The People Chose the Colour Blue

 

This SAL is all about what you want to see on the blog. Each month I ask for suggestions for themes and then put them up to the members of the IHSW Group on FB to vote for their choice. This is what they have chosen:

April - Blue

May - Traditional Samplers

June - Butterflies

I love blue.  When I was very young my favourite colour was red but then when I was 7 we had Houses at school and I was in Hillary which was blue so that became my new favourite colour.  I wasn't allowed to use it much at home (my sister preferred pink and green) so when I bought my first house my bedroom was blue and gold with a starry border around the walls and deep blue velvet curtains.  Even now, my duvets are always blue and Sleeping Beauty has pride of place on the wall of the master bedroom:

Mirabilia - Sleeping Beauty

Side note - if we had those Houses at school today, I bet we would be Tenzing and not Hillary.  The Sherpas did all the hard work!

Here's a more recent finish, Winter Blues by Just Nan:

Another Mirabilia - Bluebeard's Mermaid.  Stitched on a beautiful Crafty Kitten Murano called Waterfall:

You can use blue thread, this one was a sampler started by my Mum and finished by me:

And this is a sweet little mini alphabet from a magazine:

Or you can use blue fabric.  This is Noel Blanc sur le Bleu!

And this is a Donna Kooler Zodiac series:

Even Christmas can be blue:

 

And so can designers, Blue Ribbon Designs:

And dragons!

 

Now it's over to you.  All you have to do is make a post on the theme of Blue, mention The People's Choice SAL (you can copy the picture I used at the top of this post and in my side bar) and my blog.  Please link up using the URL of the actual blog post, not the home page of your blog.  I look forward to seeing what you all post.

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Finally, I need your suggestions for the next poll.  Any thing, no matter how obscure, weird or random will go into the poll.  Keep the theme suggestions to a single word or two - so you could have Cats, or Green, or Holidays, or Warmth etc.  Really anything which could be illustrated in cross stitch.

March Pie and Stitch from Stash

 It's the final day of March and time for a round-up of the month.  We'll start with Pie:

The original plan was to stitch on Fairy Idyll for 7 days but I got on a roll and just kept going!  She was a new start this month, thanks to the Tiny Decisions App and went from nothing to here:

stitched on 32 count Vineyard Murano from Crafty Kitten

That is a LOT of skirt!  Here's the cover photo so you can see how far I have to go and how much better this fabric is for her!

The plan for next time is to finish the palest yellow and then stitch that pink flouncy frill at the end of the skirt, with a view to working up the left hand side of the arch.

The Witchy Mice were stitched each weekend as part of my March of the Mischievious Mice.  Leonore said "How cute these mice are! I am all for making a whole...what do you call a group of mice?"   So I googled it and discovered the collective noun for mice is - a mischief!   How serendipitous!

A Mischief of Mice

Hawk Run Hollow, Main Street and Stoney Creek were all shown on my WIPocalypse post so that just leaves Just Nan Winter Blues.  This has been our Band Sampler SAL in the Just Nan FB group since 1st January.  Leonore gave me a shortlist and everyone voted for their favourite.  I finished it this week and it's just stunning.  I went for a 28 count white Jobelan because the lettering is over one and I wanted the details to really show.  

Our next Sampler SAL is for the design Nan's Garden.  I stitched a portion of this for a Round Robin back in 2014 so I'm looking forward to stitching the whole piece this time.  We're doing Follow the Needle in the Summer if anyone wants to join in.

Stitch from Stash has a Just Nan feel to it too.  I snagged two charts on eBay this month for every reasonable prices.  I set an upper limit of £5 for charts without embellishment packs.

The ALS is Autumn Lane Stitchery and here's my progress on Mrs Claus:

stitched on 28 count tea-dyed evenweave

Finally, my Easter Treasure Hunt Blog Hop starts on Good Friday 2nd April and I'll make sure my post goes up at breakfast time in the UK so you can start hopping bright and early!

WIPGO Weekend Wins

Q: What is WIPGO?

A: It's like Bingo for your WIPs.

The idea is to make a board with 25 squares, add a goal to each square, each month the Admin call 2 numbers and you try reach those two goals.

When you complete a row or column, you can reward yourself with something nice.  A new start?  A new chart?  An uninterrupted afternoon of stitching?  Your choice.

