Stitching Saturday: 1, 2 , 3 WIPS!!!

Yes, I now have three WIPs going. I used to be what is called a “monogamous” stitcher which is where you work on one project at a time. YouTube’s Flosstube has corrupted me as well as turned me into a pattern addict. I spent hours, and I do mean Hours, on Etsy hearting patterns I think are cute and might want to make at a later date. I actually bought two digital charts to make later, and I still have like 6 or 7 paper charts I want to make!!! Down the rabbit hole….

So here are the updates on the two projects I’ve been working on since the beginning of the year and then, I’ll show you the one I was given by my special gentleman friend for Valentine’s Day this year. 🙂

Land Baby

First, here is the picture of the painting:

The above is my current position on the project. To me, it looks like my work is darker than the original, but the colors are still very close so, I’m happy with the way it’s coming out. I still have several more 20×20 blocks to stitch before I get to the bottom of the piece and can move over. I think, to break things up, I’ll work horizontally once the current vertical section is done. This is just the left hand side of the painting, I still have the entire right side to do. 🙂 I am still enjoying working on this though I’m having to do it in spurts because of my back.

Fox and Rabbit’s Changing Season Mystery Stitch-A-Long

Here’s the finished block for February. Emmy chose the mirrored image look while I chose the colors. These colors will be used, with others, in the different season blocks coming up. The middle wasn’t related to the seasons, it was just supposed to be a fun start after all the craziness of the frames. I have not completed any of the frames except the one around the current block. I’ll work on the others as they come up.

I only realized after I was done I probably shouldn’t have done gold in the middle of the hearts…

New Project: A Kitty!!

My darling man knows I like cats, and he got me this small project to do. I am working on it a little at a time too. I would like him, the cat, to say something snarky so please, make suggestions!! Rude ones are okay as long as they’re amusing. 🙂

Here’s what the finished project is supposed to look like:

Here’s where I am right now:

I am stitching this one in hand instead of putting it on the hoop the kit provided. I want to see how it looks first. The kit uses DMC floss and AIDA fabric. I am taking my time with this one so I can look for a proper saying before I complete it.

That’s all I have this week. Not a great deal of progress in the grand scheme of things, but it’s progress nonetheless.

Happy Stitching everyone and please, feel free to share your projects with me. I’d love to see what you’re working on!!

See you on the flipside and don’t forget your towel and sonic screwdriver!!

Free Pattern Friday: WIP!

I actually have two WIP(Works In Progress), but one of them I am redoing because it’s not the size it’s supposed to be. I think I crochet too tight to make the gauge. If you’re interested, the pattern is by Yarnspirations using Bernat Blanket Yarn. It’s called Hibernation Blanket. I am choosing my own colors because this is going to be a sensory blanket for a young adult on the Autism Spectrum. Once it’s going the way I want it to, I’ll post pictures of it.

The WIP I am happy with is a C2C blanket for Joe’s girlfriend, Emmy. It’s a scrap type blanket using up all the Mandala yarn I have left over from the baby stuff I’ve been making. It’s gotten large enough I can use almost a whole cake of yarn just for the blanket so I’ll be doing that for a little while longer.

These didn’t quite upload in the order I wanted them to, but you see how large the blanket is. It’s about 49 1/2 inches wide, and it’s going to be about 72 inches long or so. Emmy chose the ending size. I was aiming for a throw before she asked if she could have it when it was done, and I asked her how big she wanted it to be. LOL. I know she’s going to appreciate it so, I don’t mind making it for her.

I have a third WIP, but it’s a test for a designer so I can’t say more until she ends the test and releases the pattern. I have learned two things from this testing. One: I now know how to do the linked double crochet stitch and two: I now know I don’t like testing patterns.

I have a tendency to tweak patterns to suit myself, and I couldn’t do that with this pattern so it kinda cramped my style. I did follow all the directions, and my piece came out quite nice. Still, I might make changes if I make another one later one. 🙂

That’s all I have for this week for crochet projects! Whether you crochet or knit, I’d love to hear about your WIPs and any you’ve just finished!!

