Final page finish of 2012

So I posted my final WIPocalypse update a little early.  I just finished page 20 of 1900 ABC tonight.  

I hope 2013 brings everyone lots of stitchy goodness!

2012 WIPocalypse

Since this is my last post for the 2012 WIPocalypse, I thought I would share some before and afters of my WIPs.  I didn't get as many finishes as I would have liked, but I did make progress on most of them.

1. Chatelaine's Spring Knotgarden finished 7/3/12

Before:

After:  

2. Chatelaine's Watergarden about half done  

I don't think I even touched it this year.  Here's the top gate.

3. Petit Sampler (with Sticklounge) finished 2/12/12

Before:

After:

4. Bygone Stitches One Nation about half done 

Before:

After:

5. Mirabilia's Garden Verses might have to restart

Didn't even touch this one much less make up my mind what I want to do with it.

6. Chatelaine's Summer Knotgarden part 3,4,5,6 in progress

Before:  There was a little more done, but not much.

After:

7. Stained Glass Window (Sticklounge) finished 12/5/12

Before:

After:

8. Adriana B (Sticklounge) finished 3/20/12

Before:  

After:

9. Christmas tree skirt (kit) approx half done

This one hasn't seen any love either, though I did pull it out of the bag and look at it at one point.

10. Chelsea's block   finished 6/16/12

Before:

After:

11. HAED Lust third row of stitching page 14 completed

Before:

After:

12. Chatelaine's 2012 Mystery Deep Blue Sea part 7complete

This was a new start so there's no before picture.

After: 

13.  1900 ABC (Sticklounge) part 19/24 complete

Before:

After:

So, I didn't make as much progress as I would have liked, but since I'm no longer an OAAT stitcher, I think the progress I did make is pretty darn respectable.

Now on to the 2013 WIPocalypse!  May it bring you many stitchy finishes and may the frog stay far, far away!

Iris

First, I would like to thank you all for the kind comments I received about my last post.  

Thank you!

After we got home from the funeral last Wednesday, I had something start churning in my head.  My sister read a poem during the service that just resonates with me.  So, I sent my mom, brother and sister a text asking what colors they thought of when they thought of dad.  I like color, but I think they all thought I was a little crazy.  Maybe, maybe not.  Anyway, mom said purple for dad's irises. That got me thinking beyond the poem.  Sticklounge had a new project that was called Iris.  OK.  I had it mostly kitted up, just had to pull some Petite Treasure Braid instead of the Krenik as charted and I was off.  Here's the first part of Iris

Before I forget though, does anybody know of any charts out there of celtic knots?  I think at one time, I saw a website that would help you chart whatever you wanted, but that could be my imagination.  

December 14

I know I usually post about my stitching here, but since I hadn't posted my usual stitching update, I thought I would let you know why.

Friday night, I got a call from my mom to tell me that my dad had collapsed at home and died.  On Monday, December 17th, he would have turned 61.  We buried my dad today not far from where we buried my grandmother, his mother two years ago.  She was 91 and was ready to leave us and we understood.  This was too sudden and I'm still reeling from the shock.  My mom was going to retire in just three weeks and dad was going to follow suit soon.  I thought we had at least 30 more years so there are so many things left unsaid and undone.

Growing up, he always encouraged me to do what I wanted, within reason.  I grew up doing many things most boys didn't do.  We went to the gun range every Sunday, weather permitting and I hunted as much as I wanted.  More recently, I've started wood working.  You've all seen my work here.  He encouraged me to do that too.  He even gave me a table saw that he was no longer using since he had upgraded to a bigger saw.  He just wanted me to be careful so I didn't leave my thumbs on the floor while using that saw.  I think that's one of the biggest things I'm going to miss is learning more about wood working and becoming better at my newest hobby.

Love you dad!

South sea

I finally finished part 7 of Deep Blue Sea last night.  This part drove me absolutely crazy!  You'd think I can't count or something.  I originally miscounted the coral placement which is what got it pulled off the q-snaps and put away for a little while.  Then, after I got the coral back in and the pink fish finished, I discovered I still can't count.  At that point there was absolutely no way I was going to frog it all and restitch.  Thankfully, everything fit in the space without frogging and I think it looks fine as is.  So, here's the whole thing

And here's just part 7

I moved the q-snaps last night to start part 8.  Work sucks today though, so we'll see how far I get at lunch.

