OhSewCrafty Blog

August was really good stitchy month! I had a slow start, but I made up for it with big stitch counts and surpassed 20,000 stitches for the first time since March, 5 months ago.

First, my focus pieces. Fairy Idyll had 3 days love and 3,100 stitches added. I forgot that I only meant to do 20,000 stitches on her this year, and I have surpassed that. I don’t want to put her on hiatus, so I’m moving her to the lower tier. Anyway, I worked more on the left edge, up towards the midline, then I went back to the right side and started filling in with the Waterlilies Java, I did 600 st in that thread and still didn’t finish it! Next month, I’ll continue with the silks and do the metallics too.

Santa’s Gifts had 3 days attention and 3,000 stitches added. I finally refilled my green DMC 699 and filled in a lot on his dress. I also stitched the amazing snowy owl, some of the toy sack, his shoulder, and started his beard. He’s getting close.

Chaffinch in Summer had a big push, 4 days love and 3,875 stitches done, including tons of backstitching and tent stitches counted as half, & many french knots. I’m so pleased to be finished with my third of this seasonal series. More details here

Secondary pieces, started with St. George and Dragon, he had 2 stitchy days and 2,000 stitches done, all on the border. I turned the corner and started working up from the midline on the left border. I do think that the the border will get finished in the next few months, including backstitching, and then I’ll go back to the George’s head and shoulders. As of now, I’m at 13,801 of my 20,000 yearly goal. So I have 6,200 stitches to go and that might be enough to finish, we’ll see.

Ghool School had 2 days dedicated, 1,116 stitches, and that was enough to finish with the button pack sewn on too! I’m quite chuffed to have my Halloween piece done in August, more details here.

Deadly Aquarium received 2 days attention and 2,000 stitches, which allowed me to work over to the midline of the top pages. I stitched roof line, hammerhead shark, jellyfish, lion fish, coral.

Yes Virginia had 2 days love and 2,000 stitches, it’s all Santa’s face chalk art at this point. I ran out of out the thread, Rainbow Gallery silk, so will need to order more.

Last but not least, I’ll share my smalls. Turn on the Light by That Crazy Georgia (etsy) had 2 days, 796 stitches done and it’s finished! It was around 2,000 stitches total, towards my 15,000 History/Lit goal. I have started a new project to further that goal, but I digress. Mary & Jesus had 2 days and 1,200 added. Then I started a new ornament, as gift, so no pics just yet, but I did 2 days and 865 stitches and it’s well underway.

Question of the month: Do you prefer to stitch on a rotation or one project at a time? Definitely, I prefer a rotation. I have enough WIPs, and big enough goals on some, that I prefer to cycle through my projects, some repeatedly, throughout the month. I have tried going monogamous at times, and my progress slows to the crawl, as I get bored and lose motivation.

August goals:

• Focus (3k): Santa’s Gifts, Autumn Wren, Regency Love story (new starts)
• Secondary (2k): Fairy Idyll, Deadly Aquarium, Yes Virgina, Sorceress (new start)
• Smalls (600 st/finish): Mary & Jesus, mystery gift, cuckoo clock (maybe)

Happy Stitching