November WIPocalypse Update

http://measi.net/measiblog/

November came and went with such great hast.   I looked at one glance and gone.  Again this month is a bit boring but I did manage to work on a project.  I am not sure it is classified as WIPocalypse but I am going to update anyways.

WIPocalypse Question of the month: What new stitches or techniques did you learn this year?
I was excited this year to learn to stitch with beads.  I didn't learn any new stitches but working with beads was so much fun and learning how to stitch them to the fabric was super important.  I did work with Krenik this year and hand died floss.  Both were interesting and I learned a lot with those too.  This next year I will be doing different stitches.

This month has been crazy with craft projects, hockey, travel and of course family.

A little bit of an update and I promise not to take all day for those who came to read about my Cross Stitch progress.

My mother is recovering slow from her Quad Bypass, I wished they could get her sugars under control but at this point we will take what we can get and recovery is ever so slow but progress is progress.

We have been traveling non stop with my daughters hockey so we've been super busy with that.  I think this is a reason why my stitching has suffered such catastrophic failure.  I wouldn't trade it for the world because she is enjoying the rest of her young life.  She just turned 16 and I sure hope he sticks with it.

Another thing that has taken up some of my stitching time is my quilting.  My facebook group Quilting BOM does a 12 Days of Christmas and I can't help but join and enjoy getting to know another person.  This year I did exactly that and enjoyed making her a table runner for her 12th day.  Thank goodness she knows nothing of my blog so we are all good.  I did make her a few other things, one I am planning on making for myself and using it for my Cross Stitch.  All photos below 😀

This year has not been the best year for health issues or family passing's.  I hope 2020 works out to be better than this year.  My Grandmother would have been 92 on Thanksgiving but didn't make it this year.  I didn't have the best relationship with her later on in life but I was working on trying to get to know her again.  Life is so short to wait till the last minute.  I am glad for the time I have had with her and what I've shared recently.  I will remember how she could cook anything and that she cared for me when no one else ever did.  I will miss her and I know she is looking down on us all.

My birthday was on November 30th and I was sicker than a dog.  I really had that kind of a month.  My plans for stitching all day and going into debt with the Stitch from Stash (none existent budget) went the window.. I couldn't stand food or food commercials and the smell would make me run for cover.  I am very glad it ended the next day because it was horrible.

So with the long winded version I gave you, I sure hope you are around.  I feel like I got some great progress on this piece.  I am not sure if I told you about it before but I told someone I would do this for her daughter after she got it back with no stitches at all.  Someone was supposed to do this for her and held it captive for a while.  I worked on it here and there and then life happened.. I then misplaced it and finally found again.  Its been on the scroll frame ever since and still there now.

I'm pretty happy with how this turned out.. I've not been updating to much as for Social Media because if I can manage to get it done before Christmas I am going to send it to her as a surprise.  I'm very excited about this and hoping I have enough time. 

I will also be planning for the upcoming year.. so many SAL's happening but I will have some focus pieces I'll post soon and we will see how this year goes.. I've worked on my Bullet Journal and have come up with a quote for the year and a word.. I am looking forward not behind.. 

As usual I sure hope your stitching is bringing you joy.  Your needles are burning away at all those projects and everyone is healthy and happy.  Happy Stitching All. Till next time, I will try to actually make it on time in December, marked my calendar. 

Carey 

October WIPocalypse Update

Where have the last few months gone.. I've missed August, September and now October has flown by and I've not been able to post.  I've always believed family comes first and then the rest just falls into place.  Earlier in August my husband had a scare and was hospitalized for High Blood Pressure and some strain on his heart.. That took us all for a roller coaster ride and the scare is still there but we are aware of it and I think that makes a huge difference.

I also started back to work in August and my stitching was even more depleted with two jobs, kids etc.  Still back to work and not working the second job as much, so I got to stitch a few things.  Then the dreaded phone call from your family.. My mom was in the hospital in October for Quad Bypass and that took its toll on our family.  She is doing much better but plans have changed and things didn't get done.  I am blessed to get to spend time with my mom.

Then the holiday season BAM!!! right in your face.. how does this all happen so quickly.

So I did get to stitch on many little projects for Magical stitches but I didn't write it down because when you have situation you just miss a few things.. I can't even remember what I did.  But in the last few months I did have some Amazing finishes..

I did get a page finish in on my Trick or Treat HAED.  I was just re-evaluating this piece and I am pretty sure that I will not get all the things completed that I wanted to get done by the end of the year.  I have a piece I need to work on and might try to finish before Christmas and will be taking a majority of my time between now and then so I am pretty positive that I won't get that goal completed but there is always next year.  But here is the page finish and maybe I can sneak another one in by end of December.

