Hey all…I’m here with a cross-stitch update. I’m excited as I feel like I got quite a bit done over the last few weeks.
I finished stitching this piece and ordered the frame. It’s not really big which was such a treat to work on something a little smaller.
Here is the chart with a little better lighting for the picture. This is All Joys for Thine by Blackbird Designs. I finished this one up in honor of Barb one of the designers of the chart. She passed away on July 4th.
I picked another Blackbird Designs chart to start on after that one. There is a Blackbird stitch along the first weekend of every month. I got most of my first piece stitched over those weekends. I liked just stitching on a piece over one weekend that I decided to start another. I only got a tiny start as I only had 30 minutes one evening.
This is… We Live in Hope by Blackbird Designs. This is going to be a commemorative piece for my family. I have two grandparents who came from Sweden in the early 1900s. I’m going to sit down with my sister one day and have her help me come up with dates and such. I will be changing the words “Chesapeake Bay” and put my own name into this. I’m debating and have thought to put Kramer’s relatives who immigrated too.
I always think about them and how brave they had to have been to take off and go to America. I’ve also found I love commemorative pieces so this one is perfect for me. This will be slow going as I will only work on it one weekend a month.
Next up is my LONG TERM project. This is Heaven and Nature by Teresa Kogut. This project hasn’t had a lot of attention. Then at the end of July, I was notified that I would have jury duty in August and then I got called that I had to come in for a case on Wednesday.
I knew there would be a lot of waiting happening so I decided I would figure out a cross-stitch project to take. I ended up pulling this out on Saturday night and outlined the rest of the roof and the side part of the house.
My plan was to fill it in while I waited. It was an easy piece to work on as I wouldn’t need to look at the chart for color placement. This is the progress I did. It wasn’t a lot but it was definitely worth taking the project along.
I won’t be stitching on the house soon…at least I don’t think I will. I will save the rest of the house for a waiting room or time when I need a project I can grab and fill in. I might try to get some other motifs done, but I’ll be leaving the house and roof for now.
Here is the piece as far as I have it done.
I finished my July block for Anniversaries of the Heart. This is also a Blackbird Designs project. I’ve told you before that I stitch a block a month. This is the piece that I am recording our family history on.
This month was stitch for Kramer and me. Our anniversary is in July.  It’s also the middle block so I thought it was appropriate to have it be the middle block. Kramer’s parents and siblings are to the left. Mine will be to the right.
For those of you looking at the block wondering why it says, Jeanne. Well, Jeanne is my legal name. I had to do quite a bit of eliminating, finagling, and such to fit the names in.
The August block is this one…
As I said, this will be for my parents. As far as blocks go, this looks like an easier one…or so I thought. Already my thread for the border doesn’t show up so I have to find an alternate thread.
I rarely start any new cross-stitch projects. Before watching floss tube on Youtube I only stitched one project at a time but floss tube has influenced me in a way that I have more projects. I started three projects this week. I told you about We Live in Hope.
I also started this…It is Forever and Ever by With Thy Needle and Thread. I started this on our wedding anniversary. I will be stitching on this very rarely for now. I started on our anniversary. I’ll stitch on it on Kramer’s birthday. I might only stitch on it a few days a year until I have time and just finish it. I love the piece and I thought it was a nice to piece to honor our years together. I only stitched on it for one night so it’s a tiny start. That’s okay. It will eventually get done…
…and as they say, you can’t finish it if you don’t start.
Speaking of starts, I had another start. This is A Changed World by The Scarlett House.
I am doing this as part of a stitch along with Judy at Patchwork Times and Denise at Just Quiltin. Judy said she was going to start it and I just knew that I would be so sad if I had to watch her stitch and not be stitching on it too.
I am sure I will be WAY behind. I only stitched on this two nights…and they were short sittings.
Denise finished a project in July and decided to start this before our August 1st date as she didn’t want to have too many projects going. Her’s is looking awesome.
I think it’s fun to see how all of ours will look as we are all stitching ours a bit differently. I think Denise is using DMC…Judy silks and I got a color conversion from Country Sampler and am using overdyed floss.
