Weekend of October 22-24, 2021 - #24HoursOfCrossStitch and Slow Sunday Stitching check in

 It's time for the last #24HoursOfCrossStitch / #24HOCS for this year!  This virtual retreat is always a lot of fun, and usually gets me some major advancement on at least a couple of my projects. 

I worked extra hard this week to get all my monthly reporting done and to my boss early.  She's already reviewed and approved it, so I took a vacation day on Friday.  Let's hear it for a three day weekend with next to no obligations!   I'm going to attempt to keep a timestamp log, and publish it Sunday morning, with a Sunday evening wrap up to track what I accomplish.  

As far as what I'm going to work on?   It's all in play.  I'll discuss my decision making process as I go along.

The current WiP pile early last month

Friday 10/22 7:30 am.  I've grabbed breakfast, I have the handwash dishes done and the dishwasher going.  My first project on any #24HOCS weekend is to finish up the current focus rotation slot, however long that takes.   I only have a couple of hours left on the USMC seal to finish the full coverage slot, so that will be my initial project.  I'll have to take a break in about an hour to run over to the pharmacy and get my annual flu shot.  Then I'll get right back to this project.

Here's where I'm starting.  This area is over one, so it takes me about 15 minutes to do each row.

Pharmacy visit went fast, no line on a workday morning.  And here is three more hours on the USMC Seal; I went a little over as my audio book was fascinating.  To see the entire thing laid out, check out the changeover post (link).  Hours for #24HOCS = 3.0

Friday 10/22 12:45 pm. Lunch (soup and sandwich), dishwasher unloaded and all the dishes put away.  Number two needlework push is to finish one of the two WIPGO goals:  The Sweetheart Sewing Tin needs to have it's border finished.  Here's where I left it last Sunday afternoon - just barely started.

And first WIPGO (October spot #11) met.  Here's the border done - 1.25 more hours.  (Total #24HOCS = 4.25 hours)

40 count linen 73 x 49 stitches

I think I may need to come back to this project at some point before the end of October (hopefully yet this weekend).  When I set up my WIPGO board, I allotted three numbers to this project.  One for set up and border, one to stitch the half dozen or so motifs, and one for finishing.  At that point, I had not opened the kit, so I had not read the finishing instructions.  There's a lot more finishing on this little thing than I expected.  The tin is decoupaged inside and has cording on both the inside and outside.  I'm thinking I need to do more of the stitching in this first go around, and give myself time in the second round to source all the finishing materials which were not included in the kit and to make all that cording.  Probably should do all the decoupage then, too, since it will need to dry between each coat.  Gosh, I haven't used ModPodge since the 1970s!  Then do the lacing on the top and put it all together the third time it's called.

Friday 10/22 2:30 pm.  Brought up the clean clothes from the laundry and will fold / put away when I take breaks. (I try to get up and move around every half hour.)   I had planned on working on my second WIPGO goal next, but the brain is fried, the arm is sore.  Simply following somebody else's chart on 28 count is about all I can manage right now!

In addition to the first weekend of each month (#bbdweekendSAL), I've committed to putting in some time on my current BBD for each #24HOCS.  So that's up next. "Moon Garden", from the original Loose Feathers Series.  28 count linen - R&R "18th Century Rook", GAST threads as charted 2 over 2.

Starting here

And after 4 hours  7:00 pm (Time for a break for belated dinner).  With the alphabet done and the big center motif started, it's really starting to take shape.  I'd like to come back to this one again later in the weekend.

Friday tally (not including housework) - two rotation goals met and a total of 8 hours and 15 mins of 24 hours so far.

New Day, fresh start.  I am totally on #teamsleep.  My days of staying up all night stitching are far in the past!

Saturday 10/23 8:00 am. There was breakfast, there is caffeine and I am ready to get going with the other WIPGO goal.  (October Spot #5) That is to FINALLY final finish a smalls project that got left abandoned with just the stitching done -  the tape measure cover that I adapted from the Shepherd's Bush Garden Needleroll.

Ready to assemble

 I used a combination of instructions - some from a Sharon Cohen pattern that I'll get to one of these days, some from Victoria Sampler's YouTube.  The next one of these I do, I'll add a bit of padding, I think.  For all the smalls in the set, see the finished post for this (link)

 And here it is:  Quite fiddly and time consuming, but oh, so worth it!  

Time on this project = 3 hrs, 45 min hours, Total for #24HOCS so far = 12 hours - halfway point!

Saturday 10/23 1:00 pm.I have actually accomplished all the goals I set for the weekend, the rest of the time is 'dealer's choice'.   I think I'll get some more stitches put into the tin first.

As it turned out, I only got a couple of hours in on the Sweetheart Sewing Tin.   I ran out of steam after I had to do some frogging.  Taking out stitches on 40 count isn't fun.  Not quite as bad as over one, but still not fun.  I finally got back to where I'd messed up and all is present and accounted for.

Total #24HOCS to this point = 14
 

Sunday 10/24 7:45 am I'll pick up on either the tin or Moon Garden after I check out the Slow Sunday Stitching crew (link to current round up).

 Sunday 10/24 12:00 Noon Hello pretty little sampler.  All nice and ready for the finishing when this project is called next on WIPGO.  3.5 hours today.   Total for #24HOCS = 17.5 hours

And a couple more hours in on BBD "Moon Garden" before I called it a day.

Total for the weekend was 19.5 hours.  Didn't quite make it to the goal of 24.0 hours, but got closer than I usually do.   Thoughts for next time.  Having everything set up and specific goals helped.  Do better with having the housework done and meals set up (freezer and crockpot).  NO appointments.   Choose at least one project that is easy on the eyes for the evenings; that project should be both on a lower stitches per inch AND on a light fabric.   My issue this time was that my project on 28 count was on a dark fabric, so it didn't help with the tired eyes.  The 'get up and move around every half hour' was a good idea - stick to it.