How quickly the week has gone by. I feel like I ended April with a bang. I did get my 24 hours of cross stitching in and organized my upcoming month of May. It so nice to be home for more than a couple of days!
Starts & Finishes
I have started off May with a bang! Over the last six months, I have developed a habit of making a list of what I want to have as new starts. With 2023, I started three new series and am valiantly trying to stay up with them. Let’s take a look.
WIPGO Projects:
START & FINISH: May Nine Patch by Primrose Cottage Stitches
This was one of my easiest WIPGO projects ever since I have been able to stay current with this one since I started it in 2022.
I loved how bright and cheerful this one was. The butterflies are just adorable. I may need to make a second one of these for my sister since she loves butterflies and lighthouses. It was stitched on 25 count white lugana with called for DMC floss.
Non WIPGO Projects:
START: Hello There May by Hands on Design
I love this pink! This is being stitched on 16 ct white aida with called for DMC floss. It is flowing very nicely.
START: April Stackables by Fat Quarter Shop It’s Sew Emma
This series was one that I wasn’t sure I would enjoy. I’ve learned that FQS patterns are high coverage which makes the projects take forever. Surprisingly this series does not fall in that category. I skipped February a while back and considered going back to it this month, but opted to do April (the latest shipped kit) instead.
It is being stitched on 14ct Fabric Flair Marbeled White Pineboard with the called for Classic Colorworks floss.
WIP Updates
24 Hours of Cross Stitching Weekend Results
The weekend didn’t go exactly as I planned but that was mostly because I didn’t put together a plan for the non-cross stitch part of my life – Shaun! Otherwise, I feel it was a great success. I worked on all 12 active WIPS left at the end of April. Most of the projects had been neglected until this weekend.
If you are interested in participating during the next Marathon. It is hosted by @quirksandstitches and will be July 21st – 23rd and another will be October 20th – 22nd of 2023.
Now it’s time for Show & Tell
Snowman Collector – The Needleworker designed by Cottage Garden Samplings
Let’s Talk Spring (framed/large chart) designed by Hands on Design
June Calendar Crates (main chart) designed by Stitching with the Housewives
Fruit of Plenty designed by Modern Folk Embroidery for the 2021 SAL
Mr July – A Calendar Gnome designed by Charlie’s Needle
Butterfly Dreams designed by Dimensions
Just My Type designed by Fat Quarter Shop’s It’s Sew Emma
Tea Thyme a Fat Quarter Shop Stitch Quarterly Project
Sail Away designed by Fat Quarter Shop’s It’s Sew Emma
Big Hearted Tiny Town designed by Heart in Hand
August Snapshot Series designed by Sandra Workman for Pine Mountain Designs
Prim Stitch Series designed by Lori Holt for Bee in my Bonnet
WIPGO Project – Autumn Beauties
It is kind of fun when such an off season project is selected for you random WIPGO project. I ended up working on this one last night. It seems to always take me a few to kind of get back in the groove of things after setting down a project for months at a time. I think I mentioned that my actual WIPGO is to work on this project five times this month. I put it on my calendar for once a week. My secret goal is to finish, but after working on it last night – I am thinking that is a very lofty goal. We will see how it plays out.
Just a reminder that I am stitching this on Lori Holt 14 count Vintage Oatmeal aida with the called for Classic Colorworks floss.
Upcoming Plans & Thoughts
Recap of April: I started with 22 WIPS, had 7 starts, 6 finishes, so ended with 21 WIPS. Very productive month.
As I mentioned earlier, I have penciled in a plan for May. I am always changing it; with my digital cross stitch planner, it is so easy to revise. This next week I plan to work on the following projects:
- Start May Year of Celebration
- Start June Truckin Along
- Start October Cottage of the Month (the last one I need to do in this series)
- Finish Hello There May
- Finish another butterfly outline in Butterfly Dreams
- Work on August Snapshot – plan to finish August photo.
- Work on WIPGO project – Autumn Beauties
- Set my May monthly goals by project.
Have a great weekend everyone!
Peggy Stockwell
That May Nine Patch is just too cute, and I love the border on Autumn Beauties. Congrats on your successful marathon! With your CS digital planner, do you keep your info as digital, or do you print it out?