March Stitch from Stash and Pie

I saw a meme earlier today which said "March; came in like a lion and went out like a roaring six-headed monster" which seemed appropriate.  If only I had remembered to save the image.

I did remember to take photos of some of my projects though.  First the Pie:

Once again, a full 15 days on Discworld which saw it go from here:

to here:

You can see where the page edge is to the right of the picture where each colour extends to.  Next month I will fill that in and do all the backstitch on this page before working to the next page on the right.

When I finished Discworld for the month, I spun my Tiny Decisions wheel and got Gathering Eggs by Nora Corbett.  This is where she was last time I stitched on her:

stitched on 35 count Vintage Country Mocha linen

The white fill-in took ages, as did the multi-coloured ruffle trim to her dress.  But it is stunning, I love the way Nora has designed her whole outfit.  I only need to add her shoes and then I can start on the background.

One design which isn't showing up in the Pie is my bath-time project.  At the moment this is my Leap Day start; Fox Few by Plum Street Sampler.  Here's where I am now:

stitched on 32 count khaki evenweave

(which is more green in real life)

When I was typing my WIPocalypse post, I realised I had not shown the finish I had at the start of the month.  This is the first in the Scary Apothecary series by Hands on Design - Bat Balm:

stitched on 28 count linen in Radioactive from Chromatic Alchemy

I am using the DMC conversion for this, except for the black which is Weeks Dye Works Kohl (charted for CC Zack Black or DMC 317).  I also substituted DMC E316 (metallic) for Kreinik 5013, DMC E317 (metallic) for Kreinik 011HL and a blend of DMC 3853 and 5284 (metallic) for the orange Kreinik 027.

The other changes were outlining the bats in black:

And underlining the word Balm in a turquoise metallic:

So why did I make those substitutions?  Stitch from Stash, of course!  Here is my spending for the month:

March
Charms Etsy	£7.01
Mr Linky	£4.04
Cross Stitcher sub	£8.72
Total	£12.76

🐇 Good Friday - Friday 10th April 🐇

Finally, it's time to sign up for the Annual Easter Treasure Hunt.  If you would like to take part this year, just leave a comment here.  The week before Easter I will send you a letter of the alphabet which will form part of the mystery phrase.   On Good Friday you will post that letter along with a photo of something seasonal that you have stitched (could be Easter or Spring or just something cheerful and sunny or floral).  We all hop around like little bunnies to find the Mystery Phrase!


Here's a link to last year's hop so you can see how it all works - Easter Treasure Hunt Blog Hop 2019

March WIPocalypse Adopted WIPs

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.

Since 2011 I have chosen a number of projects to focus on that year, starting with my "11 in '11" and increasing to "20 in '20" for this year.  This month I stitched on 6 of them.

My Discworld Mappe went from here:

to here

Lyndisfarne - Discworld Map

(Project 5)

Nora Corbett - Gathering Eggs
(Project 6)

JBW - 12 Days of Christmas

(Project 9)

Hands on Design - Bat Balm

(Project 13)

Just Nan - Winter in the Square

(Project 16)

Amanda Butler - Alice in Wonderland SAL in Cross Stitcher magazine

(Project 17)

Measi always gives us a topic to discuss:

March – Have you ever adopted a piece from someone else or gave up a piece to someone else? Which piece and why?

Yes, I have.  Many years ago my Mum started a cross stitch sampler, but half way through we had a family crisis and once it was over she did not want to continue with the piece.  She asked me if I wanted to finish it and keep it.  Which I did.

This was a kit from a catalogue in the 1990s.  Stitched on 14 count aida.  One thing we did learn was that Mum and I do our XXX the opposite way round to each other.  So I had to swap mine to match her's.

The other piece I stitched was for a friend who was destashing.  She was giving up cross stitch to focus on her crochet business.  She gave me a huge box of goodies in exchange for stitching this kit for her.  She had literally only prepared the fabric for it!  This is Gathering Honey by Jannlynn Designs: 

🐇 Good Friday - Friday 10th April 🐇

Finally, it's time to sign up for the Annual Easter Treasure Hunt.  If you would like to take part this year, just leave a comment here.  The week before Easter I will send you a letter of the alphabet which will form part of the mystery phrase.  On Good Friday you will post that letter along with a photo of something seasonal that you have stitched (could be Easter or Spring or just something cheerful and sunny or floral).  We all hop around like little bunnies to find the Mystery Phrase!


