Cross Stitch Update

I’ve had a few cross-stitch questions come in.

From June:
“Hi Jo hope you are doing well. I’ve been trying to find the cross stitch patterns you are making with the homes on it (and your children’s names) and the saying about looking forward- know that’s not a lot of info to go on but it’s the ones you’re doing now. 

Who made them? And where did you get the kits or pattern chart from?

Thank you in advance for your response.”

My Anniversaries of the Heart are designed by Blackbird Designs.  They have some great projects that I am SUPER excited about and would like to stitch.

I bought my charts last year.  I had to buy them from about three different places.  One chart of the series I have lots of trouble finding and that was the October one with the pumpkin.  I just looked at 123 Stitch.  They had all of them in stock.  Please note that each of the squares is sold as a single chart.  You would need to buy all 12 charts to make what I’m making.

Blackbird Designs has a series like this only with birds.  It’s called For the Birds.  They also have Garden Club series that is all floral.  I’m currently debating about getting the charts for the For the Birds series.  It’s all done in pretty blues.  It is a nine block series.  I was thinking of getting it and doing one block for each of my nine grandkids.  This picture was taken from The Geary’s website….

You can read all the info about this series by following THIS LINK to their site.

I would modify the blocks a bit to add more info about each of my grandkids.

I love stitching on these heirloom pieces.

I also got a question about glasses and magnifiers.  I rarely use the magnifier on my lamp.  I did order stitching glasses from Zenni.  I had them put 3.5 magnification in the bifocal…my regular prescription in the top.  I use these and they are great.  I especially love them for watching televsion and stitching.

If I am stitching one string of floss over one thread on 40 count (that’s small), I prefer stitching with no glasses at all…no magnifier.  I’m nearsighted and that seems to work great for me.

Glasses and magnification are something you really have to play with.  Everyone is different and the only way to know what works for your eyes is by trying.

Now onto my cross stitching:
First off…remember I went to the doctor back on the 23rd.  After I got back, I couldn’t find the piece I was stitching on anywhere.  I was so sad.  I was afraid I left it in the waiting room.  I spent a whole day looking for the bag.

I even called Lost and Found at Mayo Clinic.

It was my “A Changed World” piece.  I was thankful that I didn’t have a ton of stitching done on it if I was going to have lost it.  Still, it was a bit of insult to injury after the time I had with my bloodwork hoopla.

The next day, I did find it.  I’m so glad.  After last week, you can guess what my dining room table looks like…a mess with boxes of mail covering one end.  My project was under some of the boxes.

Here is where that project is at…

This week I did the bird and the three flowers there that are close to the bird.

Next week I have a small goal and hopefully, I can reach it.  I want to stitch the basket that is in the top section on the right.  If I get that done, that I would have the entire top section done.

I am not excited about stitching it as I had a little trouble with the same basket that was on the left-hand side.  I pulled out the thread several times stitching that.  I’m hoping this time it goes better.

I didn’t get a lot of progress on it.  If you remember I’m only stitching on this one day a week or so.  At that pace, not a lot gets done!!

But I’m not setting it aside and that is what will bring this to a finish, eventually.

The piece I’ve been cranking on is Anniversaries of the Heart.  I am still on full push on this one.  I finished the October block.  I’ve so glad.  I met my goal for September to stitch two blocks.

October goal is to stitch two squares.  This is the November and December blocks.  I’ll have to really work to meet the goal but I think I can do it.  I pulled thread for both of them.  You can see I use some of the called for thread that is overdyed and some DMC.  This has been my typical approach with these blocks each month.

The only problem…when I pulled the thread for these, I put away the thread for the October block.  I really wasn’t finished with the October block.  All I had to stitch I reasoned was the names and I do that in all of the same color Tin Bucket, so I could put the thread away.

Then I finished the names and realized that OH NO.  I do still need the other colors as I have to fill in some do-dads around their names.  UGH.

So I have to pull the threads back out and finish it.  Here it is finished…

Here it is so far…only two blocks to stitch and then the big bonus block.  I’m so excited to keep pushing forward on this.

If I keep it up, I might be able to be done by the first of December.  That’s a lofty goal but I’m pushing for it.

Every block that gets done, I get more and more excited!!  I’m so glad I committed and am following through with this big project.  I was so nervous about doing it when I first started.  Month by month my confidence is growing.

That’s it for this week.  Don’t forget to check out the progress of Judy and Denise…you can find their blogs here.  Denise is finished with hers last I checked and Judy got sidetracked on another fun project.  It’s really easy for that to happen.  So far, I’m sticking with it…just at a SLOW pace.
Judy at Patchwork Times
Denise at Just Quiltin