I've also started thinking about my stitching wish list for 2013.  Measi is doing a WIPocalypse for 2013 too so, since it worked fairly well as incentive this year, I've joined for 2013 too.  

Here's my current list:

1. Chatelaine's Watergarden about half done

2. Bygone Stitches One Nation about half done

3. Chatelaine's Summer Knotgarden part 3,4,5,6 in progress

4. Christmas tree skirt (kit) approx half done

5. HAED Lust third row of stitching page 14 completed

6. Chatelaine's 2012 Mystery Deep Blue Sea part 7 complete

7.  1900 ABC (Sticklounge) part 19/24 complete

8.  Loara Standish sampler new start

9.  Dorothy Walpole new start

10.  Ann Bowers new start

This weekend, I'm hoping to get a bunch of things done.  I need to finish putting the doll bed together, I've started cutting pieces for the quilt, I need to stitch a quick ornament or two for my baby sitter and finish finish them, the village Christmas party is Saturday and Josh is celebrating his 7th birthday this weekend with a movie and a couple of friends.  I'll let you know how much I actually accomplish.

December Wipocalyse

Yay!  This month I actually have a finish to share!  I was up till 12:30 last night trying to get the last section of Window finished and just couldn't manage it.  So, I finished the last couple dozen stitches this morning which only took 15 minutes or so.  

Since Window is finally finished, I pulled Deep Blue Sea out for another SAL this weekend.  Part 6 shouldn't take too long, there's just the coral and the fish left, then I'm hoping to make good progress with part 7.  Here's a picture of the whole thing.

and an up close picture of part 6 after I frogged the coral last time I had it out.

Window again

Last night, I finished page 15 of Window.  Now, it's just page 16 and the center.  I'm still debating the color for the center.  I pulled some silks this morning to see if any of them will work.  There's a dark red/black combo that may work or I grabbed a bunch of browns and one called Embers for something a little different.  Don't know if it will work or not, but I thought it would be interesting and I would take a look see.

Sticklounge has a new project starting December 1 that I've signed up for.  I really, really, really, want to get Window finished up first though.  The new project is Iris by Von Nolda von Hezewijk.  For some reason I love these art nouveau designs.  Ever since i stitched Adraina B from the same artist.

This style of design makes me think I should pull Ink Circles - Love Letters and Chatelaine's Art Nouveau Sampler out for a new start next year.

  

Lust page 14

Just a quick update before things get a little crazy with Thanksgiving.  I just finished page 14 of Lust and looking at the picture now, I'm amazed how her hair looks.  Stitching it, it didn't look nearly as red.

I think I'm going to take a short break from Lust though.  I can't stitch over one on 28 ct in the car so I'm going to pull out Window, 1900 ABC and Deep Blue Sea might sneak into my stitching bag too.

@Ineke:  I'm planning on doing a quilt for the bed.  I have four different fabrics I'm planning on cutting into 2 inch squares and doing a very simple quilt.  The lady who cut the fabric for me looked at me and said "you've got two boys and you're buying pink fabric"  so I had to explain what I was planning.  She was right though.  Seemed kind of odd.

Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate it.  To those who don't. Happy Thursday!

IHSW November

So, my husband left early for Thanksgiving.  He left yesterday morning with a 6 hour drive.  The kids and I are planning on following later this week because of work and school.  One would think that with him gone, I would have loads of stitching time.  Today, has been ok but yesterday, the boys and I went into town for groceries and a stop at Hobby Lobby.  We got some fabrics for a doll quilt and some other not so necessary necessities.  