Here's a link to last year's hop so you can see how it all works - Easter Treasure Hunt Blog Hop 2019

March Smalls

The Smalls SAL is hosted by Mary's Thread

This year my Smalls will be my JBW 12 Days of Christmas ornaments which I started on Boxing Day 2019 for the 12 Days of Stitchmas.  I completed the Third Day in March:

stitched 1 over 2 on 40 count white linen

I completed a Just Nan Small.  This one is Crystal Heart:

stitched on 32 count Lavender Murano

The next one in the line is Garden Maze.  I started really well with this but have hit a snag.  I stitch these smalls as travel projects - Library coffee mornings, work lunch breaks and volunteer lunch breaks.  None of those happen now!  So I will have to find some other way to fit them in to the rotation.

stitched on 28 count green evenweave

The last small is the cover kit from Cross Stitcher magazine which I still haven't added the beads to!

stitched on 32 count white evenweave

Finally, the lovely Clare from Aimetu's Stitching is asking for some help with her smalls.  Each year Clare decorates a tree for her church's Tree Festival with stitched ornaments.  I have donated ornaments in the past and this year she is asking us to join in again.  The theme is A Bouquet of Flowers.  All she needs is the stitched piece, she will fully-finish it for you.  Just leave a comment on Clare's blog to get involved.  This is the White Tree from last year:

March TUSAL

It's TUSAL time!

Here is my TUSAL jar with two of my current projects:

The larger one is the Discworld Mappe, I have now finished my 15 day stint for this month so I will be moving on to something else tomorrow:

Here is the whole piece so far:

 The other piece is my Leap Day start - Fox Few by Plum Street Samplers.  I am currently stitching this as my bath-time project so I'm making steady progress each day.  The pale blue flowers do show up a little bit better in real life but I might backstitch them anyway.

stitched on 32 count khaki evenweave

(which is more green in real life)

🐇 Good Friday - Friday 10th April 🐇

Finally, it's time to sign up for the Annual Easter Treasure Hunt.  If you would like to take part this year, just leave a comment here.  The week before Easter I will send you a letter of the alphabet which will form part of the mystery phrase.   On Good Friday you will post that letter along with a photo of something seasonal that you have stitched (could be Easter or Spring or just something cheerful and sunny or floral).  We all hop around like little bunnies to find the Mystery Phrase!


Here's a link to last year's hop so you can see how it all works - Easter Treasure Hunt Blog Hop 2019

March IHSW

IHSW or International Hermit and Stitch Weekend always starts on the third Friday of the month.  It's a chance to lock yourself away and focus on your stitching for the weekend.  You can take part on your blog or via the Facebook page - IHSW on Facebook.

I started the weekend off with my Alice in Wonderland SAL from Cross Stitcher magazine:

Then moved on to my Discworld Mappe.  I didn't seem to get much stitching done but we have been going out for long walks each afternoon which is usually my stitching time.

stitched on custom-dyed 32 count Murano from Sparklies

I think I need to turn Facebook off and stitch more!

In the evenings I have been stitching the cover kit from this month's Cross Stitcher magazine.  There are some beads to be added around the butterflies:

stitched on 32 count white evenweave

I don't usually stitch the cover kits these days but I have a friend who loves butterflies so this will be a nice little "I Miss You" card to send her.  This came with a lovely printed butterfly button too.  And aida which I substituted.  The threads aren't DMC but the coverage is really nice on the 32 count.

The next IHSW will be 17th - 19th April so make sure you note the date in your diary or come and join us in the Facebook Group - IHSW on Facebook.  If you don't do Facebook then you can check in here by leaving a comment on my post. 

🐇 Good Friday - Friday 10th April 🐇

Finally, it's time to sign up for the Annual Easter Treasure Hunt.  If you would like to take part this year, just leave a comment here.  The week before Easter I will send you a letter of the alphabet which will form part of the mystery phrase.   On Good Friday you will post that letter along with a photo of something seasonal that you have stitched (could be Easter or Spring or just something cheerful and sunny or floral).  We all hop around like little bunnies to find the Mystery Phrase!

