Carol Stitches

Sunday, July 30, 2023

WIPocalypse 2023 Check-In - July 30, 2023

This month's discussion topic is:

"Which are your favorite and least favorite fabrics to stitch on?"

Favorite is easy - Lugana or Jobelin in either 28 or 32 counts. I tend toward neutrals and white but if a color works with a pattern, I will go with it.

Least favorite - AIDA when it's got slippery polyester threads woven in and loosely woven, slub-filled linens. Least favorite color, regardless pf fabric is black...

~~~~~WIPs~~~~~
What I stitched on in July:

1. Fox & Rabbit's Patreon "Temperature Chart" for the year 2023. Stitched 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 July 15:

2. Lakeside Needlecraft "Happiness is Handmade" SAL, designed by Durene Jones. Stitched with the recommended DMC floss on a wide (very slippery) Aida band. Installments one through 8 are complete, installment 9 is nearly so - although not without MAJOR "personalizations" (and I am still contemplating some backstitching), installment 10 is in progress, and installment 11 has been issued.

3. Fox & Rabbit Mystery SAL for 2023, "Royal Gardens". Stitching on 32ct Lugana "pale green" (this isn't an accurate color in this photo) 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 have finished the January installment (sans border outlines and two areas of backstitching) with two major stitching errors that I will have to fudge around (because I didn't notice them until several rows of stitching and was NOT going to frog weeks wort of work to "fix" ). I have the February through July pattern installments in hand, while August is due any day now!. 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.

4. Stitchonomy SAL for 2023 "Kingdom's of Life". I'm a member of the pattern club so I receive installments "early" and can't post progress on any installment until the general stitching community gets their installments. I am significantly behind on this one because I am editing colors on the fly and that slows me down a lot. All I have finished so far (their frame, the bacteria and the plants) are shown below. I have all the installments in hand now and I want to do some editing on two before I proceed.

~~~~~
That sums up my July stitchery progress. As in my June 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 in future but we shall see...

Sunday, June 25, 2023

WIPocalypse 2023 Check-In - June 25, 2023

This month's discussion topic is:

"Half-year recap: How are you doing with your goals so far this year?"

In January, here is what I said my goals would be for 2023:

a 2023 temperature chart from Fox & Rabbit, which was kitted up and ready to go at the first of the year
the 2023 Mystery SAL "Royal Garden" by Fox & Rabbit

Two additional projects were put in the queue for this year:

Lakeside Needlecraft "Happiness is Handmade" SAL, designed by Durene Jones.
Stitchonomy SAL "Kingdoms of Life"

Progress on all four of these projects are reported on in this check-in.

Four projects designated as "in the queue" in January have not been started. They are:

a cooperative venture between Nancy Wahler ("Faithwurks") and Sue Hillis Designs called "A Stitcher's Shadowbox and Smalls" (as per usual, I ordered two by mistake! Oh well---) and I have the kit(s) in hand.
two SALs by Cliffside Stitches. One is a variation on medieval Egyptian blackwork and the other is a set of cross-stitched tiles based on variety of motifs that are reminiscent of traditional folk designs from around the world. I have not started either although I have ordered the floss for the blackwork piece and have collected the weekly installments
a blackwork SAL by Clare Bradshaw of The Steady Thread - weekly installments of two versions. I have collected the installments but have not decided on which version, if any I would stitch.

I think it was also "understood" that certain unfinished pieces would at least be worked on:

A long term WIP, almost a UFO: Elizabeth Almond's "Save the Stitches" sampler. Started back in February of 2014! It is currently about 60% complete, but so far, this year, it hasn't been touched
Traveling Needlepoint: Not having travelled since the pandemic, I had not been motivated to stitch on "Butterfly on Scroll" by Dimensions since travel became untenable ih February 2020. There was small progress in March.
A WIP in progress - "Hope & Strength" by Glendon Pace. Purchased in 2020 and started in March, 2021, the stitching is finally complete. It STILL awaits the attachment of 1988 beads! AAACK!
A Lakeside Needlecraft SAL, "Kogin", designed by Elizabeth Almond. I began in February 2022 and it hasn't been touched since.
A Mystery SAL in progress - "Christmas Banner" by Stitchonomy. Started in mid-December 2022 and finished except for beads and charms.

