WIPocalypse February 2015 Stuck in a Rut?

WIPocalypse is hosted by Measi's Musings

The focus of my WIPocalypse will be my "15 in '15"which are 15 charts I want to stitch in 2015 (following on from my "11 in '11", "12 in '12", "13 in '13" and "14 in '14" - imaginative, eh?)

Obviously taking part in the DUCJC meant I stitched on every single one of the 15!  You will have seen them all already throughout January but here are small pictures of them once again:

Joan Elliott – Diary February WIP

Just Nan – Winter Typography WIP

Frosted Pumpkins – Hallowe’en Town WIP

Joan Elliott – Faces Mystery SAL WIP

Just Nan – Haunted Pumpkins Tree WIP

Jannlynn – Gathering Honey WIP

JBW – Rocking Horse

Teresa Wenztler – You were Hatched

Kingfisher for school

Dragon of the Winter Moon from Riona

Joan Elliott – Believe for school

Nutmeg Cottage from Susan

Since the DUCJC ended I have actually worked on three of the pieces.  Trick and Treat has continued to be my bathtime focus piece, one length of thread per evening.  On the Beach is my OAAT piece so I can finish it for my cousin's baby.  And the Hallowe'en Blocks are one a month, mostly on a Sunday.

Praire Moon – Thine is the Trick and the Treat WIP

Stitched on hand-dyed 40 count linen

Primitive Hare – Hallowe’en Cubes

 

Stitched on 32 count Vintage Grain linen

Madame Chantilly – On the Beach WIP

Stitched on 32 count Kynance evenweave by Sparklies

I have changed the colours quite a lot for this piece.  The charted ones just did not look the same as the cover picture.  Weirdly, the two rocks are stitched with the same colour but from two different skeins.  Big difference in old and new DMC there!

Measi also sets discussion topics for each month:

February
How do you overcome that feeling that you’re in a rut with a particular project?

On the Beach is actually a good piece to illustrate this.  The lighthouse is blocks of plain colour.  Not very exciting, just /// and \\\ like a typewriter.  So to keep me motivated I have been stitching one block of it and then a little motif along the bottom.

I find rotation is the key to not getting in a rut in the first place.  If you have like I do, a large focus project, a small or two and a monthly target there will always be something from your Goal List you can stitch on and not feel you are "cheating"!  I personally don't like stitching long repetitive borders so find the one thread of border followed by one thread of something more interesting works for me!

Finally, I will be hosting the annual Valentine's Day Blog Hop this year.  See this post for more details.  Just send me a photo of your lovely stitching to be sent to another blogger on Valentine's Day,  I've added the Heart to my sidebar, please feel free to copy it onto your blog to link back here.

DUCJC 2015 - completed!

The DUCJC is a very special challenge in memory of a very special lady.  SoCal Debbie was a prolific stitcher, blogger and commenter.  Sadly she passed away very suddenly last year.  One of her favourite challenges was the CJC:

CJC = Crazy January Challenge, one new start for the first 15 days of January

UCJC = Ultimate Crazy January Challenge, one new start for all 31 days of January

DUCJC = Debbie's Ultimate Crazy January Challenge, stitch 31 projects one per day for January

Linda Stitchin' with my Furbabies organised this all via a FB group.  Thankfully Linda is not making us all attempt the SDUCJC (Super Duper Ultimate Crazy January Challenge) or 60 starts throughout January and February which she did with Debbie in 2012.

I did it!  I stitched 31 different designs on the 31 days of January!  Here is a little collage of them all:

And details of the final four days you haven't seen before:

Day 28 - Anchor - Kingfisher (designer not credited - how rude of them!):

Stitched on 28 count blue evenweave.

I am only stitching the bird from this design and giving it to the Small Boy's teacher and TAs at the end of the year.  All the classes in his mainstream school are named after water birds and the Reception Class are Kingfishers so this will look good on their wall.

Day 29 - The Sweetheart Tree - Tudor Rose:

Stitched on 32 count Light Mocha Belfast Linen

I used DMC 223 for the border instead of the Caron Waterlilies which I don't have.

Day 30 - Nora Corbett - J is for Joanne:

Stitched on 32 count Love-in-the-Mist Murano evenweave by Crafty Kitten

Day 31 - Madame Chantilly - On the Beach:

Stitched on 32 count Kynance evenweave by Sparklies

This was a WIP I started last year to be a Birth Sampler for my cousin's baby.  Thankfully I noted the thread changes on my blog because I could not remember what they were when I picked it up again!  The colours listed are nothing like the cover picture.  Much more dull and muted so I am changing quite a bit.

