Slow Sunday Stitching - August 23, 2026 AND 2026 Rotation #6 Slot #2 (Modern) Changeover

 Well, my grandson and I survived the first (partial) week of school LOL. We aren't exactly into the routine yet, but we will get there. And bells are also off to a good start, with our first service next week.   We are playing a lot more pieces than we normally do in a single service because the choir is on break - I'll post after church next week (so later than usual) and will hopefully have good news.  Luckily, since we only have a couple of rehearsals to prep, most of the pieces are fairly simple to execute. 

I had a little more stitching time than I thought I would this week.  Carl is actually taking more responsibility for his online learning schedule this semester.  (Something I am very glad to see.)

I managed to get ten hours in on the "Collaboration Sampler" and finished the Shepherd's Bush section (top area of the bellpull, part 1 of 3) - except for the beads that will go in at the end. This brings me to 20 hours on this project so far.   It's cute - basically a mini band sampler.  The shadow stripes and checkerboard patterns in the sheep are my favorite part in this section!

Then I started in on the Just Nan area (bottom of the bellpull, part 3 of 3).  I'm leaving part 2 in the middle to the end due to all the specialty stitches in that area that would not like to be squashed onto the scroll rods when the fabric moves up.  This section is a small pictorial, so I took the time to put just this one area into Pattern Keeper so as not to miss any stitches.  It's dense and full of confetti stitching with over a half dozen colors just in this one floral branch!  This section is at 9% (not counting the corner eyelets and beads).  When I pick this up again, I'll be working on the first peacock of the pair.

And there's a finish in the Blackbird Academy SAL slot!  I got the stitching done on "It's Berry Time".  (Finish post is here.)  I won't be working on the actual finishing into a drum until next year in April, though, because I have another project that will go on the same piece of linen.  It's the strawberry emery that came as a bonus chart in the Berry Time pattern.

I'm leaving the linen on the scroll rods until both the projects are stitched, then cut them apart for finishing over the SAL "summer break" in June/July.  Hopefully the Academy will continue since I have MANY more BBD projects in the stash (30 of them including the planned December restart on "And to All a Good Night").

The prompt for September's Academy assignment is "Birds".  SO many BBD designs have birds, I'm spoiled for choice!  I'll report next week on which one made the cut.

Santa of the Forest got some attention this week. 1,133 stitches, which brings me to 69.39%.  I did make it over the 2/3 mark this week though, so progress milestone!

Linking up with the SSS crew for ongoing accountability and inspiration! (This week's link party is here.)