So... How am I doing? I guess one step forward and one step backward! I'm stitching. I'm making progress on some pieces but not on others. Basically, I'm not stitching on what I had thought I would be stitching on at the beginning of the year.

~~~~~WIPs~~~~~

What I stitched on in June:

1. Fox & Rabbit's Patreon "Temperature Chart" for the year 2023. Stitched 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 June 20, but I think I made an error in the last two hearts and may have to restitch):

2. Lakeside Needlecraft "Happiness is Handmade" SAL, designed by Durene Jones. Stitched with the recommended DMC floss on a wide (very slippery) Aida band. Installments one through six are complete although not without "personalizations" (and I am contemplating some backstitching), installment seven is in progress, and installments eight and nine have been issued. (Don't seem to be able to catch up on this one...)

3. Fox & Rabbit Mystery SAL for 2023, "Royal Gardens". Stitching on 32ct Lugana "pale green" (this isn't an accurate color in this photo) 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 more than half of the way through the January installment (still two flowers to go!) and have the February, March, April, May and June pattern installments (plus the borders) in hand, with July hard on the heels of the others! 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.

4. Stitchonomy SAL for 2023 "Kingdom's of Life". I'm a member of the pattern club so I receive installments "early" and can't post progress on any installment until the general stitching community gets their installments. Therefore, all I have to share this month is the frame, stitched in a dark grey DMC on a natural 14-count Aida. I have installment one in hand now...

~~~~~planned projects~~~~~

There are 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 June stitchery progress. As in my May 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...

Sunday, May 28, 2023

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...

Sunday, April 23, 2023

WIPocalypse 2023 Check-In - April 23, 2023

This month's discussion topic is:

"Give us five projects in your stash right now that you’d really love to start – and why you haven’t yet."

I should be laughing out loud here but there are so many unstarted projects i my stash that it isn't funny!

Of the ones listed here recently (and probably the most likely to be started sometime, simply because I'm not really sure what else I have! AAACK!):

a cooperative venture between Nancy Wahler ("Faithwurks") and Sue Hillis Designs called "A Stitcher's Shadowbox and Smalls" (as per usual, I ordered two by mistake! Oh well---) and I have the kit(s) in hand.
two SALs by Cliffside Stitches. One is a variation on medieval Egyptian blackwork and the other is a set of cross-stitched tiles based on a variety of motifs that are reminiscent of traditional folk designs from around the world. I have not started either, although I am collecting the weekly installments and planning on using both in the same piece.
a blackwork SAL by Clare Bradshaw of The Steady Thread - weekly installments of two versions. I have collected the installments but have not decided on which version, if any I would stitch. Nor have I settled on fabric or floss color way(s).
a wildflower SAL from Frau Rosa Stickt - I have the patterns, the fabric and the floss... just need to find a space in my rotation!

and the most likely of all:

5. the latest SAL from Stitchonomy called "The Kingdoms of Life" which is due to start in June. The kit is ordered.

I think it's time to do a stash reorganization and purge (but I have to finish my papercarfting reorganization and purge first! Double AAACK!)

~~~~~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 the fall.

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 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 April 21 - notice the mini-heat wave - yellow - in the middle!):

6. Lakeside Needlecraft "Happiness is Handmade" SAL designed by Durene Jones. Installments one, two and three are now complete and part four is nearly complete. Bands five and six have been issued.

Four colors (darker blue, black and two browns) and backstitching (three colors) to do and it's on to Installment Five. I'm 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 five flowers to go!) and have the February, March and April pattern installments (plus the borders) in hand... I would be faster if the frog didn't keep visiting (I have frogged portions of this image partially at least four times and found a one-row error in the vase which I WILL not be able to fix so I will have to do some fudging down the line.)!

