Thread-A-Day - Tribal Anchor Update #1

It's been a busy two weeks in the Stitchnmomma world....work, travel for the holidays and TONS of stitching going on!

I went back to OH for 3 days the weekend prior to Christmas to spend with my son and his girls.  I did take a new design model I'm working on, but didn't get much done on it.  Unfortunately I was unable to take my Tribal Anchor, as I pack really light (like only a backpack light), and there was only room for one small project in my bag.

I started the Tribal Anchor on December 11th, and in the past 17 days, I've stitched on it 11 of those.  

I have gotten quite a bit done with it.  There's one more area that needs to be stitched at the top, but I'll have to move my Qsnap for that, so I'll eventually get to it.  

And if you're thinking this is a lot of progress for just "11 threads", well that's because I've done more than 11.  I'm doing 3 threads per day on this piece, only because it's one of 3 gifts I need to have stitched and finished before the end of March, which definitely requires more than 1 thread per day.  I'm working on gift #2 at the same time, but I can't show that one as the person it's for follows most of my social media posts, and as soon as they see it they'll figure out it's for them.  The 3rd piece will be started as soon as the Tribal Anchor is completed.

In addition of the gifts and future design models I'm working on, I've also been trying to do a little bit on my Pinwheel Halloween Quilt model each week.  This is my progress as of last night:

Since the last time I shared a pic of it, I finished doing the green segments on the 2nd block and have started putting in the patterned segments on the 1st block, as well as stitching some more on the border.  I'll keep plugging away on it and will post another pic in about 1 month.

It's Sunday, and lots of stitching time ahead of me, which means I need to get off the computer and get busy.  Until the next time...Happy Stitching!  :)

The Great Wilderness Afghan - The Beginning

Back in Ohio, many years ago, I had a LNS (local needlework shop) that I used to love to go to and look through the turnstiles of new charts.  And when I say many, I mean many, like as in I was shopping at this store back when I was still in high school!  I would ooh & aah over many of them, others I would quickly pass because they weren't my style and then some I would pick up to look over closely and decide if I could justify spending money that I really shouldn't because my budget was so tight.  Some of them I bought and some I put back down telling myself I didn't know when I would ever get around to stitching it and I had bills to pay instead of buying stitching stash.

The stash did slowly grow over the years with purchases from this LNS, which sadly has since closed.  The stash included many of my Barbara & Cheryl charts, whom I was introduced to through this LNS, along with many other things.  Every few years I would go through my stash and do a clean out.  Sometimes I would pick up a piece and think "Eww, why did I ever buy this?!" and it would go into the pile to be sold on Ebay or my Etsy shop.  Others I would hang onto just knowing some day I would get around to stitching it/them.

Here enters what will henceforth be referred to as my BAP (big ass project)....The Great Wilderness Afghan.

And big it will be!  Those blocks on the afghan...yeah, they're 95x95 stitching over 1 thread...20 blocks total on the afghan.

This afghan chart is one that I held onto throughout the years, no matter how many stash clean outs I did.  I always said it would be a piece I'd stitch for myself at some point in my life.  Part of the hold up on stitching it was the cost of buying the afghan fabric.  If I had to think hard about and justify spending $8.69 for a chart back in the year 2000, I certainly could NOT afford to buy the afghan to stitch it on that would have been $40+ at that time!

About 2 years ago I decided it was my time to stitch it.  I started a hunt for the afghan.  It appears the afghan was no longer made with the black threads running through it.  I was only able to find pale pink and blue for baby afghans, and that just wouldn't do.  So back in the stash it went.

After I moved to Las Vegas earlier this year and was given the gift of more stitching time, I once again started going through my stash and looking at projects I could stitch just for me.  My lovely afghan appeared before me once again.  Alas, I was still unable to find the afghan online anywhere.  After discussing it with the ladies at one of my stitching groups, I decided to ask my the owner of my LNS here in Vegas if she might be able to find it through one of her wholesalers.  Imagine my surprise when she didn't even have to look...she had one in stock in her backroom! 

Now, it doesn't have the black threads running through it, but I can live with the forest green.  It is a wilderness scene after all, so green will suffice.  And did I really have the money for it (prices have gone up in the last 15 years, you know)?  No, not really, but isn't that what credit cards are for?  I think it was a sign that I NEED to stitch it, LOL!

We're now into the cool "winter" months here in Vegas where you're not going to be sweating with an afghan on your lap, so this past Friday night I sat down with my new project.   I opened the afghan package and spread it out on my floor to make sure it was big enough.  Not only is it, but I have extra room too (pieces for the fabric stash when I'm done???). 

How do you stitch something this large?  I've never done an afghan before.  It was suggested to me from a fellow stitcher that has done a couple of afghans to just use a 11x11 Qsnap on the block you're working on at the time.  Check the Qsnap/hoop stash...nope none available to use as they're all in use with other current models and thread-a-day gifts.  Guess I have to buy one *giggles* if I want to start my BAP.

Next step...decide on which block to start with.  I think I should start with an easy one, so I chose block #2 which is the sun in the sky, and probably the least amount of stitching.  Time to check my floss inventory.  DMC #745 is the predominant color in that block.  Do I have it?  Nope!  Guess I have to buy that too *more giggles*

Is anyone seeing a trend here?  Stash diet...new afghan project...supplies to buy...