One that I've had on my scroll frames and I refused to take it off until I had all the back stitching done is my Amid Amish Life.  She is complete with all the bells and whistles.  I am very proud of this one, I've wanted to do this piece for about 20+ years now and I've finally made at least one of the three a completed project.  I have the other two pieces as WIPS at the moment and next year they will be in rotation and on my list to complete in 2020.

I will say this is all I have folks and I've enjoyed updating this because it feels like forever since I've done it.

Have a great day and enjoy your stitching moments when you get them.
Carey
thepatientstitcher

July Update WIPocalypse

Beginning of the month turned out as a slow starter.  I've been busy with school work and family home visiting so something just fall and just pick them up when you get a chance to breath.

I'm in a group for Magical Stitches on Facebook and honestly it's a great group of people and encouragement is awesome.  I think also the different assignments (homework) encourage you to stitch more and to stitch forgotten pieces that might be at the bottom of the WIPS that have not seen a frame in a while.

This piece is one of those pieces.  I started this in Maynia 2018 and did that day to start the stitches and has not seen any since that day.  Not that I don't love it just other pieces have taken up some extra time.  This was also not a focus piece for me this year but I did need to find a piece I have not worked on in five months or oldest WIP this is prob not my oldest WIP but its been a long time since i've worked on it.  I got another 300 stitches into this piece so more progress is great progress.  I might try to fit it into some other homework this month. I didn't manage to find another spot to put more stitches into it but I am sure I will work on it again soon.  It was fun to work on and a beautiful piece also.

I did manage to finish the outline and the 1 of 9 patterns for Quotes to Live by from Stitchrovia.  I've enjoyed this piece so much and can't wait to work on the others. 

I also worked on another piece that has not been out in a while as I've gotten frustrated with how my stitches were coming out and I totally tossed it and restarted.  I am super happy with the fabric choice and my stitches in this piece now.  Marauder's Map is just another piece that eventually I'll put up in my craft room.  I love Harry Potter and this is the perfect piece for me to enjoy.

I did get at least 2500 stitches into my Amid Amish Life and it brought it to and end.  Not a complete finish but I will say when all you have the backstitching to do you feel very accomplished.  I am going to do 30 minutes each day to see how much backstitching I can get done.

I did get to work on two Heaven and Earth Designs this month.  I used one for Magical Stitches Homework and needed some pink for Professor Umbridge's favorite color.  It was a very light pink but what was great is I finished a full line at the top of the page and again an accomplishment that stitches finally went into this piece.  I started this in 2018 and have not touched it since then.

Trick or Treat also finally came back out as I did have a page finish a few months ago and when I have a page finish I usually feel exhausted with a piece.  I did feel a bit guilty that I put it in my closet and didn't even look at it.  I did get it back out and have stitched at least 2000 stitches this month and I am beyond excited about the progress I've made on it.  My goal for this piece was to have it done all the way across which is 8 pages.  I still believe i can make this happen but I do need to keep at it.  I will post a fuller view when I finish this page up.

WIPocalypse Question of the Month: How do you get yourself out of a stitching drought?

I will say I've not been in a drought the last few years.  I did have to take a break when I moved but I did bring stitching with me so I could do it when I had downtime.  I didn't stitch as much as I thought I would.  My last drought lasted over 20+ years and I hope to never have that happen to me again.  I did raise four girls and had a 21+ year military career I am not sure I had a whole lot of time.  When I get a feeling of not stitching I do go to You tubers and they always seem to inspire me and I get a patter and start stitching.  I also try to stitch at least 30 minutes a day.  Its my Zen!  

Have a happy Stitchy month.  I hope August isn't to hot for everyone and you get so much time to relax and enjoy your projects.  

Carey

June WIPocalypse Update

Not sure there is much to report this month.  This has been a super busy month since my grandson and daughter are still here and spending as much time as I can with them.  I also started working my summer job which is nice, Joann Fabric is a nice place to work and its nice to talk about all of the fun projects I've got or they are working on.  I am also still doing school so that takes up most of my day. I have managed a few hours here and there so I am happy with any and all progress I've made for sure.

I have worked on projects that I started this year for Maynia but I'll post some of them later because they are technically not WIPS as I started with WIPocalypse.  This just means I have to take the time and update more.

Earlier this month I took out a WIP that I've been working on for a few and is a focus piece for the year. Amid Amish Life is one of my favorites.  I'm sure I've shared the story on this and I used this piece is many School Of Magical Stitches homework and extra credit assignments along the way.  I've made amazing progress and can't wait to get back to it and see if I can use it again this month.

