HELLO…I had a good week of stitching. I stitched on LOTS of things. I’m super excited to share my accomplishments with you.
I did a little work on my Apostle’s Creed piece. Here is where I was last week.
I am stitching this on a 40-count Thornfield by Needle and Flax. It called for Harvest Basket by Gentle Arts for the words but I am using Trail Dust by Classic Colorworks for the lettering instead.
I didn’t get a lot accomplished on this because I had to do some unstitching. Let me explain…
I ended up ripping out. The flower you see was about four stitches to far to the right. I ended up pulling that out and restitching the flower. Normally I wouldn’t rip something like this out if it was in the middle of a sampler but this time, I needed to. The flower leaf was sticking out further than the lettering.
After that, I wasn’t too excited about stitching more on this piece so didn’t do a lot more. I did jump down and at least start the bottom row.
This is how I ended this piece for the week…flower fixed and bottom border started.
Caesar my foster dog even got into the stitching…
This project is by Teresa Kogut. I got a little bit of stitching done on it. I am stitching this on 40-count Vellum by Picture this Plus with the called-for colors. Here is where I was last week.
Here is where I am this week. It’s not a lot of stitching but it was tedious stitching…
I worked on the face. There was a lot of color changing and I did a few stitches of each color….but, WOW…Getting this face done has really brought the piece to life for me. I’ve been drudging along on stitching this but after getting this face stitched, I really want to stitch on it.
My plan is to leave the hallo and the red area around the bottom of the head unstitched for now. Then if I need a fill in project, I’ll pull this and stitch on the that part of the angel. Fingers crossed I and get the rest of the angel outlined next week.
I’m going to keep working on this…hopefully I’ll be able to stitch more on it now. I am not starting any new big pieces until this one is finished…or at least that’s the plan.
I stitched on my Spring Version of Seasons of the Heart. This is a With Thy Needle and Thread design. I’m stitching it on 40 count Vintage Country Mocha. Here is where I ended up with it this week. I previously only had the house, a moth and the flower on the house left to stitch.
I had some problems…I still have some problems and I’m trying to fudge my way through it. I went to stitch the house and there wasn’t enough room to stitch the house as charted. After counting and checking and more counting and checking, I figured out a way to improvise the piece. The house is going to be smaller…I’m likely going to have to modify the flower on the top of the house too.
I realized that I had only stitched five upward “bumps” on the bottom border. I was supposed to stitch six. BLAH!!
After I figured that out…I was still stuck with problems…like my thread getting caught…TWICE. It wasn’t a fun night of stitching this night. I do think I have this under control now…but, I’m not excited to pick it up. I need to just power through.
I pulled out my Black Dog Sampler. This is stitch along several of us are doing that was meant to take the year. It was my new year, new start. I stitched on my earlier in the year until I got to the 1/4 way finished. Then I put it away. Well April first rolled around and it was time to take it out again.
Here is where I was…
Here is where I am now… I stitched six letters, did the motif for the right and stitched the border over and started down with it.
I am stitching mine on a 40-count Dirty Tea Cup by Needle and Flax. With the called for colors AND two extra yellows.
My plan is to stitch all of the alphabets and then the row of flowers below the alphabets. Then I’ll tuck it away again until July when the next quarter rolls around. I love stitching on this. I’m using silk…and I do love stitching with silk. Not enough to stitch with it all the time, but enough to really appreciate the time I do stitch with it.
Kayla and Jasper were home for a visit. We were sitting at the table chatting and I wanted a project I would have to concentrate on.
I ended up pulling out my Pet all the Dogs by Teresa Kogut. I am stitching this with the called for colors on 40 count Seraphim in the color way Boston. Here is was where I was…
Here is where I left it. I stitched few more red triangles and filled in the tan alternating triangles. I’m about half done with that bottom section now. I am only picking this up when I need a project that I don’t need to think about while I’m stitching. I love having a project like that.
I had hoped to start a project from the When the Leaves Fall Blackbird Design book. When I was at Stitchery Nook they had the cute little pin roll on display and they had a kit to stitch it. The piece is stitched on toweling so it was nice to get the kit and not worry about sourcing the toweling. If you’re interested in a kit you can call the shop and ask for one. Here is their number. I didn’t see the kits listed on the website. 641-732-5329
Anyway, I went to stitch it and blah. The fabric is supposed to be coffee/tea dyed before stitching…so I did that. Now I’m ready to stitch. I didn’t get a chance to start it…soon I hope. I think I’m going to try to stitch something Fall-ish the last day of the month.