I don't think I've mentioned that I've been planning on building a doll bed for our niece.  She's the only girl so I've got to bring out by girly side somewhere.  Anyway, using these plans I'm building a doll bed.  When I went out to see what kind of lumber I already had to make a shopping list of what I would need, I found out that I didn't need to buy any lumber.  This project is almost totally free!  So cool!  The not free part revolves around the cost of the spray paint, the foam for the mattress and the fabric for the quilt.  I also bought a remnant of popcorn fleece and some yarn for a couple of blankets.  Yes, I went a little overboard.  We'll see how much I get accomplished before Christmas.  Today, with my coffee, I went out and cut my lumber and off on all day, I've been making progress.  My only hold up has been the lack of charge in the drill to start putting everything together.  Bummer!    I'd take a picture or two to share, but right now it doesn't look like much...just a pile of white lumber.  

My stitching for the last week or so has been revolving around Lust.  The last time she was pictured here, she looked like this 

I pulled her out for the HAED SAL on their BB last week.  At the end of the SAL, she looked like this 

And as of right now, she looks like this.

I love how fast those big blocks of color allow me to stitch!  Almost a page in a little over a week.  I'm planning on at least finishing this page before I move to another project.  I'm thinking maybe Window.  I have several projects that are very close (within a few weeks) of completion and I would dearly love a couple more finishes before the end of the year!

Five

Here's page 19.  Five pages to go.  I changed the personalization though.  There's my first name and the year I started.  At the other end of this row, I'm either going to stitch my last name or the name of my little village. Haven't decided yet.

1900 ABC

There hasn't been a lot going on here this weekend.  Oddly enough, DH let me stitch most of it.  Really weird experience.

I've been stitching away on 1900 ABC still and I've made some decent progress.  You can see in the picture, I've found the bottom left corner.  I'm hoping that the outer zig zag border is structured enough that any mistakes would have been glaringly obvious when I made them and the border will match perfectly when I try to match them up in the last page.  This is also the page where the original stitcher added her name and age.  I think I'm going to add my name and the year I started.  In the last page is the place it was stitched?  Not sure about that, but I'll probably add my last name and the year I finish.  At least that's the plan for now.

Now, since the time change has thrown us all off, I need to get some supper started.  Right after I figure out what that is going to be.

Later!

Wipocalyplse October

I've made pretty big progress on 1900 ABC this week.  Thankfully the Sticklounge group I'm stitching it with is pretty good incentive to keep going.  Otherwise, I probably would have never attempted something this big.  Never mind that I really enjoy stitching my HAED.

Anyway, the last time I posted, you saw page 16.  Well, Sunday night, I finished page 17 and tonight I've finished page 18 and the third row.  Can I get a whoo hoo from the audience please??!!  So, now, I'm going to go pull out page 19 and get started!

 page 17

page 18

Meari asked if I stitch in had on my last Deep Blue Sea post.  I don't.  I actually use q-snaps.  I do pad the Delicas when the snaps go over them, but I've yet to break a bead.  **knock on wood**  My fabric does get all wrinkly from being stuffed under my q-snap covers.

When frogs attack!

So, last time we talked, I was still in the middle of part 7 of Deep Blue Sea.  Monday, at work I started on the coral.  Would you believe I can't count?  I was one stitch off the bottom.  Missed counting the row on top of the rhodes stitches.  So, I frogged it all and put Deep Blue Sea into time out for a bit.  Then out came 1900 ABC.  Tonight I finished page 16.  Page 17 isn't too big so hopefully, you'll see me back in a day or so with an update!

Hermit time!

This weekend was the International Hermit and Stitch Weekend (IHSW).  I got some stitching done yesterday and lots done today.  I've got the frame and the squid  done on part 7.  Hopefully in a day or two, or three I'll be able to get the coral (I think it's coral?) and all the little fish done on part 7 of Deep Blue Sea before I totally burn out on it.  

See you in a few days!

More Window

I've just finished another page of Window I.  There's just two more pages to go.  That last page is going to be killer though. lol!

Tomorrow, I think I'll have Deep Blue Sea back on the q-snaps for part 7.

Night all!

Deep Blue Sea and Webshots

I've just finished part 6 of Deep Blue Sea.  I love how bright and happy it is on black but those fish are going to drive me crazy with all the color changes!!

I'm going to assume that everybody now knows that Webshots is going away??  I've downloaded my pictures that I had on their site and I'm working on renaming them so I know what part of what each picture is and when the picture was taken but it is such a pain!  It would have been much nicer of Webshots to keep all the information included with the pictures instead of renaming them as a string of numbers.  

