Finally Fully Finishing Fun for March

 

Hosted by Rachel the Ten Hour Stitcher

This SAL is designed to motivate us all to do something with that box of Finished pieces instead of just storing them under the bed.  We will all be linking up on Rachel's blog on or after the 10th of each month (10 Hour Stitcher - 10th of the month).

After sorting out all my frames last month, I matched two of them up with some 2024 finishes.

First up was Moonshadow Mini by Full Circle Designs in a nice gold frame:

Then Quiet Hour Sampler from La Broderie in a deep wooden frame:

Here they are both together so you can compare sizes:

I then decided to try something a little more challenging, one of my Annie Beez 12 Days of Christmas stockings.

I photocopied and cut out the template provided, made two on stiff card and then realised it was going to be quite tricky to mount the stocking neatly on the card.  So instead I drew round it on the reverse of the backing fabric and then sewed the two pieces together (right sides on the inside), folded over the top edges to make a nice hem, turned it the right way out and voila!

Here's how the front looks:

Finally, I am undecided whether to attach some trim along the top or not.  It does need a little hanger but I'll wait until I've finished a few more.  I hope to do at least one per month...

December 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 November, the numbers were 14 and 16.  These related to Maria Brovko Evening in the Shire and Full Circle Designs Moonshadow Mini "A Child's Dream".

Maria Brovko - Evening in the Shire

Mostly all backstitch with just small areas of cross stitching for effect.

The backstitch is a combination of one, two or three strands to add dimension

stitched on 32 count Millenium Blue linen

stitched on 32 count Antique White linen

This is a sweet sampler with lots of speciality stitches

It just turned out a little different to the way I was expecting!
I used the charted colours, but here's the cover:

Definitely looks purple and lilac to me and not brown!  But it looks nice and I'll see if I have a nice brown frame to match.

By default, the December numbers had to be 7 and 20.  These relate to Shannon Christine's 12 Days of Christmas (Day 1) and Life in Stitch's Aslan.

The latter is another Ukrainian designer on Etsy.  By coincidence, both designs are going to be stitched on black fabric, so that will be fun!

Finally, I am still making plans for 2025!  After a year of small/medium designs I have two larger pieces I want to focus on and then keep up with some of the series I started the last couple of years.  Designs such as the Zodiac Girls, the 12 Days of Christmas, The Year in the Woods.

November Smalls

          

The Smalls SAL is hosted by Rachel

For my Smalls stitching this year, I have chosen 12 smaller designs and numbered them for my WIPGO Board.  Each month one Small will be stitched in the evening timeslot and hopefully finished within the month.

Last month I was stitching Dark October and started a small from the current Just Cross Stitch Halloween Special.  

This is stitched on the same 40 count linen as my main focus, there was enough left to stitch two smaller designs.  This one is Nevermore by Quaternion Creations:

stitched on 40 count Witch's Brew linen from Zweigart

I also completed the cute little skeleton chameleon that Jocondine sent me.

Miguel le cameleon from Fil'anthrope

stitched on 36 count dark green linen

Then in November the WIPGO Board called Moonshadow Mini from Full Circle.  I was really enjoying stitching the Halloween Blackwork so didn't start this right away which is why it isn't finished yet!

stitched on 32 count white linen

 

Finally, I did make the decision not to host an Advent Calendar Blog Hop this year for the same reasons as the Halloween Hop!  Maybe I'll do a look back through previous years instead.

November WIPocalypse Planning

          

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 just 2 of them, we've still got 6 days to go so they might be finished by the end of the month.

10. Full Circle Designs - Moonshadow Mini

stitched on 32 count white linen

20. Maria Brovko - Evening in the Shire

stitched on 32 count Millenium Blue linen

Finally, Measi always gives us a topic to discuss:

November - How do you begin planning for the next year with your stitching? Tell us your process

I do love to make plans and I start thinking about the following year almost as soon as I start the current year!  For example, 2023 was a focus year where I stitched on Halloween at Hawk Run Hollow every month.  So I knew I'd make 2024 a rotation year and stitch some of the smaller and medium designs I had in my stash and then 2025 would be a focus year again.

The focus will be Mirabilia's Fairy Idyll and also the Art Nouveau Head which is my oldest WIP now.  Having decided on those two, I make a list of the series I want to work on:

Nora Corbett Zodiac Girls

Nora Corbett Pixies
Cottage Garden Samplings Year in the Woods

Cottage Garden Samplings 12 Days of Christmas
Shannon Christine 12 Days of Christmas

Cricket Collection Seasons
Stitch it Picasso Zodiac Signs

Stitch it Picasso Dragons

Firewing Designs Dragons

Shepherd's Bush Herbs

Then I look at my individual charts and see which ones I want to add in.  

What do I want to use for my evening stitching?

What shall I choose for Dark 13?

How about IHSW?  Another go at the A-Z or one project the entire year?

Then I fit things onto my WIPGO Board.  Looking at the list, there are 10 series plus the two focus pieces.  So I could put each project down twice with the goal of "Stitch for 2 weeks" and use the other two weeks for the focus projects.  

It can and will change before 1st January but that's half the fun!