.  

Gabrielle is my first cross stitch ornament, besides some plastic canvas stuff I did as a child.  I want to do more!

Sewing- I finished Oliver's Halloween costume (above).  My sewing room received a dose of decluttering and organization, which was badly needed.  I unearthed a pattern I had stashed, to make a Christmas suit for Oliver, but then realized it wouldn't fit.  (He's too big for baby patterns-sniff).  So I bought a new pattern and some materials for that project.

Knitting- I finally, blocked, finished, and got photos of Iris and the Peach Yoke Tee. I made two hats- the Declan cabled beanie for Oliver and the Solitaire beret for myself- no pics yet, sorry.  But it's finally cold enough for hats, so pics soon hopefully!  I started a sweater project for myself, Greenaway.  It's over 50% done; the back and first sleeve are finished.  The front is in progress with about 9" completed so far.

 Questions of the month: Which designer has inspired you to stitch the greatest number of designs and why do you think that is?

I'd say it's a tie between Mirabilia and Joan Elliott.  Both designers make incredible fantasy designs, and it is the fantastical stuff that captures my imagination.  My faves from the Mirabilia line are the mermaids- there are many spectacular patterns. As for Joan Elliott- my faves are her "ladies"- fairies, angels, etc.  Her designs are wonderfully detailed and the faces are just lovely.  

Next month, my priorities include finishing Mediterranean Mermaid, making some progress on Celtic Christmas, framing  2 Xmas cross stitches (materials are stashed), finishing Greenaway, sewing Oliver's Christmas outfit, working on a few Christmas decor projects, and adding the binding (ie, finishing) my Stained Glass Star quilt WIP. 

New knitting WIPs: Greenaway & Declan

Once I finished the baby pea coat (more on that later), I wanted to cast on a new sweater for myself. The last time I did that, it was 2013! Though my Ravelry queue is miles long, I limited myself to "Christmas projects"- festive and/or "special" patterns with yarn stashed in red, green, or white. I chose Greenaway, a square neck pullover with beaded detail in the cuffs and yoke, and some Knitpicks Gloss DK in jade, from my stash.

So far the back piece is finished and the first sleeve is in progress.  This is acually quite an easy pattern, mostly simple stockinette.  Finishing by Christmas is certainly acheivable.  The details are lovely.  I chose gold-lined rainbow crystal beads for a some sparkle and contrast with the dark green fabric.

My other new project is the Declan cabled hat for my son Oliver (21 months).  I'm doing the infant size with a bit more height in the ribbed section, and it seems the fit will be fine, this is a very stretchy pattern.  The yarn is from my deep stash, pre-blog, pre-Ravelry, so I'm not quite sure what it is.  But I do have a foggy memory of my second knitting project, a mixed stitch gray scarf, mostly just an excuse to practice stitch patterns.  I believe the yarn is Patons Classic wool- one of few natural wool yarns available at Michaels' at the time (2002).

Most of the pattern is finished, about 12 rounds remain.  And I am quite low on yarn, I hope I have enough to finish.  I started with 47 g and according to the pattern, I only needed about 30 or 32 g.  The yarn is not very soft, but I am hoping that a bath and maybe some hair conditioner will improve it.

Knitting FO: Iris

• Pattern: Iris by Sarah Hattan from Rowan 45
• Yarn: Elann Lara (mercerized cotton) "antique blue", 1104 yards
• Size/Needles/Gauge: 35", 5.75 spi on US 3's
• Time to knit: Well, I started in 2011...

This project was a long time coming.  It involved lots of frogging after a four year hiatus.  Finally, it is finished, and I am pleased though the fit across the bust is a bit tight (bust is bigger from nursing).  

The pattern is fine, no errata, written in a pithy manner that I appreciate.  The lace is charted, though it is easy enough to memorize.  The schematic is mimimal, for example there is no measurement for hem to armscye.  Back in 2011, I knit the left front too long before beginning the armcye, so that had to be frogged when I realized my mistake in 2015.  And then I had to frog and reknit most of the second sleeve because I knit it with US 2.5's instead of US 3's.  It looked fine, but it was shorter than the first sleeve.