This was my board at the start of the month:

The numbers called for February were 4 and 20.  But first I worked on number 13 from January and completed Cackle Lozenges by Hands on Design:

stitched on 28 count Radioactive Linen from Chromatic Alchemy

Then I turned my attention to a new start, number 4 - Hallowe'en at Hawk Run Hollow by Carriage House Samplings.  I got a good chunk of Block 7 done:

stitched over 1 on 25 count Cassia Rose evenweave from Chromatic Alchemy

I'll carry on with this one, when it comes up on WIPGO or on my Tiny Decisions wheel.  I can't tick the box off until I complete this block.

Number 20 was next, a complete success as the goal was to complete one small block.  The dragon only took 3 days so I decided to continue with the owl at the top.  This block was one of the reasons I stalled with this design back in 2014.  It was charted for a rather chonky cat which I didn't love.  But I didn't know what to put instead because it was a mystery SAL.  So I left it.  People used various ideas and this owl was popular.  He took 4 days to complete, including his beads:

As with the dragon I stitched the background with one strand of thread which gives it a slightly softer look.  I did the wings on the Fairy the same way, they look almost transluscent with the fabric more visible.

stitched on 28 count Snapdragon Jazlyn from Crafty Kitten

As it only took a week to stitch both small blocks, I am revising my WIPocalypse goal to all four small blocks this year.  The other two will be stitched next time this comes up on my WIPGO board.

The next project in my rotation will be number 6 from January  - Spring Sampler.  I hope to get that finished well before the end of the month so I have time to fit one more project into February.

Finally, a progress photo from my Just Nan band sampler SAL.  We are currently stitching Winter Blues and I have just finished Bands 11 and 12:

stitched on 28 count White Jobelan

We are currently choosing the next sampler from a shortlist provided by Leonore.  So if you're a JN Junkie, do look for the poll and join us.  There's also going to be a Mouse-a-long organised by another member of the group.

Let's Go WIPGO!

Q: What is WIPGO?

A: It's like Bingo for your WIPs.

The idea is to make a board with 25 squares, add a goal to each square, each month the Admin call 2 numbers and you try reach those two goals.

When you complete a row or column, you can reward yourself with something nice.  A new start?  A new chart?  An uninterrupted afternoon of stitching?  Your choice.

This is my board:

The numbers called for January were 6, 13 and 18.  Now, some people have 13 as a free space so the Admin calls an extra number for the month that it appears.  Hence 3 numbers for January.  Which is good for me because 18 isn't going to be ticked off until May!  You don't have to meet the goal in the month called, but you can't tick the box off until it is met.

I worked on number 13 first.  This is my Hands On Design Scary Apothecary series.  I stitched 3 last year and have 3 on my list for this year.  Here's where I got to on Cackle Lozenges:

stitched on 28 count Radioactive linen from Chromatic Alchemy

I'm using the DMC conversion, this one is stitched exactly as per the chart so far.  In previous designs I had to tweak some colours because I am using such a bright green fabric.  It does change the way the colours appear but these all work well so far.

I stitched for five days and will continue with it next month to finish it.  Unless the CCN Village gets called, then I will work on that instead.

The second project is number 6.  This is a very old WIP which I will be glad to see finished.  I stalled on the reflected tree for a number of reasons but have finished it!

stitched on 28 count Slightly Lilac evenweave from Sparklies

This was a challenge on the old Samplermakers Forum where they gave us some motifs and said "Make a Sampler".  All I need now is the alphabet and to complete the little animals.

Again, the goal of finishing it wasn't met in this month but it will come up in my rotation again this year.

My 2021 rotation is currently:

Week 1 - Hands on Design OR CCN Village
Week 2 - WIPGO project 1
Week 3 - WIPGO project 2
Week 4 - Tiny Decisions App chooses

I planned my weeks to be 6 days long based on working one full day a week, but as I'm furloughed I've been using that "extra" day to stitch ornaments.

I loaded my Tiny Decisions App with my four BAPs for this month and it chose the Bothy Threads 12 Days of Christmas.  So I have made a start:

stitched on 32 count blue-grey linen

I bought the kit for this as it is the only way to get the chart.  It came with 14 count white aida.  Nu-huh, not stitching on that!  I did have this nice piece of linen in a neutral colour in my stash.  It is soft to hold, plenty big enough and the coverage is excellent.  This is going to be a full-coverage piece so I wanted good coverage using only 2 strands.  I have been told the thread is Madeira which is much the same thickness as DMC.

