A crowd of Busy Santas are gathering at the Lilac Thicket 👀👀👀

Say hello to Santa #9!  He joins his fellow selves Santas 1-8.  Just a cute stitch.  Busy Santa from Stitchrovia.

 

Busy Santa gets busier!

 

Santa #7 is complete and I have begun Santa #8 who resides under Santa #7 who is hanging upside down.  Such a fun stitch.  Today I stitch!

Santa #3 makes us Santa We!

Santa #3 was finished last evening.  The cuteness multiplies as each Santa appears in Stitchrovia's Busy Santa.

 

Busy Santa and Canine Quotes

This is my progress on Stitchrovia's "Busy Santa".  I have worked on it for 14 days since starting it August 11th.  I really like it and have enjoyed watching it grow.  I have to say I am in love with all the little Santa's! Curling the toes of the boots up really has cuffed me.

The above photo is a must have for me.  "Canine Quotes" from The Scarlett House is just perfect and fits my home and life to a "T".  I will be ordering it when it becomes available at 123 Stitch! 💛💛💛
 

Meet Busy Sandi, I mean Santa!

Meet the new design I working on.  It is from Stitchrovia and it is called Busy Santa.  I had seen a vintage kit on E-Bay a while back.  It was one of those felt ornament kits where you cut out the felt shapes and then put them together to create a something.  It was maybe 12 Christmas Santa ornaments.  The toes of Santa's boots were curled up and he was engaging in various activities.  I loved it but not the price so I sadly did not purchase it.  I have been looking for it again.  I loved the vintage style Santa and the vintage colors and actually everything about it.  One day not too long ago I saw the above design on Etsy.  It so reminded me of that kit except that there weren't any curled toes on the boots.  I showed it to my mother and she said I could easily put in a few stitches to curl the toes.  I wondered why I hadn't thought of that.

So here we have my 8 day progress and roughly 19 hours and 55 minutes of stitching.  It seems probably a good 5 hours of that is unstitching.  More so then any recent project I can't seem to stitch things correctly to save my entire family's life.  It is definitely darling and I am in love with it.  I began this project  August 11th and have worked on it each day except August 17th.  I am stitching it on a mushroom colored 28 count lugana which adds to the vintage look.  And look, I curled his boot toes!  They look great!

Look at Santa's face!!!!  It is perfect!  The designer certainly is talented.  There is another one of Stitchrovia's on Etsy I want to stitch called Santa's Coming.  I haven't purchased it but I will when I am closer to finished with Busy Santa. 

Santa's Coming Cross Stitch Pattern digital Format - Etsy

The good news is it is football season and stitching season is in full swing as I cheer on my Superbowl Champions! 

 

Three working projects!

Rosewood Manor's Something Blue is a gorgeous sampler which I have barely started.  The fabric is a lovely blue frome Picture This Plus in 28ct Alchemy color.  It will use 15 skeins of Weeks Dyed Works in the color Parchment.  The design is 288 stitches by 177 stitches.  It is a stunning sampler design.  I have the right upper most flower completed.  I will work on this when I just want to stitch one color rather than other pieces that have multiple colors.

The Steady Thread is having a year long stitch along.  It is a blackwork project and each week a different blackwork pattern is released for a hexagon cell.  It is a gorgeous piece and you choose your colors and the shape of your cells.  It has a gorgeous botanical theme to it and a wandering vine border. The photo below is the work of  Crocettando from her blog here: More advances on Prairie schooler Santa and blackwork. | Crocettando (wordpress.com)

I chose a large pink evenweave I had in my stash and am using black floss and the highlight color The Gentle Art in Red Grape for inside of my cells.  As you can see I am not very far along.  I am numbering my cells to match the correct cell pattern when it is released.  I think it will be a masterpiece when I am done. Read about this stitch along here: Modern blackwork embroidery charts and blackwork embroidery kits – The Steady Thread

I am currently enjoying The Stitching Book Club's July free design found in the July Newsletter here: @Stitchingbookclub | Linktree   It is called Stars and Stripes.  I am stitching it on 28 count white Quaker which was in my stash.  I am using DMC floss in 321 and 3712 the called for reds.  The blues I am using DMC flower thread in 2826 and 2800. I was unsure about mixing the 6 strand floss with the flower thread but they look great.  I wish I had the red in flower thread. 

