Smalls SAL: Fresh Mesh

I started this small last January as part of Debbie's Ultimate Crazy January Challenge. You can see how it looked after a day's work here.

 Funnily enough, Heather, who runs this SAL, asked, "So, what did you stitch this month? Does your stitching still reflect the warm weather (or cold, depending on where you are)? Have you started stitching for Christmas already?" And my answer to both is yes!  This is called "Spring Fresh Mesh" but I think it works for our summery weather (though not as summery--ie 95 degrees with a million percent humidity--as usual). I'm so pleased to have it finished, and I think it might become a Christmas present for someone... Who'll be this lucky?

Work in Progress Wednesday - Shining Star

Thank you! I'm so glad I've found the rest of you. Honestly, I've been thinking about writing that post for months but I was worried about being kicked off the stitching bloggers' internet. Now we all know.

(This happens to me at meetings all the time. We'll be sitting around the table getting nowhere with some problem or action item, and finally after ten minutes of everyone staring at the center of the table, I'll say the most obvious thing and this somehow works to move us along. And then afterwards, people come up to me and say, "Thank you for saying what everyone was thinking." So that is my role in life: saying the unsayable, being willing--or unmannered, unsticking things.)

Of course, now that puts the pressure on for me to really bring something to my WIP Wednesday post, doesn't it? I appear to have exhausted my resources by sharing the Christmas carols story.

I ran out of Forest Glade, the color I am using for the words. Used it all up. Even after I had read Mary Agnes's admonition to keep your dye lots and color numbers and "stop stitching several strands before you absolutely run out." But I kept on stitching with that color because: magical thinking! Of course it was going to be enough. I'd just be able to eke it out. 

I have a plan. You'll just have to wait until next Wednesday (or until I finish it, which I'm hoping will be before next Wednesday).

WIP Wednesday

As promised, Sam Sarah's Shining Star which is stitched on the called-for linen with the called-for colors with the exception of the variegated green used for the words. It called for DMC Camouflage which I couldn't find anywhere; I substituted GAST Forest Glade.

My family has always been big Christmas carol singers, though none of us has the voice for it. We're happy to do it anyway. (For a lot of us who can't carry a tune in a bucket, we happily don't hear ourselves that way.) One Christmas, we were bringing something to my aunt. I can't remember what or why four of us piled into the car to make the trip, but we started singing carols. Then we decided we should seranade my aunt, so we practiced three songs. When we got to her door and started singing, she freaked out. She didn't have anything to give these carolers (was she supposed to give them something, she wondered?) and they sounded too good to be anyone she knew. So we sang to her closed door for all three songs. Finally, we had to ring the doorbell and call out her name before she'd answer!

This is how it looked the last time I worked on it, January 2014.

Days 5 and 6

I am home sick today. I thought it was food poisoning, but my boss's son's daycare has at least three cases of what I've got. Can I blame this on her then? Although since "it" was an isolated incident and I'm able to keep crackers down, I might stick with my food poisoning theory. No more coffee from the shop down the street. Resolved!

For Day 5, I chose Spring Fresh Mesh by SamSarah. Once you get into the rhythm of stitching on these Walker clutches, it's really fun. The coverage is a little thin, so I am trying to figure out if I am going to stay with three threads or move to four. I'm using the called for colors, even though that heart looks red instead of hot pink. {shrug}






For Day 6, I chose Bent Creek's Wedding Row. This will be the dude's anniversary present, and yes, I realize I haven't finished last year's anniversary present. (I've got a plan.) I wish I had gotten to the L. I mean now you have to wonder what we've got here. Over? Oven? Glove? (It will say, "Of my love be sure.")

I could actually show you Day 7, but these two at a time posts have such a rhythm to them, I might stick with it. Although I don't think I'll be able to show much on Friday. I'm supposed to go to a concert. I hope...

I'll be participating in Vicki's Grow Your Blog party on January 25. January 17th is the deadline to sign up. You can do that here.

Through the Years...

Christmas-in-July stitching continues apace, though my reporting on it does not. In addition to celebrating the dude's birthday last week, we also celebrated our 12th anniversary. The dude loved the stitched piece I made for him. I finished it so long ago (back in May), I almost forgot about it. We also hosted Sunday dinner this week, and that always eats up my time. (If I kept my house clean, it probably wouldn't but I don't and it does.)

But back to Christmas...This is SamSarah's "Shining Star" stitched on 30-ct Morris blue linen. I am stitching with the called for colors except I've replaced DMC camouflage variegated floss (overdyed?) with Sampler Threads forest glade. I went to two stores and couldn't find the camouflage so I went to my collection. Forest glade was a good color match. It's not as variegated as the camouflage but the colors toned nicely with what I was already using. I do have more stitching to show and if I can get some work-type projects out the door, I may even get back here soon to show it!

One Week to Our Anniversary

I managed to finish this year's anniversary stitch today. I love it, and I think the dude will too. Now I just have to see if he wants it framed, or if he will lift his moratorium on pillows (aka cushions). (Sometimes I simply cannot explain the dude.)

Sam Sarah Designs
Doubles: My Whole Heart
Stitched with the specified Caron Watercolor threads on RR Blueberry Tula