OhSewCrafty Blog

January was a a pretty good month, I stitched 21 days and managed to reach all my goals with an intense push the last week of the month.  All my WIPs got some love, and a few were even finished!  

Let’s start with my primary goals.  Fairy Wind had 4 days attention, and 3,000 stitches.  I finished backstitching the bottom of the chart and started filling in the skin, bodice, and shawl.  I did lots more backstitching on the top part (dare I say the backstitching is done?) and started beading, at the top left.  She’s so close to finished now!  

Making a Brew had 3 days love and 3,000 stitches, including 1,200 to finish the large panel. I stitched the dark brown shadow all around the piece and started backstitching from the top.  Then, I started the medium panel (a tea cup) and did 1,800 stitches.  

Father Christmas received 2.5 days time and 3,000 stitches.  I worked on the bottom pages, including the gold metallic trim, then started with the parked thread on the top half.  I stitched quite a lot of the white trim, and the chest area of his red outfit.  This is my favorite wip, I just adore it!  

Feather Fairy had 2 days love and 2,000 stitches. I stitched her hands, arms, a bit on the skirt, and started working on her bodice.  I cherish this piece too and hope it’s received in the same spirit (it’s meant to be a gift). It’s starting to come together!  

Poltergeist Pirates received 1 day and 1,300 stitches.  I worked across the break and started another page, figuring it would make sense to stitch across this level (pages 9-12 of 16), as this is the “meat” of the chart with the most stitches per page, and it’s not necessary to move the scroll to access the area.  However, it’s a little patchy since I was missing a DMC color or two.  I think when I finish page 12, I’ll go back and start backstitching.

The month actually started with 4th of July.  Ultimately it had 2 days attention and 1,300 stitches.  Most of that was intricate backstitching, but I also filled in ninja stitches and worked on the yellow firework.  Thankfully most of the backstitching is on the bottom part of the chart. I started the french knots on the left flag… there are dozens of french knots charted (as stars on the flags), oh dear.  Some of them are charted on top of existing stitches, which is a nope for me.  I’ll do as many as I can, but I may not get 50 per flag.

Halloween Train had 1.5 days love and 1,400 stitches.  I worked mainly on the page with the cauldron, also started the next page with the coffin and witch, and extended the top border.  I think this piece is so cute but I find the 32 count lugana to be annoying tightly woven, oh well, this is one of last pieces of 32 lugana in my stash.

Mickey Stained Glass, my albatross (kidding), had 2 days and 1,300 stitches.  The second page is almost finished!  I probably only need 30 colors with 5 stitches in each to finish, yes the confetti is insane.  It’s do- able with Mark up R XP, but it’s still a slog.  (no, the chart is not Pattern keeper compatible).  

Last but not least of my WIPs, St. George and Dragon had 1.5 days and 1,300 stitches.  I worked all on the dragon neck and arm, there’s still some to fill in in, but I’m very close to the bottom border.

Now for my new start, Winter Bellpull had 1.5 days and 2,000 stitches.  The “W” block is about half done, I’m pleased.  And I found an excellent thread in my stash for the capital letters, Waterlilies Glacier.  

I had a couple ornament starts too, Gilded Snowflake by Deb Bees (JCS Christmas 2017) because I needed a monochromatic piece for the Magazine Monthly Challenge Bingo game, and Count Catula by Tatiana Romero (JCS Halloween 2023) because I needed a “C” pattern title WIP Warriors Scattergories (both FB groups).  Also, both charts were on my ornie “queues”.  Together, the pieces had about a day and 200, and 400 stitches, respectively.  My Time for Christmas WIP had a small effort, 100 st on January 31, no pic sorry.

Finally, I finished a couple ornament wips, Peace on Earth by Punochka on Chocolate milk Belfast and Christmas Star by Giulia Manfredini on white opalescent Belfast.  Together, the effort was about half a day with 200 and 25 stitches, respectively.  I doctored Peace on Earth a little with French knots for the berry centers, feeling the it needed a little dimension.  It’s lovely to start the year with a couple finishes, even if they are small.

Question of the month: Tell us about the oldest WIP you have in your stash?  Well, Fairy Wind by Joan Elliott is my oldest WIP, dating from August 2023.  I love her, she’s gorgeous on the perfect hand dyed linen (custom dyed for the chart), but she does have a rather voluminous outfit and backstitching is intense with 3 metallic colors and several DMC colors.  But now she’s in the beading stage.  Per the usage chart provided, 415 beads are needed, I did 120 in January, so I’m 295 beads away from a finish, plus maybe a little backstitching.  

And now for February Goals:

•3k and/or finish: Fairy Wind, 4th of July, Making a Brew, Father Christmas

•2k: Feather Fairy, Winter Bellpull

•1.3 k: Mickey Stained Glass, Poltergeist Pirates, St. George & Dragon, Halloween Train

• 600 st and/or finish ornies: Gilded Snowflake, Time for Christmas, Count Catula, Joy to the World

February is a short month, so let’s get to it, friends!  

Happy Stitching