2009 Wrap-Up and 2010 Plans

Back at the first of the year, I defined what my goals for this year in stitchery would be:

"Over on Cross Stitch Crazy, we name the year for what we want to accomplish and this year, it's "Use what's mine (stash you already have) and start/complete a BAP (Big @$$ Project)"...

"I'm interpreting "Use what's mine" as work on current WIPs and (IF I finish them all) UFOs..."

So how did I do? Well, working from stash:

Out of 16 completions, 9 were completions of old WIPs (and therefore my stash):

• "Autumn Leaves"
• "DMC Paisley tie-backs"
• "Tsunami Sampler"
• "Bath 5¢"
• "The Needlework Shoppe"
• "Walking to Town"
• "raw edge appliqué 'quiltlet'" (still not quilted)
• "San Man Originals Snow collage"
• "Free Flight"

Five were small pieces started from scratch in 2009, all using stash fabric and floss:

• "the letter M" (a gift)
• "Purple Penguin" (a swap ornament)
• "Letter Heart" (I'd intended this to be a quilt square but it was too big)
• "Missing "T" Stitch" (a quilt square)
• "Rooster" (another quilt square)

One was a larger new start from stash:

• "Wedding Sampler" (another gift)

I had one BAP (or so I defined it, because it was stitched on black, a real difficulty for me):

• "Spirit of the Sockeye" (I had to special order the black linen)

So I think I did pretty well --- I thinned out my UFO stash pretty significantly and only had to order one piece of fabric (for my BAP), although I did buy more fabric for three projects already kitted up for 2010 (I had nothing of the appropriate size for those three pieces).

Cross-Stitch Crazy is leaning toward "Back to Basics" ... and Learn A New Technique" for 2010 and I already have some projects planned for the coming year that might well fit into that theme.

A piece which was started in December, fate still not certain but this one will be a 2010 completion. This had already been kitted up two years ago so I consider it a stash piece. It is also a BAP, with six sheets of chart and 12" x 20" image size.

• "A Quaker Christmas".

There are also five long-standing UFO's in my cupboard that I hope to make some progress on:

• "Antique Rose" napkins
• "Angel of Love"
• "Celestial Angel"
• "Map of England and Wales"
• "Harvest Sampler"
• "Nature's Song" (excerpted from a larger chart)

Also kitted up and candidates for stitching in 2010 is the flower alphabet from which the letter "M" was taken. I had to order fabric for this piece, as well as for the following two for which I have yet to pull floss: Ink Circles' "Sea Stars" and Ink Circles' "Garden Stars". 

All of these would qualify as "Back to Basics" in my eyes as they are all "just" cross stitch.

For my "Learn A New Technique", I  hope to do some work on some quilt UFOs and to learn beading by participating in The Bead Journal Project. And perhaps one or more of my 2010 completions will be suitable for entry in the County Fair (something I have never had courage to do before.)

Work from Stash and One BAP for 2009, Week Fifty-Two

Not quite 1/3 of the way. One counting error so far, and I sure did cut my fabric close!

Merry Christmas to ALL! (A little late)

Dec 25, '09 8:32 PM I tried posting this AM but Multiply has a habit of crashing my browser and we were on the way to my brother-in-law's for Christmas dinner... tried posting this AM but Multiply has a habit of crashing my browser and we were on the way to my brother-in-law's for Christmas dinner... so if Christmas is over for you, Happy Boxing Day, Happy Kwaanza or Happy new Year!

Work from Stash and One BAP for 2009, Week Fifty-One

Three days of stitching, two skeins of Crescent Colors floss, only got me this far, less than 1/6th of the way through! And I bailed on the idea of over one: the crosses weren't well defined with this kind of floss (would have worked with silk but I didn't have the right colorways). And technically, it IS stash because it was already kitted up in my cupboard and I shopped my stash for the linen I'm using as well!

A decision has been made...

