OhSewCrafty Blog

My first update since the last WIPocalypse update… life has been crazy.  Let’s just say shopping/ buying/ moving house is practically a part time job.  

I like to work on one stitching and one knitting project each month, but I didn’t get around to much knitting.  At least I made significant progress on the Rose Fairy.  She is stitched on 36 ct Edinburgh linen dyed by Silkweaver in “Mountain Mist”.  With hand dyed fabric, I opted to skip the chart background.  I had about 15% when I started after the last full moon and now she’s about 60% finished, I estimate.  The top half of the chart has less stitching since there is empty space at the top.  Previous progress:

The chart is by DMC’s “Ultimate Cross Stitch Collection”, printed around 1996 and long out of print.  There are many of these flower fairy designs adapted from Cecily Mary Barker’s artwork; chart numbers beginning “PC”.  I have been on a little quest to collect as many as strike my fancy.  The detail is fantastic; Rose Fairy at least works up so pretty and delicate on 36 count fabric over 2 (18 count).  I also like that the charts are fairly small, and fit on a fat eighth using 18 count.  The old photographs on the chartpacks are rather faded but the colors work up so vibrantly.  What’s left is the upper stem, top rose bloom, her head/arms, wings, and simple border.  The close up scale of this design makes for an immersive stitching experience and a welcome escape from stressful times.

If I want to continue rotating through my WIPocalypse projects, next up will be something for Christmas, either Royal Holiday or Twas the Night.  I’ll probably see how far I can get on Twas the Night… it’s an easy stitch on 14 count aida.  As for knitting, I need to work on the Nespelem cardi and get it into my wardrobe!