Welcome to this weeks update on all the cross stitch projects I worked on this week. The atmospheric river is showing its teeth here in San Jose. We have been pretty lucky that we are just on the edge of the storm. Yesterday they were predicting 5 inches now it just 1 inch of rain. Thank you weather gods. On the other hand, weather like this makes me want to curl up with a good book.
LOL! Of course I have been doing that all week because I wasn’t feeling well. Since Monday I read two books already – Fourth Wing and Iron Flame. I couldn’t put them down. They are fantasy books. I like all kinds of genre but it has been a while since I literally couldn’t but the book down. I love reading and probably ready 4-5 books a week. Those are you average book sizes. While it is hard to tell how big these books are, I am guessing they are the 1000+ books. That could be an interesting blog. A weekly blog on what I am reading. No. No one would care about that. Plus I just read too much. Before these two, I finished up a 15 book series in about 2 weeks. That was … I am not sure what they call they genre. I think of it as military romance action books. Like I said, all genres.
Starts & Finishes
My starts and finishes were on target with my planned to do list for the week. Check them out!
Finish: Fall Harvest by FQS It’s Sew Emma
Last week when we last chatted, I was thinking I should be able to finish this project in just one more sitting. Reality was it took THREE more nights to finish and I was unwilling to let it go because I was obsessed with finishing this project. See the cover for WIP on 11/20.
This project was a Fat Quarter Shop Stitch Quarterly which means it came with this custom fabric as well as all of the called for DMC floss.
Start: Septmber Mini Calendar Crates by Stitching with the housewives
Somewhere along the way from my notes to my website, I had that I was starting November Calendar Crates instead of what was actually in my bag – September. So here is my start and then one progress night on the mini chart for September. I have yet to find a Classic Colorworks orange I don’t like. It is just so cute. This one is Pumpkin Harvest. The blue tartan plaid and my skein is a bit darker than their photo showed. It still looks good.
WIP Updates
With my obsession over finishing Fall Harvest, it means I didn’t work on as many WIPS as planned. After finishing Fall Harvest, I decided to pick up the mini calendar crates instead of short changing a wip. Good thing I had empty days on my calendar to move things around. It is kind of nice having the flexibility. I better enjoy it this month, because starting with December, I will be jammed up with all my winter and christmas projects currently on hold from last year. LOL 🙈🙉🙊🐒
WIPGO Project: Winter Basket #1 by hands on Designs
The good news is that before I got obsessed I was able to work on my winter basket chart #1. Cathy at Hands on Design is got such a great eye for color. I am hoping to finish chart 1 tonight and maybe even start chart 3. Chart 1 & 2 are on the same page and I will have to wipe my project to get it up and running in Markup R-XP. I already watched the You Tube video. I don’t think it will wipe anything on the other page, but I don’t want to chance it. Love these colors!
The running stitch really adds to this quilt block. She suggest the taupe color and it looks awesome.
WIPGO Project: Calendar gnome Mr. September by Charlie’s needle
Originally I was thinking I would be able to finish this in November. With Fall Harvest sucking up so much time, I am not positive that will happen. I did still make great progress. I am now working on the apple trees on each side of him. I have two more nights planned to work on this. Wish me luck!
2024 sj temperature library by kristi’s corner
Still haven’t caught up on my knick knacks but I will. This week I will try and finish the blue pumpkin with Nov 13-18 books. I did get some more of the shelf done as I inch my way across the shelf. Just so crazy to think I am almost done with this project. I love it!
Upcoming Plans & Thoughts
I continued organizing my 45 skeins of floss for the upcoming start of Crescent City project. I finished putting all the new skeins on my floss bitties. For this project I have decided to order them in order of use provided by the designer of the chart. I now need to pull the final colors from my stash. Tomorrow’s problem. I for sure will need 2 rings. I put a third in the bag just in case I decide that I want to pull colors just for a section or if I am felling overwhelmed by so many colors. The symbols are A-Z and 1-20 (with skipping Q). So it is fairly easy to divy up.
After rearranging my November stitching calendar, this is what we are planning for this week:
- Night 4 for Winter Baskets WIPGO project
- Night 4 for Mr. September WIPGO project
- Nov 13-18 books plus one pumpkin for the 2024 SJ Temperature Library
- Another night Nov 19 – 24 plus one pumpkin
- Start Fabulous House: Santa’s House
- Finish Sep mini Calendar Crates
- Work on Feb Month 2 Month
- Finish Nov Yr of Celebration (hopefully)
- Work on House on Pumpkin Hill for the last time in 2024
Yep. That will keep me busy. Definitely will NOT be starting Crescent City project in November.
It is crazy to think that next week will be Thanksgiving and then we are only three weeks away from Christmas. Total crazy talk.
For those of you who only ready Floss Friday – Happy American Thanksgiving! Everyone else, I will be back on Tuesday with my quilt edition. Have a great weekend and stay dry.
Peggy Stockwell in a very wet San Jose, California