I started middle of the month and she was a bit sparse on the left side because I have not gotten back to this side since I started the building about a year ago but I've since finished the building and worked on clouds, trees and some border also.  She looks awesome.  I did work on some parked threads and I was a bit frustrated with my cat whom seems to think that dangling strings (or even NOT dandling strings) were hers to chew on and leave me with nothing to stitch with.  So I took care of some of my parked threads and started to put my pieces while not working on them in my closest.

I also got a few good hours in on Pleasures of winter a Dimensions Gold collection piece.  I've noticed that I have a lot of kits from them and for some reason they all appeal to me so I'll try to finish them at some point in time.  I am happy with this weeks progress as I got most of the cabin completed.  Goal was to work no the cabin and back stitch it because this piece has so much backstitching but I didn't get the cabin finished.. Almost does count and the progress is wonderful and I was very happy. 

Measi always gives us a topic to discuss too.

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

So far this year I am super happy with where I am at with my projects.  I have 5 focus pieces that I wanted to finish in 2019 and one is already completed which was the Sleepy Hollow from Glendon Place.  I would also like to finish my Amid Amish Life and its very close and I think I can finish that also.  I wanted to finish all the way to the end of my Trick or Treat HAED and its still looking like I can do that also but I do need work on it.  I wanted to finish my Christmas in London from Mirabilia but I still can't find her since I've moved so I am thinking she won't happen this year.  I've gone through lots of boxes but still nothing, I'm sure she is here just taking a little siesta while I work on others. I have finished others that were not on the list so I am thinking I've done amazing this year.  I've gotten more done than I even thought was possible. 

My plans are the same work on as much as my homework and life allow, while still keeping it the one thing that helps me relax and enjoy to relax to. Happy Stitching everyone and enjoy the weather before it becomes unbearable.  

Carey

May WIPocalypse Update

                    

                                                        

           WIPocalypse is hosted by Measi's Musings

Each month we have to share projects we want to complete that might just be sitting in our WIP piles for way to long.

Honestly I am unsure where May went.  So much has gone on this month that its a blur.  Maynia started, my husband started his schooling and I started my summer vacation and started my other job and started online classes.  A lot has happened in a short month.  I am sure I will have plenty of WIPS for next year as I started fifteen new ones, I wanted this to be more but in the end fifteen was enough. I have not gone through all my WIPS as of yet but will do that before the end of summer so I know exactly how many I have (I am not sure I really want to know) Well enough about me lets see what actually happened this month.  

Question of the month was where do I love to shop for my stash.  Personally I love to shop everyone else's.  If I find something I like I have no problem rehoming to my stash.  I do love 123 Stitch and my wish list is longer than anything I will ever be able to complete.  Fabric has become more enhanced as my taste have changed over the years and I guess I've become more of a fabric snob.  I love to yard sale and hope I come across a massive haul, but have yet to find that.  I just enjoy collecting and dreaming of stitching it.  

I didn't work on many WIPs this month but I did get a few in.  I started this for Maynia 2018 and as you can see I didn't get very far.  I believe this was taken out for Magical Stitches.  Stitch on a project that I had not seen in at least six months.  How about 12?  Well, I enjoy stitching on this and hopefully it comes to light again soon.

This project has been in my WIP list a while.  I have no idea why I start Stitch alongs and I can't keep up with them something else grabs my attention and then I'm off on another project.  But I still love this project and hope to get back to it soon. 

I did get one more project in before the last project stole the whole month away from me.  This one was started a while back also but I needed to stitch blue stitches and I got to pull this one out and add a couple of hundred stitches before it got put back again. 

As I already told you I did have a lot of new starts but the most exciting news in my opinion is a finish.  Sleepy Hollow didn't go back into my WIP pile.  I couldn't stand putting it back and really used most of may to finish it.  I actually miss stitching on this piece but can't wait to get money saved so I can get this framed and hung on my wall.  So here he is and all his glory.

I hope this finds everyone had a wonderful stitchy month.  I hope you have had wonderful adventures with the needles working overtime.  Until next month may you find the time to enjoy the little things in life.

Carey

Maynia 2019 Week 1

I am sure like most stitchers, I don't really need a reason to start a new project! But with Maynia here it gives me even more reason to start MANY!!!

I've done well up until now starting no projects until end of April.  I was saving up for Maynia.  

I have many Dimensions Kits and I so love them.  Its easier in my opinion and they are already kitted so this makes it so appealing to me.  I just happen to love all of them.  I did only work on a few kits this week but trust me, more are on the way.  First up, is Cardinal on Sled.  I've had this one for a little but and so excited to start this.  I just love Cardinals.  I've had one at my back door at the feeder for a while now.  I hope to bring this one out again.

I've had this one in my collection for well over a year.  I've also had the fabric too! I've known what I was going to stitch on but didn't know when.  How perfect to start this during Maynia.  I think this will come out again very soon.  I really enjoy stitching Nora Corbett patterns. 