I did consider buying fabrics in the six different background colours and stitching them without the background as ornaments.  But it became clear it was going to be difficult to find all the colours in the same fabric count and type so I dropped that idea.

This will be a long term project.  I will stitch on this for six days this month and see how far I get.  My goal is to complete six of the blocks this year and six next.  We shall see!

I've been working away on my Winter Blues too and completed last week's goals of Bands 4 and 5:

stitched on 28 count White Jobelan

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.

January 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 worked on three projects over the weekend which wasn't terribly productive unfortunately.

The main focus was my second WIPGO project.  This is an oldie started back in 2012 for the Samplemakers Forum challenge.  They gave us a selection of motifs and we made a small sampler from them.  I stalled on the trees and it's taken me 8 years to complete them!

stitched on 28 count Slightly Lilac evenweave from Sparklies

I have almost finished the green leaves on the left hand tree then I can get started on the smaller motifs.  There will be a rabbit, a bird, a butterfly and a peacock as well as an alphabet, my initials and the year.  Charted as 2012 it will be easier to flip those last 2 numbers!  I also need to fill in the flowers in the urn and it's finally done.

My bathtime project is the Stitchonomy Winter SAL.  I got the kit for this one so I'm stitching it exactly as charted using the kit DMC and, shockingly, the kit aida!  It was such a gorgeous blue/turquoise colour I thought "why not?" plus I didn't have any evenweave this bright.

As with all of Alyssa's SALs, this was free for a certain period of time and now you can get it by joining her Pattern Club for a small fee.  At the end of the SAL it will be available to buy in her Etsy shop.

stitched on 14 count Riviera aida

It's a lovely simple piece, perfect for bathtime stitching as we get one band every three days and they take exactly three bathtimes to stitch!  How did she do that?

The third piece is a very different band sampler, this is Just Nan's Winter Blues.  I am SALing this with several people in the Just Nan Junkies FB group.  I set a schedule of just 1 or 2 bands per week and I'm now on Band 5 for Week 3.

stitched on 28 count White Jobelan

In various emails I've been saying to people "I want to use more coloured fabrics this year" but White was the perfect choice for this sampler.  It had to be 28 count because of the over-one sections, I wanted the words to be legible!

Finally, the next IHSW will be 19th - 21st February 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.

January TUSAL Happy Dance

   

It's TUSAL time!

Here is my TUSAL tin with my current project:

This is a design from the 2008 Christmas Ornament issue of Gift of Stitching.  Designed by Maria Teresa Vitali of MTV Designs and entitled Treasure Christmas Pincushion.  I am stitching it on the 32 count mid green linen I use for a lot of my Christmas designs and using the DMC conversion so far.  I plan to use a variegated DMC for the Christmas Trees.  Then finish it as an ornament.

The Happy Dance is for a project I was hoping to complete in 2020 but the last two weeks of December put paid to that.  Instead I decided not to rush it and take my time in January.

I present Snowfire Christmas by Just Nan:

stitched on 32 count Burgundy linen

(DMC for colour comparison because it's hard to capture)

As you would expect from a Just Nan, there are a lot of speciality stitches and just as many beads!

My goal was 2-3 bands per week and that was ambitous!

There's DMC and cotton Perle in this

The last two bands are the two that defeated my goal of a 2020 finish

More beads and crystals too

I love this design so much.  I didn't realise how blingy it was until I started it.  I was stitching along with Leonore and she sent me the beautiful crystals because we only had the charts and not the embellishment packs.  A couple of people from the JN FB group wanted to join in and now we have several doing our current SAL of Winter Blues.  Unfortunately, Leonore didn't have that chart so I need to make sure our next choice comes from her and her stash!

Definitely getting this professionally framed when she reopens.

Here's where I am on the new SAL, Winter Blues:

stitched on 28 count White Jobelan

I've gone for 28 count as there is a bit of over-one stitching for the words and birds.  We have a somewhat easier schedule for this one!  Only 1-2 bands per week.  Having bitten off more than I could chew in November/December I decided to take it easy on this one.  We aim to finish by the end of March.

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.