I’ve had a busy week again but I did manage to get some cross stitching done. I had Buck’s kids here for two overnights. Kayla and Jasper stayed over for two nights and after Jasper went to bed, we sat up and stitched.
Let’s start out with All Creatures Great and Small by Barbara Ana. This is stitched on 40 Count Vintage Country Mocha…called for Anchor floss except the red was changed to Anchor 20.
Here is where I was last week…
Here is where I am this week.
I’m starting to get the itch to dive in and finish this but I’m trying to hold off just a bit because I have other things I want to get stitches into as well. I just love it!
My focus this week was working from the big Mama hen to towards the wreath in the center.
Somehow in my stitching I forget…. a couple of stitches of “skin” that were supposed to be above the lady’s boots so she’s a little shorter than called for. I’m not too bothered by it and decided to leave it.
Kayla, my daughter, was here when I was taking pictures of this. I ended up noticing a few places that I thought were done but actually aren’t. BLAH. to the left of the Mama hen and below the windmill are more stitches.
In the picture below, I forget to put the berries in the basket. There’s also a do-dad that needs to go in that area.
There are crows missing around the tombstones and I want to personalize the tombstones too. I talked to Kayla about that she is going to chart something for me.
Beyond those touch ups, what you see unfinished, is what I have left to do.
This project is my New Year New Start. I plan to keep at it and finish it up in the 2022 calendar year. That’s totally do-able. For now, I’m going to keep plugging away at it little by little but I also know there is going to come a point where I drop everything and stitch it until it’s completely finished.
I am so thankful for the retreat and big push I put into this then.
Here is where I was last week with my Red Bird Sampler Stitch Along. You might remember last week that I was debating about colors of floss. They seemed so bright. Here is where I was.
Here is where I am now…
I decided to stitch more of the flowers and see if I was comfortable with them. In the end, I like them but I sure was nervous last week.
My goal is to stitch the whole bottom row during the month of August. I am only stitching on this about one day a week so I might have to add in another day or two to meet my goal. We’ll see.
Currently, I am really enjoying this.
Last week I finished up the Winter piece from Season of the Heart by Brenda Gervais of With They Needle and Thread.
I was waiting for some thread to start on the Fall version…it came and I started.
I only stitched on it one night so not a lot of progress…but as they say, if you don’t start, you can finish. HA!!
I started at the top…again, I am questioning the colors. Those acorns are pretty green. I think brown when I think of acorns. I’m going to trust the designer as I questioned the colors in the winter version as well and ended up loving them.
I had a blog reader ask if there are only two charts in this pattern…Actually, a chart of each of the four seasons is in the book. Here are the Spring and Summer versions.
I’ll probably set this aside after I get the fall one stitched and pick the charts back up in January and then do the Spring and Summer versions. My goal is to have them all finished by March of 2023 when the new market releases come out.
These are fun stitches…If I sat down and stitched only on it I could finish it in a week but you know me. I stitch on several things at a time.
Before I go, I thought I would show you my new obsession…picture frames. I was at the thrift store and picked some up.
You might remember that I cut down a thrift store frame and framed Forever and Ever by With Thy Needle and Thread myself. Read about it HERE if you missed this finish.
Well, now I have it in my head that I can cut down more frames and frame even more of my own things. Thus, my haul. I decided that I can buy enough frames to fill a large tote so that I have a selection when it comes time to frame something.
Check out this chunky beauty…
I love that frame so much that I am on the hunt for something to stitch specifically for it.
I just loved it and look. It was only $1.
I loved the detail on this one too. This one is bigger and was only $3.
Here are the other ones I bought. It’s so hard to resist them when they are so cheap. So…now I have a tote started in my basement that I will filled with frames.
I am wondering if two of these might be contenders for my Floral Motif Sampler.
Maybe the black one…maybe the larger gold frame. We’ll see once I have a little more downtime around here. I’ll be shopping my tote of frames and seeing if one will work.
I guess there could be worse things. For now, it’s just an extension of this great hobby!!
That’s it for this week. What are you busy stitching??
Interestingly enough, acorns are green until they are ready to be picked. I did not know this until I moved to my current house and now have 3 acorn trees. They are funny looking until they are ready. They are “fuzzy” too.
Congrats on the frame haul, Jo! Those will be a great way to finish your stitched pieces. Cutting the frames to fit is so smart!
Your stitching is beautiful. It’s hard when you have such little bits and easy to forget.
I’m finishing up Christmas ornaments by Leslie Teare and Blessings Abound by Waxing Moon.
Love and prayers
Your selection of frames is really nice and what great prices. You are getting lots of stitchery items done and those frames will come in handy for finishing them all off. I’m busy working on a modern quilt for our quilt show in November, it’s not what I usually make so it’s a challenge for me,
My goodness you do beautiful work!
Sadly my stitching time has tapered off as summer food preserving time has arrived. I’ve only been working on quilts that have homes to go to. Oh, and sock knitting, lol. Always have socks on the needles! I love looking for frames at goodwill. It nice to find the oddball sizes. I like black frames, so I have a few set aside for future projects. Blessings!
Guess I need to start looking for frames at the thrift stores – I have a lot of finished cross-stitch pieces that need to be framed.
I know what you mean about missing a few places to stitch – I’m currently “proofing” my finished Paula Vaughn piece, “Summer Breeze”, to make sure I got all the stitches in. I already found a place that needs a bit more back-stitching… but one day soon I hope to have it framed and hanging on a wall!
I’ve enjoyed your quilting blogs for 3 or 4 years now. When you started cross stitching again I thought I’d pick that back up too as I loved it when I was younger, but haven’t yet. I love what all you’ve been showing us so I’m sure it won’t be long.
Anyway, I just wanted you to know that the acorns that I have dropping off my oak trees right now are actually a bright olive green. I live in northern California where it has been so dry. The acorns from my trees aren’t usually brownish until late in the season. They are longer and thinner than I think of acorns from my childhood in the midwest. I suppose it’s because of the different variety of oaks or maybe partly because of climate. I think I like the green you’re using because it adds just a little more color than just the brown would.
Your work is beautiful! I am sure you will find the exact right chart to stitch for that frame. Good times with Kayla.
Jo, I love your all things piece. I started my the same time that you started yours, and you are cruising along. I’m still on the top row ,just finished the horse and basket above. I love it so far and love looking at the progress that your making on yours, it keeps me going on mine. Although I think I’ll be 3 years with my finish…lol..