Sunday, October 27, 2019

Flosstube #8 Show Notes

After a nearly five and half month hiatus, I'm back with a new Flosstube video! You can either watch it here or over on my YouTube channel. Regardless of where you watch it, I would appreciate if you took a few seconds to give me a thumbs up on the video and subscribe to my channel if you haven't already. Thanks!



Flosstube #8 Show Notes

Finishes 

  • Partridge in a Pear Tree - Prairie Schooler (May 21) - 32 ct Platinum Lugana (Zweigart)
  • Glitter House 4 - Country Cottage Needleworks (May 22) - 32 ct Opalescent Raw/Silver linen
  • Glitter House 5 - Country Cottage Needleworks (May 24)
  • Glitter House 6 - Country Cottage Needleworks (October 23)
  • Penelope’s Posies - Lindy Stitches (May 25) - Kit (32 ct linen)
  • Autumn Keeper Pinkeep - Barbara Ana (May 25) - 40 ct Doubloon PTP 
  • Thanksgiving Harvest Fairy - Mirabilia (May 27) - Kit (32 ct Natural linen)
  • Mid Century Gardens Pt 2 - Hands On Design (May 30) - 32 ct Winter Moon linen (Zweigart)
  • Strawberry Time - Barbara Ana Designs (June 3) - 28 ct Antique White Jobelan (Wichelt)
  • Fall Fling Exchange Piece (September 29) - 16 ct Wren Aida PTP
  • Favorite Brew - Hands On Design (October 2) - 32 ct Winter Wishes (Fabrics by Stephanie)

WIPs 

Haul

Links

Links to Flosstubers/IG Stitchers Mentioned


Sunday, October 20, 2019

Stitching Update for Week 42 2019

Wow, this week seemed to fly by so quickly! It feels like it's only been a couple of days since I wrote my last weekly update. Thankfully, even though the week has felt very short, I have some fun stitching progress to share with you.

Before I get to that though, is anyone else suffering from major retreat envy right now? If you're on Instagram, I'm sure your feed and stories, like mine, were filled with tons of retreat photos and shenanigans over the past few days. I'm not sure exactly how many retreats took place this weekend, but I personally had friends at FOUR different retreats. There was the Stitch West retreat in Farmington, Utah, the Midwest Stitcher's Retreat in Amana, Iowa, the Michigan Stitchers Retreat in Lansing, Michigan, and StitchFest in Herndon, Virginia. The only saving grace for me was the knowledge I'll be attending a retreat in a couple of weeks. I can't wait!

Now, back to my stitching update for the past week. I actually managed to squeeze in two finishes. The first was actually both a new start and a finish. I stitched one of the Year in Chalk monthly designs from Cathy Habermann of Hands on Design. It was a very quick stitch, so it only took me a couple of nights. This is my 18th finish of the year.

Design: Year in Chalk October
Designer: Hands On Design
Fabric: 30 ct Gunmetal (Weeks Dye Works)
Fibers: Recommended GAST
Started: 14 October 2019
Completed: 16 October 2019

The second finish I had this week is Home of a Needleworker Squared by Little House Needleworks. This was a market release back in March at Nashville which included both the chart and fibers. I didn't use the recommended fabric though. I stitched mine on 32 ct Summer Khaki linen from Zweigart. This is my 19th finish for the year.

Design: Home of a Needleworker Squared
Designer: Little House Needleworks
Fabric: 32 ct Summer Khaki linen (Zweigart)
Fibers: Included Classic Colorworks
Started: 8 May 2019
Completed: 19 October 2019

I started this piece during Stitch Maynia in May. Since I've now finished it, this will open up a spot for a new start during my 2020 Stitch Maynia. I use a version of the BlimeyCat method for Stitch Maynia which means rather than doing all new starts, I work on any existing Maynia WIPs and then fill in the other days with new starts. When I finish a Maynia WIP, that will then open a spot for a new start the next time Maynia rolls around. As it stands right now, I'll be able to have nine new starts for Maynia 2020, but I think I should be able to finish at least three more of my existing Maynia WIPs between now and then which would mean at least 12 new starts.

Speaking of WIPs, I was able to work on my Deck the Halls Mystery SAL from Caterpillar Cross Stitch again. Part 4 of the SAL was released in the wee hours UK time on Friday (Oct. 18) which meant I actually had it in time for Thursday night stitching time here in California.


