Friday, March 27, 2020

Finishes & Conversions

Sorry for being missing from my blog for a while. This whole COVID-19 virus situation seems to have turned normal routines upside down for people worldwide, including myself.  I did post a new FlossTube video last weekend. It's pretty much a full hour of nothing but haul. I showed off a bunch of new pieces of fabric I got from Brandy at BeStitchMe along with my haul from the recent Nashville market. If you haven't watched it yet, head over to my YouTube channel to check it out.

I've also had a few recent finishes. I thought I would share those now along with the color conversions I did on each of them.

February 29 - Dorothy's Red Shoes by The Little Stitcher


This is a free design which can be found on Laura's blog. I stitched this piece on 22 ct Toast Aida from BeStitchMe. I used most of the called for colors, but did switch out the called for DMC 355 for DMC 321 which is a brighter red. The 355 just looked a bit too brown on my chosen fabric. 

This was my sixth finish of 20 for my Year of Smalls challenge.

March 15 - Spring Hare Etching by Heart in Hand


This adorable design from Cecilia Turner of Heart in Hand can be found in the Spring 2020 issue of Punch Needle & Primitive Stitcher magazine. I stitched it on 32 ct Platinum Lugana using Belle Soie silks from Classic Colorworks (CC) in placed of the called for CC cottons. Here's my conversion:

  • CC Sticks and Twigs - used Belle Soie Mudpie
  • CC Tennessee Red Clay - used Belle Soie Fresh Raspberries
This was my seventh finish of 20 for my Year of Smalls challenge.

March 24 - Bee Kind Scissor Fob by Vonna Pfeiffer/Fiber Talk


This adorable scissor fob designed by Vonna was released as a free design from Fiber Talk as part of the #BeWellAndStitch movement. (This movement was the brain child of Cecilia Turner of Heart in Hand. She also has a cute freebie on her website.) I stitched Vonna's design on 16 count Wren Aida from Picture This Plus using the following conversion:

  • DMC 310 - used called for
  • DMC 961 - used GAST Poppy
  • DMC 3845 - used GAST Tropical Ocean
  • DMC 801 - used GAST Sarsaparilla
  • DMC 725 - used GAST Sunflower
  • DMC 543 - used Accentuate Metallic Thread - 032 Glacier

This was my eighth finish of 20 for my Year of Smalls challenge.

March 26 - Stay Home and Stitch by Erica Michaels


This is another design released as part of the #BeWellAndStitch movement. It's one of two companion designs from Erica Michaels which can be downloaded from her website.

The original design calls for 44 ct linen and Gloriana silks. I had neither of those things in my stash. Instead, I stitched mine over one on 28 count linen using CC fibers. Here's my conversion:

  • Gloriana Old Red Barn - used Classic Colorworks (CC) Campfire
  • Gloriana Italian Gold - used CC Honeycomb
  • Gloriana Acorns - used CC Bramble Bush

This was my ninth finish of 20 for my Year of Smalls challenge.

I hope you're all staying safe during the crisis facing our world right now. Please self-isolate as much as possible and take every social distancing precaution recommended when you must go out for food or necessities.

Until next time ... be well and stitch.

Sunday, February 23, 2020

FlossTube #17 - Show Notes

Woo Hoo!!! I've reached the 3,000 subscribers milestone on YouTube and the 3,000 followers milestone on Instagram. I think this calls for a bit of a celebration, don't you?! Be sure to watch until the end of the video for all the details.

Show Notes:


Finishes:
WIPs:
  • Rose Quaker - Wiehenburg Designs (36 ct Winter Moon linen using the called for DMC)
  • Pumpkin Patch - Shannon Christine Designs (32 ct Heartland Lugana using the called for DMC)
  • Friends & Family Mystery SAL - Fox & Rabbit Designs for Linens & Threads (40 ct Mallow linen using ThreadworX cotton in Bleeding Hearts (1089))
  • Baby It's Cold Outside - Heartstring Samplery (using called for fabric and fibers)
  • Bitter Brew - Hands On Design (using called for fabric and fibers)
  • Winter Chalkboard - Cathy Habermann (using 32 ct Gunmetal linen and mostly called for fibers - using Off White (1071) Sulky 12 wt cotton in place of GAST Chalk)
  • Adjust Your Sails - Little Dove Designs (32 ct Stormy Seas using called for DMC)
Haul:
Links:
Flosstubers Mentioned:

Tuesday, February 11, 2020

Hello Spring Finish

As promised in my previous post, I'm going to try and do a better job of posting things as I finish them vs. doing a big batch of finishes all at once. Since I had a finish last night, I get to put that new goal into practice right away.

My latest finish is the new Hello Spring chart from Stitching with the Housewives. Chelsea designed it and I thought it was so cute when Priscilla posted it on her blog on Friday. If you would like to purchase this chart, they've opened a new Etsy shop to offer this design (as well as future designs) for sale.

