Saturday Stitching: Starts and the Return of an Old Friend

First off, I didn’t finish Changing Seasons, the 2022 Mystery Stitch A Long from Fox and Rabbit. I’m working on it but not a great deal. I am more focused on my projects for this year. I will eventually finish the MSAL. I am also NOT doing the 2023 MSAL. I had decided not to last year since I have so many projects I’d like to get done this year, and a huge monthly project will keep me from doing so. This brings me to an Old Friend:

The Land Baby

This project is based on the painting by the same name by John Collier back in 1895. I don’t know who charted it, but they did an amazing job! I have links to the chart in most of my previous posts about this project. I did one half of the chart last year:

This is being stitched on 18 ct white Aida using the called for DMC floss of which there is close to 100! I’ve gotten 400 stitches done on it so far this year, and I’m doing it 2 over 2.

I’m only stitching every other day so I have time for my other non stitching projects. I also have two starts:

Start #1: Girl With the Pearl Earring

This project is based on the painting by the same name done by artist Johannes Vermeer 1632-1675. The charter is unknown, but here is the link to the page I found the chart on

: http://www.free-cross-stitch-pattern.com/artistic4/thegirlwiththepearlearr.php

Here is what it’s supposed to look like:

Here is where I am now:

I am stitching this on 14 ct black Aida using the called for DMC floss. LOTS of color changes in this one! I’m doing 2 over 2 as well. I’ve done 354 stitches on it so far. It’s not nearly as big as Land Baby which is why I went with 14 count. I also chose the size because of the color of the fabric.

New Start #2: Peppermint Purple 2023 Stitch -A-Long

This project is year long, but it’s blackwork which is something I’ve been wanting to try. Now, I’m going to be doing a stitch a long, and I’ll have a whole bunch of people to ask questions of should the need arise. It’s a simple project with basic stitches and only a few colors. I’m working on the borders trying to get to the middle without making the huge counting mistake I made with the 2022 MSAL I was working on. Here is my progress so far:

It doesn’t look like a lot, but that’s 1, 828 stitches done on 25 ct white Natural Lugana even weave from Artiste/Zweigart

The first block for January has already been released. It’s done by weeks instead of months so, I’m already a bit behind. I’m okay with that because I know I can catch up once I get the proper parts of the frame done. I’m doing 1 over 1 for the lines and 2 over 1 for the cross stitches.

So, these are my current stitching projects. I think Girl will go much faster than I’d thought so I might get done with her much quicker. If so, I have some other projects already kitted and waiting for me.

One of these projects is Stitchinati by Morti of Mad Morti fame from YouTube. She designed and charted it up herself.

Isn’t this just so cool!! You can get it from her and David’s shop: Hare and Moon Crafts

If anyone else gets this, I’d love to do a stitch a long to share on Instagram and here on WordPress as well. Let me know!

That’s it for today. I’ll be showing my progress every Saturday on my projects, and I hope you will be there!

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