January Stitch From Stash and Pie

Regular followers will know I produce a delicious home-made pie to illustrate my focus projects for the month.  I don't record minutes or stitches so this gives an approximate idea of how much time each WIP got.

I think you can tell that this is going to be a Focus Year already, with 14 days on one project - Halloween at Hawk Run Hollow.  Here's where I finished the month:

stitched over 1 on 25 count Cassia Rose from Chromatic Alchemy

I didn't manage to complete the whole block in the fortnight as I'd hoped.  This does have quite a lot of full coverage compared to the previous two blocks which took 29 days to stitch them both - they form one large block together.  I will continue with this block in February and then start Block 3 next to it.

Just Nan Christmas Elegance got worked on during my lunchbreaks at work for three days but also for 26 bath-time sessions!  I have decided to log my bath-time stitching for the first time this year.

Here is where Christmas Elegance is right now:

stitched on 28 count off-white evenweave

I have started the beading!

Compare the beaded tree with the non-beaded trees!

For Tiny Modernist Greenhouse, I am continuing with the white:

stitched on 28 count grey-blue evenweave

I also signed up for Stitch from Stash again.  This is my 8th year, I skipped 2016 as it was my Big Birthday and I didn't want to restrict myself.

At the end of last year I finished with £32.55 in my SFS budget so I decided to treat myself to the final three Zodiac Girls from Nora Corbett.  I now have all 12!  And fabric for one.

I do need some DMC to top up my supplies, several skeins are down to the last lengths but hopefully this will be a low-spend year!

Finally, I will be running the Secret Stitching Sweetheart Blog Hop on Valentine's Day.

Secret Stitching Sweetheart Blog Hop

It's really very simple, all you have to do is email me a picture of something you have stitched which is suitable for a stitching friend on Valentine's Day.  It could be a heart, or a pair of cute creatures, or the word "love" or anything which warms your heart.  Really anything you think a fellow stitcher would like to receive in her email Inbox.  It can be something you've stitched in the past or something you've made especially for this year.  It could also be quilted or sewn this year as I know some of my followers do other crafts too.

Send me the email by 10th February.

When I have all the emails I will randomise them and send one to each participant on 13th February. Then on 14th February you must post the picture you receive onto your blog under the heading

Secret Stitching Sweetheart Blog Hop

There will be a list on my blog of everyone joining in, so check out all the blogs and find out who got your picture and identify yourself in their comments as their

Secret Stitching Sweetheart

Does that make sense to everyone? I hope so!

If you'd like to be involved then leave a comment on this post or send me an email if you are "no-reply". I'll be putting little reminders up from time to time and will email on 9th February to make sure you send the pic in time.