Stitch Maynia Starts Tomorrow and I have no Plan!

Have you heard of Stitch Maynia ? It is a Facebook group that originally started in 2015 to stitch 15 projects in the month of May. Sort of like the crazy people who start projects in January. (We won't mention any names: Linda )

I have been lurking for  a year and wondering if I should join the insanity. What do you think?   NO?!?! (I heard you through my monitor....)

Well, you are right. I cannot start 15 projects, even if they are small, and keep any measure of sanity. And I really love big projects. In fact, several have been calling my name:
Letters from Mom

Quaker's Dozen- Long Dog Sampler

Amaryllis Artworks Quaker Ball

Do you see a theme here? I haven't purchased any of these patterns, at least not yet. But that may change before the end of Maynia.
What shall I stitch? After all, I did finish Tall Year Squared!

Another Finish!

I was looking through my photos and can not find the start point on this piece. Probably took it with a different device.
It is Red Candy Heart by Gay Ann Rogers. I think it was lurking in my stash for several years. I had hoped to get it stitched in February,  but is is done before May!

 I need to do a finishing day. May will not work as I have college boys coming home and gardening to do. Maybe July when it is too hot to be outside?

And It Is Finished!

It took a bit, but I have finished stitching all the bits for Tall Year Squared by Betsy Morgan!
I had to make some decisions and ended up ripping a bit.
Here is what I did:
First I started stitching the scissors fob in the red with purple. I love red and thought it might work.

 I continued with the year and my initials. I thought it was ok.

Then I dug through the colors and started the base. (Yes, the base is stitched!)

 Now that I loved!
So I ripped out my stitching on  the scissors fob and stitched it in Harvest Grape-Glorianna silk.

 

I am glad to see the end of the stitching on this piece. Now to wait for the rest of my group to catch up. This may give me permission to start a new project soon.....

Two Finishes!

Yes, they are smalls, but this is the SMALL SAL post so it is ok! Anyway, I seem to only finish smalls lately.
First up Naranja Sugar Skull:

He really didn't take long. I have the other five to stitch, but haven't started another one yet.
And Gone Fishin' Froggie:

He was a really quick stitch, but I hope to get him out as a card next week. Will try to post a photo if I do manage to get it done.

Stitching Lotus hosts this  SMALLS SAL  . It is a lot of fun to see what other people consider smalls and to see what they stitch.

So Close

I am having a love/hate relationship with this piece.

I just realized I never showed a photo of the lid before... Anyway, the lid is almost done, but I still need to stitch the base and the scissors fob. I had so hoped to be done before the end of the month, but life gets in the way. Luckily for me, the rest of the group is not nearly as far. This means I can get all the bits stitched and wait for them to be ready to assemble this etui!
If you want to see what the piece will look like FFO'ed-   Willing Hands by Betsy Morgan.
To purchase the magazine that I am stitching the piece from:  Inspirations Issue 93  .            

Book Sale Stash

My local library had their book sale last week and I managed to find two books on samplers.

One is just information about samplers and purchasing them. The eye candy in it is just lovely. I bought the second one because of the sampler on the cover. The second book is published by Just Cross Stitch and the sampler I love is the Dorthy Preston Sampler. She is large-309 H x 267 W. But I love the colors!

I will finish a project before I start a new one. I will finish a project before I start a new one. Do you believe me?

New Stuff

The International Quilt Festival in Chicago had a display by Sue Spargo.

Aren't they fun? I love stitching on wool and have a few things (cough, cough) to stitch. I have been really wanting to stitch one of Sue's pieces with my Colour Complements threads.

 I have been buying wool from   Wool Lady  . I have the stuff! Now I need the time.
 But what did I purchase? One thing is this book:

It is fabulous! Great charts and some stitches I have never seen. Perfect for my crazy quilting. I would highly recommend this book.

I also bought some Tulip Needles. Mary Corbet did a review of them so I will not bore you with where to get them, etc. But I will tell you that I love them! I have been stitching Tall Year Squared using one strand of Glorianna silk floss and even using my John James needles, the silk was shredding. Fine. I figured it was me. I pulled one of the Tulip tapestry needles and it was FABULOUS! No more shredding. But they are pricey. $1.25 each. Not cheap, but so worth it. I am saving my pennies and buying some more. I think I may be able to talk a friend  to join me in my madness. We will see.

I also bought some (red) threads but it is too cloudy today to take a photo. Trust me, they have sparkle. 

2018 International Quilt Festival Chicago: Photo Heavy

Last Saturday I was blessed to attend the big quilt show in Chicago. It is the same company that puts the show on in Houston. (So wish I could attend THAT one!) Now you may be wondering why I went to a quilt show when I don't quilt! Great point.

Eye candy. Quilt shows are full of inspiration for stitching projects. I will show some photos I took (or my friend took) while at the show. Tomorrow I will post my purchases. Please be warned-lots of images!

 These are stitched buttons! So cool!

These are real letters made into an art quilt!

 And Alice!

Do you see her?

If you have a question about a quilt, I did take a photo of the paper with each quilt.
Are you inspired?

TUSAL and Mill Hill Monday

Last month I posted on the wrong day! Can you imagine?!?! Not that it really matters in this     Totally Useless Stitch-a-Long  ! It is hosted by Daffycat and is a place to show our ort containers and what we put in them during the month.

Not much different for me this month.
This is my Mill Hill project:

I have an idea for this fellow if I can just get him stitched quickly and not get distracted by other projects....

April Gifted Gorgeousness

I found this piece and thought it would be a nice change from my Mill Hill kits. It is Butterfly by Alesandra Adelaide. This is where I left it last in 2012, I do believe:

Scary! Here is is today:

I am using a floss that I dyed and a scrap of fabric using one thread over one. Hopefully the fabric is large enough!

Gifted Gorgeousness is hosted by Serendipitous Stitching. It is a Stitch-a-Long that is for pieces that you have seen gifted, you are going to gift or can find a way to shoe horn into the fun. I think I will give the stitched piece away. (When it gets stitched!)

The Panels Are Done!

I am so excited that I have finished all four sides of Tall Year Squared!
First my summer panel:

 The frogs are supposed to have little beads, but I don't like how they looked so I left them off.

Here are all the panels in a row:

I am working on the lid. I doubt I will have much stitching time this weekend, but hopefully I can squeeze in a few stitches. Have a great weekend!

A Blast from the Past

This month is Blogging A to Z which I have (obviously) decided not to participate in. But I did finally start something from that challenge.
Here is the original post:
Here
That was just last year! Amazing!
Anyway, I needed a project to carry with me and this called my name.

Not much done, but it is super cute.
 

Tall Year Squared-Summer

I was so excited when I started this panel. It is the last panel of four and I thought, "Yippee! I can start a new project or go to an old one soon!" Then it dawned on me.....I still have to stitch the top and base of this piece. RATS!

 Now don't get me wrong; I love this piece. I mean, look at the dragonflies!

But I am ready for something else. But I know if I don't keep working on it now, I won't want to finish it later. Maybe I will have something new to show...next month.

Mill Hill Monday Same Old, Same Old

I had hoped to have a new start today, but no such luck. I pulled a kit that I thought was on perforated paper, but was on aida. I am debating on starting it with the cloth given or finding some linen in my stash that might work....Maybe next week.
Here is my little skull:

He has some beads and is moving forward.
I have SO MANY of these small things finished. I used to put them on my frig but not any more. Maybe I should pull them all up and take a photo of them and some of you can help me figure out what to do with them! Or maybe I can make a bunch of cards and mail them out. It isn't as if I don't have a few more.(Cough,cough.)