March Wipocalypse Update

I thought I was to share this post the last Saturday of the month, but it's supposed to be the fourth Saturday. Oh well, better late than never! 

I had two new finishes for February. The first is a Mill Hill kit I started February 1st. 

Pattern photo shown above, my completed piece shown below. I will be backing this with felt and attaching the supplied magnet. It is going to a Physicians Assist my mother sees as a thank you for providing great care.  

My second finish is a piece that was kitted and gifted to me in 2013 by my friend Judy. She substituted PTP 36 Ct Opal for the suggested fabric and changed some of the suggested DMC to work with the fabric. 

I had started on this piece a couple years ago and messed up on the vase. I thought I could make it work, but couldn't and put it in time out. I had to frog the entire vase before restarting. I did so and completed the piece late March. 

Jardin Prive

Bouquet de Fleurs

I spent the end of March working on All Creatures Great and Small, which I often mistakenly call All Gods Creatures, by Barbara Ana. Here is where I left off at the end of February. 

And here is where I ended the month;

I continue to struggle with this piece and if it weren't my 2018 baptism piece, it would go to time out! I frogged the bee hive. I'd made a mistake and thought I could live with it, but it nagged me and had to go. I've stitched the bird, owl and two keys on the right side twice. The house should be one row wider. I decided not to add the row as I believed it would look different than all the other rows as added vertically, not horizontally as the other rows were stitched. The house being a row off, threw the motifs off above the house, so they were frogged. I then stitched the border and placed the motifs based on the border rather than the house. 

Three months in and not a third done. I'm afraid I won't get this piece done this year at this pace, so I'll be stitching on it (if I can keep my plans) the entire month of April. 

Happy Stitching! 

February Wipocalypse Update!

My second finish of 2018 was Baby It's Cold Outside by Heartstring Samplery. I stitched it on the suggested fabric; PTP Ale using the suggested threads except for 3 changes. I substituted Victorian Motto Autumn Red for the GAST Pomegranate as I didn't believe I had enough to finish the house. I ran out of GAST Picnic Basket and stitched the words at the bottom in 3-4" cuts of Weeks Havana and am happy with how they match. I didn't stitch the insides of the windows. They were to be stitched using the yellow thread shown, but I didn't like the look and left them empty. 

My third and fourth finishes for 2018 were Blackbird Designs Small Token Pins and Needles pin cushion. I started stitching these in 2009. I stopped I thought because I had messed up, but I didn't find my error when I picked it back up this month.  Here is where I had left off;

And here is my finished pieces;

The color is more accurate in the second picture. 

My fifth finish for 2018 is another piece where I shortened the pattern. I knew I wanted to stitch this as a memorial piece for my maternal grandmother. I also knew I hated the lower section. The colors were too washed out. I picked out all new colors and started this last fall on PTP Ale. I sat it aside in December to start other things. When I returned to it this month, I could no longer remember my vision for the piece with the threads I had selected. My friend Sue helped me change a few of the colors, but still I wasn't happy with it. I decided to frog the stitching at the bottom, finishing the part I'd started and called it good. 

Here is the pattern picture;

And my finished piece;

I've been spending the last focused on All Creatures Great and Small. This needs to be completed in 2018 and I need to pick up my pace! Where I left it on February 2;

And where I am at now;

I've skipped over the center tree, leaving only part of the trunk. I'm afraid that brown won't work. It does in the light where I stitch, but I need to test it in other lights before I get too far. I'm thinking based on this picture, which accurately shows the fabric color, I'll need to change the tree color. To be expected on this fabric color. 

I was going to start My Big Toes It Is Well, but have decided to stay on task with my 2018 list and tackle something I've already got kitted. I've been enjoying Flosstube and making cross stitch wish lists and plans for 2019! I think I had better see how well I progress on my 2018 list before considering next year! 

Till next month, Julie! 

January Wipocalypse Update

I feel like I should have more progress to share, but actually this progress isn't all that bad for me.  I had two January finishes. The first is Prairie Schooler Winter Wind stitched on PTP 32 Ct Wren with the called for DMC.  This is WIP # my 30 on year of WIPs list.

 

This is only part of the pattern.  I didn't like this piece.  I wanted a winter piece for a specific finish and thought this might be it, but the pattern annoys me!  The birds are far from gone!  I know this because I feed them!  I have many winter only birds feeding in my yard and while its very cold out, there is never a bad birding season in Kansas.  I decided to finish what I'd started, but not the entire pattern.  I'm not sure how or when I'll get around to fully finishing it.