Deep Blue Sea update

I've got to move the qsnaps so I thought this was a good time to share a picture of Deep Blue Sea.  The top of part 6 is done so I'm moving down to stitch the sea weed along the base of this part then, the plant and fish.  Hopefully, I'll be back soon with this part finished.

Wipacolypse September

Another Wipacolypse post.  Where has this year gone??

My first update is for 1900 ABC.  September has seen lots of progress on this piece.  The last time it saw the light of day I was somewhere in the middle of page 11.  This picture is through page 15.  There's only 9 pages to go!

Then there's Deep Blue Sea.  It hasn't been out for a while either.  But I pulled it out last night after putting 1900 ABC away for a bit, and this is the progress I made while watching the Huskers win.  GBR!

I'm hoping to get this bit of seaweed done tonight and start on the frame going around the whole part.  Wish me luck!

1900 ABC again

Are you all tired of seeing this one yet?  I'm still stitching away on it and here's my result.  Page 13 is finally done.  I say finally because the frogs attacked with a vengeance.  Both the bottom E and I were stitched twice as was that leafy border just above the bottom row of letters.  You'd think as an accountant I would know how to count.  Sure couldn't tell it with this page.

There's a quarter in the picture to give some perspective of how big it is.

Now, I need to go put it back on the q-snaps and start Star Trek Voyager back up for a little while before I go off to bed.

Night all!

IHSW - September

I know I'm a day late.  But, in my defense, I was stitching away on my 1900 Abecedaire and realized it was almost 1am this morning.  Oops.  Not  a good thing when I have to be up at 6am.  But, I've survived and I finished page 12!  Thankfully it was a skinny page or a page finish would not have happened.  

I'm halfway though this giant sampler!!  I'm going to have to stick a quarter somewhere on this monster so you can get a feel for just how big it is now and how big it's going to be when it's done.

For now, I'm going to stick with this one until something else starts calling.  Right now, that's not happening so maybe in a few days, you'll see page 13.

I think my mojo's on vacation

Last week, I finished the first corner of Chatelaine's Summer Knotgarden.  I'm really enjoying working on it and I've been getting lots of time during football practices for both boys, but after I moved the q-snaps and finished a couple of threads, I didn't want to work on it.  

For a couple of nights, I read a couple of books.  I read really fast so I'm forever thankful for the free books Amazon offers for my Kindle!  

When I got tired of just looking at Summer Knotgarden and Lust and having no interest in either of them, I decided to go pull another WIP out of the drawer and give it a try.  Thus, 1900 ABC saw the light of day for the first time since April.  I've finished page 11 and now I'm going to go pull page 12 out and see if I can't get it finished by the end of my weekend.

Wipocalypse update!

I just realized it's been a couple of weeks since my last update.  Sorry about that.  

I hope everyone had a great weekend!!  Since it was a three day weekend here in the States, I talked DH into making a trip to Menards since we were going to Sam's Club anyway.  It's only two ginormous buildings away!  I spent about $50 in lumber and a new can of stain and here's the result.  I now have a coffee table!  It's big but I have a pretty good sized space for it.  I stained it just this morning.  (It's nice to be able to play hookey since the boys don't have school today!)  You can get the plans here and build your very own!  It's modeled off the Apple store tables and is very sturdy!

That $50 also included lumber to build an end table.  I've been using a little stool and it just isn't big enough and doesn't have any storage.  This is another Ana White plan and you can find the plans here.  I shortened mine by about 10 inches from the plan.  It had to fit my space!  I just need to see what kind of baskets I've got and I'll be able to hide all kinds of stuff under there!

Ok.  Stitching stuff.  That's why you're here right?  Last week saw Window I again.  I've finished part 13.  Just three more parts to go and it will be finished.  I could finish it since the top is the same as the bottom, just reversed, so I could finish it, but all the straight lines get to me after a while.

And finally, here's Summer Knotgarden.  I'm going to go stitch the other butterfly on the right in a bit, get the jessicas done and get some beads on this bad boy before I move back to part 3 that isn't finished yet.  I'm hoping to get that done today and move the q-snaps to the right side.