So that is what I work on at the moment. Happy Stitching!

 

Finishes 3, Lost Finishes 1

The Praying Hands bookmark was a free Artecy design that I had started a decade ago.  I put it down long ago and picked it up in April of this year.  I found I had made a mistake and went to start over but couldn't find the pattern.  I went to Artecy's website (http://www.artecy.com/) and purchased it because it was no longer free. In April I restarted the bookmark with the called for DMC floss on 28 count mushroom lugana.  I finished stitching it on May 24th 2023.  I need to finish the edges with a rose gold "metallic yarn" which I bought at Amazon (Amazon.com: Garbo Metallic Embroidery Thread, Rose Gold #55, 3050 Yard Spool). I am going to give it to my husband for his birthday in September.  It is meant for his Bible.

So the photo above does not show a completed design but there is a story behind it.  This is Pinker 'n Punkin "Ophelia Manor on Punkin Holler Lane". It is a free design here: Pinker n Punkin Quilting & Stitching: Ophelia Manor of Punkin Holler Lane- Companion piece to Willowisp Manor of Holler Lane- A Fall Freebie .

I started this darling project on Wednesday March 1, 2023 at 9:45a.m. on 28 count Dirty Cashel linen with the called for DMC floss.  I finished stitching it on Friday April 7th at 9:37p.m.  I rolled it up into a cylinder to reverse the curl in the fabric. The next day I began reorganizing my WIPs.  The last time I saw the cylinder it was on my love seat.  I have no idea what I did with it next and today it is still MIA!  Ugh!!! I had not photographed the finished project yet, hence the "in process" photo.

The most recent finish is Pinker 'n Punkin "Mollie William's Homestead" pictured above. Darling, darling, darling. On Thursday May 25th, 2023 I started this project on Zweigart 28count lugana in the color New Khaki.  I finished this project Wednesday July 19th at 2:50p.m. I do intend to finish this into a stand up. The link to this free design: Pinker n Punkin Quilting & Stitching: Mollie William's Homestead- A House Freebie

So that is a short, but truthful story of my finishes and I hope that all of your stitching is enjoyable and prolific.  

 

New free cross stitch link

 Free Pattern - Thomas Subandriyo Cross Stitch (thomashappycrossstitch.com)

Lovely large patterns free from Thomas Subandriyo Cross Stitch. Take care as not all the designs are free and may change from time to time.

BraceletBook has been added to the Free Design Sites

Patterns | BraceletBook

The BraceletBook has been added to the list of the Free Design sites.  It features small designs for friendship bracelets but these could be used in many different ways.  There are also small rectangular designs which would be fabulous scissor fobs.  Lots of browsing awaits you at the BraceletBook.

 

Yarnspirations has lots of free designs!

 

Free Embroidery Patterns | Yarnspirations

Yarnspirations has been added to my Free Design sites list.  It houses over 200 free designs for download from Anchor and Coates and Clark.  There are several different forms of needlework projects offered.  

Magical Quilts Blog joins my Freebie List!

 

Magical Quilts and More

I have added the blog Magical Quilts to the free links on the left hand side of the blog.  I stumbled on to it from Pinterest.  It hasn't been updated May of 2021 due to health issues of the author but there are lot of posts to explore.  There are Friday freebies which are creations of the author. There are also yearly stitch alongs which are fun.

 

The image below is an example of a year long SAL where each month an increment of the design is published.

I really enjoyed pawing around the blog.  There is so much to look at and explore.  I pray that this author's health returns so she will be able to share her delightful love of our shared passion again.

Stitching Blessings Friends.

Green finishes and a red start!

 I now have 3 Shamrock finishes from the 1998 Curtis Boehringer mini chart 3 For $2.  The first finish was "March". 

The second was Shamabet! 

The silk floss is white Silks For You and the fabric is 28-count hand dyed Cashel in the color "Lagoon".

The 3rd and last design in the mini leaflet is Shamwreath.

The fabric is called "Surf" from the now defunct "Dye Is Cast" is the company.  I used DMC Flower Thread in 2501 and 2503.  The flower thread is no longer available but I love stitching with it.  I started this on February 2nd and finished it on February 15th.

These 3 finishes have yet to be fully finished but I am delighted with them.  I have just started on the 2023 free design from Pineberry Lane, "V is for Valentine".  It is pictured below.

