WIPocalypse February Update

I feel like I just made a "is it REALLY the end of January already" post. And here I am making a "holy crap, it's the last day of Feburary" post! But I'm not nearly as freaked out as I was in January, mostly because I know what I worked on in February and I'm a huge fan of my WIPocalypse progress.

I worked on Stitchrovia's Quotes to Live By. A lot. And it was amazing. Here's where it was at the beginning of February:

I had stitched the top title tile and most of the January release. 

Here's where it is now: 

I finished the releases for January, February, March, and April and I've started on May. I'm totally loving it. I did rotate off of it for a while to start Chang Er for Chinese New Year and to finish a few smalls, but I came right back to it and I finished the month on Quotes.

I also had a WIPocalypse finish in Febuary!! 

I stitched on and finished and FFO'd Wee Dance from Heart In Hand. Here's where it was when I started working on it: 

I bought this kit from eBay and it was already stitched this far. I was able to put in three good days this month and I finished it completely: 

I did change the skin color from DMC 3774 to DMC 869 and I absolutely love how it came out. I was able to find a perfect square frame at the thrift store and I FFO'd it the day after I finished it: 

And the lovely Mel always gives us a WIPocalypse prompt to discuss. This month's question was: 

Gadgets! Show us your favourite stitching gadgets! and how did you do with Olympic Stitching and what goals did you achieve? 

First of all, gadgets. I use all the gadgets. Here is a picture of my normal set-up:

1. My Ort catcher. This is a foldable fabric ort catcher and it goes everywhere with me. 
2. Scissors/scissor fob/safety nub. This is my only pair of embroidery scissors, courtesy of the goodie bag from the 2017 Midwest Cross Stitchers' Retreat in Minnesota, along with my favourite scissor fob from my girl Diana, itiskismet stitches on Flosstube; and with a safety nub to protect me from stabbing myself with the scissors. 
3. My qSnap. This one is 8"x8" and I think it's my preferred size for most projects. The qSnap cover is from a friend to whom I gifted a Mira. I also have an 11"x17" for my larger projects and a 6"x6" for tiny projects. 
4. My needleminder! This one is from Capricious Arts (who is a beautiful embroidery artist who sends magnets with her orders), but I have them from EVERYONE as I simply cannot live without them. 
5. My project bag! I looooooove project bags!! Again, I have one from just about everyone. this one is Made by Mama Joan and it was another part of the goodie bag from the Midwest Cross Stitchers' retreat. I love the clear plastic front so I can see which project I have in it. 

Secondly, I did participate in the Olympics Challenge. I did the marathon event and I was mostly successful. My goal was to get as much progress as possible on my Quotes to Live By piece (above) and I definitely did that. I think I could be done with it in three more solid weeks of stitching.

Thanks for reading! See you soon-ish. \m/

Flosstube #48 Show Notes

FFOs: 

• You Say Witch from MKissaCreations on Etsy, stitched 1/2 on 32 count lugana in Quiescence from Chromatic Alchemy with DMC 310 and Dinky Dyes silks. Finished into a pillow with some fabric and trim from Joann's and a needleminder accent. (see above for picture)
• DMC Roses kit, stitched 2/1 on 14 count Aida with the kit DMC and finished into a tiny pillow: 

• Lizzie*Kate My Favorite Time of the Year, stitched 2/1 on mystery 14 count opalescent Aida in NONE of the called for colors. (see this post for the conversion), finished onto a $0.99 thrift store sled with a holly button pack from Hobby Lobby: 

• Heart in Hand Wee Dance, stitched 2/1 on 30 count Eggplant Linen in almost all of the called for colors. I subbed DMC 869 for the called for skin color of DMC 3774 and framed it in a thrift store frame: 
  

• Barbara Ana Autumn Delight, I finished stitching this late last year and have been waiting for the perfect FFO opportunity. Well, it came in the form of a box of Gudrun Chocolates (SO DELICIOUS!!) that Wade got for Christmas. 

