Cross Stitch Update

This is probably going to be a boring cross-stitch update because I mainly worked on one thing. The mood struck to work on it and it’s been a bit since a mood like that struck so I decided to just go with it.

The funny thing is that this project hasn’t been on my radar much at all. It’s been in my stitching basket waiting for me to want to stitch on it. You all might not even remember that I have the project as I haven’t really talked about it since I went to the cross stitch retreat in July. It’s my Pet all the Dogs sampler by Teresa Kogut. I looked on the blog and I haven’t talked about this piece since July. Here is where I was then.

I had originally started this thinking I would stitch it as a fill-in piece. I’d stitch so far and then stop to save it for a day I might go to a retreat or to a doctor’s appointment but I never really stitched the piece that far so it would be easy to take along.

I decided to start working on it so I would have it to take to my appointment this week and so I could take it to stitching day on Friday in Waverly. It’s so nice to have a piece with that doesn’t require a lot of color change or counting if you’re going to a retreat or stitching day…so I started working on it. I worked really hard on the house. I really wanted it completely outlined. Here is where I got Friday night.

YES. This is how I stitch every night. Rosie is between my legs and Izzy is on my left side. It’s nice and snuggly.

I continued stitching on it all weekend. Then I took it to my doctor’s appointment on Tuesday. Here is where I am now. What a difference from where I started last week. I love it.

If you look at the bottom row I stitched all the crossed in. Now that tan can be stitched that fills in that area area. I have lots of fill in work now. I’m so happy about that. It’s been a bit since I had fill-in work.

All of that work on a single piece has really gotten me excited about this piece. I’m so tempted to leave the fill-in stitching and keep working on this. There are trees, dogs, and alphabets to stitch. I’m so surprised this piece was only this big…not huge at all and totally doable.

Part of me would love to make a goal to finish it by the new year. I think I could. Another part of me would like to stitch everything except the house and bottom fill-in border so I have an easy project to grab and go.

I guess all I really know is that it feels wonderful to be really excited about a piece so I am just going with it and will stitch if it strikes me. It’s been a bit since I’ve had as much excitement over a piece so this is fun!!

For anyone wondering…I am stitching this on a 40-count Boston from Seraphim. I am using the called for colors. I just love that when Teresa Kogut designs things, she often uses a mix of fancy floss and DMC. I really think that helps keep the thread costs down and she’s such a master of color that it works!

On Wednesday night I made myself stop working on Pet all the Dogs and pulled out my Red Pears by Annie Beez Folk Art. I had hoped that I would finish this one over the week but that didn’t happen. I had the “hard” part of this left with some intense counting.

I’ll be honest, I think that’s one of the reasons I didn’t pick this up earlier in the week. I always mess up and diddly counting.

I only had about 45 minutes of stitching time and had to rip out a few stitches and it’s still not perfect so I only got this far…

I have to laugh because this is the stitch along and it seems I am in good company. Several of you are having the same problem with the diddly counting. I guess it’s good to be with friends in the same predicament.

You might remember that last week I was all excited about this piece…Maker and Mender by With Thy Needle and Thread.

I didn’t get a single stitch into it this week. The mood hit for Pet All the Dogs and everything else got shoved aside. I really love this piece and would love to have days of stitching time so I could finish this up…but that will come in time.

I’m happy to have projects that I’m really enjoying. It makes me hurry through chores and push to get time to stitch. I love that feeling!!

That’s all I have for you this week. Hopefully next week I’ll be done with my Red Pear and onto another one. We’ll see. I’m getting such a call to Pet All the Dogs. I’m not going to commit to anything because the second I do, I’ll change my mind.