In the end, I did NOT start stitching my afghan Friday night, but instead put together my list of supplies which included a new frame and three colors of DMC floss I didn't have in my stash, but will be needed in block #2.  After I left my Saturday stitching group I made a trip to Hobby Lobby and bought one of their frames (40% off coupon!) and my 3 skeins of floss.  And yes, I wrote down my expenditures in my stash diet notebook.

As I'm typing this post it is Sunday morning, and I'm giving y'all one guess what I'll be doing later today after I get all my "required" stitching done on my design model(s) and thread-a-day pieces.  Did you guess I'm going to start stitching on my afghan?  Well if you did, you're right!

Now that you're probably all bored to tears with this super long post, I'll finish it by saying this project will probably take me YEARS to finish.  It won't be a thread-a-day, but will be something I'll spend a little bit of time on each weekend and/or extra days off from work.  My posts about it here on my blog will be few & far between.  I'm thinking an update post as I finish each block.  Either way, I hope it will be a fun journey we can take together and I'm looking forward to stitching a piece I've had in my stash for the past 15 years.

Until the next time...Happy Stitching!  :)

Thread-A-Day - Tribal Shamrock THE FINISH

Ahhh...the great feeling that comes with finishing a project.  :)

Yes, the Tribal Shamrock is DONE!  I started it on October 20th and finished it on December 10th.  I made a couple of slight tweaks to the pattern where I thought it was needed.  This is what the finished piece looks like.

The fabric is looking more blue than green in this photo.  I'll send it off for finishing with my next design model(s) and will anxiously await what she does with it.  My instructions will be simple...pillow or wall hanging of some sort, your choice.

And we all know, as soon as you finish one piece, you MUST start a new one.  Not only did I start a new one, but I have my next 3 thread-a-day pieces picked out, along with the required fabrics and flosses.  So you're probably wondering what my next thread-a-day piece is, huh?  Well, here it is:

 

 

TRIBAL ANCHOR!

I'll do updates on this piece here on my blog, but won't really be discussing it on my FB page.  It's a gift for someone.  That person doesn't follow my stitching stuff, but better safe than sorry.  :)

The fabric I'm using is a 28 count Colonial Blue Lugana I had in my stash (remember, I am supposed to be on a "stash diet").  The fiber is an overdyed thread, which I personally think is the best option when doing a piece like this.  It is Needle Necessities #173, which I had to buy, and WILL account for in my stash diet.  I've done two days of stitching on it and really like how the fiber and fabric look together.

So with that, I think it's about time to get off the computer and get on with a full day of stitching.  I just love lazy Sundays!

Until the next time...Happy Stitching! 

Westie Silhouette Cross Stitch Pattern

Today's finish was another requested breed...the West Highland Terrier, or as most people call it, the Westie.  I stitched it using DMC #762 on a piece of 32 count Belfast linen in "Hocus Pocus" by Hand Dyed by Stephanie. 

This pattern along with all my other silhouettes (which can be found here) is now available for purchase at your local needlework shop or various online retailers.  If you don't want to do a Google search, just click here for a current list of those places.  

If you're a retailer and would like to stock this design, or any of my others, you can purchase here.  

 

And if there's a particular dog breed, or something else you're looking for in a silhouette, just let me know and I'll gladly add it to my list of designs to create & stitch.   I currently have a list of 21 more silhouettes I'll be designing & stitching...some are dogs and some are not.  Be sure to stay tuned for what will be releasing in the future.

 

Until the next time...Happy Stitching!

Patchwork Pin Cushions Cross Stitch Pattern #3

October and November have been very busy months.  I didn't accomplish as much stitching as I would have liked, but was able to get these beauties done for you.

This pattern contains November (a harvest them) and December (a holiday theme).
 
The patterns provide the information on the appropriate buttons.  And as an added bonus, the printed copies of the patterns include step-by-step finishing instructions.  Unfortunately there's no way for me to provide those same instructions with the instant download version available through Patterns Online.

If these designs are something that interest you, you can locate a retailer here.   


I'm trying hard to be more organized, and productive at the same time.  Starting this month, new designs will be released on the 1st and 15th of each month.  If I have multiple designs releasing I'll do one blog post here per day telling you about them, until I have them all covered.  2016 will be an exciting year with the remainder of the pincushions being released, along with more silhouettes (and no, not all dogs either), more of the Modern Dictionary series, a new quilt-inspired series and plenty of other random stuff thrown in just to keep it exciting!

And if you're stitching any of these lovely pieces, feel free to share pics of them on my Facebook page or even join our group that's also on Facebook, where ladies share their WIP and finished project pics.

Until the next time...Happy Stitching!


Editor's Note:  Unfortunately the Patchwork Pincushions will no longer be available as an instant download through PatternsOnline.  Their site won't allow me to upload my file, and their IT Dept. is unable to figure out, which is extremely odd since I do use PCStitch, which is their own program.  I apologize for any inconvenience, however, the charts will still be available in print form from many other retailers.  Thank you.