Design: Hello Spring
Designer: Stitching with the Housewives
Fabric: 36 count Gunmetal linen (Weeks Dye Works)
Fibers: Mostly called for with substitutions listed below
Started: 9 February 2020
Finished: 10 February 2020

This finished size of this design ended up being a bit smaller than I had originally wanted. I used some Gunmetal linen from my stash that was labeled 32 count. Once I started stitching, I realized the stitches definitely seemed smaller than I would have expected so I pulled out my ruler to do a quick stitch count. As it turns out, the linen was mislabeled and was actually 36 count. Even though it turned out smaller than I had planned, it's still super cute.

I did match a few other changes from the chart.

  • I used DMC 3826 for the mug (instead of the called for Classic Colorworks 12 Grain)
  • I made my chicken a Rhode Island Red by using GAST Woodrose for the main feathers and GAST Buttercrunch for the highlights.
  • I omitted the word spring from the mug and moved the hello word down a few rows.

This was a really fun quick stitch. For a first time paid design, I thought they did a great job on the chart! The only thing I would have liked to have that wasn't there was indicators for the horizontal and vertical centers. I will add it was a color chart only, so if you prefer traditional black & white symbol charts, you might want to be aware that isn't included.

This finish qualifies as a small, so it's my fifth finish toward my goal of 20 small finishes this year for my Year of Smalls challenge with my BFF. It also earned me a $5 finishing credit for my Stitch from Stash balance.

Monday, February 10, 2020

January 2020 Finishes

I've been remiss in posting on my blog when I have finishes. I have been updating my 2020 Finishes and Stitch from Stash pages, but haven't been creating an actual post indicating I had a finish. I definitely want to try and start doing better about posting things as I finish them. With that in mind, here are the pieces I finished during the month of January.

January 3 - Two Turtle Doves by Prairie Schooler (Year of Smalls finish #1) - Stitched on 32 ct Platinum Lugana using the called for DMC. This design is from The Twelve Days of Christmas chart.



January 7 - Caroling Cardinals by Blue Ribbon Designs (Year of Smalls finish #2) - Stitched on 40 count Mallow linen (Zweigart) using the recommended DMC. This chart appears in the 2018 Just Cross Stitch ornament issue.



January 9 - Trimming the Tree by Blue Ribbon Designs (Year of Smalls finish #3) - Stitched on 40 count Mallow linen (Zweigart) using the recommended DMC. This chart appears in the 2019 Just Cross Stitch ornament issue.



January 13 - Chicken Joy by Stitching with the Housewives (Year of Smalls finish #4) - This is a freebie chart from Stitching with the Housewives and can be downloaded here from Priscilla's blog. Stitched on 28 count Midnight Lugana from Garibaldi's Needle Works using the called for fibers.



January 19 - Suffrage Act by Little House Needleworks - Stitched on 32 count Colonial Parchment linen from Fabrics by Stephanie using the called for fibers. I stitched this as part of the Suffrage SAL (#swtssuffrage) hosted by Stitching with the Sisterlies, Michelle Bendy, and 2 Martini Stitcher.



January 25 - Be Inkspired by Stitchrovia (Stitch Six finish #1) - Stitched on 32 count Limestone Lugana using mostly called for fibers. I converted a couple of the skin tones as follows:
  • Left Hand (at top of design): 436 and 433
  • Mermaid (lower right): 436, 433, 3859 (blush), 739 (highlights), and 3011 (eyes)



January 27 - Pumpkin House by Shannon Christine Designs - Stitched on 32 count Heartland Lugana by Picture This Plus using the called for fibers. This is a three chart series that I'm stitching together on a single piece of fabric.


Saturday, February 8, 2020

FlossTube #16 - Show Notes

Happy FlossTubiversary to me!! My first FlossTube video went live on February 5, 2019. I can't believe it's been a year since I finally got up the nerve to post my very first FlossTube video. Can you believe it?!! Keep watching to the end of the video because there might be a little something something up for grabs. Just sayin'...

Show Notes:

Stitch from Stash Update:

  • 7 finishes for a total credit of $53.50
  • Added $100 of birthday money
  • Spent $104.35 on purchases
  • Current balance is $49.15.
    You can view my current balance at any time on my Stitch from Stash page. It's also linked in the menu bar at the top of my blog directly below the header image.
Finishes:
  • Pumpkin House (Shannon Christine Designs)
WIPs:
  • Away We Go (Country Cottage Needleworks)
  • Jane Marshall 1857 (Hands Across the Sea Samplers)
  • Rainbow Mandala (Shannon Christine Designs)
  • Friends & Family Mystery SAL (Fox & Rabbit Designs for Linens & Threads)
  • Henna Mandala (Ink Circles)
  • Garden Party - cool colorway (Satsuma Street)
  • Bloom & Grow Mystery SAL (Caterpillar Cross Stitch) - Use my code MEL10 to save 10% on your order!
  • Rose Quaker (Wiehenburg Designs)
Upcoming SALs I'm Joining:
  • Long Dog Samplers Leap Day SAL - #longdogleapdaysal
  • Baby It's Cold SAL honoring Leanne of Lost in Floss - #babyitscoldsal

Haul:
  • Miss Scissors kit (Barbara Ana Designs exclusive to Nitka online shop in Russia)
  • 32 count Sorbet Lugana (BeStitchMe)
Links:
Flosstubers Mentioned:

Sunday, January 26, 2020

FlossTube #15 - Show Notes

I'm back again this week with FlossTube #15. I'm sharing my six finishes so far for 2020, some new starts, several WIPs, some stitch-a-longs (SALs) I've joined, and a little bit of haul.

