Thread-A-Day - Tribal Shamrock

As discussed in the post for the "Wings and Things" finish, I'm really enjoying this thread-a-day concept.  I 'm devoting a little bit of stitching time for projects that aren't my design models and still getting plenty of stitching time on the "work" pieces.  I'm finding as I'm stitching on one piece I'm already planning out what can be my future thread-a-day projects.  And this is a really good thing since I've just put myself on a STS diet!

When I was about half done with "Wings and Things" I already new that Tribal Shamrock would be my next piece.  I've had the pattern and floss in my stash for several years.  And I figured some fabric I purchased in one of the sales this summer would be the perfect piece to use.  This is what I'm starting with:

• Design - "Tribal Shamrock" by While Willow Stitching
• Fabric - "Jungle Boogie" by Silk Weaver Fabrics
• Floss - "Forest Glade" by The Gentle Art

Since I'm trying hard to be good to myself with my stitching, I didn't let any moss grow under my feet on my next start.  I finished "Wings and Things" on Monday, October 19th and immediately started "Tribal Shamrock" the next day.  So far I haven't missed a day.  Here's my progress through Sunday, October 25th:

I love watching it coming together and so far it's been a joy to work on.  I just have to remind myself it's a "thread a day" and I'm not allowed to keep working on it when I should be stitching on design models.

I'll share another update on it in about 2 weeks.  Until then...Happy Stitching! :)

Stitch From Stash - The Beginning of my Journey

Hi, my name is Kelly, and I have a problem with my cross stitch stash.

Yes, I admit it.  Since I've moved to Vegas and am only working one full-time job (instead of the normal full-time plus a part-time that I've done for about 1/2 of my adult life), and have had lots more stitching time, I've spent WAAYYYYY too much money on stitching stash...

• 25% off fabric sale at my LNS in June
• 30% off fabric sale at Silkweaver Fabrics July 4th weekend
• 25% off "Christmas in July" fabric sale at Picture this Plus
• Purchase of  1816 Vierlande Sampler pattern (2 magazines to get the full pattern), along with 1/2 yard of PTP fabric and 9 skeins (90 yards) of The Gentle Art floss to do it
• Purchase of a few, OK it wasn't a few, it was 16 more Barbara & Cheryl patterns to add to my collection
• "Wings and Things" chart, spider charm & some fibers to complete it (hey, this one is already completed!)
• A couple of charts that will be stitched for future gifts
• And I'm sure there's probably other stuff I'm forgetting

As you can see, my purchases have been a little out of control.  This prompted me to decide 2016 was going to be the year I would do my own "stitch from stash".  Then I decided, as the saying goes, why put off til tomorrow what you can do today.  That means my "stitch from stash" officially begins today.

As I've seen other groups and people talking about this on their blog posts, I decided I'd do some research to find out what the "rules" are.  Some of them were actually really complicated with forced check-ins, credit based on the number of stitches you've completed, etc.  I don't need complicated, so after a little bit of thought, I created my own simplified rules, since this will be my own thing.

And the rules are:

My stitching account will start with a $0 balance

I will earn spending "credits" for each finish, regardless of whether it is one of my design models or a "just for me" piece

• $1.00 per ornament/greeting card stitched
• $5.00 per piece stitched using a 8 x 8 or smaller Q-snap frame or comparable sized hoop
• $10.00 per piece stitched using a 10 x 10 Q-snap frame
• $20.00 per piece stitched using a 11 x 17 Q-snap frame
• $30.00 per piece stitched using a 17 x 17 Q-snap frame
• $50.00 per "mega project".  These will be pieces that are larger than a 17 x 17 piece, afghans, etc.

I will lose "credits" for all stitching purchases.  This means charts, fibers, fabric, embellishments, magazines, etc.  The only thing exempt is the cost of finishing & photography of my design models, as this is an essential part of my business and doesn't contribute to my stash. 

I'd like to learn how to crochet this year also.  If I choose to do that, I think my purchases will fall into my STS rules.  I'll just need to figure out how I earn credits for the pieces I finish.  But, that's another issue to be determined later *if* I actually learn to crochet.

On the first day of each month I'll do a blog post sharing my successes/challenges from the previous month, along with an accounting of any monies I did spend.  Hopefully each month I'll be carrying a credit balance forward. The next post will be done on December 1st, which will encompass the last few days of October 2015 and all of November 2015.