See you on the flipside and don’t forget your towel and sonic screwdriver!!!

YouTube Tuesday: RyRy McGuy – Stitches and Giggles

The name of the channel is what caught my attention when I saw it in my list of recommendations, and I decided to give this man a looksee.

He’s only done on Flosstube video so far, but it’s fun to watch!! He’s just so relaxed and laughs a lot. I hope he’s going to keep making videos. He has other social media I’ll be checking out as I get time. I am enjoying checking out new vloggers especially those who are stitching.

I highly recommend checking him out and encouraging him to make more videos!! Subscribe like I have, hit the Like button the way I did and leave a comment, like I’ve also done! 🙂

I’ll see you on the flipside and don’t forget your towel and sonic screwdriver!!!

Stitching Saturday: The Land Baby Pt. 3 and MSAL 2022 February

First off, as you may or may not know, I’ve been watching a lot of YouTube videos featuring cross stitchers, and I cannot believe how many WIPs(Works in Progress) these folks have!! I have 2, and it’s all I can handle. Granted, I have about 5 crochet projects going on as of yesterday but still, crocheting takes much less time to do than cross stitch does.

Now, on to what you really want to read about.

The Land Baby Pt. 3

I had to stop working on this after about an hour because of back spasms. Still, I think I got all but four colors left to add to this block. I think I have about 3 1/2 more to go before the side is done. I’m enjoying how the scene is slowly emerging, and the best thing is – NO backstitching!!

In my Update at the beginning of the week, I stated I was going to do the MSAL hosted by Fox and Rabbit this year(it’s called Changing Seasons), and here is half of this month’s block.

I’ll complete the rest of it later today. I’ve had quite a few other things I’ve been working on and trying to get done. If you’d like to join in the MSAL the link is:

Changing Seasons

If you decide to do the MSAL, I recommend joining the Facebook group for it because the work those folks are doing is amazing!! I also hope you’ll share your work with me here as well because I’d love to see it!

See you all on the flipside and don’t forget your towel and sonic screwdriver!!

Free Pattern Friday: Crochet Socks

I was trying to come up with something new to crochet, and I was talking to some co-workers about what I could do. I mentioned socks, and two of them(ladies) said they’d wear the socks if I made them. So, I’m going to be teaching myself how to crochet socks!!

Here are some cute and free patterns I found on the Spruce Crafts website:

https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/crochet-sock-patterns-4077415

I am going to start with 1. Basic Toe-Up for my first pair which I plan to wear myself. Then, I’ll try 2. Sweet Crochet Socks for the co-worker who wanted the bootie style sock. After that, I might try 11. Single Crochet socks for the co-worker who wants a pair that go up to mid calf.

If you try any of these patterns please SHARE!! I’d love to see what you make!! There are so many color choices out there now, it’s going to be hard to choose which one to choose for myself. My favorite color is Emerald Green so, maybe, I’ll find a yarn in that color!

See you all on the flipside and don’t forget your towel and sonic screwdriver!!

YouTube Tuesday: Priscilla and Chelsea Real Housewives of Cross Stitch

I heard about this mother/daughter duo on FlossTube from thenineoneone stitcher who is also on Flosstube. Flosstube is a group of folks on YouTube who share their love of cross stitching with everyone else in the world. No, I very much doubt I will ever join their ranks. This said, I do enjoy watching these videos, and I’ve subscribed to several.

Priscilla and Chelsea are actual mother and daughter, and they seem to have a great time together in the videos. They joke around, tease and just have a good time all while showing off their stunning work. I am actually watching their channel from the very beginning while stitching on my two projects.

I must say, I can’t see how people can simply start several projects at once without really finishing something first. That would drive me crazy. I am lucky one of my projects is a monthly thing so I complete it and then wait until the following month for the next part. This leaves me time to work on the second project.

Still, I’m sharing their very first video with you because I was so charmed by it, and I’m hoping you will be too:

I really like the creative way they finish their work too. I’ve not seen most of them before, and I want to complete one of my projects like one of theirs.

