Before the end of January, I did manage to eke out one of my January WIPGO’s. I actually was doing the hand-stitching sitting at the airport gate on my way to Tennessee. The WIPGO assignment was to fully finish the Civil War Huswif from Needlemade Designs. Parts were a little tricky and seams not are so straight but I say it makes it more authentic to Civil War times. That’s my story and I am sticking to it.
The other class I took was a peyote beading class with Judi T of the Knoxville Chapter. I have only done peyote once before so I was slow but I was able to start and finish this pen cover in one day.
For the month of February I got so much stitching done that I cannot believe it. It is all due to 7 days stitching at Diane’s. I finished these two beaded hearts for Hearts for Hospice that my EGA is doing.
I put in 7 hours - my February WIPGO assignment - on Merry Little Christmas from Willow Tree Designs. It was going so well that I continued stitching until finished. It doesn’t show up here but this is stitched on a pretty green, Vintage Willow.
I put my WIPGO required 7 hours on my other February project, Rosewood Manor’s Barnwood Buttons. And again, since it was going so good, I just keep stitching to get it done. Since many of us don’t like how our stitches with white look, I gave DMC Floche a try. Jury is out still on the Floche. This landed in the WIP pile because I didn’t like the weight and feel of the fabric. The color, which doesn’t show up, is a pretty blue. Instead of working in hand, I put this in one of my Nurge hoops. I recently got rid of all my Q-Snaps and replaced them with a set of 4 sizes of Nurges which I am liking. Getting rid of the Q-snaps also freed up from space!
I finished my SAL from the Blackbird Designs from a last September class in Kansas City. It is designed to finish as a Huswif but I don’t know. I am toying with adding rosebuds to the upper corners and framing it…..but for now it is a finish and off the WIP list. Fully finishing is a whole other endeavor.
All these finishes lead me to check out and prioritize my WIPS. I had 24. I didn’t include class pieces; that is a rabbit hole I am not going down. I have more than several projects kitted and I am anxious to start more than a couple. Then there is always a new great must-have pattern that comes along. Thankfully nothing from the Nashville Market has swayed me so far. I made a pact with myself - six WIP’s done before I think about a new start. Considering my progress on Barnwood Buttons, I am close to four down so far in 2024. I have a guild class in April, a stitching cruise in September and a Retreat in November and each will involve a new start, another reason to stay away from my stash of kitted projects.
Perusing my own WIP parade lead me to my word of the year. I decided on MONOGAMOUS. Now let’s not get excited here, there is nothing nefarious going on. Doing WIPGO last year I realized what many of you already know……you get more done if you just stick to one project. Dare I add that stitching is not the only non-monogamous sector in my life? Take the bathroom curtains I made a few years back - still not hemmed. They have been on the list 4-ever right next to the infamous wall paper removal project from I am not saying when. Or that 100 day quilt I got all the way to Day 93 and stopped! My projects seem to be a lot like my stitching. I am gung-ho to start with and then something new and shiny comes my way or I need something new to work on to have the vim and vigor I feel at the beginning of a project. I seem to have no willpower to be able to stick to a job until it is finished. If I were to look up “side-track” in Webster’s Dictionary it would be no surprise if there were a reference me as a real life example. The worse part is this jumping from job-to-job usually happens when I am about 85% finished. Obviously I am project-oriented and not completion-oriented. For stitching I’d like to get down to maybe four ongoing projects. One you carry with you, one you cannot carry due to size or difficulty, one that is easy on the eyes and the last, an obligation stitch. For household projects, my delinquent culprits are on the list AGAIN this year and I really hope I can get my act together and they are not arrowed-over on the calendar to re-appear next year. So monogamous it is for me. Not sure how well that would be received as a pillow so I am won’t even try! And I am even more sure that while this sounds like such a good plan and I have even intention of carrying out it, I know me and I may very well stray from my good intentions.
Somehow, Miss Raegan turned 4 years old in February. Wow, where does the time go! Below is the day we had a tea-party in her family room. She insisted we use her teeny tiny cups and plates from her kitchen. All decked out in her favorite princess dress and her jewelry. She is a trip. I think a real life trip to a tea house is in our future.
Until next time, I will try to stay a monogamous stitcher. Check the comments with each post to see my reply to your comments! Thanks for stopping by and keep on stitching!