In other exciting news, my BFF, Tracy, who joined me as a guest in a recent FlossTube video has decided to start her on FlossTube channel! You can find her over on YouTube as Tracy Stitches. Please be sure to stop by her channel to watch her first video and show her some love by liking and subscribing.

Now, on to my video!

Show Notes:


Finishes: (Photos can be seen on my 2020 Finishes page)
  • Two Turtle Doves (Prairie Schooler)
  • Caroling Cardinals (Blue Ribbon Designs) - magazine design
  • Trimming the Tree (Blue Ribbon Designs) - magazine design
  • Chicken Joy (Stitching with the Housewives) - freebie
  • Suffrage Act (Little House Needleworks
  • Be Inkspired (Stitchrovia) - magazine design
WIPs:
  • Christmas Eve (Prairie Schooler) - new start
  • Rainbow Mandala (Shannon Christine Designs) - New Year start
  • Henna Mandala (Ink Circles) - Q1 High Tea start
  • Friends and Family Mystery Sampler SAL (Linens and Threads) 
  • Jane Marshall 1857 (Hands Across the Sea Samplers) - new start
  • Garden Party - cool colorway (Satsuma Street)
  • Away We Go (Country Cottage Needleworks)
  • Pumpkin House (Shannon Christine Designs) 
Haul:
  • Santas and Snowmen (Prairie Schooler)
  • Louisa Acton Sampler (Freebie from 1897 Schoolhouse Samplers - PDF can be found in the Our Sampler Years Facebook group linked below)
  • Acceptance (Bendy Stitchy Designs) - charity purchase
  • 32 count Platinum Lugana (Zweigart) - 1 yard
  • 28 count Black Jobelan (Wichelt) - Fat Half
  • 32 count Lambswool Jobelan (Wichelt) - Fat Eighth
  • 32 count Vintage Country Mocha Linen (Zweigart) - Fat Eighth
Links:
Flosstubers Mentioned: (listed in order of reference)
SALs I've Joined:

Wednesday, January 1, 2020

The Year of Smalls

If you watched my recent FlossTube video with my best friend, Tracy, you probably heard us discuss the plan we came up with for 2020. Our goal is to stitch 20 smalls/ornaments and finish six of our medium/larger WIPs as well. Since posting that video, several people have messaged me asking for more information on the smalls portion of our challenge. Since there was interest, Tracy and I thought it would be fun to open it up for other people to join us for The Year of Smalls!


What is The Year of Smalls?
  • Start and finish at least 20 smalls during 2020. If you don't want to commit to the full 20, set a goal that works well for you. We want anyone who wants to participate to play along!
  • The smalls can be any combination of regular smalls such as a pinkeep, pincushion, needle book, biscornu, etc. or any type of ornament such as Easter, Christmas, Halloween, etc.
  • Each participant can determine what a small means to them. For us, we decided a small was anything under 4000 square stitches. For example, a 60x60 piece would be 3600 square stitches, so that would work. A 50x70 piece would be 3500 square stitches, so it would also work. However, a 70x70 piece would be 4900 square stitches, so that wouldn't qualify. To determine the number of square stitches of a piece, simply multiple the width stitches by the height stitches. 
How Do I Join?
If you would like to join us, we would love to have you do so! If you do plan to participant, please leave a comment below with your Instagram name if you have one so we can follow your progress throughout the year.

Happy stitching! 🙂

Bloom and Grow Mystery SAL Kit Unboxing

I have something a little bit different to share with you all today. Sally from Caterpillar Cross Stitch reached out to me recently and invited me to participate in her new Bloom and Grow 2020 Mystery Stitch-a-Long (SAL). She sent me the evenweave kit for the SAL and I'm sharing an unboxing video of it today.


The first part of the SAL will be released on January 24th. Additional parts will be released on the 24th of each month with the final part being released on August 24th.

If you would like to participate in this eight-part SAL, there's still plenty of time to order the chart and/or kit. You can use my code (MEL10) to save 10% on your order. Here are the relevant links for this SAL:

Ordering from Caterpillar Cross Stitch
SAL Facebook Group
VIP Stitch Club Newsletter

As the SAL progresses, I'll be posting monthly updates here on my blog as well as on my Instagram. If you decide to join the SAL, please leave me a comment below. I would love to know who else will be stitching with me!

**Disclosure** I received my kit for free in exchange for participating in and sharing about this SAL.