~~~~~planned projects~~~~~

There are still other projects in the queue, but whether or not they actually get started in 2023 is in question (see the topic of the month above!).

~~~~~
That sums up my April stitchery progress. As in my March reports, progress was interfered with by online card-making classes (which I watch but never actually participate in - the kits keep building up!) and 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...

Sunday, March 26, 2023

WIPocalypse 2023 Check-In - March 26, 2023

3/26/2023

0 Comments

This month's discussion topic is:

"Tell us about your favorite places to buy stitching supplies."

Sadly, there are no LNS stores within driving distance of where I live. The closest town (Toledo) has a Hobby Lobby, a Michaels and a Joanne's but I have never found them to be well stocked with stitching supplies (except may a healthy selection of DMC threads) - not worth the 40+ minute drive IMO.

SO... I shop online! It has two major drawbacks:

you can never be sure of the color of fabrics threads from photos (if any) on a computer screen
shipping costs can add up

When we lived overseas (1992-2002), needlework shops were few and far between so I got accustomed to searching online and ordering, sight unseen. I continued this habit after returning Stateside. Because of this, I have found a few places that will actually talk on the phone about potential fabric colors, counts and weaves, and some even custom cut fabrics to the needed size! Among these are The Silver Needle in Oklahoma (I have, sadly, never been to their shop in person but I did belong to a number of their monthly "clubs" before the 2008 "economic meltdown" when I felt I could no longer afford the monthly charges) and Needle in a Haystack in California (which I have had the pleasure of visiting, albeit sometime ago before they moved and remodeled). Whenever I plan on starting a special project, I call one or both of these stores for special orders of threads and fabrics.

Mainly, however, I shop online and I have a few go-to shops:

Stoney Creek (they stock a lot of the "speciality threads" that I like)
123 Stitch (I like their fabric cuts and color selection)
and, lately, Lakeside Needlecrafts (mainly because they stock charts often not available outside of England/Europe. I also belong to a fabric of the month club and two thread sets of the month club there)

Lastly, I have recently become hooked on online sites like:

Fox & Rabbit for their annual mystery stitch-alongs (and where I get a fabric of the quarter selection for my membership level in their the patreon group.)
Stitchonomy (for their pattern club and their mystery blackwork free-SALs)
Peppermint Purple (for their blackwork and cross-stitch patterns)
Frau Rosa Stickt (who has interesting paid-for-SALs throughout the year)

The latter often have coordinating facebook pages, private pages for SALs, and/or ETSY shops for supplies or kit.

And that is just scratching the surface of "shops". It doesn't begin to cover the designer specific sites like Michael Powell, or the designs in magazines like "Just Cross Stitch" or the British "World of Cross Stitch"!

Let's be honest here. I probably have enough charts to last two lifetimes (many of which probably are no longer "my style") and probably enough floss and fabric for a heft percentage of them. Someone is going to have to shop my estate sale after I die because there are bound to be some hidden gems in there!

~~~~~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 the fall.

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 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 March 21):

6. Lakeside Needlecraft "Happiness is Handmade" SAL designed by Durene Jones. Installments one and two are now complete and part of installment three is started. Bands four and five are now issued.

The counting errors continue with the pink border under the young girl stitched one row low (so she acquired a longer neck and a larger stitched piece!). Also, there are two missed stitches in this - on the left in the pink and blue borders (I must have a thing about pink and blue borders!).

7. Fox & Rabbit Mystery SAL for 2023, called "Royal Gardens". Stitching on 32ct Lugana "pale green" using Threadworx Overdyed Floss 1048 Woodland Green throughout. I am pleased with the slight variation in the green so I've decided to not mess with additional colors. I am a little more than half of the way through the January installment (five flowers to go!) and have the February and March pattern installments (plus the borders) in hand... I would be faster if the frog didn't keep visiting!

