July's Progress

I'm using my WIPGO Board to decide what to stitch this year.  Both numbers for July were for Mirabilia's Fairy Idyll so I got a lot of  progress on her.

This is the main area I worked on, finishing her bedding and frills:

Then I started on the vines around the top and edges.  These are charted to be stitched in brown Wisper but I didn't like the way it backstitches as the fluff gets flattened from being pulled through the fabric.  Instead, I backstitched the lines in DMC 3031 then whip stitched using the Wisper, much more fluffy and a smoother line too.

Here's the whole piece as she looks now:

stitched on 32 count Vinyard Murano from Crafty Kitten

My Dark 13 project is Witching Hour by Keslyn's, and I added an G:

stitched 1 over 2 on 32 count Cirrus evenweave from Chromatic Alchemy

I'm using a variegated DMC thread - 4240, a mixture of blues and purples.  I decided to use a different colour for the spiders and chose the Victorian Motto Violet-Grey thread I used for the Halloween Bookshelf last year.  It's not as harsh as 310.

In the evenings I continued with the Living on the Rainbow Alice in Wonderland book design.  This will be fully-finished into a 3D book.  

stitched on 32 count Vintage Country Mocha Linen

I whip stitched the caterpillar's hookah pipe too

My plan is to stitch each page as it is released and I'm pretty much keeping up so far.

June's Progress

I'm using my WIPGO Board to decide what to stitch this year.  For June we had Yiotas XStitch Coffee Fairy which was my oldest WIP and Satsuma Street's Taurus from her Zodiac series.

Stitched on 28 count Monarch evenweave from Sparklies

I was sent this kit to review back in 2011 and started it in 2012.  By 2026 it was my oldest WIP and became my "Focus for a Finish".

I used the kit threads which were all Madeira but my own fabric as the kit only came with Aida.  The original design was full coverage but I left the background off so you can see the fabulous fabric!

Love these biscuits!

My Dark 13 project is Witching Hour by Keslyn's, and I added an F:

stitched 1 over 2 on 32 count Cirrus evenweave from Chromatic Alchemy

I'm using a variegated DMC thread - 4240, a mixture of blues and purples.  I decided to use a different colour for the spiders and chose the Victorian Motto Violet-Grey thread I used for the Halloween Bookshelf last year.  It's not as harsh as 310.

I finished the Coffee Fairy quite early in the month so had plenty of time for my new start which was Taurus from Satsuma Street.  This is the fourth design I have stitched in the series, all on black fabric. 

stitched on 28 count Black Jobelan

In May, I completed my annual Just Nan-athon and fully finished this design during June.  This is Winter Roses, part of the Filagree Fancies series.

The rose charm was supplied with the kit.

This is the backing fabric:

I had a new evening start too.  I love all things Alice in Wonderland so had to grab the new Living on the Rainbow book design.  This will be fully-finished into a 3D book.  So far I have started the cover and finished Page 1.  Page 2 will be released next week.

stitched on 36 count White evenweave

stitched on 32 count Vintage Country Mocha Linen

My plan is to stitch each page as it is released and then go back and do the cover to try catch up.  If I can keep up with the weekly pages that will be very encouraging.

Latest Finish

 

Living on the Rainbow - Fall Bookshelf

Stitched on 32 count Vintage Country Mocha linen

I couldn't wait to start this one, bought it as soon as it was released and started stitching straight away.

September WIPocalypse Learning to Stitch

            

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 5 of them and had four finishes.

2. Shepherd's Bush Halloween Trifles

11. Hands on Designs [never.more]

12. Living on the Rainbow Haunted House

16. Tra La La Couer de Sorciere

24. Cottage Garden Samplings Halloween Sampler

Finally, Measi always gives us a topic to discuss:

September – How did you learn to stitch?

I actually stitched my very first piece in Year 2 in Primary School.