A few stats -

8 WIPS

23 New Starts

5 Gifts for other people

22 Gifts from other people

Fabrics Used

25 count eveweave - 1

28 count evenweave - 10

28 count linen - 2

30 count linen - 1

32 count evenweave - 5

32 count linen - 9

35 count linen - 1

40 count linen - 2

stitched over 1 - 6

So right now I am stitching away On The Beach because it's nice to OAAT again!  I did enjoy the challenge more than I thought I would once I got over the first few days on wanting to continue with each project.  Moral - save your favourites until last.  It was a good idea to spend the time in December getting everything together in one place.  It was also a good idea to keep a list of the fabrics too.

My plan now is to stitch on the 15 which are in my WIPocalypse "15 in '15" and then fit the others in around them as we go through the year.  I also want to Giveaway a few charts as part of my Gifted Gorgeousness SAL so watch out for those posts throughout the year.

Would I do this challenge again?  I will have to see how many I manage to complete this year.  If I have several left I won't want alot more new starts in 2016 so I may just rotate the unfinished projects.  On the other hand it is a good way to actually start some much-wanted designs which have sat in my stash for too long.  We shall see....

Finally, I will be hosting the annual Valentine's Day Blog Hop this year.  See this post for more details.  Just send me a photo of your lovely stitching to be sent to another blogger on Valentine's Day,  I've added the Heart to my sidebar, please feel free to copy it onto your blog to link back here.

   

D.E.S.I.G.N. SAL

The idea of this Blog Hop is to choose a different designer each month and do a post focusing on a piece of their work you have stitched on during the month.  As you know, I have been taking part in the DUCJC 2015 this month so I have worked on several of my favourite designers.  I decided to focus on three of my all-time favourites as evidenced in my Profile.  They are Nora Corbett (AKA Mirabilia), Joan Elliott and Teresa Wentzler.

The hosts of D.E.S.I.G.N ask us to answer a few questions on our chosen designer and I have added an extra one!

1. What project are you talking about this month?

Nora - Little Snowy Gray Cottage and J for Joanne.

Joan - February Cherub and Believe

Teresa - You Were Hatched

2. Have you stitched a project by this designer before?

Nora - 13 different projects, including Round Robins - link here to see them all

Joan - 24 different projects, including Round Robins - link here to see them all

Teresa - 10 different projects, including Round Robins - link here to see them all

So you can see, Joan Jett is a Runaway winner (joke for rock fans there).  Mainly because she designs more smalls than the other two.

3. Would you buy/stitch a design by this designer again?  Why/Why not?

Yes!  Otherwise half my stash would be useless.  I have several of Joan and Teresa's books which I love just looking through and admiring the pictures.  I also have all my Mirabilia charts which I intend to keep and never sell.

4. What made you choose this particular design/designer?

Nora - I saw the Little Cottage series on Nataly's blog and she was kind enough to send me the charts and fancy supplies when she was finished (I believe I may have paid for the supplies?).  J for Joanne was a gift from Justine when I won a giveaway on her blog.

Joan - I loved the 2013 Diary which came with WOCS and featured 12 of Joan's designs.  I fully intended to stitch all 12, but the best intentions don't always work out!  February's Cherub is nearly done.  Believe is going to be a present for the Small Boy's teaching staff from last year.  I usually stitch a gift at the end of the year but hadn't realised he would be leaving that particular class until it was too late!  So there will be two gifts stitched and given this year.

Teresa - The lovely Karen acquired this chart for me because I have wanted it ever since I first heard about it.  It is OOP and rather rare, especially the signed, numbered ones like mine!  This is going to be a birth sampler for the Small Boy because he is nearly six and doesn't have one yet!

5. Did you notice anything that distinguished this designer from others?

Nora - is best known for her elegant ladies, her fairies and her mermaids, also her use of Kreinik and Mill Hill beads to accent her colours.  She uses many fractionals to create long, elegant limbs.  Recently she has branched out to create these cottages, some natural history designs and even a set of stitched chairs!  Many of Nora's designs show her fine art background and her ladies reflect her fashion drawing past.  Seriously, who has a waist like these girls?

