WIPacolypse - May 2020

It's the last Sunday of the month which means it's time for the WIPacolypse SAL where we post what we're doing to finish all of our WIPs by the end of the world.  This SAL is hosted by Measi at Measi's Musings   Click on the link for more information or to see what others have posted.

In my introduction post, I set some goals for this year.

1) Stitch Deer Scene from Dimensions - No progress

2) Finish Let's Learn from Out Cat - Finished in February

3) Finish Big Trees - No progress

4) Finish Advent Animals by Brooke's Books - No progress

5) Finish Tinkerbell - No progress

6) Finish Leslie Teare's 2019 Owl SAL - Finished August in February, no additional progress

7) Complete the Peppermint Purple Year Long SAL on Facebook.  So far, so good!

8) Complete the 2020 Stitcher's Challenge on Q4OC (Quilts for Older Children and Adults). -  Finished the Royals and started Picachu.

9) Stitch 12 Furry Tales Female Mice to be sent to WOCS for a quilt.  January, February, March and April were stitched previously.  May was stitched this month.

Question of the Month: Tell us about a piece that you absolutely loved stitching.

While I've loved stitching many of my projects over the years, the one that comes to mind right now is Lady of the Flag which I stitched when she first came out.  It's the only Mirabilia that I've stitched and probably the only one I ever will stitch.

 

Happy Dance - Derpy Hooves

Started: 5/22/2020

Finished: 5/30/2020

Stitching Time: 11 hours

Derpy Hooves, one of the newer My Little Ponies was designed by Stitched Pixels.

It was stitched on 14-count white plastic canvas as charted with the called for DMC floss. 

 

I stitched this for a friend's granddaughter for her seventh birthday in June, because this is her favorite My Little Pony.  The chart was provided to me by the grandma.  I'll be backing it with light purple felt and making it into an ornament.

Next Up: Peppermint Pal

Happy Dance - The Royals AND Peppermint Purple Update

Started: 4/20/2020

Finished: 5/29/2020

Stitching Time: 24 hours and 51 minutes

Jasmine and Aladdin are part of The Royals SAL at Q4OC (Quilts for Older Children and Adults).  The chart was provided by Jeneen, the group owner.  This is one of the three projects needed to complete the 2020 Stitcher''s Challenge.  It's also the chart I used for the 30-Minute-A-Day SAL for May.

It's stitched on 14-count white Aida as charted with the called for DMC.  It will eventually be sent to Q4OC to be added to a quilt.

Next Up: Picachu 

For Week 22 of the Peppermint Purple Year Long SAL, I used DMC Variations 4047 again.  It's a double square, but it was very intuitive so I didn't have to keep looking at the chart .

It took 1 hour and 27 minutes to complete.

Small's SAL - May, 2020

The last Friday in the month is when we post the small projects we've stitched during the month.  The SAL is hosted by Mary at Mary's Thread.  Thank you Mary for continuing to host this SAL.  You can click the link for more information and/or to see what small projects others are stitching.

While I worked on 32 projects this month and all of them qualify as Smalls, I'm only posting two of them.  28 are Mill Hill starts for Stitch Maynia which you can see in previous posts.  Two others haven't been finished yet and I'll post them when completed, which should be before the end of the month.

The two I have completed are:  Cinco de Maya Mouse and My Pad.

Cinco de Mayo - Lucie Heaton ( World of Cross Stitching #254)

My Pad - Mill Hill Spring Bouquet Collection

Sitch Maynia - Days 22 through 28

Again, I continued starting and stitching for about 30 minutes on more of my Mill Hill ornament sized projects.

Day 22 was the Pizza Slice from the Autumn Harvest Collection.  I stitched for 30 minutes on the pepperoni and some of the cheese.

Day 23 was another Charmed Santa Face, Joyful Santa.  Yes, I have a lot of these; I think I purchased the whole collection when they first came out.  I stitched for 30 minutes, but this time instead of starting with his hat, I started with his beard.  And yes, I ignore the instruction about doing all the cross stitches first.

Day 24 was the Gingerman Snow Charmer.  I stitched for 37 minutes on his hat and managed to finish it.  I was so close that I just kept going.

Day 25 was another Charmed Santa Face, the last of this series for Maynia, but I do have one more that didn't make the cut.  I stitched for 33 minutes on his beard.

Day 26 was another Snow Globe; this time it was the Santa Claus one.  I stitched for 32 minutes on the bottom of the globe.

Day 27 was the only Halloween ornament that made the cut, but not the only one in my stash.  This is Dracula and I stitched for 30 minutes on his vest and started his pants.

Day 28 was Holiday Panda from the Winter Holiday Collection.  It will also be gift, hopefully for this coming Christmas.  I stitched for 32 minutes on his right arm and leg.

I also continued my 30 minutes a day of stitching on the Royals and I should have a finish either tonight or tomorrow night.

As of 5/21/2020 - After 21 hours and 11 minutes

As of 5/28/2020 - After 24 hours and 51 minutes

Only three more days and I'll have completed my goals for this year's Stitch Maynia.

