Hello from the Pacific Northwest. After weeks of heat, we finally have a storm coming in. While it will cool things down a little, we will still have plenty of humidity to keep us toasty. I am definitely looking forward to it! I am ready to share what I worked on this week with you. I hope you enjoy!
Starts & Finishes
I only have one start this week and no finishes. But I did kit up one of my starts for next week. I am even considering having a “Start” Day just to work through my remaining starts. Let’s take a look at this week’s start.
October Calendar Crates (main event!) by Stitching with the Housewives
I am seriously enjoying with this color palette that Stitching with the Housewives selected. I love Halloween especially with a little purple and green. I got more done than I expected. I am using 14ct chalkboard black aida with the called for Classic Colorworks. (Check out CCW Embers and Amyethyst)
WIP Updates
I thought about splitting this up with WIPGO projects and everything else for about 2 seconds and decided nope! So let’s check out the WIPGO projects first.
August WIPGO Project 15: 2025 SJ Temperature Moon Phases by Climbing Goat Designs
I am surprised that I have been maintaining the goal of 2 1/2 moons every night. I am definitely starting to get way motivated with seeing my progress. I have no idea how just doing a half of a moon is so motivating, but it is. I still hate outlining (until I get to a full moon or new moon) but I am finding this tolerable. I am on track to hit the WIPGO goal of finishing through May 31st 🤞🏼At this rate I will be done with April in 3 days! It looks so gorgeous!
August WIPGO Project 12: Snowman Collector: The Shepherd by Cottage Garden Samplings
This week I finished the actual The Shepherd chart but I am not considering it finished in my WIP book until I finish the border which I am working with S5200. I frogged some of the original border I had done and put in some of the new as well as finishing the all the sheep this week. I need to finish The Shepherd border so I can start The Postman.
I uploaded the chart into my Mark R-XP and have begun converting the chart. It didn’t scan well but I am making it work. I know I will have majority of the colors but will probably have to order some new colors. So looking forward to a new Snowman. I total adore the next one (not that I didn’t enjoy this one.)
Summer Stitching Season by Stitching with the Housewives
I had a great stitching night with this one and finished all 405 stitches. The center house is ccomplete and now I am working on the house on the left. I even did a few items below the houses. I will be sad to put this one away but not too sad since that means I get to work on the Autumn Stitching Season next month.
Shabby Winter Calendar by Cuore e Batticuore
I don’t have a shot of the whole project since I didn’t finish Day 15 yet. As you can see I spent two days on Day 15 but have not been able to wrap it up. You will have an opportunity to see it again next week. Won’t that be exciting. Maybe I would have stitched more if I used some color instead of just white, but this is where we are at.
Fruit of Plenty by Modern Folk Embroidery
I worked on completing the center motif. I have all the details done and have started working on the border of the motif. I hope to work on it again this month as I only got 300 stitches in so far and my goal is 400.
Fieldguide to Dragons by Climbing Goat Designs
I only had a couple of hours to work on this project last night so I pulled up short on my goal of 400 stitches with just 200. It sure is fun working on the actual dragon now. Doesn’t he look good! I hope to get a little more time on this one before the end of the month. I have 705 of the 1,030 stitches done. Which means I am now working on the August goal of 400. Wow, almost caught up. That is amazing. I wrapped up the June WIPGO goal of 1000 stitches and completed the July goal of 400. Such fun to work on this!
Reflections & Plans
LOL! Man I really hate ripping out whether I am quilting or cross stitching. Sometimes I do and sometimes I don’t. Shabby Winter Calendar is off by one as is Snowman Collector. I just work with it if I can, otherwise, I do rip it out like I had to do earlier this month with the mini October Calendar Crates where I simply started with the wrong chart. 🎃. If it works, sometimes I just stitch over what is wrong without taking it out, but that only works half the time. What do you do?
Next Week’s Plans
I am still working with doing my moons every day and then squeezing everything else in. It is sorta working, but I just can’t bring myself to stop the 2 1/2 moons everyday with this kind of progress. This is the most flow I have had on that project. So here is next week’s wish list 📋
- Obviously continuing the 2 1/2 moons per day on the 2025 San Jose Temperature Moon Phases. To stay on track I will have to complete April.
- Finish WIPGO Project The Shepherd borders
- Prep The Postman floss and chart in anticipation of possibling starting either end of August or definitely in September.
- Finish Shabby Winter Calendar Day 15
- Finish Fruit of Plenty last 100 stitches
- Winter Camper
- Start April Square Dance
- Start Christmas Calendar Day 6
- Work on Santa’s House
Whew. This is definitely pretty ambitious. Let’s see where it takes us. I still need to scan the Stitch Quaker charts which means I need to setup my office too. I still haven’t figured out how I worked 50-60 hours a week and had time for my kids and hobbies. I seem to never have enough hours in the day. Of course, I NEVER cooked and I do that almost every day now. Nor did I have time for any reading which I do daily now. Okay, I think I see I have swapped work for other drudgery work. Maybe it will seem better once I finish unpacking ALL my boxes.
Happy Mail
I received this week the final supplies needed to finish my 4th of July round except the circle. I am at least going to begin painting the box. That will take some time anyway. I am trying to decide if I am just going to order the mat board or go buy some and cut it out. Did I tell you I received my new floor stand that I got. I just need to assemble it. I also have been following Chantelle’s 141 Designs on Pateron and I am really loving learning HOW to finish projects. Cathy from Hands on Design as well as Nichol from Stitching with Nichol are all great people to watch on YouTube for learning how to finish projects. I hope to surprise you soon with another finish.
Ya’ll have a good weekend. Wishing you lots of stitching and other happy time.
Peggy Stockwell in Vancouver, Washington