October Roundup and November Goals

I wanted to Drop a line on Progress from my October Goals and layout my goals for November.
At the beginning of the month I planned to:

October 2016 Monthly Goals:

1. No craft stash shopping - SUCCESS
2. Blog once per week - FAIL - I should have known as I went to Las Vegas for Vacation from the 21-26.
3. Finish a dish rag a week - SUCCESS - See Below
4. Complete Pretty Little Italy - SUCCESS
5. Finish Purple Zig Zag Quilt top - FAIL - I decided it was more important to get my cross stitch pumpkin done. (see Below)
6. Start ornaments for the holidays. - SUCCESS - but I forgot Pictures :(

Dish Rags:

I am now up to 8 for the year but I have not even begun to make a dent in my dishrag yarn. I have decided that this will be a goal of my upcoming year. I think I may make it a yardage goal but more to come.

Cross-Eyed Cricket Patterned Pumpkin:

I used the called for DMC and a lighter 28ct which all came from my stash. Evenweave than the model on the chart and the one in my LNS. It was a delightful stitch and went much faster than I thought it would.

I was also able to take 3 quilts to the longarmers and 3 pieces to my LNS to get framed (they were having one of their twice yearly sales).

As for November, here is what I have on tap:

November 2016 Monthly Goals:

1. No Stash or Fabric Shopping
2. Blog once per Week
3. Finish 4 more dishrags
4. Complete 4 ornaments
5. Bind quilts for Niece and Nephew.

Hopefully not too stretching.

Happy Stitching everyone!!!!!

July Goals

I figured I should check in on my May Goals (yes..A month Late) before I lay out my July Goals. So away we go:

May Goals Check in:
1.) Complete Winter Mandala: DONE
2.) Complete Binding on Patriotic Table Runner: DONE (my MIL loved the table runner as it was a gift for her birthday. I forgot to get a picture so I will have to have her send me one)
3.) Complete Christmas Table Runner Top and Quilt it: Top done but Not Quilted together so HALF DONE
4.) Complete Geometric Placemats: Didn't even touch them in 2 months (yikes!)
5.) Complete 10 inches of the seed stitch wrap: DONE (it now measures 15" and 10" of it was finished by 5/28)
6.) Work on Another WIP - Worked on Dream Catcher: DONE
7.) Stich from my Stash - May: DONE and June: Not even close

Since I will be back in my home for the bulk of July, I have decided to set some daunting goals for July.

July Goals:
1.) Complete Christmas Table Runner
2.) Complete geometric Placemats
3.) Knit 10" more on Seed Stitch Wrap
4.) Finish Dream Catcher
5.) Complete Stitching on Lady and the Flag - my MIL wants to do the beading on her
6.) Blog at least once a week.
7.) Stich from my Stash - Spend nothing
8.) Start on a new baby blanket - Already assigned to a future little man.

Happy Stitching Everyone!

Finally some progress pics with a little stash addition!

So I finally remembered to take a few progress pics from the projects I have been working on. First up is the wrap that I am making for my grandmother. I am using the colors below to make it. They are Cascade yarns - merino wool and silk blend.

I have made it through one and a third of the stripes. My progress can be seen below:

I also took a picture of the Dreamcatcher:

The picture is really dark but I am well past the halfway point. I have finished the 2 dreamcatchers in the upper corners and am working on the center motif and border down the sides. My goal for completion on this one is end of July.

Happy stitching everyone!

Long time no Blogging :( and some traveling stash addition!

It seems that as the weather has gotten better my life has gotten infinitely more busy! It has been 3 weeks (less 1 day) since I last blogged. Part of that has to do with a planned vacation to Gatlinburg, TN which was delightful. The other 3 unexpected trips for work not so much. I am going to split my updates into a few days until I get my self back on track.

My dear husband, parents, and myself went to TN for 5 days. I had never been there and it was beautiful. I loved being in the wilderness where our lodge was located. Weather wise it was very humid and warm so a storm would pop up now and then. Prior to our trip I did some research on the local arts and crafts scene which was plentiful. I had my trusty list of stores to shop at to see if some random stash addition was possible. In case those of you reading are unaware, Gatlinburg has one of the largest arts and crafts communities in the 48 continuous United States. I was hoping they sold supplies as well as finished items. (I decided halfway through the trip that this month 5/28-6/28 will be my free month on Stitch from my stash).

