Slow Sunday Stitching - November 17, 2024 AND Rotation #4, Slot #2 (Modern) Changeover

 Mixed results this week. I went to Alexis' meet Saturday, but did not get the Musselburgh Hat finished.   It was way too loud and chaotic to let me have enough brain power to do the decreases, but I did get the straight part finished and got the decreases set up and started when I got home last night.   I'll post the finish on it when I get it done.  I just hope I have enough yarn!

I did get through the rotation on the KC Plaza Sewing Bag that's currently in the "Modern" slot.  I hit ten hours early this week but was only partly through the first half of the fourth repeat (of five) on the cityscape side.   I figured I was ahead of where I needed to be on the overall rotation, so I could spare more time on this project to get to a better place.   I ended up putting on more than 15 hours on the project, but that's OK.   

All five of the little teal curlicue bits with their blue center shields and yellow trumpet flowers.  There's going to be back stitch and beads all along that section as well, but this is good enough to be getting on with.   Next time this project comes up, I'll do that same section on the fountain side.

Linking up to the SSS crew to report my progress (current roundup).

Slow Sunday Stitching - November 10, 2024

It was a good crafting week this week.   I finished off five hours on the new Blackbird Designs piece, "Blessings and Kind Wishes" and got the left half of the border done (see the changeover post for a photo).  That five hours and the finishing and FFO work on the older Blackbird piece finished up the first chunk of the current rotation, which is the Historic Inspired slot.

Then I moved over to the KC Plaza Sewing Bag in the Modern Slot.   Since I finished the cross stitch on the fountain area, it's time to tackle the border stitching.  There are five repeats of the border motif on each side of the bag - three for the large side and one on each end for the short sides (each of which will have a side seam down the middle).   When I glanced at the chart at first, it looked like a very simple area.  I spent the first hour and bit basting verticals through the border area to show the edges of each repeat and confirm that I had enough space for the side panels, which I do.  You can see the yellow basting between the trumpet shaped flowers and just before you get to the edge basting; the side motif starts three stitches before the actual corner (basted in red) on each side.

Then once I started stitching, I realized that the major section in the teal green is composed of Rice Stitch.   If you haven't done Rice Stitch, this specialty stitch is composed of regular over two cross stitches, then all four of the corners are tacked down by diagonal half cross over one stitches.  So, six up and down per individual stitch.  And I've discussed at length about my struggles with over one on this project!  Oh so slow.

Five additional hours got me almost to the end of repeat two.  So much for finishing the five repeats on this part of the bag this rotation.   I'll be lucky to finish the three repeats across the main face of the bag.  This project is never ending.....

I did manage to get over to the framers and pick up the framed Birdhouses project I finished in at the beginning of October.   I think it turned out lovely.

As usual "The Frame Warehouse" in Topeka KS made my work look even better.

The hat is also ticking along.   I'm about 3/4 of the way through the straight section.  I'll probably not post a photo until it's done.   Currently it's in a rather awkward in-between blob state.  I'm going to go to Alexis' gymnastics meet next Saturday, so hopefully I'll have an FFO to show by Sunday.   Nothing like being stuck in the bleachers for several hours waiting for the few minutes that she's actually competing LOL.  Good crafting time, though.

Linking up with the SSS crew for this week (link party is here).

Rotation Changeover - 2024 Rotation #4, Slot #1 (Historic Inspired)

 

Five hours in on the new Blackbird Designs piece - "Blessings and Kind Wishes".   With the set up on this piece and the finishing and FFO on "Keepsakes", that fills the ten-hour historic/historic inspired slot on the last rotation of the year.   A good solid start, with the left border, corner turn and halfway across the upper border all completed.  The right side of the upper border consists of a wreath of stems and leaves around a nesting pair of storks.  I'm only going to put in the stems and leaves along the top when this piece comes back up in my rotation, since I want to get the right-side border established asap. 

I know for a lot of stitchers, one over two on 36 count is their 'sweet spot", but I'm finding I actually like 40 count a little better.   My stitches seem to form and lay better on the slightly smaller count, but I'm going to try 36 with Sulky threads soon.   @Handworkmaniac recommends that combo and I'm excited to try it.