The chart can be found here: https://www.pineberrylane.com   I am stitching it on 28 count cashel linen in the color toasted almond.  I am using the Gentle Arts floss in "Schoolhouse Red".

Happy Stitching my lovelies!

Shamrock growing & Something Blue showing †

I have been stitching on Curtis Boehringer's 3 for $2 Shamrock Sampler. The fabric is a hand dyed 28 count cashel linen in the color Lagoon.  I don't know what company but I had purchased it years ago at Stitches 'n Things.  I am using white Silks 4 You silk floss.  The green dotted Swiss cotton fabric you see behind it is a lovely cotton quilting fabric that I purchased at 1-2-3 Stitch!  I am going to use it for one of my Irish designs I am stitching. I have stitched 2 of the lobes of the shamrock and I am working on the 3rd.  I love this and intend to stitch the 3rd design in this little leaflet also.

I did receive my fabric and floss for my intended start Rosewood Manor's Something Blue. The fabric is Picture This Plus 28 count cashel linen.  The color is called Alchemy.  It is so beautiful!  Also received is the 15 skeins of Weeks Dyed Works in the color Parchment.  Looking forward to starting that.

I hadn't been feeling well the past several days.  I believe this crazy back and forth weather is killing my sinuses.  I have been reading the Left Behind series again for the I don't know how many times now.  The events in the world are so dark and I need to focus on God more closely.  I also listen to the Bible in a Year podcasts from Father Mike Schmidt produced by Ascension. I love Father Mike and have learned SO much from him.  I need to keep God close in these troubling times, we all do.  So for this moment I will sign off with God Bless you my dear friends.

 

A Shamrock Sampler & Supplies For A Wanna Start

 

I started a new Curtis Boehringer St. Patrick's Day design from the small leaflet which also housed my March finish.  This design is the alphabet which are stitched into the shape of a shamrock.  I am stitching it on a 28-count hand dyed Cashel in the color "Lagoon".  I love the color which is a lovely "bluey" green with a bit of brown swirled in. It has been in my fabric stash for years. The floss I chose is Silks 4 You in white.  Haven't got much done but will be stitching thru the Bills/Bengals game.  I want to see who my beloved CHIEFS will play.

So, I pulled out this gorgeous Rosewood Manor design called "Something Blue" which was in my Lifetime Stitching Box.  It has been on my stitching mind for a few months.  Well, I broke down and ordered the Picture This Plus "Alchemy" fabric in 28 count Cashel. 123 Stitch did not have it in Lugana.  I also ordered the 15 skeins of Weeks Dyed Works "Parchment" cotton floss that it calls for.  The photo on the leaflet is gorgeous and we all know that these photos never do the actual piece justice, so I am stoked.  Oh, I used Christmas money I received to pay for it. 

Tomorrow, I plan on washing up and pressing the March design I just finished.  I like to do those kind of things when hubby is at work.  Have lovely stitching moments this week my stitching friends.

♣ A wee Irish finish!

I finished a little design that was in my Lifetime Stitching Box.  It is an old Curtis Boehringer design from 1998.  You got 3 small designs for $2.00. I want to stitch all 3.  This is called "March" and it is 50x50.  It is stitched on 28count white cashel linen that was in my fabby stash.  I used an Olde Willow Stitchery floss in Frankenstein and a DMC Flower Thread in 2907.  I started it January 15, 2023 and finished it at noon today, January 21, 2023.

I would like to finish it into a small cushion using the fabric you see behind in a green/tan check cotton for the back.  

Snowflower Lace seems to be sitting in the background as I am scratching my Irish itch.

 

My Lifetime Stitch Box

I have so much stash after 37 years of stitching and stashing.  As much pleasure as it has brought me it is paralyzing and ridiculous. How in the heckydoodle can I have nothing to stitch?  Or worse how can I not decide what to stitch with thousands and thousands of dollars in stash?  

I have gone thru what I have upstairs in my happy room and pulled out things that I definitely want to stitch. I have put them in a shoe box.  I have enough in this shoe box to last me a lifetime of stitching.  The rest is going down in the basement.

There are no rules for what can and cannot be put in the box.  I have kits, free designs, magazines and of course charts in the box.  I can take out or add anything I want.  I laughed because as I was sorting it all out to take these pictures, I was wondering why I put several designs in there.  It's madness, it's insanity, it's ridiculousness.  I think of all the money I have spent and I shudder.