Joan - has the widest range of designs of the three.  A classic "Joan" could be a realistic fairy or a cute cartoon creature.  They could be simple whole xxx or use metallics and beads as well.  She is known for throwing in French Knots in Kreinik when beads are not used.  I think the best way I could describe Joan's work is "a child's colouring book".  If you stitched the backstitch, scanned and printed it then it would make a great colouring book.

Teresa - Blending, blending, blending and confetti!  I think those are the key words for our Teresa!  Her designs are always intricate and usually feature a beautiful ornate border.  Fractionals abound as do blended colours.  Why use 15 shades of grey for rocks when you can create another 15 by blending?  She favours the more muted shades than Joan.  I have used so much 3041 and 3042 in Teresa's designs that I instinctively think of her when I stitch with them.

6. What is your favourite completed design?

Nora - Bluebeard's Mermaid.  My very first SAL when I first joined a stitching forum back in 2011.  I think this was my first piece of hand-dyed fabric too.  Crafty Kitten, of course!

Joan - Green Goddess, this is my biggest piece of Joan's so far.

I also love my Garden Fairies RR:

Teresa - The Castle, a Rite of Passage for many stitchers.  I actually stitched this on aida!  Insane!

 

The remaining days of the DUCJC will follow after the 31st,

Finally, I will be hosting the annual Valentine's Day Blog Hop this year.  See this post for more details.  Just send me a photo of your lovely stitching to be sent to another blogger on Valentine's Day,  I've added the Heart to my sidebar, please feel free to copy it onto your blog to link back here.

  

  

January Smalls SAL

and DUCJC 2015 Days 24 to 27

The Smalls SAL is hosted by Heather from Stitching Lotus

This year I am going to have two monthly challenges:

1. The Primitive Hare Hallowe'en Cubes SAL with Giovanna

2. The Hallowe'en Ornie SAL themed blog.

But because I have also been taking part in the DUCJC 2015 I haven't really got a finish for either this month!

I stitched on the first cube on Day 17 and here is my progress:

Stitched on 32count Vintage Linen.

I intend to stitch these on Sunday afternoons unless I have to work.  

Hopefully I can finish this one this Sunday.

The theme for the Hallowe'en Ornie SAL Blog was Witches.  I did start a Brooke's Books Witch and I also stitched a witch as part of Prairie Moon's Thine is the Trick and the Treat so I am counting that for this month's ornie!

***

DUCJC 2015 - I am doing well keeping up with the new starts.  The box to choose from is getting emptier and the stitched box is getting full!  Only a few more days to go then I can return to my favourites.

Day 24 - Shepherd's Bush - She Tends:

Stitched on 32count Light Mocha Belfast linen

Day 25 - Shepherd's Bush - Mulberry:

Stitched on 32 count Antique White linen

This is the sixth of the series I have stitched.

Day 26 - Dragon Dreams - Dragon of the Winter Moon:

Stitched on 32 count Moondust Murano evenweave from Crafty Kitten

All of the white body is Anchor Marlitt which is a silky thread and quite slippery!

Day 27 - Prairie Moon - Thine is the Trick and the Treat:

Stitched on 40 count hand-dyed linen.

I stitched the skull motif to the left on day 27.

I have been stitching TitTatT all month, one strand per evening except for day 27 when I took it into work.  I saved this project from day 27 because I knew I had a full day at work and thought there would be little time for stitching.  I totally forgot I get a lunch break when I work a full day!  It's usually only a 20 minute coffeebreak.  So I got some midday stitching and completed another motif.

The doorbell just rang and I have to show you what the postman delivered:

Yes, an entire cone of DMC 310!  With all the Hallowe'en stitching I do I thought a cone made economical sense!  425m for £16.50 works out at 31p a skein of 8m.  And I get a really nice solid card cone which I am sure can be made into something spooky when the thread is all used up!

The cone came from Crafty Kitten and because I had a voucher from Heather of It's Geek to Me all I had to pay was postage.  I also got some Crescent Colours for one of my final 31 starts,

The little book next to the cone is my 2015 Diary.  I usually use the cover gift from WOCS magazine but they didn't have one this year, just a desk calendar.  So Santa brought me one.  The cat is printed but the rest of the cover detail is embroidered on.  Very suitable, thank you Santa,

Finally, I will be hosting the annual Valentine's Day Blog Hop this year.  See this post for more details.  Just send me a photo of your lovely stitching to be sent to another blogger on Valentine's Day,  I've added the Heart to my sidebar, please feel free to copy it onto your blog to link back here.