WIPs: 

• Quotes to Live By from Stitchrovia, stitching it 2/1 on 16 count tea dyed Aida in all of the called for fibers: 

• Midwest Cross Stitch retreat 2017 Haunted House freebie. Michelle and Joan kitted it up for us with the called for DMC and some 36 count linen that farm girl dyed herself. I'm stitching 1/2: 

Purchases:

• Thrift store haul:
• Goodwill: three mini Chatelaines (Amethyst, Emerald, and Ruby), Ouroborus Dragon, Just Nan Royal Hummingbirds, flower pattern from a magazine
• St. Vinnie's: Blackbird Designs Quaker Garden, CCN Bakery and Flower Shop, Chessie & Me Jeanne's Sampler, and a mini felt kit
• eBay: Lizzie Kates
• Etsy: 
• Needlekeep from QnVikki, Victoria, StitchNButton: 
  
• Colour & Cotton February floss of the month, OMG:
  

Books: 

• Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas (Book #2 of Throne of Glass)
•  My Goodreads review: Okay, I was in LOVE with the first half of the book, and then I got SUPER mad at Caelena for almost the entirety of the second half. But I did have things to distract me. Like, OMG, Dorian, really?! OMG, was that twisted thing in the basement who I thought it was?! OMG, she KNEW what was going to happen to her?!?! (Can you tell I'm trying to be vauge? I'm still clicking the spoiler link, don't worry). And then at the very end of the book I heaved the biggest sigh of relief ever. I'm so glad I checked out #2-4 from the library at the same time as I literally couldn't open book #3 fast enough! 

Flosstubers mentioned: 

Jen, Darkside Stitcher: https://goo.gl/PcPbgQ
Amy, x_Amytiville_x: https://goo.gl/m7aM1V
Marissa, MKissaCreations: https://goo.gl/796Nak

McKenna, Stitching in Sequins: https://goo.gl/9d3EKy
Leslie, Under the Sea Fabrics: https://goo.gl/jygzsM
Victoria, StitchNButton: https://goo.gl/jiN3fQ
Jessica, SchoolhouseStitcher: https://goo.gl/GMAjP9
Diana, itiskismet_stitches: https://goo.gl/KsarDW
Vicki, ReadingandStitching: https://goo.gl/d4bcLZ
Lolly, lollypopstitches: https://goo.gl/YmoNbR
Drew & Phil, Weasley Studios: https://goo.gl/75YfTR
Caroline, Off the Grid Needlearts: https://goo.gl/wyyYJu
Danielle, Stitcherista: https://goo.gl/sGMthg
Latisha, The Crafty Curator: https://goo.gl/y6oS2h
Gerald, Ginger Gerald Stitcher: https://goo.gl/mxDZbv
Pam & Steph, Just Keep Stitchin: https://goo.gl/ZdNweY
Minnie Gray, All XXs: https://goo.gl/rw3zu5
Kimberly Butler, Stitch Adventures: https://goo.gl/pk9mdf

Outside links: 
WTFYW Cross Stitch: https://goo.gl/DfBYxB
WTFYW Cross Stitch Sales and Destash: https://goo.gl/6VqPMo
Soulful Stitching on Facebook: https://goo.gl/svPNV3
Friday Off the Grid: https://goo.gl/r7N27F
Etsy, MKissaCreations: https://goo.gl/gwq4gV
Capricious Arts: https://capriciousarts.com/
Under the Sea Fabrics: https://capriciousarts.com/
Etsy, QnVikki (StitchNButton): https://goo.gl/TNS4Hj
Etsy, WitchyStitchArt: https://goo.gl/161AhC
Etsy, MadForMinders: https://goo.gl/PXm8VG
Colour & Cotton: https://www.colourandcotton.com/



That's all for this week! See you in about five minutes (or three hours) for the February WIPocalypse post!

Stitch With Me #12 Show Notes

In this video I work on Quotes to Live By from Stitchrovia, the April block, and talk through the Flosstube Behind the Scenes tag brought to us in July 2016 by Jessie Marie. 

Here's a picture of my filming set-up (this is question #1 of the tag): 

WIP:

• Quotes to Live by by Stitchrovia, stitched 2 over one on a tea dyed (by me Aida) with all of the called for DMC. 