This was another really quick stitch, so between Thursday night and Friday night stitching time, I was able to complete Part 4. We only have two more parts remaining, so this piece should become a finish in mid-November. I'm stitching it on 32 ct Vintage Stormy Night Lugana from Zweigart using the recommended DMC.

My final update for the past week is a combination new start/WIP. I'm stitching the Glitter Village series from Country Cottage Needleworks. Here's my start on Glitter House #6.


Instead of stitching them as individual pieces, I'm stitching all of them on a single piece of fabric. So, I've been counting each house as a new start/finish because they're all individual charts, but also kind of consider it one big WIP since they're all going on a single piece of fabric. Clear as mud? LOL I'm stitching it on the recommended fabric using the recommended fibers. Only three more to go after this one!

Thursday, October 17, 2019

A Second Dark October Finish

I'm back today with my second finish for Dark October. It's also my 18th finish of the year.

Design: Year in Chalk October
Designer: Hands On Design
Fabric: 30 ct Gunmetal (WDW)
Fibers: Recommended GAST
Started: 14 October 2019
Completed: 16 October 2019

This design is part of the Year in Chalk series released by Cathy Habermann of Hands on Design back in 2015. I purchased all twelve of them at the time they were released, but only got around to stitching the January and February designs at the time. I decided it was about time to pull them out and start stitching the rest of the series.

I purchased all the designs fully kitted from Drema at Needlecraft Corner. She's definitely one of my "go to" shops for stitching supplies. She has a brick and mortar store outside Baltimore, but offers fantastic mail order service as well. One of the things I love most is how she puts together discounted packages for new releases (unless requested not to do so by the designer). It saves me so much time vs. having to try and source fabric and fiber once I've decided on a chart. She also offers auto-ship programs for chart series such as the Chalk Full series from Hands on Design or the new Snow Village series from Country Cottage Needleworks. For Aida fans, she often offers some of the packages with an Aida option, too! I'm not affiliated in any way with her shop other than as a long-time very happy customer.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Stitching Update for Week 41 2019

Happy Monday, everyone! I'm back today with my stitching recap for Oct. 7-13, 2019 (Week 41).

I spent all of my stitching day last week trying to get caught up with the Deck the Halls Mystery SAL (Stitch-a-Long) from Caterpillar Cross Stitch. As I mentioned in a previous post, I didn't join the SAL until the last day of part 2, so I had a LOT of catching up to do.

Here was my progress at the start of last week (Oct 7).


I'm happy to report, as of last night, I'm completely caught up with the SAL! The next installment won't be released until Friday (Oct 18), so I have a few days to stitch on other projects until then.

Here's my completed parts 1-3 as of last night (Oct 13):


I'm stitching this SAL with the recommended DMC fibers. The fabric I'm using is 32 ct Vintage Stormy Night Lugana from Zweigart.

I'm really loving this design so far. I love the bright colors and the funky/retro feel of the design. Another thing I really like about it is the mix of the traditional red and green colors with the non-traditional pink and teal colors.

I hope you all had some good stitching time last week as well!

Monday, October 7, 2019

24 Hours of Cross Stitch Recap - October 2019

If you're part of the cross stitching online community, you probably knew there was another round of the 24 Hours of Cross Stitch (24HOCS) marathon challenge taking place. If you aren't familiar with it, I'll share a brief history of how it all began at the end of this post.

The piece I decided to focus on during the weekend marathon was the Deck the Halls Mystery SAL (stitch-a-long) from Caterpillar Cross Stitch (CCS). This SAL started in early September, but I had completely missed it somehow. I only learned about it on October 1 after starting to notice all the cute WIPs people were posting on Instagram of it. I purchased the chart on October 2 and started stitching on it October 3.

CCS does offer kits for this SAL, but since I was already so far behind and they're based in the UK, I opted to just purchase the PDF of the chart and kit it from my stash. Thankfully, I had a piece of 32 count Vintage Stormy Night Lugana that worked perfectly for it since the kit comes with a light gray fabric. The fibers are all just DMC.

Here was my starting point on Friday for the 24HOCS.


Going into the weekend, I set a personal goal to try and stitch at least 18 hours. Sadly, I didn't come anywhere close to that. I got completely sidetracked moving my blog to this new home on Saturday and ended up not putting in a single stitch that day. By the time everything was said and done, I only stitched for about 7-8 hours during the marathon window. Here was my finishing point for this round of 24HOCS.


