OhSewCrafty Blog

Hello friends, there was a LOT of stitching this month (over 20k), being quarantined at home.  I hope everyone is staying healthy and sane.  March started with Toy Story Cast, which was a carryover from February.  I just couldn’t put it away.  I love working on this project, with its blocks of solid color, and all the quarter stitches and detail.  Previous:

Now: I added 2,184 stitches over 2.5 days.  The little green man and Buzz are almost ready for backstitch, and Emperor Zurg needs his head.  I also made tiny starts on Buzz (his cowhide vest) and the horse Round Up (his mouth).

Then it was time to get down to business on Fantasy Triptych.  I really want to finish the project this year, but it always seems like an afterthought, crammed into my rotation at the end of the month.  I want to change that dynamic so I opted to take it out earlier.  Over 2.5 days, I added 1,027 stitches, ninja stitches, background, the petit point face, and miles of backstitch.  

Later in the month, I gave it 4 more days, got a page finish with work on the castle panel, and started adding a sky.  I love it!  It’s just 1 over 2 full cross in a DMC 3753… nothing complicated, I didn’t want it to compete with the detailed design.  And now I can tell the background on the knight panel is distant mountains!  So that was 2,179 for a total of 6.5 days & 3.2 k stitches this month.

With a June finish goal on Rapunzel, I was eager to give her some love.  Previous:

Over 5.5 days, I added 4,476 stitches. Her braid, ribbons, dress, and some of the stone windowsilll and filmly curtains.

My goal was to finish the bottom half.  The threads on the right side are parked on the midline.  I did not quite finish the bottom half, but at least I finished the lower pages.  In any case, I need to step up the pace a little, if I want to finish by the end of June.  I had estimated 30 days for this project, which would be like 5 days every month for 6 months.  In the first three months, I managed 13 days. 

I caved to (self-induced) pressure and started a few a new projects to fit prompts for the Semisane Stitchers trip around the world to Ireland.  The TW Celtic Crosss freebie got 1.5 days and 1,130 stitches… it has a long way to go. Blended flosses, more specialty stitching, metallics, beads, etc.  The diamond eyelets were quite fun.  It’s on 28 count white monoco, which I don’t much enjoy stitching on, but it was stash.

I’m Here for the Boos by Nancy Greenberg/Pickle Barrel Designs for JCS Halloween 2019 was nearly done after 1 day and 1,021 stitches respectively.  I took it out later in the month and finished with just a few threads (120 stitches), so 1,141 total.  2 days total, on cashel coffee dyed by me.  

My next finish goal, for early April, is Spring Bellpull.  Previous:

So, I gave it 3 days, 2,118 stitches, and finished it, except for the backstitch.  The backstitching calls for 4 colors and will probably require about an hour.  I can do that next month and claim a birthday finish!  

I am trying to keep up to date on Save the Stitches with a part each month.  So for this month, that meant stitching Part 15 and going back to finish Parts 13, and 14, as well, with the metallics.  It took 3 days and 1659 stitches.   

Finally it was time to work on Twilight Bridge, trying to stay on track for my 20k in 2020 goal.  Previious progress:

So, this month I gave it 3 days and got 1691 stitches.  

I feel like the project is starting to come together and I’m excited about it!  Next month I should be able to reach the top left corner.  The sky is all half cross so my stitch count should net me a big chunk of progress.  (the house is mostly full cross). 

Then it was time to tackle another goal on my “trip around the world” to Ireland, 1000 stitches on a Halloween piece.  Bat Balm was my only piece with significant work left.  Previous progress:

It took a few days and 1,114 stitches; now it’s finished!

I feel incredibly happy with this finish, despite its small stature, because it’s a #stitch10 goal, and a WIPgo! goal.  There’s not much to say about it, though.  The chart is by Hands on Design, from the Scary Apothecary series and I used a mix of hand dyed thread and DMC, stuff I had on hand, plus Kreinik.  Stitching time was 4 days total since I started towards the end of January.  The hand dyed threads are my conversion colors because the originals didn’t really float my boat.  These are similar, however.  

On March 29th, I started a new project… a big one.  More about that next time!  

Question of the Month: Have you ever adopted a piece from someone else or gave up a piece to someone else? Which piece and why?  I have adopted a few things that were no longer wanted, like Kingdom of Books partially kitted via FB, but never something partially started.  I am very particular about my fabrics, and even if I liked the fabric that the piece was started on, I don’t fancy trying to match my stitches to someone else’s.  I’ve never given up on a piece because I don’t start stuff wily nily; I only stitch what I love, and generally something is on my mental radar for awhile (sometimes years) before I start it.  So I’m committed.

My plans for April: 

•Finish Spring Bellpull & start Comet, for my birthday

•Focus rotations on all my fancy ladies (for #ariesbdaySAL), plus Gingerbread Grove

•1.7k stitches on Twilight Grove 

•Part 16, minimum, on Save the Stitches

 Happy stitching!