Flosstubers that I mentioned:

• Anne P
• Arlene Cohen, Works by ABC
• Latisha, The Crafty Curator
• Ginger Gerald Stitcher
• Caroline, Off the Grid Needlearts
• Stitching Marie
• Emma, StitchEm
• Tricia, the Left Handed Stitcher, Flosstube
• Jessie Marie Does Stuff
• Kelli Anne
• McKenna, Stitching in Sequins
• Danielle, Stitcherista
• Michelle, farm girl
• Nell, Little Yellow House Crafts
• Teresa Craig
• Drea, Stitching Shadow
• Lynda Jo, Pretty Southern

Find this tag and more here:

• Tricia, the Left Handed Stitcher, Blog

Flosstube #47 Show Notes

Episode #47:

FFOs:

• Love Never Fails - Freebie from the Primitive Hare -  22 ct blush pink Hardanger, stitched with variegated Valdani M45 1 over 1. FFO into an ATC for Instagram #crossstitchatcs

• DMC Breast Cancer Cupcake - full kit stitched 2 over 1 with DMC on 14 ct white Aida - modified to have heart shaped sprinkles rather than round-ish ones. FFO into a card for the Facebook Cross Stitch Card and ATC SAL group

WIPs:

• Quotes to Live By SAL - Stitchrovia - 16 count Aida tea dyed by me, stitched 2 over 1 with the called for DMC: 

• My Favorite Time - Lizzie Kate - stitched 2 over 1 on unknown 14 ct sparkly Aida with: 
• Gentle Arts Dungarees
• Gentle Arts Buckeye Scarlet
• Victoria Model Sampler Audubon Medley
• Needle Necessities Madras 602
• DMC 729 and B5200 (probably)

• Chang Er - Pinn - stitched on 18 ct Aida in Zephyrus by Under the Sea Fabrics 2 over 1 in mostly called for colors, except: 
• Rainbow Gallery FyreWorks for DMC 351
• Rainbow Gallery Silk Lame braid for DMC 782
• Three Green Kreiniks for DMCs 904, 905, 906

Haul:

• Fabrics by LJ, 32 count Linen in Teenage Dream. 

Sprinkles:

• Oh Whale from Hands on Design
• IKEA curtain remnants for #YouCanStitchSomethingOnThat
• Star Wars Calendar
• Needleminders from Heather, the Imperfectly Perfect Stitcher

Books:

• The Gunslinger by Stephen King: I gave this book 3.5/5 stars. 
• My Goodreads review: I really enjoyed this. It's full on just the beginning of a bigger work and I can't wait to get on to the rest. I did see the movie before I read the book and I'm definitely picturing Idris Elba for Roland and Matthew McCona-however-you-spell-it for the Man in Black. 

First February Finish!

So, Mademoiselle Rose from jardin Prive was thisclose to being done last night. See yesterday's blog.

It would have been a crime for me to not finish her today! Luckily I don't need any bail money because she's done!

I think she turned out amazingly well. You may or may not notice that I left off the border and the bottom row under her feet. The reason for this was two-fold. 1) I didn't want to stitch them, so I didn't. And, more importantly, 2) I have never "centered" a piece worse on any fabric ever. 

I have easily three inches and change on the top and just over an inch on the bottom. I have no idea what happened. I've been stitching for two decades. Are you laughing? because I am.

Another way that I made this piece mine is my color conversion. There has been a lot of talk on my Flosstube channel regarding using our fancy flosses rather than hoarding them. Here was a perfect opportunity for me! Here's a picture of my fancy floss conversion:

The conversion is as follows: 

• DMC 224 -- Colour & Cotton Chiffon
• DMC 152 -- Gentle Arts Tea Rose
• DMC 223 -- Weeks Dye Works Romanc
• DMC 221 -- Weeks Dye Works Baked Apple
• DMC 3021 -- Ship's Manor Ancient (to match my daughter's hair)
•                    -- Colour & Cotton Hearth (for the shoes)
• DMC 733 -- Gentle Arts Tropical Ocean
• DMC 732 -- Weeks Dye Works Kentucky Bluegrass

I used the called for DMC 3774 for the skin, DMC 754 for the cheeks, and B5200 instead of BLANC for the motifs on the skirt. 

She was a joy to stitch and I'm passing the stash to Leslie Hurley, so go check her Flosstube Channel to see it stitched again!