February Update and March Plans

Hello all!

What a month February was! I had some very sad new on 3 separate occasions so therefore my stitching suffered. 

I did however keep to my stitching schedule. 

Week 1-2 Mini Think Pink

In fear of grid lines showing with lines, I decided to go over 2 blocks and feather into the other blocks around it. 

It’s such a delight to stitch on, and I’m looking forward to seeing more of the design. 

Week 3 Love Spring 

I loved going back to this, but not the metallic thread! 

In the end just a small bit on the trunk and finishing a couple of butterflies. I’ve seen this finished recently and I so want to do that this year!

Week 4 Safari Friends 

I only spent a day on this this month so only did a bit more of the borders and onto the lion next. 

Wednesdays Band of Variation Sampler 

I didn’t get to my stitching club every week, so I had limited progress on this in February. 

I think I’ll finish this part in March and push to make progress on part 11 of 12 too. 

Work Pattern Greek Steps

Given that I have less that half an hour to stitch on this each day I’m in the office (3 days a week), I’m really pleased with my progress on this. 

I’m looking forward to seeing this complete too. 

Stitchy Mail!

It’s not often I treat myself with stitchy stuff with my little one to spend my money on, so I was so surprised after my bad month to win this gorgeous kit! 

Not sure when I’ll start it, but it’ll be so refreshing to stitch something bright and a quick stitch. 

I did treat myself too to these needle minders. I got the one to match my Beverley’s Owl design, but fell in love with this gorgeous hare. Maybe one day I’ll get the design to match. 

March Plans

I’ve loved my rotation so far this year, however, I’ve decided to tweak it slightly because I really want to finish my Band of Variation sampler soon. I’ve decided to switch Greek Steps out of my work stitching with BOV. 

Week 1 & 2 - Mini Think Pink

Week 3 - Playtime Kitten

Week 4 - Safari Friends 

29th-31st - Band of Variations

Wednesdays & Work piece - Band of Variations

I’m hoping by getting in those extra hours, I’ll see so much more progress this month!

Happy Stitching! 

January ‘19 update & February Plans

Well what a great start to the year! I’ve absolutely loved my rotation and revisiting designs new, and old.  I think sticking to a calendar has made me enjoy the design I’m stitching on and look forward to going back to a different WIP. 

So first up was my New Year new start - Mini Think Pink stitched 2 over 1 Tent Stitch on 25 count Magic Guide. 

As you can see, I stitched just over 300 stitches sticking to the first column.  Since finishing the 2 weeks, I freaked out about seeing horizontal lines in my stitching so shall start feathering in February to minimise any straight lines and going down 2 columns to keep with the grid lines. So pleased with it so far though. 

Week 3 I worked on Playtime Kitten, which was slower going since I was so busy that week! I finished the green on those leaves and almost completed the flower.

Next time you see her, I’ll have finished the flower and started on the back stitch. 

Week 4 was my Safari Friends (real name Savannah Birth Sampler).  I actually got a lot done since I stole a Wednesday evening at my stitching group since it was on the frame and I wanted to finish the Monkey!

Well I did it! Just got a small amount of the frame to do and then I’ve got the lion below it or the elephant below the giraffe! I do feel the backstitch on this will kill me though, so I may start a bit next time. 

So my Wednesday project, Bands of Variation actually only got stitched on once this month because I was either tired or poorly those Wednesdays I missed, but here is what it looks like now:

Since my stitching mo-jo is well and truly back, I've been daydreaming about it a lot! So much so, I decided that I could have a workplace break time project now that they have a wellness room which is nice and quiet to stitch in.

So I chose Greek Steps, here's my tiny progress for the last week of January:

However, some of that red needed to come out as I'd miss counted....Hello Frog! 😖

Honestly though I'm so happy to stitch more and on these projects I've not stitched on for a while.  So much so, I've decided to join in with Farm Girl's #Stitch9Challenge.

This is where you pick 9 designs you want to finish, or finish part of during 2019. Here's the 9 designs I picked:

As a reminder, from top left: Bands of Variation, Greek Steps, Playtime Kitten, Love Spring, Millenium Sampler, Beverley's Owl, A Day in the Life of Hello Kitty, Safari Friends, Frogs Kissing.