And it's not one of my remaining UFOs. None of them really appeal to me right now and while I seriously doubt I can finish the piece I've chosen by the end of 2009, it is at least kitted up and ready to go.

I decided to go with "A Quaker Christmas", designed by G. R. Reinhardt for ByGone Stitches. You can see a stitched model here. I plan on using the threads (Crescent Colors) called for in the chart but I'm using 32 ct antique white Wichelt linen instead of the 28 ct Country French Cashmere show in the model. I'm tempted to stitch over one as well... I like the look of these motifs done small.

I don't usually do big Christmas pieces... Maybe this will be a piece I'll enter in the county fair next summer...

Work from Stash and One BAP for 2009, Week Fifty

I haven't picked out my next piece yet. These are the cross stitch UFOs in my craft room stash cupboard:

Monogrammed napkins and table runner complete; four placemats to go... Kit by JanLynn called "Antique Rose":

An Angel of Love with only her face done: one of four ornaments designed by Marie Barber in the "Just Cross Stitch" December 2002 issue (the other four, Life, Hope and Peace, haven't even been started)

Another angel ("Celestial Angel", a Dimensions Gold kit designed by Laine Gordon) with only a little bit of robe done (and if I remember rightly, a counting error already!):

A map of England and Wales (A Heritage Stitchcraft kit from the Britain in Stitches series by Susan Ryder) with only the landmarks to put in:

An arbor from a book of patterns by Marie Barber called "Gifts of Nature" ("Harvest Sampler"; this is a big piece which needs a frame, and again, another counting error already):

A pillow sham with a wreath of leaves and flowers excerpted from a chart called "Nature's Song" from that same Marie Barber book (awkward stitching inside that pre-sewn sham - my smallest hoop doesn't fit so it has to be done blindly, by hand:

All the UFOs I planned to finish this year are complete!

Now I have to decide what 2010's theme will be! I have plenty of even older UFOs to choose from but I'm thinking that quilting (if I get up the courage to actually finish a quilt) and the Bead Journal Project will take up quite a bit of my stitching time!

Work from Stash and One BAP for 2009, Week Forty-nine

Embarrassed to say I haven't finished the first color of backstitch yet. There are still a cluster of leaves in her hair and a piece of the border on the upper right...and then there are 7 more colors of backstitching, one of couched threads, a series of French knots (AAACK! I HATE French knots) and a tassel to make!

Work from Stash and One BAP for 2009, Week Forty-eight

Dec 2, '09 9:33 AM

Cross stitch is done and backstitch is started (there are at least six colors of backstitch, some french knots and a tassel to go...Typical of a Dimensions kit).

Work from Stash and One BAP for 2009, Week Forty-seven

Only four butterflies and part of the right-side border to go before backstitching starts!

Work from Stash and One BAP for 2009, Week Forty-six

Nov 18, '09 12:03 PM I didn't make a lot of progress this week. Trying to fudge in those counting errors in the leaves slows me down.

Work from Stash and One BAP for 2009, Week Forty-five

Most, if not all, of the half cross stitches are done. Just leaves, butterflies and  few odd stitches here and there to do! And, of course, the backstitching... I can see a light at the end of the tunnel! 

Work from Stash and One BAP for 2009, Week Forty-four

Lots of half-cross stitches this week! And I found the counting errors --- so will have to do all her hair in order to figure out the fudge factors.

My next WIP

It's called "Free Flight", a Dimensions kit designed by Linda Ravenscroft. I had worked a little on it last year, up through April 2008, and here is what it looked like then:

I know there is at least one counting error in it but I THINK it can be fudged...

Why is it I can't ever do a chart without at least one mistake?

The Rooster is complete

I don't know who the designer is --- it isn't attributed. 

It was published by Accord Publishing in an "Easy Cross-Stitch Pattern-a-Day" calendar for 2005 and was part of the pattern for September 2.

Work from Stash and One BAP for 2009, Week Forty-Three

A small rooster from a calendar page, destined for a quilt:

It's Done!

