OhSewCrafty Blog

Hello friends!  February is a short month, but I managed to stay on task and reach my goals. 

First I’d like to share my lovely finish, Fairy Wind by Joan Elliott on custom dyed Cashel from Silkweaver.  It only took 1 day this month, 375 stitches (295 beads, 20 cross, 120 backstitch).  Oldest WIP no more! 

Another finish achieved was 4th of July by Les Petites Croix de Lucie on opalescent white Edinburgh.  She also required 1 day this month, 620 stitches (124 cross, 78 french knots, 836 backstitch).

Making a Brew had 5 days attention and 2,8883 stitches for a surprise third finish!  I filled in the teacup, stitched the shadow, and did all the backstitching, and 1 french knot.  This is quite a BAP with 3 pieces, and I’m so happy to have it finished!  

Knocking those three off my active WIP list allowed me to shuffle things a bit.  So Father Christmas had 3 days love and 3,000 stitches.  I continued working on the top of the chart, his robe with its furry trim, part of the green ribbon, and started his pack.  It’s fun to add in some new colors.  

Feather Fairy received 1.5 days love and 2,100 stitches.  I stitched her upper arm, shoulder, most of her face, and most of her hair (which I color converted), and started the hair ornaments.  I also finished the upper part of the wing.  She will definitely be a finish goal for March!  

Winter Bellpull had 2.5 days attention and 2,064 stitches.  I finished the W block, and backstitched.  I absolutely adore the Waterlilies Glacier, I found in my stash, for the capital W. 

Now for my smaller goals, some of which I am bumping up a little, going forward.  St. George & Dragon had 1 day love and 1,400 stitches.  So many fractional stitches in the dragon mouth area.  I’m really close to finishing this page, and close to the bottom border.  

Mickey Stained Glass received 2 days and 1,400 stitches.  I’ve reached the bottom right corner of the chart.  Finishing this page will be a little easier since it includes the black side border.

Halloween Train had 2 days love and 1,600 stitches.  I made great progress on the coffin and witch legs, and the jack o’ lantern; lots of threads are parked at the page break.  The next page will be the far right, the rest of the pumpkin car plus a small car with a black cat (and tons of border).  

Poltergeist Pirates had 1.5 days attention and 1,600 stitches added.  I continued working on the current page, the hull of the ship and the poop deck.  I really love this design, the shading and detail are amazing. 

As for my little ornaments, I finished 3! (and started 2).  The finishes (clockwise from top) are Time for Christmas by Corina Ciocanu / JCS (1.5 days & 1,234 st) , Winter Woodland by Patricia Bage / JCS (start & finish in 1 day & 878 st) , and Gilded Snowflake by Deb Bees / JCS (half day & 330 st).  

As for others, Joy to the World by Olena Khirk-Yalan / JCS was started with 1.25 days and 1,200 stitches, it’s getting there.  Count Catula had a half day, 600 stitches added.  But now that the 3 I started in late December last year, plus couple more from this year, are finished, I’m trying to dial back the ornie effort some, there are some bigger fish to fry.

Question of the month: Which SALs are you participating in?  That’s quite a pertinent question as the Daily 30 weekly challenges have a SAL / Full coverage task (600 st) every week.  Mickey Stained Glass (my only full coverage WIP at present) is best in small doses.  So I need a SAL.  Usually the JCS SAL is great for me, but I don’t much care for the 2024 issue of the magazine.  As a rule, I don’t do mystery SALs, because my stitching time is precious, I only stitch what I love.  And frankly, how will I know if I love it without seeing it? Even my favorite designers have some charts that aren’t quite to my taste.  So I found a couple older SALs, Lola Crow’s Greenhouse of Oddities and Positivity Rules by Caterpillar Cross Stitch.  Positivity is smaller and I think it would be an excellent teacher gift, so I’m planning to start that, perhaps very soon.  Greenhouse is added to the “queue” though. Now for March goals: 

•3k / finish: Feather Fairy, Poltergeist Pirates, Father Christmas, Halloween Train

•2k: Winter Bellpull, Christmas Blue Angel (new start)

•1.5k: Mickey Stained Glass, St. George & Dragon, Positivity Rules (new start)

•600 st / finish: Joy to the World, Count Catula

Happy Stitching