There are still other projects in the queue, but whether or not they actually get started in 2023 is in question. They include:

a cooperative venture between Nancy Wahler ("Faithwurks") and Sue Hillis Designs called "A Stitcher's Shadowbox and Smalls" (as per usual, I ordered two by mistake! Oh well---) and I have the kit(s) in hand.
two SALs by Cliffside Stitches. One is a variation on medieval Egyptian blackwork and the other is a set of cross-stitched tiles based on a variety of motifs that are reminiscent of traditional folk designs from around the world. I have not started either, although I am collecting the weekly installments
a blackwork SAL by Clare Bradshaw of The Steady Thread - weekly installments of two versions. I have collected the installments but have not decided on which version, if any I would stitch. Nor have I settled on fabric or floss color way(s).

~~~~~
That sums up my March stitchery progress. It was interfered with by:

a) disruption of satellite reception on my DVR due to a hard disc failure which resulgted in two days of repairmen in my stitching area, to replace the DVR and upgrade the satellite dish.
b) three online card-making classes, of which I only managed to watch two - the third concludes today with only a brief glance.
c) two missed eye appointments, resulting in having to reschedule and great embarrassment because of my memory lapses (new appointment tomorrow!)
d) one emergency vet visit for our older male Persian, which ended up in him getting stitches and full body shave with a follow up in a week for stitch removal (and a horrendous bill! Emergency Vet services are PRICEY!)

I hope to do better in April!

Sunday, February 26, 2023

WIPocalypse 2023 Check-In - February 26, 2023

This month's discussion topic is:

"What stitch-a-longs (SALs) are you participating in this year?"

Easy question! The tricky part is how one defies "participation"!

Here's a list, starting with long-term WIPs (bordering on UFOs). followed by current SALs, and ending with SALs where I have collected the charts with every intention of starting (but haven't yet)!!

1.There are two long-term SAL/WIPs which have stalled out for one reason or another. I hope (against hope) to get back to them this year:

- Elizabeth Almond's "Save the Stitches", started in February 2014 and roughly 60% complete. Stalled out partly because it is so large, but also because I couldn't stitch on something this big for almost six years because of broken wrist (followed by OT) and two years later by ruptured tendon (followed by more OT), during which I lost my mojo....
- Lakeside Needlecraft SAL, "Kogin", also designed by Elizabeth Almond. I began this in February 2022, after four installments had been issued. The entire pattern is now in hand, but I had issues - and the frog was a frequent visitor. It has been put away until I can deal with my obvious inablility to follow a pattern here!

2. There are the three I am currently stitching, alternating (with time off for tax preparation, road trips and other possible interruptions* to my normal evening stitching routine):

- Fox & Rabbit's Patreon temperature chart for the year 2023, designed by Fox & Rabbit. Not a typical SAL in that Fox & Rabbit provided the basic chart and it's up to me to account for each day's "installment" of low and high temperatures of the day for the year 2023
- Fox & Rabbit Mystery SAL for 2023, called "Royal Gardens". I got behind waiting for floss and fabric to arrive but also because of a massive counting error and am slowly catching up by stitching every third day
- Lakeside Needlecraft "Happiness is Handmade" SAL, designed by Durene Jones. Three installments behind again because I was waiting for the fabric and the floss to arrive.

3. I probably shouldn't even mention the Cliffside Stitches "Egyptian Blackwork" SAL, the Cliffside Stitches "Cross-Stitch Tiles" SAL, and the Steady Thread "Botanical Blackwork SAL 2023" because I haven't even begun to select fabric or floss but I have collected all the pattern installments so far... When will I get around to them? WILL I get around to them? WHO KNOWS...