Work from Stash and One BAP for 2009, Week Forty-Two

Beading is underway --- only Summer Snow and Strawberry Snow to go! And Strawberry Snow needs some additional snowflakes os it doesn't look so isolated.

An ornament assembled

It's always my weakness --- I finish the stitchery but put off the final assembly. But the mailing deadline is fast approaching so this ornament is done at least! The cording is made from three colors of DMC Perle to match the purple DMC floss used in the cross stitchery.

Work from Stash and One BAP for 2009, Week Forty-One

Backstitching and cross-stitching done, except maybe for adjusting some margins with additional snowflakes, etc. (Strawberry snow looks a little isolated down there). Now for the beading! And there's a LOT of beading!

Another ornament

Not easy to see the seed beads but this is "Peace 2009" by Sue Hillis, as published in the "Just Cross Stitch" 2009 ornament issue...

Work from Stash and One BAP for 2009, Week Forty

I finished "Blackberry Snow"! OK, it doesn't LOOK like blackberries, but that is because the berries are black seed beads and I am leaving all the beading until the very end. next up, "Strawberry Snow": I've marked the chart's center point and am ready to start stitching!

Before I start on "Strawberry Snow", I'm going t do another ornament from the Just Cross Stitch Ornament issue: Sue Hillis' Peace 2009. White on silver 32-ct linen...

Also, I don't know what possessed me, but I have signed up for the 2010 Bead Journal Project, which starts in January  http://www.beadjournalproject.com 

Am I digging the hole deeper and deeper? First joining the local quilt guild and now beading? 

Another completion.

I know, I SAID I was going back to the Blackberry Snow piece but...

This one is called "Missing Letter Stitchers" (the "t's" are needles done in silver thread and may be hard to see), a freebie from San Man Originals:

A completion...

Took a break and stitched a new piece: "Letters Heart" which is a DMC freebie from inside a packet of DMC Linen Floss. I stitched it in three shades of purple on 32 ct Opalescent Belfast Linen from Silkweaver.

I had intended it as part of a quilt but it came out too large (my fault - I misread the instructions) so it's back to the drawing board for the quilt block and meanwhile, I'll get back to Blackberry Snow!

A completion..

Oct 3, '09 9:21 PM

Took a break and stitched a new piece: "Letters Heart" which is a DMC freebie from inside a packet of DMC Linen Floss. I stitched it in three shades of purple on 32 ct Opalescent Belfast Linen from Silkweaver.

I had intended it as part of a quilt but it came out too large (my fault - I misread the instructions) so it's back to the drawing board for the quilt block and meanwhile, I'll get back to Blackberry Snow!

Work from Stash and One BAP for 2009, Week Thirty-Nine

"Sunflower Snow" is complete except for the beading. Starting on "Blackberry Snow" (except you can't see the one-third of the snowman already stitched).

I also restitched the wonky sashing on my raw edge applique study. 

The fabric arrived from Silkweaver for the two Ink Circles designs I want to stitch: "Garden Stars" and "Sea Stars"... Now to pull the floss... I do so want to start something new!

Work from Stash and One BAP for 2009, Week Thirty-Nine

Sep 30, '09 10:50 AM

"Sunflower Snow" is complete except for the beading. Starting on "Blackberry Snow" (except you can't see the one-third of the snowman already stitched).

I also restitched the wonky sashing on my raw edge applique study. 

The fabric arrived from Silkweaver for the two Ink Circles designs I want to stitch: "Garden Stars" and "Sea Stars"... Now to pull the floss... I do so want to start something new!

Work from Stash and One BAP for 2009, Week Thirty-Eight

Made slight progress on the San Man Originals snowman "collage":

That's because I did some ornament stitching from the 2009 "Just Cross Stitch" Christmas Ornament Issue. The photo is a bit blurry but it is "Purple Penguin" from Casey Buonaugurio Designs, stitched on 32-count "pewter" linen in DMC floss: 

I plan on doing more ornaments from this issue... after I finish "snow"!

