August Flew By

And I feel like not much accomplished on my overall to-do list.  That would be my other than stitching list.    Admittedly, some of the items on this particular list just get forwarded to the next month more than a few times.  I’ve been hibernating in the house, out of the heat,  staying out of my pool-less yard.  While I have not been stitching up a storm, I’ve managed a small squall of finishes.

We were well into the the second week of August before I finished up my July WIPGO but finish I did.  Betsy Morgan’s Pioneer School Girl - ta-da!   Super happy to call it a finish.  This pattern is available in Betsy’s Willing Hands Book.

I loved this piece since the first time I saw it.   I took this as a class at Salty Yarns several years ago, or BC - Before Covid.   I finished all the stitching during Covid.   I put this on my WIPGO board and finishing came up as my July assignment; if not, it would still be in the box o’ finishing.

My other July WIPGO was to work on a WIP and I was able to make more progress on Cornwall Cottage.   I am ready to put this one aside for awhile.   I am thrilled with my progress but tired of working on a big piece.  In truth, I’m itching to start a new sampler!   I know!  How dare I!!   My goal is to have Cornwall Cottage stitched, framed and in the County Fair next August.  It will definitely be part of my 2024 WIPGO board.

For August, my WIPGO assignments were to fully finish two stitched projects and to stitch and finish an Erica Michael’s Strawberry.  I stayed with my sister for a week following knee replacement surgery.   Between being in surgical waiting and then back at her house 6 days, I got the stitching done.

I stitched Erica Michaels - My Needle Berry.   Once home, I fully finished it.

 

Before going to her house, I prepped several projects for finishing.  I picked out coordinating fabric, cut mat board, ironed on interfacing, etc.   What is it that we take a sh#@-ton of projects when we go away thinking  we are going to finish them all? At any rate, it was EZ PZ to keep rolling with finishing when I came home for the weekend. 

I fully finished this pillow.   It is Goodbye Fall from Plum Street.  I used the called for 36 count fabric and flosses.

I also fully finished Olga’s Tart from Plum Street.  I used a fabric remnant and floss from stash.  The fabric is 36 count R & R American Chestnut.  Since I have been working on 32 count with 2 over 2, I unintentionally did 2 over 2 here!  And naturally, it doesn’t fit any of the tart pans I have.   I need to go to JoAnn’s or Michael’s to visit the Wilton section to get a tart pan the right size.   I saw a set of 6 on Amazon but I don’t know that I want 6 tart pans!  I need to make some more twisted cord and add a bow or hanger to the top….or not.

Last but not least, I finished this Christmas ornament from my EGA’s Christmas in July.  

I started making pin cushions as exchange gifts at some upcoming retreats/classes.   Full credit goes to Cathy Haberman of Hands On Design.   She talked about making the pin cushions on one of her Flosstube videos.  See her blog for instructions.  

With my sister napping quite a bit, I was able cut 60, seam and press all of them.   So far, I have 10 totally assembled.  Some are made from a cross stitch pattern fabric and as many as possible were cut from a consignment store cross stitched table cloth that was $10.   I hated cutting apart someone’s work, but the table cloth was stained and I rationalized 48 people will be able to have a piece of someone’s stitching.

I feel like August is a blur.   Between being at my sister’s for a week, regular babysitting and some extra babysitting, things around my house and yard have suffered.  Hopefully cooler weather in September and October and I will get my yard back in shape and tidied up for fall.   

Coming up in September, I’ve got a dilly of roadtrip a planned.   All I’ll say is involves a trip to the top of the St. Louis Arch and adding a new state or two to  my list of states visited.  More on that in my September recap.