I continue to make progress on WIP # 31 Baby Is Cold Outside by Heartstring Samplery.  I've run out of Picnic Basket, so all the windows aren't in on the house and the words are missing at the bottom of the piece.  I am hoping to find a good substitute in my stash and not have to order one thread. 

 

I began on January 5 my 2018 Baptism sampler Barbara Ana's All Creatures Great and Small on PTP 18ct Wren.  I got this far before deciding to start it on another fabric.

 

Emily from Eclectic Possessions (Flosstube and Instagram) is stitching this pattern on PTP Haunted and I love it!  Love it so much that I knew I wouldn't be happy with stitching it on Wren.  I had PTP Haunted in my stash, but found a piece of PTP Lupine and decided to try it.  I might have to change some of the browns, but surely I can figure that out.  

 

It took forever to frog the Wren start, but I decided I had to do that before starting on Lupine.  Upon frogging my Wren start this is as far as I got on Lupine.  I'm only stitching this on the weekends, so it won't get finished anytime soon.

I started a small piece on Monday January 22nd for Kansas Day and finished it Thursday January 25. It was my friend Dede's idea to stitch something every January for Kansas Day.  Two years ago I stitched a Prairie Schooler Santa with sunflowers;

 

And last year I stitched a Prairie Schooler egg freebie that had a sunflower;

 

This years Kansas Day piece is from a library borrowed book by Donna Kooler called 555 Cross-Stitch Sampler Motifs.  I love this book and there are several things in it I'd stitch.  Here is the front of my 2018 Kansas Day themed piece;

 


And the back;

 

Oops, forgot his antennae! I had hoped to finish this into a small pinkeep, but its really small and I think it might make a better fob. First I am going to go through my fabric stash to see if I have any matching fabrics that might work as a fabric frame to increase its size for a pinkeep. If not, then fob it is! 

Well, that's it for January. My next Wipocalypse update will be at the end of February. Happy Crafting! 

2018 Wipocalypse Introduction!

Welcome new readers!  My name is Julie.  I live in Northeast Kansas.  I have been stitching for 13-14 years.  For my regular readers, I have decided to join a group of stitchers as we tackle WIPS (works in progress, cross stitch patterns started, but never finished) and/or stitch-from-stash.  Our group is called Wipocalypse. Once a month we share a blog post regarding the months progress on our pieces, whether great or small.  This is my introduction to 2018 Wipocalypse, which will include goals and challenges I hope to accomplish this year.  Let's get started! 


I have some specific pieces I'd like to work on and hopefully complete in 2018, which I'll list below, but first I thought I'd make mention of some stitchy goals I have for the year;


1. Submit two cross stitched items to the county fair. The last couple of years I've had good intentions of entering something into the county fair.  Last year I even stitched 9 pieces I could have entered into the fair, but didn't as I never fully finished them.  This year I've decided not to enter something into everything, but to keep it simple and just enter two things.  I haven't decided what those two things might be, but I've got time. 


2.  Stitch something from a book borrowed from the library.  I love our library!  They have great craft books, even a kit one can take with supplies to learn how to cross stitch free of charge.  I never leave the library without a huge bag full of books, which includes at least a couple of craft books  While its fun browsing them, I should actually stitch something from one of them and hope to this year. 


3.  Speaking of books, I have picked up over the year a lot of BH&G and Leisure Art cross stitch books at thrift stores and garage sales.  Many have really great patterns in them.  I've stitched some ornaments out of one or two of them, but its time to go through them again stitch something.  

 

4.  My last goal for 2018 is to fully finish 12 items.  I have dozens upon dozens of items stitched, but never fully finished.  My goal is to pillow, flat fold, frame or otherwise fully finish 12 pieces I've stitched. I'm hoping that once I finish one, I'll find it easier to finish a few more at the same time.  I'm thinking I need to have a finishing day once a month. 


