April WIPacolypse

It's time for the WIPacolypse post for April.   This is a SAL run by Measi at Measi's Musings where we try to finish all our WIPs by the end of the world.  I set myself several goals for the year and I'm using this SAL to keep track.

I managed to stitch everyday this month, but didn't make a lot of progress.   I could have done a lot better and am behind on some of my goals, but I did have some success:

1) YOW - I only worked on one project this month.

Eagles - Dimensions

2) Finish squares for Kyleigh's quilt - I didn't stitch any this month.

 

3a) Participate in Leslie Teare's 2019 Owl SAL - I haven't started the April owl yet.

3b) Participate in the Christmas Ornie SAL - I didn't stitch one this month.

3c) Participate in the JCS Christmas SAL - I didn't stitch one this month.

4) Continue to stitch for charity - I finished two pieces for Q4OC this month.

Angelic Doodle - Daily Cross Stitch

Jack Russell Terrier - Durene Jones (WOX #266)

 6) Stitch on 69 projects this year as a SAL with Linda of Stitching with my Furbabies.  I stitched on four additional projects this month for a total of 29.   The four this month are Angelic Doodle, Jack Russell Terrier and these two.

Fabulous Pineapple - Jenny Barton (Crazy #192)

April Palko Lap

7) Fully finish at least one project a month to participate in the Fully Finished SAL - I didn't finish finish any this month.

I also extended the One Month Challenge from March with a different project,  We were supposed to choose one project and add at least one stitch a day for the month of March.  I love this challenge because it's what's made me stitch everyday.  One stitch is definitely doable, but once I pick up the project, I usually stitch for maybe five to 10 minutes, sometimes even longer.  For the month of April, I chose to work on Eagles by Dimensions. 

As of 4/1/2019

As of 4/28/2019

Question of the Month: Talk to us about your longest-running WIP or UFO.  I honestly don't remember my oldest UFO, but it was probably started sometime in the early 1990's.  The oldest WIP in my current rotation is Tinkerbell from Art by Disney.  I don't remember when I started it, but I think it's about eight years old. It was about 1/2 finished when I picked it up again last year and it's now about 3/4 finished.

March WIPacolypse

I'm very late for my March WIPacolypse post.  And, March was not a good month for stitching or otherwise.  I only managed to work on seven projects finishing five of them, one of which was finished finished.   I did manage to stitch everyday this month though. As for my goals, I could have done a lot better and am starting to get behind, but I did have some success:

1) YOW - I worked on two projects this month.

Eagles - Dimensions

Big Trees  - National Park Needlework

2) Finish squares for Kyleigh's quilt - I didn't stitch any this month.

3a)  Participate in Leslie Teare's 2019 Owl SAL.  I finished both the February and March Owls.

February Owl - Leslie Teare

March Owl - Leslie Teare

3b) Participate in the Christmas Ornie SAL - I didn't stitch one this month.

3c) Participate in the JCS Christmas SAL. I finished stitching my ornament for March.

Caroling Cardinals - 2018 JCS Ornament Issue

4) Continue to stitch for charity - I finished Pink Flowers for WOCS.

6) Stitch on 69 projects this year as a SAL with Linda of Stitching with my Furbabies.  I've stitched on four additional projects this month for a total of 25 so far.  The four this month are Caroling Cardinals, March Owl, Big Trees and

March - Palko Lap

7) Finally, I've added an additional goal for 2019:  to fully finish at least one project a month to participate in the Fully Finished SAL.  I finished Love is in the Air into a card using the materials in the free cover kit.

We also had a One Month Challenge this month where we're supposed to choose a project and add at least one stitch a day for the month of March.  I've chosen Big Trees from National Park Needlework and was so successful that I've decided to do it again next month with a different project.

As of 7/18/2018

As of 3/31/2019

Question of the Month: What newer designers and product creators (fabric or floss dyeing, etc) out there have you discovered and recommend?  I recently discovered Maria Brovko who has a Facebook group, Cross Stitch Designs by Maria Brovko.  I really like some of her designs.

