August WIPocalypse Process or Product

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.  For me, this will be my "18 in '18".  Many of them are part of SALs so I will be working on them each month.

This month I worked on 5 of my 18 projects:

1. Lavender & Lace - Enchanted Alphabet Spooky Conversion:

stitched on 32 count Tiger Lily Murano by Sparklies

That is the Z, the final letter of the alphabet and now I am ready to add all the spooky extras over the next few month.  The aim is to finish this one by Hallowe'en 2019 as it will be my monthly Hallowe'en project when I finish the Jardin Prive design.

People who are familiar with the design will notice that I removed the Frilliest Child in the World.  This was partly because she wasn't spooky but mostly so the project would fit on this piece of fabric from my stash!

2. Donna Kooler - Zodiac Signs:

stitched on 32 count Millenium Blue linen

3. Jardin Prive - Happy Hallowe'en Night:

stitched on 32 count Cognac linen

4. Just Nan - 12 Days of Christmas

stitched on 32 count Vintage Grain linen

5. Mrs Peggotty - Alice & The Flamingo

stitched over 1 on 25 count Blue Evenweave

Measi always sets us a discussion topic each month:

August – Which is more satisfying to you and why – the process of stitching a piece, or the finish?

Now, obviously the process of stitching is incredibly satisfying or I wouldn't do it!  And if the finish was the most satifying thing then I'd just buy pre-stitched pieces from eBay or charity shops.  But for me, the aim is to start and finish a project within a foreseeable amount of time.  I like to have an end goal.  Even if that end goal is 3 or 4 years down the line.

The Enchanted Alphabet is a good example.  I started that 26 months ago, stitching one letter per year and now I'm planning to keep going for another year adding little bit each month.  By the end of that time it may have had 50-60 days stitching altogether.   I could have completed the piece in 2 months if I was a OAAT stitcher.

Both my Chatelaine and my Discworld Mappe are long term projects.  The Discworld has a target of September 2020 (my son's 18th Birthday) with a stretch target of August 2021 (my son's A level results).  The Chatelaine will take however long it takes!

But those are the exceptions.  All the other active projects on my list have the goal of finishing within a year of starting them.  My aim is to reduce the number of older WIPs each year and minimise starts.

I started the year with 26 WIPs.  Excluding the Just Nan smalls I have made 6 new starts in 2018 and completed 5 projects with another 6 due to be completed by the end of the year.  Leaving me with 21 WIPs.  

Finally, the Summer Postcard Blog Hop is well underway.  Five cards have gone out, and will be shown on the recipient's blogs soon:

Ariadne from Greece

Butterfly Wings

Jeremiah's Mom

Mein Allerlei Hobby

The Alychmyst's Study

Hop over and see whether the cards have been shown yet.