After that, there was a long break until I saw a friend cross stitching a design for her baby son in 1993.  I was intrigued and thought it looked easier than sewing or embroidery because of the squares on the fabric.

I bought a small kit and started immediately, following the instructions in the kit:

After I'd got the basics I moved on to stitching with metallics, stitching on black, stitching on linen etc.  In the pre-internet days there was no-one telling you that something was supposed to be difficult!  You just tried it out to see how you got on.

Some of my techniques remain from the original kits - I'm a centre starter and much prefer to start that way.  Some developed from my own habits, I stitch using "secured needle" because it's practical when travelling and with cats or small children around.

The main change I have made is from stitching ////// then \\\\\\\ for rows to stitching each X individually.  I realised I prefer the tension and the look of the stitches when I do them individually.

Finally Fully Finishing Fun for September

  

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).

Guess what - I finished something!!  Two somethings in fact.

First something is a ten year old project, the Faces SAL from Joan Elliott started in 2014 and finished in August 2024.  I went for a simple box frame that I painted with emulsion test pots, a mix of pink and lilac to match the lovely fabric.

Nice and simple with a good amount of the fabric showing round the edge.

Close up of one corner:
  

The second FFO is very exciting and took quite a bit longer than just framing a picture.

Living on the Rainbow 3D Haunted House

I changed the finishing method a bit.
Instead of using iron-on interfacing, I mounted each piece on thin card.

I whipstitched the four sides together.

Then I stitched the roof on three sides from the back, turned it right way out, inserted some thin card and whipstitched the fourth side shut.

I backstitched along the top to make a ridge in the roof then stitched the roof to the four walls.

(that was the hardest part in the process)

I stuffed the house with pillow stuffing.

Finally, I covered a piece of thin card in linen and stitched it to the bottom of the house.

July 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 the 3D Haunted House from Living on the Rainbow.  I continued with that for the first four days of July and finished the stitching.  Now I need to FFO it, maybe in time for the FFO Gallery in August?

After that I moved on to my July WIPGO choice which was a Lizzie*Kate design, Sampling Christmas.  I finished that in just a few days and now need to attach a charm from my collection and FFO that one too.

stitched on 32 count Desert Sand evenweave

For the rest of the month I have been stitching another blackwork design from Circle Cross.  This is The Hare Moon for Taurus and part of her Lunar Calendar.

stitched on 28 count Robin's Egg evenweave from Silkweavers

Finally, have you seen Jocondine's latest Tour de France?  It's a tricky one this year!!

June WIPocalypse Half Year Goals

         

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 5 of them and had one finish.

12. Living on the Rainbow 3D Haunted House

13. Joan Elliott Faces SAL

14. Stitchy Princess Alice in Wonderland - Finish!

21. Cottage Garden Sampling Year in the Woods The Swans

24. Cottage Garden Samplings Halloween Sampler

Finally, Measi always gives us a topic to discuss:

June – Half-year recap: How are you doing with your goals so far this year?

My goals are doing very nicely, thank you!  Out of the 24 on the list, I have 8 finishes so far plus 2 partial finishes where the pieces are part of a set.  Every project has been started in the month it was called for except the Spot of Autumn which was called in May and will be rolled over to another month.

I didn't quite finish the 3D Haunted House in June but it's very close.

Here's how my WIPGO Board looks at the end of June:

June 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.  

After the excitement of my Just Nan-athon in May, I have returned to a focus piece for June.  The WIPGO Board chose the 3D Haunted House from Living on the Rainbow and I've been working steadily on that each evening.

Here is the front and back, blurry but completed:

Here is my progress on the sides and the roof:

I've got the purple fill-in and backstitch to do on the sides.  For the roof, I have made the decision not to fill it all in as charted but leave the purple fabric showing.  So I'll stitch all the way round the edge and mount it on some dark card before sewing it to the building.

Finally, you can see it's not going to be finished by the end of June so this will be a roll-over to next month!