I think they're all potential finishes apart from the Millenium Sampler, but want to try and get at least 3 or 4 squares done this year.

What I intend to do is that once one of those in my rotation are complete, I'll add one of the designs from these 9 and see how I go! So excited!

So the rotation for February '19 is:

1-14 - Mini Think Pink

15-21 - Love Spring

22-28 - Safari Friends

Wednesdays - Bands of Variation

Work Breaks - Greek Steps

So much to do, but so excited to get stuck in!

Happy Stitching!

2019 Cross Stitch Goals

Well, as you know, I've got quite a few WIPs (15) and I think that may have had something to do with my lack of stitching mo-jo in 2017 and that I was just a bit daunted by the choice I had.

So although I want to stitch on a few different designs this year, I am going to pick just 6 initially - some finishes, some other WIPs and dare I say it, a couple of new starts!

My goals for current WIPs are:

1. Bands of Variation SAL(BOV) - Finish

      START:

      2. Safari Friends - Finish

      

      START:

      3. Playtime Kitten - progress, finish page 1 and maybe finish completely?!

    

      START:

      4. Love Spring - finish all cross stitches and start back stitches

      START:

Now on to my new starts!

      5. Mini Think Pink - Finish page 1

You may remember that I started the full size version of Think Pink and restarted it a few years ago, but never really counted it as a WIP since I had hardly done anything.  My Stitchy friend knew how much I loved the design and saw the mini version so she bought it for my birthday!

This will be my new year, new start, stitching 2 over 1, tent stitch on 25 count magic guide.

        6. Christmas at Home (Lakeside SAL 2017)

Although this was a SAL, I didn't buy it when the SAL was happening, but fell in love with it whilst others were posting their updates.  This picture isn't the best quality, I'll try and get a better one and post later.

I will only start this once two of the above are complete.

Rotation

Yes I'm starting a rotation again.  Since I don't get as much time to stitch nowadays I've 'borrowed' an idea I saw on flosstube. I'm allocating specific weeks/days of a month to a particular design.

Wednesdays will be BOV since that's my stitching club day.  The first 2 weeks of the month apart from Wednesdays will be Mini Think Pink. The last week of the month will be Safari Friends and the 2nd to last week of the month will alternate between Love Spring and Playtime Kitten.  For longer months, the spare 2/3 days will allow the finish of a column or page of Think Pink, or have a little stitching on the design I won't be stitching that month.

Confusing I know!

January

4th - 17th Think Pink

18th - 24th Playtime Kitten

25th - 31st Safari Friends

So excited about my stitching this year and will update here every month and may even start a Flosstube channel on YouTube!

Happy Stitching x

2018 Review - My Stitchy Bug is Back!

Hello there! Remember me???

So sorry for taking so long on adding a new blog entry – it’s been a crazy couple of years that’s for sure!

I last left you saying I Wanted to finish my Safari Friends sampler, unfortunately that didn’t happen, but I have made some progress this year.

Honestly, I really struggled to get into any stitching in 2017 until a friend of mine pointed out a band sampler SAL (Stitch-along) and said that it could really spark my stitchy bug again.  I agreed to join it and started the Bands of Variation SAL by Lakeside Needleworks on 1 October.  It was a 12 piece monthly SAL.

Although I didn’t get off to a good start, I joined a stitching group in April 2018 and having that quiet grown up time to just stitch, chat and drink tea was a revelation for me! The ladies are all lovely, and I’ve enjoyed meeting like minded people in ‘real life’.

Anyway, here’s a few WIP pictures and my end point in December 2018 (part 10 of 12):

As I mentioned previously, I did manage to make a little progress on the Safari Sampler, almost finishing page 2.  This one will get much more love in 2019:

So I did succeed in one aim - no new starts in 2018! Might have to make up for that in 2019...

I’ve got some exciting plans for 2019 now my stitchy bug is eager to go now, so look out for my other entry with my goals for the new year.

Happy Stitching x