In addition to these goals, some of the WIPS or stash pieces I'd like to stitch are in no particular order;


1. Birds of a Feather Love  I've had this piece kitted up, but never started for a few years. 
2. Bent Creek Wintery Snowglobe Mantle  My mother picked this pattern out and bought all the kits (three), but I haven't gotten around to starting it. 
3. Sam Sarah I Pledge Allegiance Sampler  Another I've had kitted up, but not started, for several years.  I hadn't started it as the fabric was really wrinkled. 
4. Blackbird Designs Small Token I kitted this up, stitched it once and was stitching it a second time on the same piece of fabric back in 2009 which I made a mistake, set it aside and haven't ever returned to it.  Its time to correct the mistaken, finish the second start and fully finish both into pincushions.
5. Chessie & Me Sarah Talbot 1787  I'm stitching this as a memorial piece for grandmother.  I started it fall of 2017 and don't have too much left to go on it. 
6. Three Black Cats  I started this 8+ years ago on a piece of lime green Picture This Plus fabric, but never fully finished it because it needs buttons.  My friend Sue gifted me three candy corn buttons, but I need several more.  Four more buttons and I might be good, but I need to look the piece over better before knowing for sure.  Its so close though to being done and I'd love to have it displayed this coming Halloween.
7. The Drawn Thread There's No Place Like Home  I've had this piece in my stash a long while and it would look great in my new house.  Its not been started, but is kitted.
8. Jardin Prive Bouquet de Fleurs This pattern, fabric and thread were gifted to me in 2013.  I'd started the piece, but haven't ever finished. 
9. and 10. Heirloom Santa Prairie Santa and Wilderness Santa  I purchased both at an estate sale this last fall, along with other Heirloom Santas.  I'd love to have these two stitched.
11. Little House Needlesworks  Here's the Church  Kitted in December, but not yet started.  I'd love to gift this pattern to a friend, but first must stitch it myself!
12. Blackbird Designs  Their Song Loose Feathers Pattern # 24  I started this in 2009, pricked my finger, bled on the piece, tried to wash it out and some of the colors bled.  Sue thinks I could coffee/tea dye it and it would look fine.  I will try this, but if I'm still unhappy with it, I want to restart it as I love this pattern. 
13. Words of Praise Nativity Sampler  Kitted, but not started.  I had hoped to have started this December 2017, but ran out of time. 
14. Lizzie Kate Bless our Home I can make this pattern look like my house and have been wanting to stitch it.  Kitted, but not started. 
15. Barbara Ana Designs Swirly Snow 60x70 piece kitted, but not started.
16. Blackbird Designs Tulip House Stitching Companion  Kitted for several years, but not started.
17. Mill Hill Drummer Boy beaded ornament  Intended to stitch this for my father last year, didn't!
18.  Mill Hill Blue Pansy Butterfly  I love Mill Hill ornaments!
19. Mill Hill Buttons and Beads Spring Series Cut Flowers  Purchased 2017 and it'll look great in my dining room!
20 and 21. Artiste Mini One Cat Leads and I Love Cats Gifted to me at Christmas by my nephew, would like to stitch so he knows I appreciate stitchy gifts.
22. La D Da A B C D Kitted, never started.
23. Subrosa Design Where Liberty Dwells Kitted years ago, never stitched. 
24.  Mill Hill Button and Beaded Kits Holiday Series VIII Brrrr  Started Years ago on fabric and never finished. 
25.  The Scarlett House  She Feeds Them Well  I love feeding the birds and love this pattern.  I started it a few years ago, but ran out of a called for thread and was intimidated by the over one stitching.
26. The Drawn Thread Miniature Bellpull Ornament from JCS Ornament Issue 1999  I wasn't stitching in 1999, but I was in 2008 when I started this piece.  Not certain why didn't finish its.
27.  Barrick Samplers Sabbath Day  Started years ago, but its in time out for some no longer remembered reason.  Time to finish it!
28.  Midsummer Night Designs Liberty  Started, never finished. 
29.  Prairie Schooler Christmas Village Finished all but the backstitching several years ago.  Time to get the back stitching done and this piece framed for Christmas 2018. 
30. Prairie Schooler Winter Wind Started December 2017.
31. Heartstring Samplery Baby Its Cold Outside Started December 2017.

32. I'm sure I'll have to stitch along with everyone else the Littlehouse Needleworks Farmhouse Christmas series!

 

Thirty two WIPS or KITS and this isn't all of them!  OH, but wait!  Theres one more!  My 2018 Baptism Sampler, but I'll share more about it in another post.  Thanks for hanging in there with me as I listed everything and Good Luck too all those doing 2018 Wipocalypse!  If you are participating in the WIP challenge and don't see your blog on my side bar, please comment below with your blog address so that I may add it. Thanks!