I made the tiniest start on Birds of a Feather by Blackbird Designs. I was going to start this before but I didn’t as I was unsure about the colors. I know other older Blackbird Design charts sometimes have floss color issues. The dye lots of the floss have dramatically changed. I ended up finally going through the colors and for now, I feel pretty comfortable with what is charted.
I am stitching this on Picture this Plus Doubloon in 40 count. I LOVE this color. It is definitely a favor color of mine.
Can you believe I put some stitches in yet another project?? I did. This is I Collect from With thy Needle and Thread. I want this piece to go with my previous pieces I stitched from Keeper of the Pins. I am not going to stitch the words “collector” that are charted along the bottom. I pulled this one night when I was really tired and only had about a half hour to stitch before bed time. It was enough to call it a start…and that’s all I was looking for.
If I was a good girl, I should probably pull my Spring Seasons of the Heart and my Apostle’s Creed pieces and only stitch on them until they are finished. Both are so close to finishing. It would be nice to have them done and have fewer projects to divide my stitching into but…who knows what I’ll be busy with and who knows what mood will strike. All I know is that if I commit to something and then get in a mood, I’ll likely completely change my mind. I can be like that. I don’t like me telling myself what to do.
Please tell me I’m not the only one like that??!!
That’s all I have for you, please share what you are stitching on…
Oh Jo, you are such a good(bad) influencer! After monogamous stitching on the Floral Motif, I now have 6 WIPs! Bloom Where You Are Planted by Brenda Gervais, Spring Messenger by Scattered Seeds, Feed Your Soul by Stitches through the years, Christmas Garden by Blackbird, Nature by Teresa Kogut, and Poppy by Liz Matthews. I think I’ve jumped off the deep end…but loving it! Thanks so much.
YAH!! Welcome to the fun side!!
I have returned to cross stitching and would like to start a new project with Black Dog Sampler. However with some of the alphabet missing, it is driving me crazy .
It is a antique reproduction. It drives me crazy a bit too. The designers reproduce them as the antique was.
Hi Jo, looking forward to pulling Black Dog Sampler out again! Meanwhile I’ve been working on Winter Rose Manor (Brenda Gervais) and finished Chubby Bird (Jeannette Douglass) last night. I got the companion Chubby Bunny a couple of weeks ago from the ladies at Stitchery Nook from the Nashville Market. Want to to get that started soon! So cute!
I loved the chubby bird and chubby bunny I thought both were so cute!!
For some reason I can’t bring myself to stitch on more than one piece at a time. I have only stitched small things. I have big things I want to stitch but I want the small ones finished first and I don’t mean fully finished! This would never bother me when quilting but it does with cross stitch. I guess am trying to get back into stitching and feeling comfortable with it, going from Aida to linen, before I start something larger.
And as for floss changing, the green called for the next SAL, Home Sweet Home, what I got is brown. I am going to have to change it. Just need to check see what is in the stash-which I don’t have a lot of.
What I am stitching on right now is a freebie I found on Pinterest called Live Simply by Hands To Work. I’m stitching it on 40 ct in WDW Twilight..
Yes, the Wilderness color that is called for is now very much brown. I substituted leftover greens from Jo’s first stitchalong for that. And the Olde Gold, which shows up nice and bright in the pattern, is very brown now. I’ve chosen a nice pretty gold DMC from my stash to substitute for that. I guess those over-dyes really do migrate to other colors over the years.
I also have arguments between the “faithful plan follower” and “THIS is what I want to do now” sides of me. They are in conflict almost every day. You always seem so organized. I admire all that you accomplish.
I seemed to want to stitch on only one thing at a time although I do have several starts. Currently working on Modern Folk Embroidery 2023 SAL and that’s all I feel like working on. I have a hard time starting things!
