WIPocalypse 2019 and more

Whoops!  I fell off the wagon again. (I haven't  posted in over 3 months).   Oh well, a New Year is always a good time for a new start.

Last year I joined the Facebook group WIPocalypse but failed to get organized enough to actively participate.   Today is the Kick-off day for 2019, which is as a good time as any to start blogging again.

We are suppose to start with an introduction.  So for those of you who are new to my to my blog or those who haven't visited in awhile (and why would you if I am not posting) my name is Loretta - I am married (going on 33 years), no children and currently have 1 dog (Buster/Buddy -a great dane/golden retriever and who knows what else mix).

I have been stitching since I was 16 and now that I am retired I have more time to stitch.  Which is good since stitching is my life.  Rarely a day goes by that I don't take a needle and thread to a piece of fabric. I am also a certified serial starter with more WIPs than I care to admit to.

My goals for 2019 are to:

1.  Whittle down my WIP pile (I think this is actually obtainable now that I am retired)
2.   Stitch more from my stash and curtailing new acquisitions (I have also joined the Facebook groups Stitch From Stash 2017-2019)
3.  Getting more of my finished pieces out of the proverbial "under the bed box" and out on display for me to enjoy.

My first finish for 2019 is Away We Ride by Blackbird Designs.  I really enjoyed stitching this piece.

A few of my current WIPs are:

Snow Sampler - Country Cottage Needlworks

Seasonal Celebration: Winter - Country Cottage Needleworks

Mystery Christmas Sampler - Lizzie Kate

Seasons in Chalk: Fall - Hands on Design (JCS October 2016)

Well that is it for now.   I had my SIL and her husband over for brunch today and now all I want to do is stitch and chill.

Take care and happy stitching!!!

I Have a Another Finish!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

via GIPHY


Started this back in 2015 when it came out as Mystery SAL.  I only got this far when I put it away.

I decided to pull it out again for Bewitched Stitches' (Facebook) Summer of Salem SAL. Once I started stitching on it again, I fell in love with it.  So without further adieu here is the completed piece.

I also stitched another piece for the same SAL.  I started it during Stitch Maynia this year.  It is called Salem by VerbenaCS (Etsy).

The  stitched piece in the pocket watch is part of Lizzie*Kate's Nevermore.

The Spooktacular Boo Go called for 250 stitches yesterday and 300 today so I made significant progress on BBD's Away We Ride.  The house is almost done.  I should receive my GAST for the door in the mail next week.

Till next time!!!!

Take care and happy stitching!!!!!!!!!

Counting Stiches

via GIPHY

Do you count your stitches? I never did until last month after joining The Ultimate Cross Stitch Group on Facebook.  Which is quite surprising since I have always been a numbers gal. I was a bookkeeper for most of my working life and I always want to know how many km I walked or biked.  I also wear a Fitbit.

I am not counting all my stitches.  That would be too much for even me but I do enjoy having 1 or 2 focus pieces and seeing how much progress I can make on a chart just by adding 50 - 200 stitches daily.  As I mentioned before, last month I focused on Welcome Santa (a piece that had been sitting on my WIP pile for a few months) and just by following the daily stitch calendar provided by the Group I managed to get over 3000 stitches in and the next time I pick it up I can start on the border and the backstitching.

This month I am doing 2 counting challenges within the group.  I am once again doing the Every Day Counts S@L and my focus piece is Five Little Pumpkins by Petal Pusher.  I am 544 stitches as of today.

They also have an October event called Spooktacular Boo Go.  Every day from the 1st to the 24th a stitch count is revealed on "Boo Go" card and you have to stitch that amount on chosen piece and post a picture.  My chosen piece is Away We Ride by Blackbird Designs which is also a SAL and part of my Dark October stitching.

Yesterday was #witchywednesdayxs so I pulled out Early Witches and since I am so close finishing I worked on it again today.   All I have left to do is the border at the bottom and a little on the side.

Finally, I think somebody wants me to finish the Stoney Creek Halloween charts because when I spinned the wheel this morning, guess what?

Since the Early Witches will be done soon I will be moving it to work on Wednesdays.

Take Care and Happy Stitching!!!!!

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SAL Saturday

Today I decided to stitch on some of my current SALs.

First Up - Stories of the North, Part 1 by GingerGeraldDesigns (Etsy)

I am stitching it on 35ct R&R linen (I forgot the colour) using Victoria Motto Shoppe threads - Caroline Calm (pictured) and 6am Sky.

I then worked on Away We Ride (Blackbird Deisgns) and Halloween Cat (Satsuma Street).

Finally, in between the stitching, cleaning and making supper I also coffee dyed a piece of  fabric (light grey 36 ct linen) that I intend to use on a new start tomorrow.  I am very pleased with the results.  I soaked the fabric first for about 15 minutes in a bath of strong coffee (made with instant) and then baked it in the oven (250F) for about 20 minutes.

Take Care and Happy Stitching!!!!