Monday, December 30, 2019

TUSAL for the End of 2019

TUSAL is the Totally Useless Stitch-a-Long where you show a photo of your orts.


My jar is totally full and my daughter asked me earlier this month if she could dump them. No! I needed to take a photo and share! This is a year or two of stitching. I will empty it and start fresh in 2020.

Sunday, December 29, 2019

Last WIPocalypse Post for 2019 Photo Heavy

This was fun to do although I often forgot to post...It is the brain child of Melissa over at
Measi's Musings . If you want to learn more about WIPocalpse, check out this post . I plan on doing WIPocalypse 2020 as I do have  a few (cough, cough) that I did not finish this year. If you want to see my starting post, look here     .
So here we go:
1. First Christmas Stocking
Here is where I started:
 And I had a finish!
    2. Drawn Thread Sampler by Gay Ann Rogers:

Well, I did not touch them this year. Maybe 2020?
3.MH 1656-Hands Across the Sea
 I am behind the group, but only by a few months. Will take a photo of the whole thing for 2020.
4.2020 Crazy Quilt Challenge:
I am so behind on this! But I did get one more block finished. Doubt I will get done before the end of the year.
5.Welcome-Mill Hill Kit
I did get this finished too!
6.Butterfly-Alesandra Adelainde
I am getting closer on this, but it isn't done.


7. Flowering Lotus Box_Terri Bay
I restarted this as I made a mistake. And now I have no progress to show.
8.Reptiles
Here is where I was in January:
 And my last time I worked on it, which was August:

I do hope to make more progress on this piece in 2020
9. Tall Year Squared by Betsy Morgan
I finished this piece which made me very happy.
10.Here are a few of the pieces I fully finished from the stack of shame...




Not too bad although I have a few more to get done.
11. No progress on Saint Nick:
12. Warm and Wise:
Finished and ready to display!
13. I was going to start a project with my friend Mary, but we never did. It is my fault as I could not bring myself to start another big project when I had so many started. But we are going to try again in 2020.
14.Catherine Jordan Map Class:
Well, I outlined my map....So now it is a true WIP.
15. Hooray for the Red, White and Blue:
Can't wait to display this in July.
16. Pumpkin Canvas:
Stitched and waiting for me to fully finish it. I also have my friend's canvas. I'm a bad friend.
17. Coverlet-Janet Perry. I ended up trashing this piece. I made a mistake and was never going to stitch it. And I needed the stretcher bars!
18-27 I won't bore you with the other WIPs from my stash that never got stitched. But because a girl can never have too many projects, here are the ones I added in 2019:
28.Love Lives Here-Heart in Hand and 29. The Scarlett House Valentine Pillow
I stitched and finished these two smalls:

30. Here Lie my Needles by Shakespeare's Peddler
Stitched and finished:
31. Imperial Diamonds Heart by Gay Ann Rogers
Stitched and finished:
32. Quaker Ball adaptation- I have finished the stitching on this but I need to make it into something....
33.Art Quilt Remake:
I am doing a VERY slow stitch on this piece:
34.L. Genders-Brenda Gervais
Started this piece and here is where I am at this point:
If you made it all the way to the end, you are amazing! It looks like I finished 10 projects out of the 34 on my list. Not too bad considering some are truly large projects. I need to think about what will be on my WIP list for next year. I have already started making plans and I know I will be having some new starts in the New Year.
Happy end of 2019! Hope your New Year is full of joy and lots of time to stitch.












      

Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Merry Christmas!

I wanted to share this finish with you on the day we celebrate the birth of My Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
 Ta da!
 I started it January 2017. Lots faster than the one I stitched for my husband, which I think took 10 years.
A friend finished it for me as I was too afraid to do it myself. She did a lovely job. Thanks Nancy!
Hope you and yours enjoy a wonderful day together.

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Advent Blog Hop!

Serendipitous Stitching 
is having her annual Advent Blog Hop. I always like seeing everyone's posts. Jo asked us to share our favorite Christmas movie. Mine has to be It's A Wonderful Life. We watch it every year with a big bowl of popcorn.

I worked extra hard to get two finishes for this hop!
First up, Snow Crystals by Kathy Holicky;
A friend gifted me the pattern and I used it for an ornament exchange for my local guild. It was stitched on even weave which I did not like, so I stitched it on a very light blue congress cloth.
Next up is Variations of a Cross Stitch by Patricia Mazu. I think it was offered through either EGA or ANG.... Anyway, it has been stitched and in my stash for quite a while. I was afraid to do the finishing but finally watched Vonna Pfeiffer and just did it! Please note, mine is not perfect, nor did I follow her instructions exactly, but it is done!
Because it was stitched on 18 count mono canvas, I stitched around the stocking shape twice.

 Then I went to turn it right side out. Boy! Was I nervous!
 But it all worked out.
Here it is finished. If you look at one of the photos, you will see the colors Pat used. I had a bunch of purple and was able to use quite a few from my stash.  My favorite by far was Sparkle Chainette from
 Colour Complements
I don't know if she carries this thread anymore, but you should look at her rick rack and petite very velvet. Yummy!

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

December Gifted Gorgeousness

Like everyone else, I am trying to get some WIPs done before the end of the year.  This "B" was a gift years ago and I did most of the stitching a couple of years ago, I think. It has been in my "to finish" pile for quite a while. A friend had a box that would work for finishing, but I need to add a few rows of tent stitch. Anyway, I realized it works for Gifted Gorgeousness as it was a gift when my son was sick.


Not done yet, but I am close!
This SAL is hosted by the lovely Jo at  Serendipitous Stitching . Go see what everyone else is stitching!

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Not Sure About This

I am not sure I am happy with these colors. First, here are some bad photos of the double running stitch.
Back:
 Front:

Here is the beginning of my satin stitch:
In black and white:


Sometimes I like it and sometimes I don't.  But I do know, I love stitching this. If you have the chance, I would advise trying it. Although Baytha is probably coming out soon.



Saturday, December 7, 2019

The People's Choice!

Jo hosts this SAL over at     Serendipitous Stitching      .  She has been letting us choose what theme we want for each month for quite a while. A year maybe? Anyway, this month is winter.
I do a lot of Christmas but then I remembered this little Mill Hill kit I stitched a few years ago.
 And look at this adorable gnome a friend made!
I think he needs a name.  Suggestions?

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Thinking and Stitching

I have been thinking about what I will do for the new year. Part of me wants to start some new projects, but the other part of me just wants to finish some of the many things I have in my stash. I mean, I haven't touched Drawn Thread Sampler all year.
 And when will Reptiles get done if I never put a stitch on it?
But what I really need to get done is MH 1656. Here is where I am now:
I am not quite half-way through this band and I still need to add the satin stitch. It is a challenge and a joy to stitch. But should I get Baytha from Hands Across the Sea when it is released?