My first stop was Smokey Mountain Spinnery. We stopped there first thing as their hours were until 5 pm on Thursday and the store was close to our lodge. The ladies there were very helpful and I made sure to keep my purchases to something that I couldn't find in the LYS's near my home.

RSA - Smokey Mountain Spinnery

The 2 balls on the right are Saki Silk by Wisdom Yarn in Big Volcano and Hidden Lagoon. The one on the left is from a local yarn (fiber and spinner) in Knoxville, TN. The color way is "Johnny Jump Ups" and the company is called Tale Spun Yarns.

The second stop in the crafting part of the Journey was The Needlework Cottage. We stopped there on the way to Cades Cove. It had supplies for a variety of different needle crafts. I picked up the following:

I had been looking for some patriotic ones to eventually make into gifts. The last one of the United State was something my husband was adamant about me picking up. I have learned in our 7 years of marriage to not fight him when he picks something for me to work on. This was also a local chart which has distribution out of the Needlecraft Cottage.

As we made the drive back through downtown Gatlinburg, my mom saw a sign for a needlework store in the Mall area. We decided to stop there before dinner that night. The little store is called Crossthreads Needlework. They were a store just starting out but had a nice variety of patterns as well as a great selection of over dyed floss. I picked up a few patterns there too:

I always seem to pick up celtic patterns wherever I go. I have also been looking for the Lizzie and Kate ABC's for awhile.

I have decided that I am going to split this post up so it's not too picture heavy. I hope you all have had a wonderful few weeks! I look forward to catching up on all the progress. Happy Stitching everyone! 

back from my hiatus with a finish! (Turtle Trot and WIPocalypse)

So I took an unintended hiatus from my blog to get my life organized, take a trip for work and spend quality time with my dear husband.  I also took some time to stitch, which is always a good thing.

As a matter a Fact, I finished the Winter Mandala and took all 4 to get framed.

Winter Mandala - Ink Circles
Called for DMC - 2 over 1
16ct. White AIDA

Winter Mandala - Ink Circles
Called for DMC - 2 over 1
16ct. White AIDA

I also took a picture of them all completed together on the Framer's table. It gave me a great sense of accomplishment to call them done.

4 seasons mandalas - Ink Circles
Called for DMC
16ct. White AIDA

This also knocked one more off of my Combined WIPocalypse and Turtletrot list. All in all it was a productive few weeks. Hopefully, I will have some more to show including a table runner or 2 and some curtains.

Happy stitching everyone!

IHSW checkin and 2 Happy Dances!

Last weekend was International Hermitting and Stitching Weekend and I managed to get some stitching done in a variety of forms! (if you want info on IHSW, check out the button on the right hand side).

First, I completed a small Cross Stitch project called "Thanks Clip" By Cherry Wood Design Studios that I picked up at my LNS sometime last year. I didn't have the Weeks Dye Works fabric in Guacamole so I used a Piece of 30ct. WDW in Cappucino instead. I think it looks good with that color as well. It was a Kit that came with Dinky Dyes Silk floss. It was my first time using the silk and I loved it!

Here is a picture of the overall design so that you can see the finishing with the provided clip includes the word Thanks.

Second, I also did some stitching work on the Dream Catcher Lap Blanket. This was a stamped lap blanket kit that my dear MIL bought me to make for my FIL. Unfortunately, I was punching holes in my fingers trying to use the kit as it. So on Saturday morning, I began putting a grid on the paper pattern that came in the kit so that I could transfer the design to a large piece of 14ct. Cream AIDA that I have in my stash. I was bale to put about 200 stitches into the Project over the rest of the weekend so all was not lost. When I make some more progress, I will post some pictures on here. I will say the transfer to AIDA has my hands thanking me. :)

Finally, I was able to finish a Quilt Project this weekend (Finally).

The table runner for my mom is about 54" long with 4 panels running down the center that have black sashing vertically between them and wine cork and purple square borders horizontally above and below them. I can actually say, I am really happy how this one came out. The binding was worrying me but I chose black and machine binded it so that she can wash it in her washing machine. I did some straight-line quilting along the sashing. Hopefully she likes it.

I also finally made Sidney the penguin into a pillow for the spare room bed for now. He may make it into my room before you know it.

I used some spare Batik Fat quarters and a spare 12" pillow form I had lying around. All from my stash :)

This week I am hoping to make some headway on the Baby Blanket that is due in the next month because there are 2 more coming in the next 2 months.

Happy Stitching everyone!