So far, I love it. If anyone wants to stitch along with us, join in. I’d love to have some company. I know I’ll be the last one done so no hurry. I want to keep stitching on some of my other projects too.
Judy suggested we show our progress every Friday…I’m game for that but don’t expect to see much work done on mine!!
While I was writing this, Kalissa called me and said meet me outside in two minutes for a surprise.
She pulled up in her car and handed me supper. MUCH APPRECIATED!!
She tried out a new recipe…Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa. Oh, MY WORD. Delicious. Way, way good.
I ended up calling Craig and congratulating him on marrying such a fine cook. He laughed. Then Kalissa messaged me and said, “No – you RAISED A great cook – congratulations to you 
“.
I sure am hoping she shares the recipe with all of us as these were amazing. I love that they live close. Man, these were good!!
And that’s what I know about cross stitch and about Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa. We all need to beg her for the recipe. They were so good!!
Oh wow! I love all your cross stitch projects. I’ve only ever done pre-printed ones, I’m too chicken to attempt a counted cross stitch! My eyes (vision) jump if I try to concentrate on looking at something (thanks MS!), so I’ll just admire yours instead lol.
The stitching you do is beautiful. I think for me though I’ll stick to quilting , with a little embroidery now and then..
Kalissa……..please will you share the recipe? That’s a lot of cross sttitch! Beautiful!
I loved your cross stitch update. I admire your large projects – your wall will be so beautiful! I mainly do small as that’s all I can fit but I do have one large one going in between the smaller ones! Some days I feel like the tortoise with my cross stitch and quilting – slow and steady!
Love and prayers
Fish tacos with mango salsa? Yes please, I’d love the recipe, Kalissa!
These are beautiful samplers you are working on, Jo! So interesting to see the different motifs come to life!
Your cross stitch projects are beautiful! They will be cherished for years to come. Oh those fish tacos – yummy! I am very fond of fish tacos so hopefully the recipe will be shared. Have a great weekend!
I love how you can switch from project to project. I have only done a couple x-stitch projects and always began in the center of the design and worked outward it seems you start with the boarder can you describe your process on doing this method please.
Can you share where you order your frames from? You do beautiful work.. Congrats on raising such thoughtful children!
Jo! You are a cross stitching machine! Love your projects. They are all so pretty and look so perfect. The fish tacos look amazing and now I want one. I hope Kalissa will share her recipe. Isn’t it just so nice to live close to your children?
Loved seeing all your cross stitch projects! Now I’m thinking of ordering a couple…lol. I finally got back into this and was working on a project but set it aside to start A Changed World. I started in the middle and am enjoying working on it. Soon I’ll be moving the hoop and will try a different style so that will be interesting. I’m using 18 count Aida and DMC and thinking the colors look more saturated than the photos in the pattern but that’s okay, I love the saturated colors too.
What a tasty looking treat, Jo. Lucky you!!
Love all your cross stitch projects, Jo. I especially like “We Live in Hope”. You got me thinking about that one since I too love how brave my ancestors were to come to this country and literally start over building a life.
Jo, you do such beautiful cross stitch work and seem to quite a bit done!! Can you share the type of cross stitch hoop that you use? Thanks so much!!!
I use these 7″ non-slip morgan hoops. Here is a link to where I get them. https://amzn.to/3ytIwkH
Jo, I love this post! All of your cross stitch projects are amazing…and so inspiring!
Before I started quilting many decades ago, I spent every minute I could, working on cross stitch. I particularly like samplers…I think they make me feel a connection with the past.
I think my future stitching time is going to be divided between cross stitch and quilting!!
Thanks so much for sharing all these projects with all of us who read your blog!!
I told myself no more ordering charts for a while but darn the ones you are working on are so beautiful and I don’t have any of them yet! Gorgeous projects.
Denise…the struggle is REAL!!
I love mango salsa – mixed into a lot of things…….. yum yum
I ordered the pattern but I am unsure what or where to order for the linen. Do you have some suggestions?? I have plenty of the DMC threads. thanks so much for your great blog
I’m answering this is Friday’s upcoming cross-stitch post.
thank you so much. looking forward to the answer:)