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Saturday 3 January 2015

DUCJC 2015

The DUCJC is a very special challenge in memory of a very special lady.  SoCal Debbie was a prolific stitcher, blogger and commenter.  Sadly she passed away very suddenly last year.  One of her favourie challenges was the CJC:

CJC = Crazy January Challenge, one new start for the first 15 days of January
UCJC = Ultimate Crazy January Challenge, one new start for all 31 days of January
DUCJC = Debbie's Ultimate Crazy January Challenge, stitch 31 projects one per day for January

Linda Stitchin' with my Furbabies is organising this all via a FB group.  Thankfully Linda is not making us all attempt the SDUCJC (Super Duper Ultimate Crazy January Challenge) or 60 starts throughout January and February which she did with Debbie in 2012.

I have listed out my choices on my Challenge page.  Here are the first three days of stitching.  All three days have been "at home" days so I have got plenty done.  I decided to have three new starts for these whole days and save the WIPs for work days when I have less time to stitch.

Day 1 - Dyan Allaire for Kustom Krafts - Little Snap Dragon

Stitched on 32 count Morning Sky by Crafty Kitten

Day 2 - JBW - Hobby Horse

Stitched on 32 count Antique White linen using DMC 115
This will have my cousin's baby's name added under the rocking horse.

Actually, that raises a good question - why is this called a hobby horse when it clearly is a rocking horse?  A hobby horse is a stick with a horse's head and maybe some little wheels that you ride around whereas a rocking horse you sit on and rock back and forth.  French speakers - are there two different words in French for these toys?

A hobby-horse.

Day 3 - Country Cottage Needleworks - Poinsettia Place

Stitched on 32 count Permin Twilight Blue linen

I don't have the subtle variegated green so I am using a blend of the converted DMC and the next shade to it (3364 and 3363).  I have found this is a great way of substituting varigated threads especially when you don't want the stripy effect, just a less blocky look to a solid area of stitching.  I will get some more stitches in this one tonight.

What are my thoughts of the challenge so far?  Don't pick your favourite projects at the beginning of the month!  I am already itching to carry on with the first two choices!

I've also spent some time today tidying up the blog, making sure all the links have been updated to this year's SALs and removing the old ones.  I am miles behind on adding projects to my Happy Dance blog so that will be next.  I have a couple of finishes which were gifts so I couldn't show them before so that will be for another post too.

Finally, these three new starts all count for my Gifted Gorgeousness SAL.  Two were gifts from generous stitchers and one will be a gift for someone.  Credit will be given on the 15th January when we share our first GG Update.  Don't forget, you can join in any time, this year, no obligation to post every month.











25 comments:

Shebafudge said...

A great start to the challenge Jo. I love your rocking horse/hobby horse.

Anna van Schurman said...

Judy (JBW) is American, and even in our English we have hobby horses and rocking horses. Maybe the shorter word fit on the pattern better? Three great starts so far!

Justine said...

Great start! Love the rocking horse. I am really enjoying the challenge so far but glad I'm only doing 15 new starts.

Jennifer M. said...

Lovely starts! I have too many UFOs already. I would feel too guilty starting 15 more. Good Luck!

Heather said...

Good progress I love Little Snap Dragon so cute!

Katie said...

Love your starts. I have the Snap Dragon in my have to start soon pile. I'm doing the CJC and having a blast. I'm really looking forward to continue working on them though. My son is picking my choice randomly out of a container. That way I have to work on what he picks. So far he's done a great job!

Unknown said...

Good luck with the challenge - such a great way of honoring Debbie. Lovely colours for the Hobbyhorse/Rocking horse.

Mouse said...

oooo nice new starts ,, , I found my wee snap dragon chart the other day and thought of you ...lol
and dunno re the hobby horse / rocking horse ... good luck with the challenge :) love mouse xxxxx

Stitching Noni said...

Great starts Jo!
That is most definitely a rocking horse...... Wonder why it is a hobby horse on the design... Be interested to hear if you do find the answer??
Have fun with your stitching! :)
Hugs xx

Samplings from Spring Creek said...

Whoo all those January starts has my head spinning! You go girl--I'm cheering you all the way to the finish

sew.darn.quilt said...

Fabulous starts ")

Preeti said...

Great starts !! Looking forward to next projects.

Susan said...

WOW! Great starts. I have enough trouble with one or two new starts in January (see the 18+ WIP list on my blog) but one each day?!? I couldn't do it. Looking forward to watching your progress.

Thoeria said...

Great new starts Jo! The little dragon is definitely my favourite :) Tried googling the whole horse thing....no luck there! Let us know if someone comes up with an explaination!

Sarah in Stitches said...

Lovely new starts! You're almost done with one of them already! :D

Anonymous said...

oh, I was waiting for this post!
love the new starts, especially the enigmatically called horse (and the red thread you used for it).
in Italian we surely have a name for the rocking horse (cavallo a dondolo), as for the other type.. I don't think there is a specific name for that horse toy. shame on us and our faulty verbosity.
you know, I'm doing my own variation of Deb's challenge; one new start for every letter in Debbie (but perhaps I should do 11, for SoCal Debbie) and one of them is CCN's Santa's Village series, so you see we're sharing one, Poinsettia Place :)
I'll start them scattered throughout the year, though, I cannot even find myself sometimes in this mess..

Vickie said...

This is so neat to see people honoring Debbie in this way. You are doing a great job Jo. You go!!

Christine said...

Great starts, and lets face it, almost a finish with the (not)hobby horse. I'll bet she just chose the name for the aliteration

Kerryp77 said...

Fab starts and I admire your dedication to that number of wips!

Emma/Itzy said...

Great three starts for the year!

Julie said...

Three lovely new projects. Debbie's project that always made me smile was her cut thru igloo, I lovd watching that grow and be completed and framed.

The Crafty Princess said...

What an awesome tribute for Debbie! Good luck with all the January Challenges. You're off to a good start stunner xo

rosey175 said...

Lovely starts, especially the greens in your Poinsettia Place. Maybe I'm still feeling Christmasy. :b

Google-fu worked long enough to tell me that hobby horse seems to be the blanket term for horse "toys" and that particular style is a rocking horse! Of course the Internet never lies. ;) I would do more research but our 'net crapped out after just that little bit but both were on Wikipedia.

Leonore Winterer said...

Beautiful starts...and almost a finish on that Hobby/Rocking Horse! Go, you! :D

jocondine said...

This "rocking horse" looks great. I love those kinds of patterns (figure made with small drawings, remember me an apple and a christmas tree I stitched). It is a "cheval à bascule" in french, the name for the other one is : cheval bâton (horse stick ?). Amitiés.