Happy Dance for Claire

My WIPGO focus for May has been Claire from Nora Corbett, part of the Bewitching Pixies series.  I started her on the 1st May and finished her on 30th May, having stitched for a total of 20 days.

I stitched her on a piece of 28 count evenweave from a needlework shop that came without a label, so no idea of the dyer or the colour.  I do have enough to stitch the companion piece, Evanora next year.

 

Claire has a lot of beads and in an effort to Stitch From Stash I didn't buy any new ones, I used what I already had.  I didn't have enough of the 00283 silvery colour so I used some 00206 which are more lilac and toned well with the fabric.  I also didn't have the large Midnight beads so used so mauve ones instead.

Beads used - 

02014 - as charted

00283 - as charted

00206 - replace some of the above

18822 - sub for 18002

I used a Jodyri Thread instead of the charted Waterlilies, 029 R. Nevermore.
I did have the charted Kreinik but not a whole spool so I decided to couch the long lengths instead of stitching them.  This works better for smooth lines anyway although it is fiddly working with two needles it is worth taking the time.

Finally, this is a better photo of the fabric colour although the beads are a bit blurry:

May WIPocalypse WIPs or UFOs?

        

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 "24 in '24" for this year. This month I stitched on 3 of them.

13. Joan Elliott Faces SAL

18. Nora Corbett Claire

(all done except the beads!)

24. Cottage Garden Samplings Halloween Sampler

Finally, Measi always gives us a topic to discuss:

May - How do you personally distinguish between a Work in Progress (WIP) and an Unfinished Object (UFO)?

For me, a WIP is a project that I will stitch on at least once a year during my Longest Day Marathon even if I don't pick it up at any other time.  A UFO is a project I have got tired of and no longer want on my list.  I might stitch it one day, I might not.  I don't often UFO projects these days as I am more careful about what I choose to stitch.  One recent UFO was the tiny Halloween Village started for Naughty November 2020.  I just lost interest in finding tiny houses but may pick it up again in the future.

May TUSAL

      

It's TUSAL time!  

Here is my TUSAL jar with my current projects:

On the left is my focus piece for the month; Claire by Nora Corbett and on the right is today's Just Nan design which I'll be stitching this evening - True Blue Heart.

Here's Claire and my progress so far.  I've cut my thread into equal lengths and so far I've used 6 lengths which is just over half a skein.  The chart says the design uses 2 skeins of DMC (8m) so we shall see how I go.

stitched on 28 count anonymous hand-dyed evenweave

Finally, here are Day 5 and 6 of my Just Nanathon:

May Plans

 At the start of the year I made a list of 24 projects I want to stitch this year for my "24 in '24".  The order I stitch them in is going to be determined by the WIPGO Board.  Jessie-Marie calls two numbers each month and those will be the two projects I stitch that month.  One small and one medium.

In April, the numbers were 18 and 21.  These related to the Quiet Hour Sampler by La Broderie and A Partridge in a Pear Tree from Cottage Garden Samplings.

I finished both of them in record time and then went back to the March choice of The Primitive Hare Hocus Pocus Cabinet which was also a finish.  A very successful month.

In May, the numbers are 5, 13 and 19.  These relate to Drawn Thread Spot of Autumn, my Longest Day Marathon and Nora Corbett's Claire.

Claire is no problem, it's amusing after all the black on Hocus Pocus Cabinet that I now have another all black project!

stitched on anonymous hand-dyed 28 count evenweave

I bought this offcut piece of evenweave from a needlework shop, it wasn't labelled with a colour or dyer.  It's just big enough to fit Claire and her sister Evanora on.

However, for the small, May is the month for my annual Just Nan-athon so that will have to wait, either until I finish Claire or next month.

Meanwhile, here are the first four Just Nan designs:

Finally, what about 13?  Well, that's the centre square and I use that for my Longest Day Marathon so I'll be ticking that off next month.  Hopefully!