Smalls SAL - April

The Smalls SAL is run by Mary of Mary's Thread and we're supposed to post the small projects we completed since the last check in.  Click on the link to see what others have stitched. 

I can't believe I'm on time this month, but I just read Mary's post so decided to go ahead and post before I forgot. As usual, most of what I stitched this past month are smalls.

Anemone, a free 12 part SAL from Leslie Teare:

Angelic Doodle from Daily Cross Stitch for Q4OC and Love Quilts Brazil:

Jack Russell Terrier designed by Durene Jones (World of Cross Stitching #266 for Q4OC.

March Owl, the free Owl SAL from Leslie Teare on Facebook:

Fabulous Pineapple by Jenny Barton in Cross Stitch Crazy #192.

April SALs (GG & FFG)

First the Fully Finished Gallery.  This is the SAL run by Rachel at Ten Hour Stitcher where you show your finished finished projects.  I have absolutely nothing to report for this one this month.  The posting date kind of snuck up on me; one day I had plenty of time and the next I had missed the deadline.  I'll try to do better next time.  Click the link above to see what other stitchers have finished finished this month.

Gifted Gorgeousness is a SAL run by Jo at Serendipitous Stitching  For this SAL, we post projects that were gifts to us or are gifts to someone else. I only have one project that qualifies this month and that's my March Owl which will be sent to WOCS (World of Charity Stitching) with the other owls when completed to be made into a quilt, probably for a senior in a care home.

I also received a surprise when I checked the link for last month's Fully Finished SAL.  I won Rachel's Blogaversary Giveaway--a gift certificate to 123Stitch.  Sadly, I haven't spent it yet, but I do have my eye on a couple of things.

Wednesday Update - 4/24/2019

It's Wednesday again and time for the next Wednesday Update.  I worked on four projects, starting two new ones and finishing one of them.

I continued working on Eagles which is my "stitch every day in April" piece.  Again, I've managed to do that, although I almost didn't make it last night.  I have moved the hoop so tonight I'll work on a new section.

As of 4/1/2019

As of 4/17/2019

As of 4/24/2019

I also continued working on my Fabulous Pineapple, which I started on 4/10, but didn't take a picture then; most of the stitching shown has been stitched since 4/22.  I just have a foot, backstitching and the leaves to finish.

My start and finish was Angelic Doodle from dailycrossstitch.com.  I stitched this for Quilts for Older Children and Adults for their annual Valentine Mystery SAL.  The squares will be going to Love Quilts Brazil.  This was supposed to be stitched in three shades of gold, but some of the other stitchers had changed the colors and I decided to do that, too.  So, it's stitched as charted (except for the color changes) on white 14-count Aida with DMC floss.

Started: 4/18/2019  Finished: 4/22/2019

My other start, which is now a WIP is the April square from Palko Lap. 

Happy Easter!

Our church does two services on Easter, a traditional one in the church at 7:00 a.m. and a contemporary one outside at 9:00 a.m.  The cross you see in the background of both pictures is raised during the first song, typically "Let it Rise". 

The Stage with the Praise Band

The First, Second, Third and Fourth Graders Singing

Janice helped decorate the stage on Saturday and helped transfer the lilies and palm fronds on Easter.  I helped with the palm fronds and the bake sale, accepting goodies and monitoring the water supplies.

Kyleigh wasn't with us for the first time this year.  Easter fell such that she spent the weekend with her dad and his mom and her husband.  Since it was just the four of us (David, Devin, Janice and I, we went to Golden Corral for brunch and got there just before the prices increased.

Then we came home and both of us took naps!  It was a good day!  Oh, and BTW, the Easter Bunny brought each of us chocolate bunnies.
 

Wednesday Update - 4/17/2019 on the 18th

I'm actually a day late this time, because I knew I was going to have two finishes last night and wanted to be able to post them this week.  I think I'm back to my normal stitching routine at the moment, but I'm very behind on my monthly pieces and blog posts.