I just want to stitch like I did when I first started.  I stayed up way past my bedtime working on a project.  I would go to work dragging because I stayed up thinking "just one more stitch".  I was so passionate about stitching.  I still am however it is more in my head then actually doing it.

Perhaps that is the key. As long as I am thinking about stitching, I really am enjoying thinking about it. I suppose I am looking for the end all answer and I am not sure there is one.  Happy stitching my dears!

 

My very own bead bed

For Christmas I received a gift from my sister that was a presented in this nice wooden box.  My sister paints and some of her paints had occupied this box at one time.  Loved the gift and loved the box.  

I hit upon the idea of making THE ideal bead bed.  I cut out a piece of card stock the size of the inside of the box.  I used double stick tape around the edges and cut a piece of black velvet and secured it with the tape on the back side.  I pushed it into the inside of the box and it fit perfectly. I hot glued a quilter's clip to the inside lid and a needle minder sissy had given me.  

I can put a note with which design the beads belong to, as this one is Snowflower Lace.  On the needle minder I have several beading needles for quick retrieval.  The results are perfection.  The beads are easier to pick up on the velvet and I have everything at my beading pleasure finger tips.  

How I love my homemade tools! Happiness is indeed homemade.

 

Stash buyer's regret!

 

Have you ever bought a chart and when you got home and really looked at it in finer detail you discover you don't like it as much and you won't ever stitch it?

Lavender and Lace design "Michael" from 2010 is one such purchase.  I love Michael the Archangel, however I think Marilyn could definitely done a better job of designing him proportionally. His hands are too small, his head tilts at an awkward angle and his wings just don't look right.  I love the garment with the rich blue and the necklace, but I am disappointed to say the least.  It is quite rare to see males represented in cross stitch designs.  I truly wonder why this design seems not to be up to Marilyn Leavitt-Imblum's usual wonderful standards. I regret this purchase.  

Pay and Free Stitch-A-Longs for 2023

 Big List of Cross Stitch SALs to Join in 2023 - Stitching the Night Away

Huge list of 2023 Stitch A Longs can be found on the Stitching the Night Away website.  These include those that are free and those that entail payment.  Also there are some lovely SAL tips.  Follow the above link to browse the list.

A Wee Bit 'O Stitchin'!

 

Band 2 of Snowflower Lace is complete.  The color is a bit washed out in this photo.  The top and bottom stitched rows in blue are the Chinese Stitch.  The center row is Interlaced Crosses (pinks) and Satin Stitch (green).  I was a bit confused at first with the Chinese Stitch but I caught on after a few of them.  

I did not work on this yesterday (January 3rd) as I did a lot of dishes and I baked some banana bread.  I want to make some Sugar Cookies today.  I made some lovely hamburger stroganoff and have lots of yummy leftovers of it.  I am going to take a mini banana bread to Mom this afternoon along with a bit of the stroganoff.  I think she will enjoy it. I am off for now. Happy New Year!

A New Year Begins!

 

It's a perfect quote from the Bible for the New Year 2023.  I have been working on, for several years, perfecting my mind to embrace only the good of people and the world.  I am not perfect at it yet, but I am improving.  This is a year that I want to stitch every single day, even if it is just one stitch.  I would like to update my blog on a daily basis, but alas I think that is hopeless.  But I will give it a go.

The above image is a 1996 class project from Just Nan called Snowflower Lace.  I have the kit.  I attended the class at the now defunct Just Needlin' shop.  It has been in my stash for the past 26 years.  I laugh heartily at that ludicrous amount of time.  I did start it maybe 2 weeks ago and have failed to work on it daily.  It is a stunning piece as you can see. Here is my progress to this moment.

I am stitching it on 28 count Lugana in the color "wheat" which is similar to DMC 3782.  It is darker then the mushroom lugana that I love. I chose it because it warms the pink and blue tones which I prefer.  The grey fabric called for is lovely but it is cooler.  

So far I am quite enjoying this piece although the Chinese Stitch gave me fits which is amusing as it isn't difficult at all.

My next post I will share with you what my basket of lifetime stitching is all about and what I am doing with the rest of my stash.  Stitch blessings until then.