Not only will this be great for my budget, but I think it will be fun to see how much money I can "save" while stitching from my very large stash before I actually need to start buying more stuff.  I'm thinking possibly years!  

 If you have a STS challenge you're doing, feel free to share links to your blog with me and I'll add them to mine.  We can cheer, or commiserate if we go over "budget", with each other along the way.

Hope you enjoy the journey with me.  Until the next time...Happy Stitching...on a budget!

Thread-A-Day - Wings and Things - THE FINISH!

OMG!  Can I just say how excited I am to actually stitch AND finish a piece that isn't one of my design models and is just something I stitched strictly "because I wanted to"?!?!  Now, please don't take that the wrong way that I don't like designing and stitching my models, because I absolutely do, or else I wouldn't be doing it.  In all honesty though, it has been YEARS and YEARS since I've done something just for me.

So, since the title gave it away...drum roll please....

Let me proudly present, my "Wings and Things" finish!!!

Some of you may be looking at it thinking the colors are just all wrong.  Well, again, this piece was for me, and I absolutely love color!  And purple and green together are great Halloween colors, right?

I personally think it turned out to be a great mix of cross stitch companies:

• chart by Ink Circles
• chartreuse floss by Weeks Dye Works
• glow-in-the-dark braid for the web by Kreinik
• spider charm by Lizzie Kate
• fabric by Stitchnmomma

And in case you're reading and saying "what spider charm?", here's a close up of it:

Now, I just need to get it framed and give it a place of honor on my walls.  I'm personally thinking a brushed silver/pewter frame, but we'll see what happens.  We all know how ideas can change.

I'm going to continue with my thread-a-day projects, as it's been so much fun stitching for myself again.  I also feel like it's bringing more joy to stitching my model designs, as those aren't quite feeling so much like "work" the past few weeks.  My next project will be my "Tribal Shamrock" by White Willow Stitching.  That will also be a great mix that will include fabric by Silkweaver Fabrics and floss by The Gentle Arts.  I'll share update #1 on that piece in the next two weeks or so.

Thanks so much for going on my little thread-a-day journeys with me.   And until the next time...Happy Stitching!

Thread-A-Day - Wings and Things Update #3

My stitching time over the past couple of weeks has been sporadic.  I have days that I get home from work and don't even want to touch my stitching, and would rather lounge in my recliner with a good book.  Then I have days that I'm doing other things and am not at home to be with my stitching.  However, the days that I DO stitch, I'm truly enjoying them!  There's nothing worse than stitching because you feel like you should be doing it, but you're no into it.

So, sadly to say, I'm still technically about 4 weeks behind where I should be (if I were doing a thread a day), but at least I'm making progress.  I'm now officially past the half-way point.  Woohoo!  And to think if I were sticking my my schedule, I'd be about finished by now. 

Since I am behind, I've been taking this piece with me to my stitching groups to use that time to try and catch up.  I've been getting plenty of compliments on the color scheme I'm using, and others are looking forward to seeing it finished.  And, I'm still on the hunt for the right spider charm/button to use on it.  

For those of you that might be seeing this piece for the first time, I'm using Weeks Dye Works "Chartreuse" and Kreinik "Grape" Glow-in-the-Dark #4 braid on a piece of Ultra Dark Violet 14 ct aida that I hand-dyed myself a couple of years ago.

I'm feeling rather inspired today with all my stitching, so enough chit-chat and time to get back to it.  Until the next time...Happy Stitching!

Poodle Silhouette Cross Stitch Pattern

Today's finish was another requested breed...the Poodle.  I stitched it using DMC #310 on a piece of 32 count Belfast linen in "Crystal Chablis" by Picture This Plus. 

When I was buying this fabric at my old LNS back in OH, Shelly the store owner, said she knew what the perfect design would be to stitch on it...a poodle.  She laughed when I told her that was exactly what I had in mind when I picked up the fabric.  Definitely love it and may just have to get some more.

This pattern along with all my other silhouettes (which can be found here) is now available for purchase at your local needlework shop or various online retailers.  If you don't want to do a Google search, just click here for a current list of those places.  

If you're a retailer and would like to stock this design, or any of my others, you can purchase here.  

 

And if there's a particular dog breed, or something else you're looking for in a silhouette, just let me know and I'll gladly add it to my list of designs to create & stitch.   

 

Until the next time...Happy Stitching!