I’ve been having that problem with my quilts…not wanting to force myself to do what I need to do. I have room to hang 4 WIP’s, and then I make myself quilt them. Years ago, I ended up with 7 quilts to quilt, and it almost made me stop quilting…I will only go so far, and then I won’t let myself start another project till the current ones are finished. Well, I got to 4 a few weeks ago and even got one loaded on the frame…(that took 3 days of dragging it out). Still haven’t touched it, and have another top almost finished.☹️. I wanted to start on the quilting today…was even in the mood…but I had been standing in the kitchen for a few hours prepping bread and making potato salad, and my back was bothering me. So, I decided to finish up the top in progress so I could sit and sew and rest my back. Instead, I ironed 5 yards of fabric to remake the backing for this quilt!. Tomorrow is going to have to be the start day!!! Once I get going, I will keep going till all of them are done. I just can’t get in the groove yet. But I have told myself…”NO MORE TOPS PERIOD!” till these are quilted! Why do we make ourselves crazy??
I finally understand why you have keep several WIP. I’m getting a little bored with the A, Bee, C sampler I’ve been working on and would really like to start something new. I think I’ll pull the floss for a little spring stitch just to give my brain a break. Thanks for “giving me permission” to do just that! And why didn’t I figure this out weeks ago? Kris
HA!! It took me awhile to stitch more than one project at a time.
THANK YOU a million times over — having multiple pjts I was thinking “am I ADHD” or ‘what’s happening’?! Yes, some pjt with detailed areas, some ‘no brainers’ and others that are just plain old fun!!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU for sharing all your pjts and progress — keeps my heart happy!
Hi Jo – I love all your cross stitching and have really enjoyed your You Tube videos. You are the inspiration for me to start cross stitching again. I did a lot of stitching in the 80’s and have now been stitching for about a year now. I am actually trying my hand at linen stitching. I just got the chart for the Come to the Garden (this song was sung at both my parents funerals) and I got the booklet for the Seasons of the Heart charts. I also have made a few of your quilt patterns that have been published. I am also from Iowa! Thank you for writing about how you do make a few mistakes when you are stitching and that you make those mistakes work for you. Makes me feel better about my little mistakes and that it is ok to make them work.
I guess I’m “normal” with 7 WIPs? :-) I’m working on a Jim Shore “Gnome with Tree” beaded ornament, Lizzie Kate “Accept What Is” (my first stitch on linen), Happiness is Heart Made’s “Matthew 4:19 Fishers of Men” on a very soft 18 ct., a Joyful Expressions name blessing for my daughter and another for my daughter-in-law’s father, Joyful Expressions “Psalm 136:1 Give Thanks” (working white on black), and a little freebie from Brooke’s Books called “Thankful.” I am just picking up cross stitch as of late after about thirty years. FlossTube has opened a new world to me and I have some newer projects kitted but am keeping things smaller as my husband is having some serious health issues. I’m grateful to have found your blog, Jo.
Oh Jo. I love seeing that you stitched something “out of place”. I too seem to do that way to often. Like you did, sometimes I just leave it as is and go on, but if it distorts the looks of the piece I “bite the bullet” and pick it out and do over again.
Oh how I wish I could see well enough to stitch on 40 count anything, but that just isn’t meant to be, so I happily stitch away on smaller count items and they just come out bigger than the original plans. I still love doing the stiching.
Jo, I haven’t crossed stitched in years, since I took up quilting in 2008-09. Saw your video couple months ago on the redo of your sewing room and showed the cross stitch of the sewing machine (black with the flowers) I believe your niece made for you. Really liked that, searched the internet and ordered just the pattern yesterday. Have never stitched on 28 count even weave fabric (always been Aida before) sooooo this will be interesting. Still have to get the fabric, but want to read the pattern before purchasing all that I need. We have JoAnn and Hobby Lobby for the floss but they wouldn’t carry the nicer fabric. Anyways, just letting you know you inspired me to take it up again. AND also like your videos….you just have a calming and relaxing way of talking and making it simple!! Just like you, I’m simple, laid back, small town girl (that used to live on a farm). Thanks for all you do and keep the videos coming!!
Thanks for the words of encouragement. I’m so glad you took up stitching again!!
I have about 16 WIPS now and used to be a monogamous stitcher! I now stitch on each one for three days in succession, then on the fourth day I work on a small, then go onto the next WIP in my rotation. I am finding this really works for me. I have just enough WIPS that it does not take months for me to get back to #1 in the rotation. I find three days on each is enough to make good progress, then look forward to the next one! Currently I’m on day three of Dimensions Parrot Tulips, and tomorrow I’ll work on Spring’s Messenger, then it’s on to Perfect Peony pillow by Kooler, and on and on!! LOL! Your projects are so pretty, Jo! Happy Stitching!