My Wipocalypse Post for Janurary 2020

Well, this was due last Friday, but I am late. But I have some stitching progress to share with you!
Here is the link to see what this SAL is all about- Measi Musings 2020-wipocalypse

Melissa always asks a question and this month's is what SALs are you participating in this year?
I hope to join the Linen and Thread SAL that has already started. Also plan on joining Vonna and Gary over at Fiber Talk for their Modern Folk Embroidery Lent SAL.

I will only post on those things that got some stitching love...
First up is MH 1656:
Here is the last photo I showed:

 And here she is today!

 My art quilt is getting a little stitching every day. First is what it looked like at the end of the year:

 I have been working in the upper corner. It needs beads!

Butterfly has gotten a little stitching most days:

L. Genders is close to a finish. I think if I concentrate on this, it would get done!

Enchanted Pumpkin got very little stitching:

 And I started a new piece called Inchies by Kathy Reese. It is for my guild which is why I am stitching it. I plan on doing one in red,white and blue threads:

Did I Ever Show This?

I did finally finish this little owl. The heart seems to go with the owl and I love seeing it from where I stitch:

Need to stitch something for spring to put up when it finally warms up.

It is the New Moon So it is Time for TUSAL

What is TUSAL? It is the Totally Useless SAL where we share our orts for the month. No prizes. No leaders. No organization. Just show your orts.
What are orts? 
From Dictionary.com

ort

[ awrt ]

---

noun

Usually orts. a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal.

We stitchers call the little pieces of thread left at the end of stitching our orts. Quilters call the little leftover fabric scraps orts. This SAL is about taking a photo and posting it on your blog. No pressure, just a fun bit of color ever month to share.

Here is my image for this month:

I emptied my jar January 1 and this is all my orts so far.

Do you have something special to place your orts? Or do you just throw them away?

 

#100dayproject My Start

First, what is the #100dayproject?  I am not sure who thought it up, but the idea is to do something for 100 days that will help you to grow. This one is about growing creatively.There are no official rules except to do "something" every day for 100 days. Last year I participated in one and I worked on Here Lie My Needles by Shakespeare's Peddler.

This time I wanted to do something more challenging. After all, I already stitch almost every day. I was ready to start a new project as they gave us a theme called Secret Places. I liked it and as I was brainstorming ideas, my mind switched it to Sacred Places. This was not the real theme but it got my little mind working overtime. I even started prepping materials for my idea.
But then I realized:am I nuts? I would go totally crazy if I started another big project!
So I switched gears and decided to work on my art quilt. I knew I wanted to be more creative. I knew I wanted to explore that through hand embroidery. The art quilt was already well underway and it needs a lot more time.It is also developing as I stitch. I have ideas that I want to try and I know I will learn as I move it forward.
Here is a photo from a few months ago:

 I have been adding to the little bits of lace with hand-stitching:

Aurifil perle cotton

This is my starting point for this week:

I won't bore you with daily photos but will try to post here every Wednesday. My goal is to stitch on this piece for 30 minutes every day. It needs so much more work! There is a chance my husband and I may travel. If we do, I may or may not be able to take this with me.
So do you want to join the challenge? It is a good way to force yourself to work on a project and to push yourself creatively.

IHSW for January

This past weekend was the third weekend of the month and it was time to Hermit and Stitch! Our sweet Jo    host this and you can find more enablers on Facebook if you so desire. Click the link and she will explain it better than I can.
Here is what I worked on this weekend:
I am slowly working on MH 1656. I had to rip  out some satin stitch as I didn't like the color I used.

 L. Genders is close to being done, or at least one is almost done.

 And here is a bit of a secret stitch.

What did you stitch this weekend?

Take A Stitch Tuesday (on Thursday)

I have joined Sharon B on her TAST SAL the first two weeks but have not posted my progress here.
For information on TAST, go to  Pintangle             .
The first week was the chain stitch:

I am putting it in the grooves of the lace.
Week 2 is Fly Stitch and the Italian Border Stitch

I love the Fly Stitch and use it a lot, but the Italian Border stitch is a new twist. Basically, it is a French Knot holding down the "U" of the Fly Stitch instead of using a straight stitch. I see a couple of places where this would be great. I may even add a different color thread to make the knots.

