WIPocalypse 2023 Check-In - May 28, 2023

This month's discussion topic is: "What project brings you the most joy and why?" Not really sure what this means. What brings me joy in stitchery is the process of working a pattern and seeing it come to fruition. There is satisfaction in completion. And happiness if the piece is to be a gift to a  close and valued friend. But I can't single out any specific project... ~~~~~WIPs~~~~~ 1. Elizabeth Almond's "Save the Stitches" sampler. Started back in February of 2014! No progress since the  last check-in. 2. A Lakeside Needlecraft SAL, "Kogin", designed by Elizabeth Almond. I began in February 2022, after  four installments had been issued. No progress... probably should be downgraded to UFO. 3. Traveling Needlepoint "Butterfly on Scroll": Nothing since February 17-19. No trips scheduled until July. 4. Two pieces requiring beading: "Hope & Strength" by Glendon Place and "Christmas Banner" by  Stitchonomy.  I had decided to do all the beading at the same time but the beading still languishes... 5. Fox & Rabbit's Patreon "Temperature Chart" for the year 2023. Stitching on 28 ct. "Star Sapphire"  Gobelin (although it looks more pale green than "sapphire" to me) using DMC floss. I'm stitching the day's  low on the left side of the hearts and the high on the right side. All temperatures are based on the recorded highs and lows from an online "past weather" temperature chart for near-by Bowling Green, Ohio (we don't have a reliable outdoor temperature thermometer for our home so  I'm assuming same ZIP code, similar temperature, although that isn't totally accurate). I am pretty much  keeping up with the days, waiting until I have roughly five days of temperatures charted to stitch each  session. I spend the rest of the time on the border and the hangers. (the picture below shows  temperatures through May 24 although there are still "hangers" for each heart to stitch from back in April!) 6.  Lakeside Needlecraft "Happiness is Handmade" SAL designed by Durene Jones. Installments one  through  five are now complete and part six is half-way there. Bands seven and eight have been issued.  I'm still finding this one hard to stitch as the Aida band supplied in the kit is kind of slippery - definitely not  100% cotton - and I don't have a q-snap frame that will anchor down the sides so it's hard to keep tension  on the band. 7. Fox & Rabbit Mystery SAL for 2023, called "Royal Gardens". Stitching on 32ct Lugana "pale green"  (this isn't an accurate color here) using Threadworx Overdyed Floss 1048 Woodland Green throughout.   I am pleased with the slight variation in the green thread so I've decided to not mess with additional  colors. I am a little more than half of the way through the January installment (still three flowers to go!)  and have the February, March, April and May pattern installments (plus the borders) in hand... I would be  faster if the frog didn't keep visiting - and if this floral piece were not so "stitch-heavy". I'm really not  enjoying the stitching as much as I usually do on a Fox & Rabbit sampler because of this, and find  motivation to keep this one going in my rotation a chore! ~~~~~planned projects~~~~~ There are other projects in the queue (new patterns collected and at least one kit ordered) but whether  or not they actually get started in 2023 is in question.  ~~~~~ That sums up my May stitchery progress. As in my April report, progress was interfered with by craft-space  (it's not really a room. but half a basement space) reorganization.  As usual, I say I hope to do better but we shall see...