Slow Sunday Stitching - August 3, 2025

What a busy month July was - I took my grandson on a quick road trip to spend a long weekend with his other grandparents.   We got back home just in time for the 4th of July holiday.  Then I moved.  I'm finally getting settled in, though decorating and small projects will be ongoing.   You know old houses - there's always something.   The "new" house is actually older than the "old" house - the new place was built in 1920, so it's just over 100 years old. 

I have garden plans!  This week a small shed in the back was torn down (it was failing, you couldn't even close the door, and it was mostly a home for mice).  Glad to evict those tenants LOL.  I liked the garden bed I had at the old house, so I bought two for the new house.   I'm watching the sun patterns to figure out where to site them.   One thing I love about the new house is that there are two hose bibs on opposite corners of the lot.   Thanks for thinking ahead, Dad!

The first of the month means it's time to do an update on the daily projects.  This month's temperature daily log was another Rhodes Stitch variation - this time it was butterflies.

And here's a close up of the stitches.   Like all Rhodes Stitch variations, the individual stitches that make up the larger stitch are worked in a spiral and the varying lengths make up the final shape.

And overall, the piece is really filling in now.   We have had a relatively cooler summer with no highs over 100 degrees F / 37.7 C.   Though we may get there in August - it's not unusual for the summer highs to linger into early September.  So I haven't had to use the two 'hottest' colors (yet).

And the Mead Dragon is coming along - see the July month end post for stats and a comparison picture.   I hit a milestone in early July and got to the 2/3 point. 

Last but not least, the Blackbird Design piece "And to all a Good Night" is at 13.5%.  It's actually a bit more than that since I finished the snowflakes and there are 5 Queen Stitches in each one.   But they don't show up in Pattern Keeper.    I'm excited to get into the top of the house this week.   Time to roll the fabric up!

Checking in with the SSS crew (this week's link).

Full Coverage Month End Report - July 2025

 

Stitches in July = 4,449, which brings me to a yearly total of 30,094 and an overall total of 66,187 or 70.04%.   Quite a bit of progress in the confetti of the drinking horn and you can see the tail start to curve around under the edge of the wing.   I'm on Row 234

Where I started the month for comparison.

I have had to drop out of the #WIPintoshape challenge due to moving house.   It was just getting very stressful to have a daily deadline on this project, especially since the mileage was starting to get into the higher numbers.  So, I have had to drop back to just my previous goal of "just" 100 stitches a day.

Slow Sunday Stitching - July 27, 2025

Update on the move.  There's still some out of season clothing and decor and the shop stuff that needs to be moved.  (I need to clear out the shop area in the new basement from the tenants abandoned belongings).   But I have slept here, cooked here, showered here and done laundry here.   I think that means I'm moved!   I still feel odd when I walk in, like I'm expecting it to be my parents' furniture instead of mine LOL.   And I haven't even started decorating - there are still windows without curtains even (only the bedroom ones are up).

Needless to say, there wasn't much crafting this week.   I did get a couple of hours in on the BBD piece.  I'm now at 6.61%.  The nice thing about two over two on 28 count is that if I have good light, I don't need magnification. 

Lettering is done and I got a start on the moon and stars in the upper section.    The moon color shows a lot more variegation in the photo than in real life.   Odd, it's usually the other way around.

Late hooking up with the SSS weekly roundup.   They probably think I perished under an avalanche of boxes.   Actually, I haven't started unpacking the library yet, so it could still happen!

Full Coverage Milestone (2/3 done) AND 2025 Rotation #4, Slot #4 (Pictorial)

Before we get to pretty pictures of Mead Dragon, a quick explanation.   I hit a major milestone on the project only a week after I did the June monthly update.   And I was also not THAT far out from the end of the rotation.   So, I decided to post both updates together when I hit the second marker.  Therefore, in chronological order:

Monday, July 7

 62,995 of 94,500 stitches = 66.66%.   Mead Dragon is 2/3 done.  When I started this project on 1/31/2024, I estimated it would take three years to complete.    I'm ahead of schedule by a bit more than six months!

And at the end of rotation #4, I was at 65,354 of 94,500 or 69.16%.   On row 231, so no matter if you look at stitch count or row count, I am on the final third of this project! 

Tuesday, July 22

I'll do the usual end of month update with monthly stats and a comparison picture from the end of the prior month.  Lots of Dragon content this month 🐲🐉👍

Slow Sunday Stitching - July 20, 2025

 It's been a Blackbird Designs week!    

I did get a little start on Loose Feathers #11 "And to all a Good Night".    This is my 'Christmas in July' piece as well as filling my "Historic or Historic Inspired" slot.   Even though have put in almost four hours, most of that time was set up and getting the pattern into Pattern Keeper.   I've only put in 140 stitches (2.28%), but I like how it's looking.

Before I started on this Blackbird, I did finish off Loose Feathers #31"Blessings & Kind Wishes".  (Finish post is here.)  I ended up adding the back stitch on the edges of the house and the neck/head of the storks to make them stand out from the linen.  Much better. 

I haven't had a chance to run to the quilt store and get fabric to turn "Blessings" into a project bag.   Who am I kidding, I'm not even sure what box my bag making supplies are in!   The perils of having a couple of teenagers "help" you pack.   I'm grateful for the grandkid's assistance, but they rather went for the 'shove it in a box' method instead of the 'inventory and declutter as you go' method I was trying to use.    But we are ready(ish) for the movers on Tuesday!  

In the pause before the chaos, I am going to be over here checking out the SSS crew! (link to the current roundup)

FINISHED NEEDLEWORK: "Blessings and Kind Wishes" by Blackbird Designs

 

Pattern: "Blessings & Kind Wishes" Loose Feathers #31

Designer: Blackbird Designs

Fabric: 36 count "Legacy" linen by Picture This Plus

Threads:  Crescent Colors / Classic Colorworks, Weeks Dye Works and Gentle Arts overdyed flosses as charted (except subbed 'Wild Oats' in place of 'Khaki Mocha')

 

Stitches:  one over two and one over one full cross, eyelets, Smyrna cross, outline (added to stork's necks and house edges)

 

Started 10/30/2024, needlework completed 7/16/2025

Slow Sunday Stitching - July 13, 2025 AND Rotation #4, Slot #3 (Modern) Changeover

This week I got a little more done on the Just Nan class "Butterflies, Blossoms and Bees" than I thought I would.  And I finished off the ten hours in the rotation with the completion of the outer third (other than the beads).  

In addition to finishing off the butterflies and the backstitch in gold on the wings and the double running antennae, I got the eight 'two-color satin stitch' flowers done.   There were also the centers and stems of a couple of beaded flowers on each side plus the tiny butterflies in the corners made up of two Smyrna Cross stitches and three tiny backstitches.   So stinkin' cute!

The kitchen appliances get here a week from tomorrow.  I can't wait.   Movers to get the beds will happen tomorrow and the couch, bookcases, etc. will happen next week - in the days after the appliance delivery.   I'm so over this whole thing.  I've been unpacking as it goes, so at some point, there will be more at the new house than at the old house and I'll hopefully feel 'moved'.   Right now, it's all up in the air.  

What am I going to be working on while things are all over the place?  Well, I'm going to keep working on my two daily pieces.   And I'll set up and start my "Christmas in July" piece.  It's Blackbird Designs "And to all a Good Night" Loose Feathers #11.   This one is out of print and not yet included in one of the books.   A lot of people have it as a 'unicorn' chart.  It will be a framed piece or possibly a wall quilt, so I'm using the kit materials.

SSS crew link up for this week is here.