Welcome Back Stitchers! It has been a busy week and I missed my quilty post on Tuesday so I will be setting that up for next week if you are a quilty follower. Today I am in Michigan for 141 Designs Spring Break Retreat and I am excited to be here. I got in late Wednesday night and the retreat starts on Thursday. I know I won’t have time because I will be having too much fun to actually write this on Friday. So here I am on Thursday typing up this post for tomorrow.
Starts & Finishes
Once again, I didn’t get started on any of the three starts on my list for this month. I am still stuck on Make Today Count. Finally got the fabric cut down but forgot to bobbin my threads. It was such a crazy week, I set it aside. I also took a moment to pull all my threads for my next chart of the Snowman Collector – The Scarecrow. I got all excited about a new (found) local cross stitch store (via Hands on Design floss tube) here in my new home in Vancouver, Washington. The ONE color I needed they were out of. #sigh So I have to place my online order. BUT I did wrap up TWO spring projects.
FINISH: March Month 2 Month by Stitching with the Housewives
I was able to wrap this up. As I mentioned last week, I told you this was not on my to do list to finish this month. But I had a good evening and was too close to being done to stop so I didn’t.
As you can see, I started this 10 months ago. It felt nice to finish this one. I have been working on this series in Month order. I am tempted to skip a month to jump to the Summer months and my current patriotic urge. That decision will come later…..
FINISH: Calendar Gnome: Mr. April by Charlie’s Needle
This was another unplanned finish. Once again, the first night only got halfway through my 400 stitches goal. The second night I ended with only 200 left. It just seemed natural to finish since I was that close. This series is one that I started back in 2021. I have done almost all of them on evenweave, some linen, some aida, but mostly evenweave. With finishing Mr. April, that leaves me with the last one I need to do. Picked up the fabric at the new cross stitch store if found – Acorns & Threads.
WIP Updates
Once again, with the focus on finishing a couple of projects, I didn’t hit that many WIPs this week. So here you go:
Fabulous House: The Castle by Cottage Garden Samplings
When I was updating my sidebars last week, I realized that I had actually listed this one as a monthly goal of 582 for May. Mostly this is because I didn’t hit my 400 stitches in April and so I carried forward those stitches to May. While, I hit the 400 for May, I went ahead and pulled it out to finish off that overall May goal of 582. Guess what? I really am happy I did. The main part of the castle is really coming along.
Ocean Wonders SAL by Climbing Goats Design
I worked on this 20 ct aida project with one strand. I had the goal to do 400 stitches again but once again, that spilled out onto a second night. I feel pretty good the progress I finally made. I am ready to add some more animals to this wonderful stitch along. It took forever to backstitch the Osprey.
Plans & Reflections
Some things to share this week.
Acorns & Threads (my local cross stitch store )
As I mentioned earlier this week, I found a local cross stitch store – Acorns and Threads. I signed up for the Hands on Design workshop in July as well as a workshop on how to make a drum in September. I had the pleasure of actually visiting the physical store this week. So many goodies. I needed one Weeks Dye Works and one DMC. They had not received their WDW shipment and of course the color I needed was one on order.
Since I went the afternoon before jumping on an airplane, I did not have the opportunity to take photos of all my goodies that I left with. I found the perfect evenweave for Mr. May. I gave my daughter my kit for the Cottage threads (what was I thinking!!) and was thrilled that they not only had the thread but most of the designers who made designs for the thread collection. I don’t remember all the details so I hope to share a photo of all my goodies next week.
Plans while at the Cross Stitch Retreat
With travel to/fro Michigan, there is definitely a no stitch day on travel days. I don’t know about you, but working on the plane is awkard. For the cross stitch retreat, I brought 3 of my WIPGO projects and that is my focus this week.
- Fieldguide to Dragons
- Fruit of Plenty
- Crescent City Velaris
Well I need to get ready for my first day of the retreat. So excited. Can’t wait to share next week!!!
Peggy Stockwell in Williamston, Michigan