Oh, and I ripped out more sashing on my raw applique "study". My conscience got the better of me --- I can't leave it THAT wonky!

Work from Stash and One BAP for 2009, Week Thirty-Eight

Sep 23, '09 12:40 PM

Made slight progress on the San Man Originals snowman "collage":

That's because I did some ornament stitching from the 2009 "Just Cross Stitch" Christmas Ornament Issue. The photo is a bit blurry but it is "Purple Penguin" from Casey Buonaugurio Designs, stitched on 32-count "pewter" linen in DMC floss: 

I plan on doing more ornaments from this issue... after I finish "snow"!

Oh, and I ripped out more sashing on my raw applique "study". My conscience got the better of me --- I can't leave it THAT wonky!

Work from Stash and One BAP for 2009, Week Thirty-Seven

Some progress on my San Man Originals Snowman Collage. Ran into some color and size problems with Sunflower Snow but I think I can fix the other five patterns to work with it.

I attended my first ever meeting of a local quilting guild, Black Swamp Quilters, on Thursday and while the ladies were wonderfully welcoming , I think I may be WAY in over my head here. My quilting skills are zilch and they do such lovely work. But the meeting did inspire me to root through my stack of UFOs from those quilting classes I took back in Saudi Arabia in the early 2000s and dig out this raw edge applique study. I finished up the free embroidery (you can't really see it but there are words on the green background) and assembled the three pieces with sashing (ripped out the sashing five times too and finally gave up --- piecing isn't supposed to be so stressful!), Now, to get up the courage to actually quilt something for the very first time...

Work from Stash and One BAP for 2009, Week Thirty-Seven

Sep 16, '09 11:45 AM

Some progress on my San Man Originals Snowman Collage. Ran into some color and size problems with Sunflower Snow but I think I can fix the other five patterns to work with it.

I attended my first ever meeting of a local quilting guild, Black Swamp Quilters, on Thursday and while the ladies were wonderfully welcoming , I think I may be WAY in over my head here. My quilting skills are zilch and they do such lovely work. But the meeting did inspire me to root through my stack of UFOs from those quilting classes I took back in Saudi Arabia in the early 2000s and dig out this raw edge applique study. I finished up the free embroidery (you can't really see it but there are words on the green background) and assembled the three pieces with sashing (ripped out the sashing five times too and finally gave up --- piecing isn't supposed to be so stressful!), Now, to get up the courage to actually quilt something for the very first time...

Work from Stash and One BAP for 2009, Week Thirty-Six

Back to San Man Original snowmen. "Summer Snow" is now done except for the beads. On to "Sunflower Snow"...

Work from Stash and One BAP for 2009, Week Thirty-Six

Sep 9, '09 1:49 PM

Back to San Man Original snowmen. "Summer Snow" is now done except for the beads. On to "Sunflower Snow"..

.

Walking to Town

The beads (snowflakes) were not as bad as the French knots called for but they were worse than the backstitching! But it's DONE! WOO HOO!

Work from Stash and One BAP for 2009, Week Thirty-Five

The backstitching is taking longer than I thought! Still some branches and two more trees to do!

Work from Stash and One BAP for 2009, Week Thirty-Four

Back in January 2008, this is what my collage of San-Man Original "snowmen" looked like. So far, it consists of the following charts:"Carrot Snow", "Lilac Snow", "Luck Snow", and "Could It Bee Snowing" (although beads and buttons are still to be applied) with "Summer Snow" in progress:

And this is what it looked like after one day of stitching with white this past week on "Summer Snow". I know - you can barely see it but it's there...

I had picked this piece up to have something to do while I waited for "Walking to Town" to dry after washing it in an attempt (only partly successful) to remove the marks made by my Q-snaps on the navy Aida. Once dried, I started on backstitching:

Maybe one more week? After backstitching, there is the beading. And then back to my San-Man snowmen!