2025 Needlework Rotation

A New Year means that it's time to reset the needlework rotation.  

The needlework stash stands at 99 kitted projects (link to detailed stash list) with NOTHING partially kitted!  I finished kitting up all the partially kitted stuff in 2024, with the caveat that if I end up doing a conversion on one of the Mira's that I'll get new floss and beads and that I may swap out the fabric on a couple of other pictorials. 

I finished 16 projects last year, with 8 being old projects that were on my WIPGO board to FFO.   All finished stitching was either framed or the finishing was done!   This is a major accomplishment compared to prior years.  

I still have 34 items in the "under the bed box", so I'm doing another WIPGO "finish and frame" board with ten old projects on it - 2 or 3 slots each.   

I'm carrying over six projects into the new year, which is my max.

Travel Project - Mill Hill and Willmaur perforated paper Santas.   Designer is Sandra Cozzolino.  Currently working on "Timberline: Douglas Fir".  ("Scotch Pine" is finished, and "Norway Spruce" is in the stash and up next.)  Currently have 375 stitches done.

Monthly SAL - "Temperature Stitches" by Sarah Stitchin' Mommy (Etsy).   Have the frame done and ready to start the January daily stitch as soon as we have a verified high temp for Jan 1.  One specialty stitch a day for 365 days.

Pictorial - "Mead Dragon" charted by Paine Free Crafts, art by Stanley Morrison.  Full Coverage.  Starting the year with 36,093 of 94,500 stitches or 38.19%.   Started this project 1/31/2024, estimate it to be a three-year project.  Hope to give it a lot of attention in Full Coverage February next month.

Historic - "Blessings and Kind Wishes" by Blackbird Designs.  Working on the second section of the outer border.

Modern - "KC Plaza Stitching Bag" by Wildflower Cottage Creations (local designer).  Class project to match my guild smalls.  Halfway through the border scroll work, with all the beads and metallics to go.   Then a lot of handwork for the assembly.  I need to finish the stitching and beading by the end of April because I have a SAL in this category that starts in May.

Not Counted Thread - Vintage crewel "Majestic Eagle".  I just have the pine needle sections left to do. Want to finish this year.

I'm still going to use a ten-hour timed rotation on the main projects, but I'm going to try to do the daily temperature piece and 100 stitches on the full coverage every day.  Travel/TV project will be erratic, as usual.

Happy New Year AND re-booting the needlework rotation

 

2023 saw mostly stitching on the crafting front.   I did finish a few small knitted projects (a cowl, a pair of socks, a couple of charity hats), and there was good progress on the brown sweater, but I only removed a little over 1000 yards of yarn from the knitting yarn stash since I only count yarn used for fully finished and blocked projects.   And there was very little quilting, though I'm not giving up on quilts since I hope to have more time for them once I retire.  

But there was quite a bit of needlework.  I finished 12 projects last year.  In that 12, half were getting previously stitched items to fully finished or framed status, and only one project where I finished the stitching in this year did not make it to fully finished or framed status.   The "Under the Bed Box" currently contains 43 items and will be the focus of my WIPGO board in 2024.   The Needlework Stash is down to 109 kitted projects.  (101 fully kitted and 8 partial kits).   I did add one partially kitted project - the "Heart and Home Patchwork" that was a mystery sampler in Loose Feathers 31-34.  I have the patterns and fabric, but need to figure out the flosses.  I purchased, kitted up and started one project - the Birdhouses SAL.

So what does the current Needlework rotation look like?   I added a slot (guilty pleasure stitching) this year to be able to participate in the #octtooctSAL for Stitch West in October (I hope to be able to go this year - saving my pennies).  But basically I am still using my four slot / 10 hours per slot rotation that has worked for me for the last several years.  Once I retire, I will evaluate the possibility of splitting the pictorial slot into two categories - "Fancy Folk" and "Full Coverage".   I have a dozen Mira, L&L, Dimensions fairies, mermaids, ladies, etc either kitted, partially kitted or in the 'patterns to kit' queue.  I'd like to see some progress on them, but I still want to do a full coverage.

