Slow Sunday Stitching - May 4, 2025

 Happy Star Wars Day!  May the Force be with you.....

Busy Week this last week, with several doctor's visits and other distractions, but things got accomplished anyhow.

Since it's the first Sunday of the month, the first thing to report, is the Temperature Stitches Daily Log project.   Pattern by Sarah, Stitchin Mommy (on YouTube and Etsy).  April's specialty stitch was Satin Stitch, two strands done in an alternating brickwork pattern.  Up close, there are issues with coverage.  The 28 count Cashel Linen is irregular enough to cause some gaps, even though I was very careful to lay the threads side by side.  

But when you look at the whole piece from actual viewing distance, it's acceptable to me.   I love that the one unseasonably warm day we had mid- month makes a fun little 'bullseye' in the pattern.  So nice when Mother Nature cooperates!

Next monthly project is the Mead Dragon.  See the monthly report post for the comparison picture and all the stats.   This piece is also my "Pictorial" project in my rotation.  

Some FFOs (always fun to log a finish).   The Mill Hill "Bell Ringer Santa"

And the "Wildcat Hat" for charity.  'Wildcat' because it's in the Kansas State University colors. To be fair, I should probably do a blue and red one for KU, but I don't have the materials so phooey to the Jayhawks!   (Can you guess where my loyalty lies - I met Walt at the KState Union😍)

In addition to the FFOs, I did work on the finishing for the Just Nan Pincube made of four small ornament freebies.  Here's what it looks like with all four sides attached to the base.  Four more seams on the sides and it will be a cube!  I still need to make the pincushion top and install it for the April WIPIGO calls, but I'm very close to being caught up with the calls to date.   And I've rearranged my board (starting after the May calls) to include the KC Plaza Stitching Bag.  So good progress on reducing the inventory in the 'under the bed box'.

And I finished up Rotation #2 with the Majestic Eagle crewel piece (changeover post here).  Got the upper pine branches finished except for the little bullion knot pinecones that will need to go in at the end. 

On to Rotation #3 for this year.  

1.  "Temperature Stitches" Daily Log remains my top of the morning stitch with one specialty stitch each day.  I have the first couple of days of May done - Rhodes Hearts this month.  I love them.
2. "Mead Dragon" continues in the Pictorial slot with a daily goal of at least 100 stitches.   Andrew @TheRunnerStitcher has a 'marathon training challenge' that starts next Tuesday.   He's challenged his followers to stitch 10 stitches for every mile he runs working up to his next marathon.  So I'm going to tack those stitches on to my '100 a day' goal.  Easy enough in the early stages, but I reserve the right to cut back to my original goal if the total gets overwhelming.
3. WIPGO (Finish and Frame Board) - The goal for this rotation is to complete the Just Nan Pincube. I want to get it out of the way so I can focus on the KC Plaza Sewing Bag assembly.
4. "Majestic Eagle" comes back in the Not Counted Thread slot.  Really hoping for a finish on this one; there's only the three smaller pine needle clusters and some bullion knots left to go.  (Hope I didn't just jinx myself since this is the 'cursed project'.)
5. New Start in the Modern Slot "Butterflies, Blossoms and Bees" by Just Nan.  I'll be mounting the linen and getting the first stitches in this afternoon.  It's small and will be a pillow finish or a doorhanger pillow finish (the only difference is a hanging loop). 
6. Historic/Vintage slot remains Black Bird Designs "Blessings and Kind Wishes". I'd like to get this one finished by the end of June.  There's a BBD with a Christmas theme that I'd like to start for 'Christmas in July'. 

I'm grateful to the folks at the Slow Sunday Stitching link up party each week for motivation and accountability.   I have finished and fully finished so many more projects since I started reporting there. (Link to the current round up.)