WIPocalypse is hosted by Measi's Musings
Each month we have to share the projects we want to complete before the End Of The World.
The focus of my WIPocalypse will be my "16 in '16" which are 16 projects I particularly wanted to concentrate on in 2016. The full list can be found on my WIPocalypse page where you can also find my secondary list "16 Series in '16".
And this is where I would usually explain how many of each category I have stitched on this month. But this month I am doing something different! Monday 20th June was the Longest Day in the Northern Hemisphere (and the Shortest in the Southern - Happy Winter). I decided it would be fun to have a Longest Day Marathon and stitch on as many WIPs and UFOs as possible in one day! I got my lists out and discovered 21 projects I could work on. From ones in my current rotation to ones on the WIPocalypse list for this year to ones I haven't touched in goodness knows how long.
Here's the collage I made, there are only 20 projects here because one is so old I couldn't even find a photo of it on the PC!
I got up at my usual time, had breakfast with the boys and saw them off to school. Then it was time to make the bed:
And this is where I would usually explain how many of each category I have stitched on this month. But this month I am doing something different! Monday 20th June was the Longest Day in the Northern Hemisphere (and the Shortest in the Southern - Happy Winter). I decided it would be fun to have a Longest Day Marathon and stitch on as many WIPs and UFOs as possible in one day! I got my lists out and discovered 21 projects I could work on. From ones in my current rotation to ones on the WIPocalypse list for this year to ones I haven't touched in goodness knows how long.
Here's the collage I made, there are only 20 projects here because one is so old I couldn't even find a photo of it on the PC!
I got up at my usual time, had breakfast with the boys and saw them off to school. Then it was time to make the bed:
That seems to cover it!
Project 1 - Little Snap Dragon by Kustom Krafts
9:30 - stitched on his tail
Project 2 - Gathering Honey by Jannlynn
10:00 - backstitch round the stones
Project 3 - You Were Hatched by Teresa Wentzler
10:30 - the darker blue (blended of course!)
Project 4 - Dragon of the Winter Moon by Dragon Dreams
10:58 - some more white!
11:00 - coffee and doughnut break
(I only ate one!)
Project 5 - She Tends by Shepherd's Bush
11:30 some green leaves on both trees
Project 6 - Elizabeth Shephard by The Scarlet Letter
12:00 - some brown border
Project 7 - Counting Bats by Just Nan
12:28 - 6 for...
12:30 - lunch break
which took longer than I wanted as I put some laundry on and answered some emails!
Project 8 - Christmas Cubes by The Primitive Hare
13:30 - a snowflake minus one stitch because I just could not squeeze one more stitch out of the length of thread!
Project 9 - Stitcher's Alphabet by Brooke's Books
14:00 - the lace in the border
That was the last of the regular rotation (except for my bathtime stitch)
On to UFOs
Project 10 - Hallowe'en Town by Frosted Pumpkin
14:30 - some fence
I am NOT feeling this project and will cut it short when I finish the page.
Project 11 - Faces by Joan Elliott
14:58 - the lightest green in the ribbon
15:00 - coffee and cake break
Project 12 - My Lovely Sewing Tools by Marie Suarez
15:30 - some of the border
Project 13 - Coffee Fairy by Yiota
16:00 - one line of coffee
The Small Boy is home from school and demands SNACKS AND ATTENTION
Project 14 - Art Nouveau Head by The Craft Collection
16:30 - the brown above the pale blue
Project 15 - Around the World in 80 Stitches by Papillon
17:00 - some green border
and a singalong with CBeebies
18:00 - Teatime
I also shared an icecream with the Small Boy (not pictured because he wouldn't wait)
The Evening - I decided to switch to a 20 minute rotation to fit them all in
Project 16 - Bande de Dragons by Dessins DHC
19:20 - a tiny bit of red border just above the G
I adore this design but loathe the fabric.
14 count aida so hard and scratchy I got a friction burn when I stitched on it a lot.
I think the solution is to restart on 25 count evenweave over 1.
I have done a quarter and cannot face another 3 quarters on this fabric!
Project 17 - Autumn Tree from an old Yahoo Group
19:40 - added some yellow star stitches
Project 18 - Spring Challenge 2012 by Samplermakers
20:00 - some green leaves
Project 19 - English Transitional Sampler by The Scarlet Letter
20:40 - some blue Holbein stitch
I did more of this project as I was in the Large Boy's room with him spending some time before bedtime reading. A Hat Full of Sky by Sir Terry Pratchett.
Project 20 - Noel by Ernie Bishop
22:00 - continued the green
Final Project of the day!
Project 21 - Big Bee, Little Bee by Just Nan
AKA my bathtime project
22:30 - finished the dark rose and added some medium rose
22.45 - time for bed - good night, sleep tight, don't let the stitchy bugs bite.
Finally, my reflections on the day - I really enjoyed it! I did the DUCJC in 2015 (31 projects over 31 days) and this was much better because I knew I could get back to my rotation the next day. I discovered 30 minutes is just long enough to get the project out, photograph it, post on FB, stitch one length of thread, photograph it, post on FB and move on to the next one. I usually stitch with thread of just over 12 inches long.
Some of the old designs were great fun and I'd like to see them back in the rotation. I really dislike aida and size 24 steel needles. It's like stitching on sackcloth with a knitting needle! Give me evenweave and a gold plated petite 28 any day. There's only one project I'm not really loving and that's the Hallowe'en Town. It's just too cutesy for me. The Bande de Dragons is awesome and I think over one is the way to go for that.
So what was your favourite and what would you like to see more of?
32 comments:
Woo hoo! Awesome! How fun. I love Snap Dragon.