~~~~~WIPs~~~~~
1. As mentioned above...
- Elizabeth Almond's "Save the Stitches" sampler. Started back in February of 2014! No progress since the last check-in.
- A Lakeside Needlecraft SAL, "Kogin", designed by Elizabeth Almond. I began in February 2022, after four installments had been issued. No progress...

2. Traveling Needlepoint: Not having travelled since the pandemic, I had not been motivated to stitch on "Butterfly on Scroll" by Dimensions since February 2020. This year, the first of two daylily conventions occurred February 17 - 19 in Springfield, IL and I would have had three days of hotel time to kill while my husband was attending seminars but... I forgot the cord to my portable Ott lamp and so only had one day of partial sunshine sufficient to see the holes in the canvas (hotel lighting sucks...). But I did get in some 42 inches of floss-worth stitching. It is the strand of leaves running half-way down the left side in the photo below:

3. Two pieces requiring beading:
- "Hope & Strength" by Glendon Pace. Purchased in 2020 and started in March, 2021, the stitching is complete. It awaits the attachment of 1988 beads! That intimidating total number of beads means I haven't taken this piece out of it's project bag all month long...
- "Christmas Banner" by Stitchonomy. Started in mid-December 2022. Not that many beads but I decided to do all the beading at the same time. So "Christmas Banner" languishes...

4. 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 February 21):

5. Lakeside Needlecraft "Happiness is Handmade" SAL designed by Durene Jones. Progress after one day of stitching:

There are counting mistakes in both the blue border AND in the pink line, but I can't find them and the stitching is fitting side to side, so I decided it was a minor personalization and left it alone (frogging on this AIDA band is messy and not worth the hassle unless the mistake is major, IMO!)!

6. Fox & Rabbit Mystery SAL for 2023, called "Royal Gardens". Stitching on 32ct Lugana "pale green" using Threadworx Overdyed Floss 1048 Woodland Green throughout (although I am considering one or more of six different yellow/gold Threadworx threads as accents here and there...). Again, I was waiting for the fabric and the floss before starting so I am way behind: I am roughly 1/3 of the way through the January installment and have the February installment in hand...

As you can see, this Threadworx "Woodland Green", while variegated, does't show drastic color shifts, so a little touch of "gold" here and there wouldn't hurt. I'll decide when I get to a place where an accent might be required.

~~~~~
As mentioned above, there other projects in the queue, but whether or not they actually get started in 2023 is in question. They include:

a cooperative venture between Nancy Wahler ("Faithwurks") and Sue Hillis Designs called "A Stitcher's Shadowbox and Smalls" (as per usual, I ordered two by mistake! Oh well---) and I have the kit(s) in hand.
two SALs by Cliffside Stitches. One is a variation on medieval Egyptian blackwork and the other is a set of cross-stitched tiles based on a variety of motifs that are reminiscent of traditional folk designs from around the world. I have not started either, although I am collecting the weekly installments
a blackwork SAL by Clare Bradshaw of The Steady Thread - weekly installments of two versions. I have collected the installments but have not decided on which version, if any I would stitch. Nor have I settled on fabric or floss color way(s)

~~~~~
So that sums up my February stitchery.

I am now a two days behind on a virtual card making weekend and I also have to get our taxes materials together for our tax preparer before the end of the month** so stitching will likely take a backseat for a week or so.

I hope everyone has a blessed Lenten season, that the weather isn't treating you too badly (we've had a warmer and a wetter than usual February but have lucked out on the snow and ice), and that you will find joy in stitching!

~~~~~
* Possible interruptions to my stitching routine, as noted all the way in the beginning of the blog post, started off with a bang last night, with a stubbed toe that hurt like Heck and bled like a stick pig. That resulted in a three hour visit to the ER (7 PM through 10) which meant, when I got home with a diagnosis (no break, use antibiotic ointment on the bleeding area, and see my MD!, but the toe was still bleeding and by then, I was NOT in any mental shape to stitch!
** Tax materials assembled and collated and ready for the tax preparer...