My first finish was the Anemone, a free blackwork SAL on Facebook and her blog by Leslie Teare.  Part 12, the final backstitching was posted yesterday so I finished it last night.

It's stitched on light blue 14-count Aida as charted with the called for DMC I'm not sure how I'm going to FFO this yet, but I think I might stick it in a hoop.  It's got petite black beads on it so it can't be a quilt square.

Started:2/4/2019  Finished: 4/17/2019

My second finish is a Jack Russell Terrier by Durene Jones.  This was the Pet of the Month from World of Cross Stitching #266.  It's stitched on 14-count white Aida mostly as charted with the called for DMC.  I left the backstitching around the border off because I didn't think it was needed.  The backstitching was the fussy type that includes 1/4 and 3/4 back stitches so some of those might not be exact and there is one error in it that I decided to ignore.
This is part of the Dogs SAL for a lap quilt for Quilts for Older Children and Adults.   It's been my focus this week since it's due in Pennsylvania on  or before May 1st.

Started: 4/12/2019  Finished: 4/17/2019

Since stitching at least one stitch a day on Big Trees for the month of March was a success, I decided to do it again in April with a different project.  This is Eagles by Dimensions and is being stitched for both the Year Long Dimensions SAL on Cross Stitch Frog Busters and YOW 2019 at Soulful Stitches.  Of course, I'm stitching more than one stitch every night, usually managing 15-20 minutes before bed. 

As of 4/10/2019

 As you can see in the picture below, there is a two column error that has occurred because I miscounted the first row.  Since it's all sky, I'll compensate for it when I stitch the next portion.

As of 4/17/2019

Smalls SAL - March

Again, I'm late for the Smalls SAL, but I'm slowly catching up on all my SALs and overdue posts.  It looks like I'll actually be able to link up with this one even!

So, here are my Smalls for March:

Caroling Cardinals

Love is in the Air

March Owl

March - Palko Lap

Pink Flowers

Wednesday Update - 3/20/2019

I didn't do a lot of stitching this week, but I did keep up with the Anemone SAL and my daily stitch on Big Trees.  I also worked on both of last week's starts.

First, Part 7 was released on Anemone on Wednesday (3/13) so I'm still caught up.  This part completed the flower itself.

Big Trees, my focus stitch for the WIPacolypse SAL Blog got some attention every day.

As of 3/13/2019

As of 3/20/2019

Caroling Cardinals got six days of attention, but not a lot each day.

As of 3/13/2019

As of 3/19/2019

The March Owl got only four days of attention.

As of 3/13/2019

As of 3/19/2019

Wednesday Update - 3/13/2019

I am late posting the Wednesday Updates for the month of March except for the first week which was on time.  I'm posting even though I'm late because this is how I keep track of my progress.

I made a lot of progress this week and stitched on six projects.  First up is the Anemone, the free blackwork SAL from Leslie Teare.  Part 6 was released on Wednesday (3/6) so I'm all caught up again.

I had two finishes this week.  The first was my February Owl from the 2019 free Owl SAL, also by Leslie Teare.  It is stitched on 14-count Lite Oatmeal Aida as charted with mostly the called for DMC.  The reds have been changed and the outline is done in the darkest purple instead of 666.  As with the January Owl, this one will be sent to WOCS to be made into a quilt for a senior in a care home.

Started: 2/26/2019  Finished: 3/10/2019

I also finished the Palko Lap design for March.  This is also a free SAL from several years ago.  It's stitched on 25-count Mint Lugana with DMC 4047.

Started: 3/4/2019  Finished: 3/8/2019

I also had two new starts this week, but didn't get much done on either one.  The first was Caroling Cardinals from the 2018 JCS Ornament Issue for the JCS SAL on Facebook.

The second was the March Owl from Leslie Teare's free Owl SAL.

Finally, I continued working on Big Trees which I've chosen to be my focus stitch this month for the WIPacolypse SAL Blog.  I'm supposed to add at least one stitch every day for the month of March.  So far, so good!

As of 3/6/2019

As of 3/13/2019