Hi dear Jo, first up, thank you for the lovely long post, detailing your day. I felt like I was there with you (oh, how I wish that I were - what stitchy fun we would have!). It is early morning here on Wednesday, 22nd, one day after our shortest day. So the day will be slightly longer today than yesterday - yay! And as I got to my computer I was wondering how you went and voila, you had posted already! Okay, now, first impressions - I love your Lady of the Manor mug - very cute. I can see why you don't like Halloween town - I think that the colours are too blocky for you and there is something wrong with that green/pink combo - they do not complement each other at all! Now, I usually love pink and green together (one year I only bought pink and green tops to wear to work - lol!) but these two do not work at all. I love the Autumn tree made up of star stitches - very pretty but my favourite piece would have to be Bande de Dragons and would be well worth starting again on linen. Thank you so much for sharing with us - such a fun post to read. One last question - how are your fingers after all that stitching? hugs, Kaye xoxox
Jo, you did amazingly. I'm in awe of what you achieved. So many beautiful projects. I completely forgot about around the world, we definitely need to see more of that. Love bande de dragons too. I loved doing my 30 min rotation evening too. Might have to try a full day when I have a day off.
Wow what an amazing day of stitching well done on working on so many projects.
Congrats on making it through! That is awesome. I'm very impressed as I know there is no way I would get through that any day this year. I agree on Bande de Dragon, that deserves a re-start on fabric you like. I find it hilarious that I think we both stopped at the same point on Tree of Stitches and now you're ahead of me. :)
Wow, what a day! Some lovely projects here, love your autumn tree. Well done!
I would love to see Around the World in 80 Stitches worked on - it's such a beautiful piece. And I am VERY impressed that you fit in every single project - well done.
What a day you had!! There are so many great projects I can't pick one out to comment on, they all look good to me. The snacks weren't bad either!
You really did great! The "break" pictures even, haha. Enjoyed seeing your beautiful WIPS.
Yay you did it!!It was such fun reading about your Marathan day.
I think I would like you to continue with Around the World in 80 Stitches.
I love the Bande de Dragons . I'm too lazy to restart a project so can't ask you to start it again on a new fabric.
I have started to relate to your dislike of Aida.
Have you considered washing the Band of Dragon fabric to see if that softens it up. I sew in hand not on a hoop and the aida always starts off a bit stiff but gets better as I go. That is a lot of work to abandon. I did and do like a hat full of sky and the other books in that sub series, it would be fun to see a Dark Morris!
It's official, you're mad! Lots of great projects there, I do like the Bande de Dragons. If you're going to abandon it and restart, maybe you could frog out the part of the alphabet, then it wouldn't take much to make where you are on the left hand end of the border match up to the right and you'd have a little band shaped piece you could use for something
Wow! Impressive! Really loved your post. Well done!!
xxx
I thought of you having fun stitching while I was at work :(
So wish it would have happened on a weekend, I would had have fun joining you!
Great post, I like the fact you also took pictures of the snack/lunch/tea breaks :)
You have been busy having a stitch-tastic day and made great progress on lovely projects. I do prefer the Just Nan Counting Bats simply because it's Halloween themed and bright & colourful ;)
I really enjoyed seeing your stitchy day progress on Facebook. It's a great way to refresh yourself on projects you've not stitched on for a while. I might try and do something similar with my UFOs. It would help weed out those I want to continue with and those I want to "retire" permanently.
Thanks for sharing your day with us :)
I just loved your post. Thanks for sharing your day with us. As far which to see more of....all of them. I love watching your progress.
So many great projects! What a lovely way to spend the day :)
Your stitching marathon was amazing! It reminded me of Stitch Maynia, compressed into one day. You have a lot of stitching stamina! My favorite is the Little Snap Dragon.
Bravo for your performance, it is a real show and I enjoyed it a lot. I'd like to have an entire day of stitching. That autumn tree looks nice and I love the leaves colors and design. Well done. Hope you get some shoulders massages. H&K xxx
So great to accompany you through your day, Jo. This was such a fun challenge - and you had so many more projects on the go than me. Well done! I just had too many breaks for a cup of tea or a little chat with my husband, lol. But this event wasn't a competition but a fun event - and fun it was!!
It's nearly impossible to choose a favorite among your projects but if I had to it would probably be Faces. Or perhaps Around the World. You see, it's not easy, lol.
Lovely marathon stitching! :D
What a stitching day!!! Amazing work, jo! You have some pretty UFO's.
Hugs,
Lili
That's commitment! I second the suggestion to wash the aida to get some of the sizing out of it on the Dragons project. I vote for the autumn tree. I like the oranges!
Lovely to see all of your WIPs on one post! I vote for Counting Bats too, it's just so bright and colourful.
Love the photos of your snack breaks too!
Had a wonderful time - I had so much fun. Would Love to do this Again. I was not as organized with the picture taking and have just posted my finishes today. Yours are wonderful. And I was able to make some decisions about those old projects. Thanks Jo
Congratulations on working on all of those projects on Monday Jo. I was all ready to work on my 24 Tiny Modernist cities and my legs decided to have a nasty pain day. I only managed to work on 3. I, of course, like Halloween Town because it is cutsey. I also like the Little Dragon.
Linda
I am totally in awe of your day! I'd love to see more of your Emie Bishop piece - mostly because I have it in my stash and want to hear your experience with it. Oh and tea looks delicious.
What a wonderful day you had. Did you also schedule time to feel guilty about housework LOL?
Wow great job Jo! I love them all :D
I love this project, and it sounds like you had so much fun! So many lovely WIPs, I especially love the Autumn Tree and the 80 Stitches, and I don't think I have seen those (and a few of the others) on your blog before. You got quite a bit done considering you also had to take pictures of each piece!
Way behind here on blog reading after a week away... WELL DONE on each and every one.
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