This might have been an enabled purchase, because I've seen so many stitch each season that I couldn't help myself when someone was selling this one and it just magically jumped into my stash.  I can see myself returning to her very soon as she was a lot of fun to stitch even though I didn't stitch on her for long. 

I got this a few years ago because I wanted to have this hanging in my craft room. I felt great with what I got accomplished in a few hours.  I also see this coming out again soon. 

Cricket Collection has had my attention for a long time.  I think I own all the seasons and many other patterns because they are fun to stitch or at least look amazing.  I did get to my goal and snowman was complete before the end of the night.  I love that I got this far.  I hope to also pick this one up again and enjoy stitching on this again.  

I will be back again next week with all my new starts and hopefully update my WIP album.  It could be very extensive after this month.  

Happy Stitching All!!

Remember if you can't stitch much just do one stitch a day and see if you get bit again.  One stitch is all it takes to relax you and let you fall back into the stitching world. 

April WIPocalypse Update

                                                                   

                                                       

            WIPocalypse is hosted by Measi's Musings

Each month we have to share projects we want to complete that might just be sitting in our WIP piles for way to long.

The beginning of the month started out working on a few projects.  As everyone knows if I can work on Trick or Treat from Randal Spangler I would be complete.  I can't work on it all the time or I would be burnt out.  Somehow; I do manage to stitch on this piece more than I ever expected and I thinks its because I've seen so much progress on it and its coming to life with every stitch.  I worked on this for 18 Days this month, and when I say 18 days if I put a single stitch in this piece I say I worked on it 😏.  When starting this month I was unsure of where I would be by the end of the month but to my surprise 2200 stitches went into her this month.  I am so happy with the progress I've made.  A page finish was a bit of a stretch but in the end that is exactly what i got and i'm tickled pink.

While I was working on my Trick or Treat I've also been double dipping! I worked on my Sleepy Hollow from Glendon Place.  This as you already know is one of my focus pieces this year to complete.  I will say after this month Sleepy Hollow will be in the finish pile next month and hopefully off to the framers shortly afterwards.  I have enjoyed getting the last little details done on this.  Back stitching took forever and there was a lot of it. I still need to work on beading, back stitching and some krenik but its so close to complete its scary and exciting.  

Another double dipper and sometimes a triple stack for a few days was one of my all time favorites Amid Amish Life.  This has really been one piece that just takes me back to when I first saw this.  I am glad its on my WIP list and also on my focus list this year.  It was really nice to stitch on this again.  I've found the love I have for it.  It's nice to see projects that have not seen the light of day for a long time and then you stitch on them and don't want to put them down at all. 

A WIP I've not taken out in a very long time is the Guardians of Notre Dame.  Its crazy to see such and amazing piece of history go up in flames.  I will keep this on my bucket list but I think its awful to watch such a tragedy.  I started this WIP in 2018 and kept up until month three and then I was packing a house and trying to move so stitching was not on my mind for many months 😒. I wished I would have kept up with this SAL because all finished pieces are so stunning.  When I started this piece I instantly thought of a clock and I've seen finished ones and love them.  Totally still a clock when its finished.   Not a focus piece for 2019 but it will come out again soon.  I did manage at least 800 stitches on this piece because of magical stitches that needed to be completed..

Another piece I decided to pull out for 100 stitches but will see again I think because I enjoyed it again.  It is a piece I started in Maynia 2018 and have not touched it since.  This is how the story goes for a lot of things in my life.  I hope to find more time for it in the future.  This is called Silver Belle Run.  This is my first piece like this and look forward to working on it again.  I did only put 100 stitches but 100 stitches closer to a finish right!

Another piece I did start in Maynia 2018 is Old World Map.  This piece has been speaking to me for a while but the first photo is the Continental Stitch or Tent Stitch.  I did use two threads and did give it a lot of time but the thickness is not my style so I scrapped it and started in the middle of the fabric and works in a different area.  So I am still working on it and is still a WIP! I am also still in love with this one too. 

Question of the Month: Talk to us about your longest-running WIP or UFO.

So far I do have one that is my longest running WIP it is a lighthouse I started in early 2000.  I've been looking through all my things to finally find it and finish it.  I've manage to not loose the book and I've seen it a few things when I've packed and unpacked but living in such a small space and a storage unit its lost again.  I really don't have a huge story about it but when I was in the Coast Guard lighthouses are apart of our history and I thought they were amazing.  Soon I will finish this piece and make me happy to display it.  

I hope this finds your needles speedy and your stitchy bug just going crazy.  I know this is late but April was a great month for me.  I am not sure May will be as prosperous but I hope a few stitches will happen.