January 2022

New Year’s Day saw me start not one but two new stitchy pieces.   Both have been in stash forever and I have wanted to stitch both forever.    I  thought why not?   Neither are particularly large or complicated which by saying so automatically means I have jinxed myself when I declare there is not a lot of stitching in a pattern.   So ‘round the bend I went on Day 1 and I added to my WIP’s.

My two new starts on for the new year were Thyme to Gather and Winter Cometh.    Cathy Habermann has such a good eye for what colors work together.   I don’t have enough fall pieces that are not Halloween so that  was my rationale.  Stitched and ready to finish up into a pillow.  

Winter Cometh from Summer House has been in my stash since it first came out in 2017.  I have done several of Beth’s and have several more in my stash to do.    Again, not enough winter stitchy pieces in my repertoire so it had to be done.  My Thursday morning stitching group will be a great time to work on  the border.  

I was fortunate enough to go to OCMD for Camp WannaStitch.   185 had signed up but only 75 attended.   We wore masks and sat only 4 per table.   It is always nice to be with fellow stitchers, have some great seafood dinners and get stitching done.  I also started and finished this EZ PZ stitch on a mesh bag while there.   The bag is from It’s Sew Emma and the pattern from Shepherd’s Bush.  

I finished Winter Wonderland.   Designed to be finished as a drum but I will do simple framing.  This is a Primitive Hare design from a retreat in Cape May, NJ a couple of years back.  One WIP down and many more to go.   

The first of the year also saw me catching up on all your blog posts and left me drooling over some of the work and finishes.   Also making me want to vow to do one ornament a month…..but I fear I won't keep up so for me I can just OH and AH at everyone else’s.  Then I saw Carol's 12 in 22 on Instagram and I want to jump in.   I picked up this EGA ornament from my stash to work on for January.   It’s not quite finished but then again neither is January.  I am not exactly enjoying this one BUT it will be another EGA piece from Christmas in July done.

I am doing my first band sampler from Carol i-stitch on Facebook.   This one is called the Denim Band Sampler.  You can choose your own your own fiber and I chose Gloriana’s Bellagio.   I saw a friend's completion last year and she used Gloriana's Bellagio and it was beautiful.   I would have been too afraid to try a variegated until I saw her completed band sampler.   A portion of the pattern is released each Friday.   I thought working on this and an ornament each Friday would be a good schedule to keep me on target for the 12 in 22 Challenge and keep up to date on the band sampler.  There again I fail to have my feet in reality as to what one/I can accomplish stitching-wise in a day all the while keeping up with normal life and interruptions.  

Mid-December I dropped two pieces at the framers.   I picked then up the first week of January and I am very happy with each.  First Coming to America from a Brenda Gervais. I participated in the SAL in 2020 that marked the 400 year anniversary of the sailing of the Mayflower.    

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I am absolutely in love with the green and gold frame the framer suggested!  It is hard to tell but the color matches that of the waves.  While this view looks like the linen is wrinkled, it is not.  It is the color variation of the linen.   

Winter Rose Manor also from Brenda Gervais is the other piece I had framed.   Super happy with the the framing and the quick turn around.   I will definitely be using Finley’s Art Shoppe (Newark, DE) again.  Winter Rose Manor was stitched in most of the called for colors on 36 ct Heron Gray from Legacy.  The pink house (Conch) shows up well but the white (Grits) not so much in this photo.  

Settlement for my son is this week coming up.   I will be on Damma duty to help watch and to keep the kiddos happy while the moving happens.  I am spending Tuesday in the kitchen to whip up  a couple of casseroles as well as a big pot of bean soup to have at the ready during the days of moving.   I will be ready for a massage after five days of moving,  kiddos and not sleeping in my own bed.  And on the Damma note, Raegan finally has put a name to me……she has been saying pop-pop since summer.   I am now Dam to her.  Ask my kids…..it could be considered appropriate.   I hope she learns to add the ‘ma’ to that soon.  

Thanks for stopping by.   Wishing you all are keeping well.   Stay safe and keep on stitching.