1)  HISTORIC counted thread (includes historic inspired/prim designs as well as actual reproductions).   Current project is Blackbird Designs - Loose Feathers #34 "Two Hearts" (small version) to be finished as a needlebook.  Charted flosses on 56 count fabric, one over two / full cross

2) MODERN counted thread (includes ornaments and counted canvas needlepoint).  Current project is the "KC Plaza Sewing Bag" exclusive kit from 2003 that goes with my KC Guild smalls.  Design by local designer Wildflower Cottage Creations. Charted DMC, metalics and beads.  30 count cream linen from the kit - lots of specialty stitches, some one over one, some two over two

the second side

3) PICTORIAL counted thread (Fancy Folk, landscapes, and full coverage).  Current project is "Sugar Skull 1" from MagicCrossStitch on etsy.  Charted DMC on 28 count pale blue Lugana - one over one / full cross.  It is a full coverage project, though since it has an irregular outline with no background, it does not qualify for the Full Coverage Fanatics Facebook group.

4) NOT COUNTED THREAD (crewel, surface embroidery, buttonhole cutwork, traditional painted canvas needlepoint).  Current project is "Majestic Eagle" aka "Eagle in the Pines", a vintage crewel kit.

SAL) "Au Fils Des Nichoirs" aka "Birdhouses" by Jardin Prive.  Stitch Along is monthly through October 2024. Charted DMC on 40 count Zweigart "Vintage Country Mocha", one over two / full cross. If I go to the Stitch West retreat (or any other retreats or classes), the class projects will also fall into "Guilty Pleasure" stitching to be worked on after the monthly part of the #octtooctSAL is finished. I work on this starting on the first of each month until the assigned section is complete.

I'm getting close to a stitching finish on the Sugar Skull and the BBD piece.  The eagle is a couple of rotations out since I have a fair bit of foliage to do after I get his tail feathers done.  The sewing bag is the furthest from completion; I have the rest of the second side and then the border all the way around (5 repeats on each side), then the metallics and beading.

As far as plans go, the Birdhouse SAL is the only thing I'm participating in other than Slow Sunday Stitching.  I'm not doing #24 Hours of CrossStitch this year nor did I do 12 x 12 yesterday.   After all the trouble I have been having with my hands (including a painful cortisone shot), I learned that I simply can't do marathon stitching or knitting any longer.  That's something I will have to watch when I go to retreats.  

My non-needlework goals 

1) finish the brown sweater.   I am working it from the bottom up and am at the underarms on the body and both sleeves.  So it's at about 2/3 completed, but I have to stop and design the colorwork for the yoke now.

2) inventory all the yarn in the stash and organize the storage bins better.  Log which bin all the yarns are in.  In general, tidy up and organize the crafting supplies. 

3) fix the button bands on Rosemarkie Waistcoat.  I was never happy with the way the buttonholes looked and the buttons themselves need twill tape backing because they are heavy enough to distort the knitted fabric. It should make it through this winter season, and I'll do the fix after I wash and block it this spring.

Let's talk about WIPGO - 2024 board and plans

If you don't know what WIPGO is, it's a BINGO based Work In Progress game/goal setting method pioneered by Jessie Marie Does Stuff (link to You Tube video of Jessie explaining how it works).

I have discovered that my timed rotation stitching plan doesn't work particularly well with the way that WIPGO sets monthly goals.  So I didn't play in 2023.  However I have over 40 items in the 'under the bed box' that need to be framed or FFOd!  That gives me more than enough items for a full board.  

I have two projects that have multiple steps/parts - a pin cube and the nine Victoria Sampler ornaments that I finished early in this year which all need backing and sashing before they can become actual quilt blocks.   There are also several framing and FFOing projects (sewing finishes, flat folds and similar).

Here's my board as it stands now.   I may loose that 'FREE' slot if I don't get the project bag that's on December's 'to do' list finished.

 

There are a few "?" here and there where I have not finalized my plan - specifically on the 'flat fold' ones.   I want to try one 'board finish' before I commit to three of them.  Some of those projects would also be nice as pillows or door hangers if I find I don't love that finishing technique. 

Likewise, I reserve the right to swap out projects that are 'to be framed'.  My framers are so good that I don't feel the need to struggle if I end up hating it.   The goal here is to try new things (drum, doll, cube, board finish and framing are all new skills/techniques).

Hopefully I will end the year with some new skills and substantially fewer projects in the 'under the bed box'!