Slow Sunday Stitching - November 3, 2024

It's been a very busy week this week.   Halloween falling on a weeknight really made things all out of whack.   Speaking of Halloween, I'm trying very hard not to be that grumpy senior who yells "get off my lawn", but I DID have an area of new grass (clearly taped off) that now has a squished set of muddy footprints right through the middle.  It had rained on Wednesday and the very fragile new grass shoots were just poking up before they were rudely flattened.  How does one miss knee high neon yellow 'caution' tape (even with just the light from porches and the streetlight) is what I want to know.

I put some new seed down in and around that area (and some other patches where the coverage was a little light) and Mother Nature is doing a good job of watering it in!  It rained off and on yesterday and will be today through Tuesday.   We have had a dry autumn up to this week and can certainly use the precipitation. 

While I can't work in the soggy garden, rainy weather makes perfect time to work on my crafting.  I did meet my monthly goal on the Mead Dragon (link to the month end report for October).  Plus, the finishing frenzy is continuing!   Finished this week, left to right:  Spring Promise Project Bag, Keepsake Pin Pillow, Irish Eyes flat finish (links to finished project posts with all the details).   That's two more things off the WIPGO board and one current project FFO for those that are keeping track 😄.

I also managed to get the new Blackbird Designs piece started.   This is "Blessings and Kind Wishes", LF #31.   One over two on 36 count linen from Picture This Plus (colorway is "Legacy") with the kit floss, which is a mix of GAST, WDW and CC overdyed cottons.  

So far, I have the entire left side border completed and I've turned the upper left corner. I'm going to put in a couple more hours on it before I swap out the rotation slot.  The border is not the same all the way around; this border variant reaches to the halfway mark across the top.   I'd love to get that far before I put it away.   Look for a changeover post later this week to see if I managed to make it.

Bells play for the 'All Saints' mass this morning, so I'll check in on the SSS crew later today.  (Link to current round up.)

NEEDLEWORK FINISHING: "Irish Eyes" by Sunflower Seeds

 

Pattern: "Irish Eyes"

Designer: Sunflower Seeds (shop exclusive)

Fabric:  28 count Zweigart "Antique White" Cashel Linen 

(kit fabric, so not 100% sure of colorway)

Threads:  kit floss

 

Stitches:  two over two full cross, backstitch

Charm by Charland Designs

Chenille Trim by Lady Dot Creates

 

Stitched 6/2003

Full Coverage - October 2024 Month End Report

 Hope everyone had a fun Halloween with lots of little ghosties and giblins (baby goblins).  My neighborhood is right between the local 'historic house museum' on the east and the 'big Victorian houses with a major light display" that's known for good treats on the west.   Plus, we have decent sidewalks and no through traffic, so lots of people from other areas of the city come around.   My dad always used to keep a tally, and we have had as many as 300 kids when Halloween fell on a weekend and there was nice weather.  Probably fewer than that today with it being a school night, but I bought three jumbo bags of treats and ran out of candy before I ran out of kids!

But enough Halloween stuff.   How about a dragon instead?

Mead Dragon, my full coverage piece, is coming right along!  I hit a milestone this month - she is now over 1/3 done!  I finished 2,809 stitches this month and that brings me to 31,679 stitches out of 94,500 or 33.52% complete.  And I also met my 2024 goal of 30K stitches on this piece since it was started.   I'm working on row 100 to complete the background using the 'typewriter method' of choosing what symbol to stitch next, which also feels like a bit of a landmark.

Here's where I was at the beginning of October.

You can really see her back wing now and the area under her chin is filling in nicely, you can see where the 'fuzzy' part of her body is and the beginning of the fancy jeweled collar she is adorned with.  

 

FINISHED NEEDLEWORK and SEWING PROJECT: "Keepsake Pin Pillow" by Blackbird Designs

Pattern: "Keepsake" Loose Feathers #33

Designer: Blackbird Designs

Fabric: 40 count "Tycho" linen by Picture This Plus

Threads:  Crescent Colors / Classic Colorworks Belle Soie silk floss as charted

 

Stitches:  one over two full cross, eyelets

 

needlework completed 10/27/2024, FFO on 10/29/2024 

Finished pillow size 5 x 5 inches / 12.5 x 12.5 cm

Stuffed with crushed walnut shells.  Backing and trim from the deep stash, no details available. 

Backing is from my stash of American Civil War reproduction calico prints.