Gifted Gorgeousness for January

Well, Jo over at Serendipitous Stitching    hosts this lovely stitch-a-long where we post photos of our progress of our stitching projects that we are giving as gifts, were gifted to us or we can shoehorn into the category of gift.
I am trying to get this out of my stash. I have made so many mistakes on it that it is pitiful.
This is the photo from my WIPocalypse post:

And here it is now:

I was trying to take an "arty" photo-see my cat in the background?-so you can't see that I have stitched more on the left of the butterfly...

Because I'm Not The Brightest

I knew I was going to start Enchanted Pumpkin this year from Mill Hill but I wasn't sure when. I was looking for a project to take on a road trip and thought it would make a great piece to take. Then I realized it was full coverage. Did you all know that? Like a fool, I still decided to start it:

Two things I did wrong: I started with the black and some of it migrated over to the light orange. NOT picking it out! Then I signed this piece up for Full-Coverage Fanatics on Facebook. Not a big deal except I need to finish it before I can stitch on Reptiles for that group. Or maybe I could figure something else out...
Anyway, a new start, just what I needed....

2020 WIPocalypse Introduction and Plans

I had thought I would post plans on January 1st, but that did not happen. Luckily for me, Melissa is hosting the 2020 WIPocalypse SAL. This post is supposed to be about ourselves, our projects and goals for the year.
I love all types of needlework. I don't smock or knit which is good as I dabble in about everything else. I belong to my local Embroidery Guild of America and to several American Needlepoint Guild chapters. I have a HUGE personal goal this year to put something-ANYTHING-into a fair or exhibit to be judged. I think it will stretch me.
Last year I went wild and posted all the WIPS I could find in my stash. This year I am trying to keep this to things I really will be stitching.
1. MH 1656, My Beloved by Hands Across the Sea Samplers

I think that pink is coming out....This piece has captured me. I really don't want to work on any other large pieces until I get this done. And we all know I have a lot of large pieces in my WIP pile!
2. Drawn Thread Sampler and Doodle Sampler by Gay Ann Rogers

I haven't touched this in over a year, but it needs to get done. It is lovely and I don't want it to live in my basement.
3.Art Quilt

This project will NOT get done this year. I have too much slow stitching to do on it. My plan is to work on it while traveling. Will see if that pushes it forward. The first photo is just for placement. I have not stitched all those bits down. ..Maybe I should post a photo of it once a month to see if I can see any progress?
4. Butterfly- Alesandra Adelaide

My plan is to stitch on this every day, even if it is only a few stitches. I won't do all the flourishes around the edges, but try to get the center bits done.
5. Lotus Box by Terri Bay

This box intrigues me. I will restart it and hopefully get it done. Ha!
6.Reptiles by Heaven and Earth Designs

 I am so slow on this piece. I hope to get back to stitching on it every month. It has been forever since it has seen the light of day...
7. Autumnal Abstractions by Joni Stevenson

This piece was a workshop my guild held. When I get MH 1656 done, my friend Mary and I hope to pull this out and get it done. Or we may start something else. But I want to do some stitching with her this year.
8. L. Genders- Brenda Gervais

I love this little piece! Hopefully I can finish them and have them on display this year. Or maybe I should give one away?
The rest are plans as I haven't started them yet.
9. A Janet Zickler Casey Santa. I have quite a few and would like to get more of them done.
10. Gay Ann Rogers Heart. I have a few (cough, cough) in my stash. I love stitching them and they are easy to finish.
11. Enchanted Pumpkin-Mill Hill Kit Because I love stitching on Mill Hill Kits and I think this one if fabulous.
12. Inchies by Needle Delights  I must start this one ASAP as I am leading this one for my guild.
13.Angus Dei- Modern Folk Embroidery Well, Gary and Vonna are doing this for Lent and I want to join the fun.
14. Group Correspondence Course though ANG It starts in March...
15.Mandala Musings from Inspirations Magazine-My local guild is doing this and I have a plan to do my own version.
16.Linen and Threads Mystery SAL 2020- I have pulled my threads and linen but have yet to make a stitch.


I hope I gave you enough eye candy for one blog post. I have lots of other plans floating in my brain, but I will keep them there for right now.
Hopefully you have lots of plans for 2020. Love to see them and read about them.