April Round Up

Lately I have been stressing myself about all the things I have to complete crafting-wise.    Like all of you, I have a ton I want to do and the few in the queue that are in the ‘process’ by decreasing my list. I am holding firm to not starting anything big until I get the long overdue bigger projects across the finish line.  Again like everyone else, I have charts I have bought because I ‘just had to have them/just wanted to do right away’ that keep getting moved down the list by newer and shinier ones.  I thinking if I just tighten up the purse strings when it comes to new stash, I could make progress, albeit small.  

In March, I purchased Clara 1876 from A Stitch in Time.   I decided to start her on the 4th of July.   She is giving me incentive to get a few more WIPGO assignments completed as well as making her a mid-year reward.  Rationalization at its best. So just one paragraph ago I said I was holding fast to no new starts and here you go……fifteen seconds later, squirrel.  But seriously, if WIPGO goes well each month until then that will be several completions and necessary progress on several others.   And I said hold fast on any new BIG projects and she is not a big project.  My friend Diane stitched her in an about 10 days.   My work won’t be that fast.   The final decision with be based on how well I am keeping up with WIPGO.   I really envy those who can be monogamous stitchers but I just can seem to keep on that path. 

So what have I been doing to lessen the load of half done projects?   I did not manage any sewing on my quilt.  However, I was away with a group of stitchers and quilters and I was able to cut the 2 of the  remaining blocks.   For me the cutting can be a major part of the quilt battle.

I fully finished Light the Way from Hands on Designs Merry Moments ornaments.   I  continue to work from stash on the finishing so mine may look different than others.   

I finished the stitching on Plaid Tidings.  I have picked up a great finishing tip with each video making joining this Patreon a great idea for me.

I managed to stitch and fully finish HOD Year of Celebration - October.   Believe it or not, these were a bit of a  pain.   On this one, I had trouble stitching in the dark fabric, probably because it is the floppy, older WDW.      But a finish is a finish and a finish is another WIPGO success.    Here is October.   It looks crooked but it is the shadows from early morning lighting.

Here are all twelve.  With each one, I adapted to what fibers I had.  I eliminated stitch motifs and added buttons or trim from stash.   A butterfly button for May, a sailboat button for July, a mini string of Christmas lights for December and so on.   They were done is no particular order with the smaller ones being the first to be stitched and completed.   No matter, they all fit in the space on the my perpetual calendar.  I am a bit ashamed it took me so long to do all 12.   Whenever I thought to work on them I was not in the mood to spend a week of precious stitching time. 

My Guild retreat in Berlin MD really helped me make progress on a couple of projects. Not as much as would have liked between laughing with table mates, chatting with friends old and new (Connie!) and playing the games.  And hear the roar of trumpets?   I did not buy A THING!   

I made great progress on my other WIPGO call, Quaker Garden by Liz Mathews.    The call was for 5 hours of work but I pushed through to get a near completion.   I am working on the personalization and have one motif left to add.   I ‘think’ I can eek this out before May 1st.

I did catch up on my star a day project.   I modified the pattern to include 50 stars and 13 stripes so the whole schedule of stitching a star a day for 250 days is out the window.   If I stitch  two stars a day/14 a week, I am on track to make the July 4th goal.   I like the way my friend Ruth (Spectrum Farms Needlework, Floss Tube) finished hers and I plan to finish mine the same way.   

And I have a fully finished piece.   Two fellow stitched and I got together for the day and put this piece together.   There was a lot of painting and assembly.

Chantelle and Teresa Kogut’s Blessings Drum

I hope to get to the nursery to get my vegetables and bedding plants in the next week or so.  Many years I wait too long and the pickings are slim.   My local garden shop closed, owners retired, and I am struggling to find just the right place to shop now.  I may go online and order some perennials from Breck’s or someplace similar.  

For May, I am planning to do the monthly ornament, do my WIPGO calls and get some more on the French Alphabet done.   I have a couple get-always scheduled in May and plan to take the French Alphabet to both.   All that and there is gardening to do!   Doesn’t sound like that will be any quilt work in May.  

How can anyone who is retired have nothing to do is beyond me!

That’s for stopping by to my corner of the world.   Remember, don’t sweat the small stuff - and it is all small stuff.   Call a friend, send someone a card in the mail, make someone smile, be kind to your server, hug someone……and keep on stitching.