Cross Stitch Update

I didn’t have a lot of cross stitch time this week. I’ve been working hard to not sit and stitch or rest during the day anymore.  Sure I do some easy things…just not cross stitch with my feet up on the couch.

I also had a quilt deadline so my extra time was taken up with that…but I got some done and I’m please with what I did get done.

This is where I left off with A Changed World by The Scarlett House.  This is stitched on 40 count Vintage Meadow Rue by Lakeside.

I didn’t get a lot done but enough that made a noticeable difference.  This piece really isn’t very big so even a little bit of progress is noticeable.

I really only worked on the bottom half.  The words and the two flower urns with the birds went together pretty quickly.  Where the church is there is a whole row of houses.  That’s going to take a bit to stitch.

I’ve finally caught the bug with this piece and am ready to stitch full steam ahead.  I’d love to get this finished soon.  I’m really debating about stopping stitching on everything else and just pushing this one to a finish…we’ll see.

I also stitch on…We Live in Hope.  This is a Blackbird Design chart.

Back in August, I did the tiniest of tiny starts on this.  I started it as part of Blackbird weekend stitch along.  Well, after that day in August, I let it sit.

I went into full force mode trying to get Anniversaries of the Heart finished.

Blackbird Weekend Stitch Along happens the first weekend of every month.  Some cross-stitchers choose to stitch on a piece, any piece of their choice, that was designed by Blackbird Designs.

I love this piece and really want to stitch it, the problem was, the other piece became a top priority for me.  So…I picked it back up this weekend.  I only stitched on it one evening so there’s little progress.  But, some is better than none.

This piece isn’t one that I am ga-ga over the design of.  What I am excited about is that the piece can be a historic piece for me and my family.  My grandparents on my Dad’s side came from Sweden in the early 1900s.  I started out thinking that I wanted to stitch his in memory of them, adding their initials to the piece.  I can’t imagine being a teen or in my early 20s and pick up and move away from my country for what I hoped was a better life…thus the “We Live in Hope” saying on the piece.

Then I got thinking maybe I should make it more of a piece for my husband and me as he too has relatives that came to the US in the early 1900s only his family came from Germany.  I liked that idea even better.

Then I worried that maybe they all didn’t come through the same port.  The chart says Chesapeake Bay…I was thinking of putting in Ellis Island or where ever they landed in that space instead.  I’m going to consult with my sister who is the family genealogist to see what she thinks.

In the meantime what got me REALLY wanting to pull this out was seeing this…

This is from the newsletter to The Attic, an Arizona cross stitch shop.  (HERE is a link to the shop.  If you like samplers you’ll love them.  They have a newsletter that I’m sure you’ll love to look at) Look at how beautiful the chart is stitched up.  The picture on the chart is nothing compared to how good it looks stitched.  I just love the reds and blues.  On the chart, the coloring is not anything like this.

Then I saw that the person who stitched this wrote “We walk by faith” where the original said “Chesapeake Bay”.  Hmm.  I like that idea and might go with that.

So even though I only worked on it one day…I am excited that this is in the stitching lineup.  I did get a working copy made.  That’s always a good sign that this is in the queue and I’m getting closer to it being a full-time project.

I put a little bit of time into All Creatures Great and Small by Barbara Ana Design.  This is stitched on the called for Vintage Country Mocha with the called for Anchor thread.  I am changing the red and that’s why the barn isn’t stitched yet.  I’m waiting for the red to come.

I worked on this one evening and through one episode of All Creatures Great and Small on PBS.

Here is my overall progress…MUCH to go.

I have plans to finish in 2022 so I need to keep plugging along.  I stitched the bug, basket of flowers, butterfly, pig, moon, more grass, and more leaves.  This is a bit like stitching the Floral Motif Sampler.  Stitching each little motif feels like an accomplishment.

I’m so eager for the red thread to come so I can add some red to this.   I think that’s what will really make me love this.

Speaking of loving…My Raccoon bag came from Deborah Harry came.  Remember I told you that I treated myself to a bag after I cleaned the basement.

I just love the bag.  The attention to detail is fabulous.  Even pockets inside!!

My All Creatures Great and Small is in this bag.

Last week I said something about stitching Consider the Lillies with Kayla.  We didn’t start it yet.  I told Kayla to let me know when she was ready to start.  I’m in no hurry.  I have plenty to stitch on now but will start when she does.

It’s so pretty.

I did take some time to finish a few small projects…I wrote about it in THIS blog post in case you missed it.

I think that’s about all from the Kramer house at least on the cross stitch front.  My plan is to stitch as much as I can on A Changed World.  I’d be thrilled to get that done sooner rather than later.

If you’re anxious for the Blessed Stitch Along to start, no fear.  I hope to have a post up next week with more details and a plan…Watch for that!!