The yarn, Elann Lara, is a light sportweight mercerized cotton plied from many tiny threads.   It is much nicer to wear than to knit with, in my opinion.  The color is rich, has a nice sheen; the fabric is soft and drapey.   The stitch definition is fantastic, which is gratifying for a detailed pattern like Iris.  However, it was incredibly splitty and frequently drove me bonkers.  Using a nice sharp needle (knitpicks options) helped.  The blue shell buttons are from G Street in Falls Church, VA.

Iris is a versatile piece for my wardrobe.  I like the allover lace and v-neck.  Beyond that, I've never been so glad to see the end of a project.  Between the splitty yarn and my misreading of the pattern and subsequent frogging, it really felt like a slog at times.  I'm glad to have the FO but I wouldn't do it again!

P.S. I made the skirt too!  I'll post about that little project soon.

Knitting FO: Peach Yoke Tee

• Pattern from Debbie Bliss Knitting Magazine, Spring/Summer 2009
• Yarn: Zitron Kokon (silk/cotton/microfiber) in Lt Pastel Peach (#11), 853 yds
• Needles/Size/Gauge: 35" bust, 6 spi on US 6's
• Time to knit: 6 weeks in April/May 2012

I started this project as part of the stashdown "colorwheel" orange challenge (in 2012).  Though I don't really wear orange, this pale peach is in the orange family I suppose.  

The pattern is fine, clear, but as written is pretty short (12.5" from underarm for the 35" size).  I"m not fond of rolling hems so I started the body pieces with garter and eyelet bands.  I added ~1 inch of length to the body and also short row bust shaping.  Due to these changes, it seemed I was running short on yarn.  So I started the sleeves just below the underarm with provisional cast on(s) before joining to work the yoke.  I finished the neck edge with eyelet/garter, too.  I didn't have much yarn leftover with the yoke complete, and I liked the top with short sleeves, so I knit each sleeve only about 1" more and then the same eyelet/garter edge.

Zitron Kokon is a plied silk/cotton/microbiber blend.  It's not splitty like some plied yarns; easy to knit by touch.  It's soft with a silky sheen and makes a nice light fabric for spring/summer; I feel it is more of a sportweigtht than a dk yarn.  The color is a very pretty light peach.  I would definitely use this again, but alas the yarn is discontinued. 

My favorite aspects are the floral pattern yoke and the light summer t shirt vibe.  I hope pastel shades are in vogue again in spring 2016!

2015 WIPocalypse: October update

Last month, I had a happy dance under Goal No. 7 (new starts): I finished my Halloween project, Toil and Trouble! 

I also worked on my BAP by a new-to-me designer, Teresa Wentzler's The Castle.  Previously: 

Now, I suppose it's about 45% done.  Most of the stitching on the bottom half of the chart is complete, and the top half is less dense, I think.  Also, the castle doesn't have as many color changes as the rocky cliff portion, for sure!  I may bring this project out again and try to finish the bottom half of the chart by the end of year.

My HAED QS "Mask of Colors" (goal no. 6) got a turn on the scroll bars.  Before:

After a week or two, I had finished the top half of chart, reaching my goal for the year.  Actually 50% progress was last year's goal.  Better late than never, I suppose.   Maybe next year I'll try to finish her.

 I'm not sure if I enjoy working on this project or simply derive satisfaction from conquering the vast amounts of confetti.    This small pattern (95x100 st) has 90 colors.  I'm stitching 2 over 1 on 22 ct lugana.  Especially with the confetti, that is a lot of thread, but I love the detail and color saturation. This piece is truly a riot of color.

Re: Goal No. 9 (Sewing-home dec), I finished my Halloween ornament kit.  Now I have 12 for my spooky tree!

Re: Goal No. 10 (knitting), I started Oliver's peacoat.  He could use it soon, if not now, so I'm really trying to pump it out quickly.  The main pieces of the sweater are done (back, two front, two sleeves).  I modified the shoulders with short rows and joined them with 3 needle bind offs; the collar is now in progress.  

Question of the Month: Are there any fibers or materials you're nervous to try?  Black evenweave.  I feel confident re: black aida, but I really prefer evenweave .  I'm not sure about counting the threads on black evenweave, especially 32 count (or higher).

As for next month, I'm hoping to finish the peacoat ASAP and finish sewing Oliver's H'ween costume by Friday.  I have other goals, re: knitting, sewing (garments), and quilting.  Finally, I want to make progress on my Mediterranean Mermaid WIP.   This is a long list so I'll be thrilled if I get to everything!