Here's a link to last year's hop so you can see how it all works - Easter Treasure Hunt Blog Hop 2019

The Perfect Time to Hermit and Stitch

IHSW or International Hermit and Stitch Weekend always starts on the third Friday of the month.  It's a chance to lock yourself away and focus on your stitching for the weekend.  You can take part on your blog or via the Facebook page - IHSW on Facebook.

I started the weekend with a day of stitching on the Alice in Wonderland SAL by Amanda Butler in Cross Stitcher magazine.

Earlier in the week I did all the plain crosses:

Today I added all the backstitch:

 

Then I started on the vines in the border.  I decided to add the beads with the same dark green thread but use petite beads instead of the standard size because I am using 32 count not 28.

Close-up of the beads:

This is the end of my three day rotation on this design.  Tomorrow I will go back to Discworld for another four days and then use the Tiny Decisions wheel to choose my final project for the month.

🐇 Good Friday - Friday 10th April 🐇

Finally, it's time to sign up for the Annual Easter Treasure Hunt.  If you would like to take part this year, just leave a comment here.  The week before Easter I will send you a letter of the alphabet which will form part of the mystery phrase.   On Good Friday you will post that letter along with a photo of something seasonal that you have stitched (could be Easter or Spring or just something cheerful and sunny or floral).  We all hop around like little bunnies to find the Mystery Phrase!

Here's a link to last year's hop so you can see how it all works - Easter Treasure Hunt Blog Hop 2019

March Gifted Gorgeousness Link-up Post

Welcome to the March Gifted Gorgeousness link-up.  The link-up date continues to be the 15th and I will keep the link-up open until the end of each month so you have plenty of time if you are late posting.

The format remains exactly the same, there is a list of rules on the main sign-up page if you want to check what is required but basically anything connected to the word "gift" is allowed, whether it was a gift TO you or is a gift FROM you.

My main project for Gifted Gorgeousness has been my Discworld Mappe by Lyndisfarne Designs, which will be a gift for my son.  This is where it was at the end of February:

And this is the portion I have been working on in March:

I have stitched on this for 10 days so far this month.  Some of them have been quite short days though.  I plan to fill in the backstitch as I go.

And the whole piece at the moment:

stitched on 32 count Murano custom-dyed by Sparklies

I finished my Just Nan small which was also a gift, but I'm not sure who it was from.  There is a little Post-it note which just says "Enjoy!".  So Thank You Mystery Person for the gift of Crystal Heart.

stitched on 32 count Lavender Murano

The final gifted project for this month is the 12 Days of Christmas by JBW.  Two of my friends bought two charts each for my Christmas present.  I started one design per day for the 12 Days of Stitchmas and have completed the Third Day: 

stitched on 40 count white linen, 1 over 2

Although, looking at that photo, I need to change the colour of the beak.  The DMC conversion on these charts is not good.

As well as stitching on gifted projects, I received a rather lovely stitched gift myself.  Margaret and I connected several years ago when she sent me Madame Muriel, the Travelling Granny.  Margaret and her Mum live in New Zealand and love our Royal Family so I send them Royal News sometimes.  For Christmas I sent a lovely book about the Queen's clothes, organised by the colours of the rainbow.  In return, Margaret sent me this amazing pouch (and some chocolate).

The reverse is as beautiful as the front!

Beautifully lined too.

At the moment I am using it to hold my scissors and my ORTs tin at my stitching spot.  The chocolate is long gone.


Now it is your turn to show us your Gifted Gorgeousness for the month.  Please use your name or your blog name in the field and NOT the words "March Update" so I can easily see who has linked up this month.  And link to the actual post, not just your blog.  It is easier if you copy and paste the link, rather than typing freehand.

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🐇 Good Friday - Friday 10th April 🐇

Finally, it's time to sign up for the Annual Easter Treasure Hunt.    If you would like to take part this year, just leave a comment here.  The week before Easter I will send you a letter of the alphabet which will form part of the mystery phrase.  On Good Friday you will post that letter along with a photo of something seasonal that you have stitched (could be Easter or Spring or just something cheerful and sunny or floral).  We all hop around like little bunnies to find the Mystery Phrase!

Here's a link to last year's hop so you can see how it all works - Easter Treasure Hunt Blog Hop 2019