If you like the video, please Like, Comment and if you feel like it, Subscribe!! This pair is worth watching!!

See you on the flipside and don’t forget your towel and sonic screwdriver!!

Personal Update: 7 February 2022

I must apologize for being awol these past few weeks: work had me working nights training new people in my department as well as helping out other departments who had people out at other stores helping with inventory counts. Last night was the final night of that crazy schedule and now, I’m back on days. Working nights threw off my entire sleep/work/hobby/writing scehdules let me tell you!!

So here’s what I’ve been up to since I last wrote:

Baby Blanket

I’d been working on a baby blanket for a second co-worker of mine, and she finally decided on the pattern for it.

This C2C blanket ended up being 30inches wide by 36 inches long. My coworker loves it 🙂 I made it using Lion’s Brand Ice Cream Yarn in UBE and an aluminum “G” hook. I forgot how many mm that hook is.

Cross Stitching

First up is my current position on Land’s Baby. I finally got all the thread for the project, I just didn’t have a lot of time to work on it. I’m hoping to get a great deal more done before this coming Saturday, but we’ll see.

The project is taller than it is wide so I have more 20×20 squares down the left side to do than I did across the top. I am using only DMC thread, and it’s being stitched on AIDA cloth, I want to say it’s 16ct. It could be 18ct, I can’t find the package the cloth came in. The color changes in this piece keep me hopping, let me tell you. Once I start on a square I have a hard time stopping. I took this picture because I didn’t have the colors to complete the square at the time, but I do now.

Let’s talk about the MSAL being hosted by Fox and Rabbit. It’s a large piece, the top frame is about 720 stitches or so. I was debating whether I’d actually do the whole thing or just make the frame and put something else inside of it. I have since seen the February chart, and it’s a lovely one. There are actually three frames. Two are big squares of arrows, and the interior is made up of 4 small squares (52 stitches for each one) on the corners of a large center square made up of about 71-72 stitches. The design inside is actually quite lovely so, I’ve decided to take a chance. I’ll be posting the sections as soon as I finish them so you don’t have to wait. Below is the picture of the outer frame, and it’s far from finished because I didn’t have much time to work on it. Working with metallic thread is fiddly as well.

It’s wrinkled because I’m stitching in hand instead of using a hoop. The piece is just too big. I’ll be measuring out the frames and where the very middle square goes so I can do the design as soon as I can. I hope to have something to show you on Saturday as well.

Health

Other than getting the start of a bad sinus infection which my boss thought was Covid so he made me go get tested, I’m fine. I tested negative and was given antibiotics for the infection. I took one day off and then, I went back to work. Within 3 days of starting the medication, I was right as rain. 🙂

Projects

I am working on a puzzle which I may, or may not, have mentioned before. It’s of Frederick the Literate, but it’s happily, not exactly the same as the cross stitch piece I did of him. The books are completely different, and there are some new bric-a-brac on the shelves with him along with some from the cross stitch piece. It’s going to be cute when it’s finished.

I am also working on a set of dungeon tiles for my youngest son to use in his tabletop games of Dungeons and Dragons. They’re not going to be anything fancy – he doesn’t want that. Still, I’m doing my best to make them look good despite never having made them before. I watched several tutorials on YouTube before I began.

Other Stuff

As Winter progresses, we’ve had some really cold days. I have begun providing food for the birds that are in the yard as well as a very small gray squirrel. I had originally planned on just feeding the birds, but the poor thing was so hungry he actually let me see him eating out of the sunflower shaped feeder I was using for the birds. Feeling bad for the little one, I got a proper birdfeeder and put squirrel food in the sunflower. Lately, we’ve seen a pair of blue jays, mourning doves and a red headed woodpecker join our little flock of cardinals and songbirds. I don’t know how to identify different small birds, but there’s several with what look to be black caps on their heads who tend to notify the others when I fill the feeders. I wish I had a way to take pictures of them as they’re so fun to watch!

That’s about it for now.

See you on the flipside and don’t forget your towel and sonic screwdriver!!!