As I mentioned, this is a mystery stitch-a-long. Only the first three of the six parts have been released thus far, so we still don't know exactly how the finished project will look. Based on the first three parts though, I'm sure I'll love it. The fun retro vibe and colors are right up my alley! Here's a model of what the first three parts will look like when they're all stitched. (Photo credit: Caterpillar Cross Stitch Instagram account)


If you would like the purchase the kit or chart, you can find it here: Deck the Halls Mystery SAL. I have no affiliation with CCS other than as a happy customer.

Brief History of the 24 Hours of Cross Stitch challenge

The idea was originally hatched by Jen of Quirks & Stitches and her mother. They decided to binge watch the first season of the show 24 non-stop and stitch while they were watching. Jen's followers on Instagram were so inthralled by the concept, the official 24 Hours of Cross Stitch event and Facebook group were born. During the first couple of rounds, the event was only 24 hours and the goal was to stitch as many of those hours as possible.

By the time round two of the challenge came around, Lynda Jo of Pretty Southern came up with the whole #teamsleep notion. I was definitely on-board with that idea, so instead of stitching the entire 24 hours, I took a break for about 6-7 hours and got some sleep. Eventually Jen decided to modify the challenge to take place over a 48 hour period with the goal of stitching 24 hours within that 48 hour window. Even with the new format, I've still never been able to complete a full 24 hours. The closest I've ever come is 19 hours.

Saturday, October 5, 2019

Catching Up on 2019 Finishes

Since I was MIA for a bit as I was dealing with health issues over the summer, I didn't get around to posting quite a few of my finishes for this year on my blog. Now that I'm back to blogging again, I thought this would be a good time to catch everyone up on what I worked on over the summer. Here they all are listed in chronological order of when I finished each piece.

Partridge in a Pear Tree - The Prairie Schooler

Design: Partridge in a Pear Tree (from the 12 Days of Christmas)
Designer: The Prairie Schooler
Fabric: 32 count Platinum Lugana
Fibers: Recommended DMC
Started: 10 May 2019
Completed: 21 May 2019

Glitter House 4 - Country Cottage Needleworks

Design: Glitter House 4 (from the Glitter Village series)
Designer: Country Cottage Needleworks
Fabric: 32 count Opalescent Raw/Silver Linen
Fibers: Recommended Classic Colorworks
Started: 13 April 2019
Completed: 22 May 2019

Glitter House 5 - Country Cottage Needleworks

Design: Glitter House 5 (from the Glitter Village series)
Designer: Country Cottage Needleworks
Fabric: 32 count Opalescent Raw/Silver Linen
Fibers: Recommended Classic Colorworks
Started: 1 May 2019 
Completed: 24 May 2019

Penelope's Posies - Lindy Stitches

Design: Penelope’s Posies
Designer: Lindy Stitches
Fabric: 32 count white evenweave
Fibers: Recommended DMC
Started: 18 May 2019
Completed: 25 May 2019

Autumn Keeper Pinkeep - Barbara Ana Designs

Design: Autumn Keeper Pinkeep
Designer: Barbara Ana Designs
Fabric: 40 count Doubloon linen (PTP)
Fibers: Recommended DMC
Started: 29 March 2019
Completed: 25 May 2019

Thanksgiving Harvest Fairy - Mirabilia

Design: Thanksgiving Harvest Fairy (limited edition kit)
Designer: Mirabilia Fabric: 32 ct Natural Linen (Zweigart)
Fibers: Crescent Colors (included in kit)
Started: 29 October 2016
Completed: 27 May 2019

Mid Century Gardens Part 2 - Hands On Design

Design: Mid Century Gardens Part 2
Designer: Hands On Design Fabric: 32 ct Winter Moon Linen (Zweigart)
Fibers: Recommended WDW
Started: 17 May 2019
Completed: 31 May 2019

Strawberry Time - Barbara Ana Designs

Design: Strawberry Time
(from the Summer 2019 issue of Punch Needle and Primitive Stitcher Magazine)
Designer: Barbara Ana Designs
Fabric: 28 ct Antique White Jobelan (Wichelt)
Fibers: Recommended DMC
Started: 1 June 2019
Completed: 3 June 2019

That wraps up finishes 8-15 for the year for me. I can't share finish 16 until after the Fall Fling retreat hosted by Acorns & Threads. It's my piece for the ornament exchange taking place at the retreat. This year's Fall Fling retreat is sold out already, but if you would like more information about it, you can find it on the Classes and Events page on their website.