  

Days 20 to 23 of the DUCJC 2015

The DUCJC is being held this year in memory of SoCal Debbie and I am attempting to stitch on 31 different projects throughout January.  A mixture of WIPs and new starts.

This week was a busy week at work so I chose three of my WIPs to stitch on those three days.

Day 20 - Jannlynn - Gathering Honey:

Stitched on 28 count linen.

I stitched more of the green in the bottom two blocks and some more backstitch.

I think I can start adding some flowers next time!

Day 21 - Joan Elliott - Faces SAL:

Stitched on 28count Snapdragon evenweave by Crafty Kitten

This will be a fairy eventually!

Day 22 - Just Nan - Winter Typography:

Stitched on 32 count lilac linen.

I stitched the mittens, the bunny, the scarf and some of the pink in the border.

Day 23 - Stitcher Anon - Marley was Dead:

Stitched over 1 on 28count Platinum linen.

A new start at last!

Only a week to go on this challenge.  I have found it easier than I thought.  Some of the pieces have been very hard to put down but being able to start a long-awaited design has made it easier.  I am hoping to finish all the obligation stitching and most of the smalls throughout the year.  It would be nice to finish Gathering Honey too because that is for a friend.  I think the JE Faces will continue into next year though.

The Gifted Gorgeousness SAL's first monthly sign up was a great success and I have visited everyone who linked up now.  I had so many page views for that post and also my 7000th comment!  The lovely Gillie left that comment and I have offered her first choice of my finished charts later this year.  My intention is to finish a few of the smalls and have a giveaway, possibly on my Blogaversary in April.  So Gillie will get first dibs and then whoever enters!

Finally, I will be hosting the annual Valentine's Day Blog Hop this year.  See this post for more details.  Just send me a photo of your lovely stitching to be sent to another blogger on Valentine's Day,  I've added the Heart to my sidebar, please feel free to copy it onto your blog to link back here.

January TUSAL and Stitch from Stash

Month: January
Spent: £ 0.00
Earned: £ 0.00

It's TUSAL time again!  For those of you new to blogging, the TUSAL is a project run by Daffycat, click on the button on the right hand bar for more details.

I emptied the 2014 ORTS into a bag and intend to use them to stuff an ornie sometime this year.  Here is the jar with just a few bits of fluff in the bottom, along with today's DUCJC project:

Gathering Honey by Jannlynn

Stitch from Stash is hosted by Mel from Epic Stitching

Essentially the idea behind Stitch from Stash is that we are limited to spending US$25 (or £15) per month. There are various exemptions (Birthday money, existing mag subs, clubs etc) but the idea is not to try and pervert the rules and to stitch some of that stash!  I will be posting on or around the 20th of each month because that is when I get paid!

Mel allowed us a little break from SFS after the December check-in until the January sign-up but I was very good.  I ordered two of Primitive Hare's lovely thread holders and the Hallowe'en Cubes for my Christmas presents.  Due to a little mix-up in the emails I was sent the Christmas Cubes, so of course I had to re-order the Hallowe'en ones and pay for the Christmas ones.  Can't just send them back, can we?

You can see the Witchy thread holder here:

I'm using her to hold my black threads.  The ghostie is currently in use on Elizabeth Shephard holding the green silk.

I also got framing vouchers for Christmas but not so much money as last year!  I bought a sweet sheep design for Jacquie because I knew she would love it.  Then I found out she'd been in hospital so it became a Get Well Soon present!

And that was it.  I cancelled my subscription to World of Cross Stitching because I just wasn't that into the designs and they had increased it to over £10 every three issues.  I'm keeping up with Cross Stitch Collection, partly because they keep featuring me in it!  Since I was Blogger of the Month I was asked to contribute to an article on SALs which I did, along with Heather Stitching Lotus.  I am also continuing with the Jodyri Threads of the Month club which is exempt too.

This is the part where I would show my new starts from stash but since I am doing the DUCJC everything has been a new starts from stash so I will just show the latest two:

Day 18 - Teresa Wentzler - You were Hatched

Stitched on 28 count lilac evenweave

Day 19 - Nora Corbett - Little Snowy Gray Cottage

Stitched on 32 count opal Blue Hydrangea by Crafty Kitten

Usually I would stitch all the DMC before starting the Kreinik but this design is nearly all Kreinik!  Acres of it so it's a large eyed-needle and short lenghs for me.

Finally, I will be hosting the annual Valentine's Day Blog Hop this year.  See this post for more details.  Just send me a photo of your lovely stitching to be sent to another blogger on Valentine's Day,