Thursday, October 3, 2019

A Dark October Finish

We’re only three days into Dark October Stitching and I already have a finish. Woo hoo! Admittedly, it’s a pretty small piece, but a finish is a finish, right? I started this piece on Tuesday (1 Oct) and finished it yesterday (2 Oct). It’s my 17th finish of 2019 so far.

Design: Favorite Brew 
Designer: Hands On Design 
Fabric: 32 ct Winter Wishes (Fabrics by Stephanie) 
Fibers: Recommended Classic Colorworks & Kreinik 
Started: 1 October 2019 
Completed: 2 October 2019

This is the adorable freebie from Hands On Design called Favorite Brew. It was released as a free chart at the Nashville market earlier this year and coordinates with Cathy’s Scary Apothecary series since it uses the same colors of floss and Kreinik braids.
If you would like a copy of this free design, you can download it from this post over on Cathy’s blog. If you haven’t seen this design before, here’s how it will look when it’s fully finished. 

I actually purchased a kit for this design from Drema at Needlecraft Corner. If you’ve never checked out her Special Kits, they’re great! This particular kit is $21.95 and includes the free chart, a piece of Winter Wishes 32 ct linen from Fabrics by Stephanie, all the fibers, the rick rack and pom pom for the finishing, and the set of Pin Minis from Just Another Button Company.
I’m sure some of you think it’s silly to buy a kit for a free chart, but I’m going to make a strong case for it, I think. If you kit this up yourself as charted, here’s everything you would need:
  • Fat Quarter cut of linen (the smallest cut Stephanie sells) – $26
  • Six full skeins of Classic Colorworks floss – $15 (six at $2.50 each)
  • Two spools of Kreink braid – $6.50 (two at $3.25 each)
  • Three yards of rick rack from Lady Dot Creates (her minimum cut) – $6
  • A green pom pom (not sure of the source for this)
  • The set of Pin Minis from JABCO – $12
That comes to $65.50, not including the green pom pom. As you can see, getting the kit was definitely the easiest and most economical way to stitch this cute design.

Tuesday, October 1, 2019

Dark October Stitching Plans

Sorry for disappearing for a few months. The week after my last Flosstube video back in May, I was diagnosed with a nasty case of shingles and spent a few weeks dealing with that. No sooner than I got over shingles, I came down with strep throat the week of July 4th. Needless to say, I had a very rough start to summer. LOL
I was able to finish Stitch Maynia, but I pretty much lost all my stitching steam after that. I think it was a combination of just not feeling well along with a bit of being burned out on stitching with all the insanity of Stitch Maynia. I have done a little bit of stitching in the interim, but not much. Thankfully, the stitching bug bit me again a couple of weeks ago, so I thought I would dust off my blog and share my plans for Dark October.
I currently only have one Halloween/Dark-themed WIP. It’s pretty close to being a finish, but I just haven’t been motivated to stitch on it. I’ve pulled it out and definitely plan to work on it during Dark October. It’s Halloween Fairy (a.k.a. Treat or Treat Fairy) by Nora Corbett from the September 2008 issue of the now defunct Cross Stitch & Needlework magazine. Here’s my current progress on it.

Since I only have one Halloween WIP, I pulled out some other Halloween/Dark-themed projects I have fully kitted already. I’m not sure how many of them I’ll actually start because I really don’t want to add too much to my WIP list (currently at 13 projects), but these are the possible contenders for more Dark October Stitching.

Spooked by Lizzie*Kate

The Raven Queen by Mirabilia

Scary Apothecary series by Hands On Design

Last Stitch Cemetery by Hinzeit

I definitely don’t plan to start the entire Scary Apothecary series if I end up using that one. In fact, I’ll probably start the coordinating Favorite Brew freebie instead which can be found here. I figure that will give me the potential opportunity for a nice quick start and finish within Dark October.

Those are my tentative plans for Dark October. Will you be participating and doing any Dark October Stitching? If so, what are your plans? Let me know in the comments.