Happy Dance - Cinco de Mayo Mouse

Started: 5/11/2020

Finished: 5/22/2020

Stitching Time: 9 hours 29 minutes

This is another Furry Tales Mouse designed by Lucie Heaton and found in World of Cross Stitching #254.  It's stitched mostly as charted on white 14-count Aida with the called for DMC, except that I couldn't find the 704 called for so I used 703 which is a slightly darker shade of green.  

This project took quite a bit longer than the other mice since I had to do a lot of frogging, including ripping out her right arm and ear and noise maker.

Cinco de Mayo Mouse is the May mouse for my year long stitch of monthly themed Furry Tales and will be sent to WOCS (World of Charity Stitching) to be made into a quilt.

Next Up: Derpy Hooves (My Little Pony)
 

Stitch Maynia - Days 15 - 21

For the third week of Maynia, I continued with my Mill Hill starts.

Day 15 was the Christmas Tree Snow Globe and I stitched for 31 minutes on the tree itself.

On Day 16, I started Cardinal Tree from the Festival of Trees Collection.  I stitched for 32 minutes, starting at the bottom with some of the light blue.  I think I made a mistake so I switched to white instead of continuing with the blue.

Day 17 was another Charmed Santa Face; this time it's the Charming Santa and I worked on the bottom of his hat, including adding two rows of beads, for 30 minutes.

On Day 18, I started Fishing Vest, a part of the Spring Boutique Collection.  This will be a gift when completed.  I stitched for 30 minutes on the vest itself.

On Day 19, I started Proud Penguin from the Winter Holiday Collection, which will also be a gift.  I  stitched for 27 minutes on the outside of the penguin, but it didn't meet up at the top so I found the error and restitched, frogged and restitched.  In total, I stitched on this one for 38 minutes.

Day 20 was the Root Beer Float, another member of the Spring Bouquet Collection.  I stitched for 31 minutes on two colors of the root beer.

Day 21 is another one with all beads; this time it's Butterfly Egg from the Spring Bouquet Collection.  I stitched for 32 minutes on the "sky".  One thing to note here is that the beads are a much darker blue than those in the cover picture which are a light blue.

 My other Maynia goal is to stitch on The Royals for about 30 minutes a day and so far I've met that goal as well.

As of 5/14/2020 - After 17 hours and 33 minutes

As of 5/21/2020 - After 21 hours and 11 minutes

Peppermint Purple Update - Week 21

Week 21 is another single block, but I had trouble visualizing it so it wasn't as quick as some of the others.  I stitched for 46 minutes and used DMC Variations #4190.

 

Stitch Maynia - Days 8 - 14

First, I've continued starting more Mill Hill ornament sized projects for this second week of May.

Crimson Cardinal is from the Beaded Holiday Collection and is ALL beads. I stitched for 30 minutes on the cardinal.  It wasn't hard once I realized I only needed to do a half cross stitch through each bead even if it was a petite bead that normally calls for a full cross stitch.

Day 8 - Crimson Cardinal

Sunday Night is part of the Winter Holiday Collection.  I stitched for 31 minutes on the upper window and it's surroundings .

Day 9 - Sunday Night

Traditional Sleigh is from the Sleigh Ride Collection.  I stitched for 31 minutes on what I think is the bag in the middle.

Day 10 - Traditional Sleigh

Love Coffee is from the Mill Hill I Love Charmed Ornament Collection and I stitched on the background of the heart for 30 minutes.  This will be a gift for a friend when finished.

Day 11 - Love Coffee

Gifts Galore is part of the Holiday Pins Collection and is an older Mill Hill kit.  I stitched on the tree for 30 minutes.  You know, if there are gifts, there's got to be a tree, too.

Day 12 - Gifts Galore

 

Egg-ceptional is a kit from the current Spring Bouquet Collection.  I fell in love with this little guy as soon as I saw it.  I stitched for 30 minutes on the bunny's face and part of the egg.

Day 13 - Egg-ceptional

Triple Scoop is part of an earlier Spring Bouquet Collection.  I stitched for 30 minutes on the cone itself.

Day 14 - Triple Scoop

Second, I've continued stitching at least 30 minutes a day on The Royals.  I'm very happy with the amount of progress just 30 minutes a day makes possible and will keep working on this one until it's finished, probably sometime in June.

As of 5/7/2020

As of 5/14/2020

Gifted Gorgeousness - May 2020

On the fifteenth of each month, we're supposed to post items that relate to gifts, either some part of the item was received as a gift or the item is being given as a gift.  This is another brainchild of the fabulous Jo at Serendipitous Stitching   You can click the link to get more information and/or to see what others are posting.

Unlike last month, I've only stitched on three items that could be considered gifts.  The first one is a double  gift because I'm using fabric that I won in a contest on Q4OC and the project will be going back to Q4OC when finished to be made into a quilt.

The Royals

The second gift I worked on this month is one of my Maynia stitches.  This will be going to either a friend of my daughter's or my daughter herself, both of whom drink a lot of coffee.

Love Coffee

The final "gift" I worked on this month is the May Furry Tales Mouse which will be sent to WOCS along with the other Furry Tales designs I'm stitching to be made into a quilt.

Cinco de Mayo Mouse

I also received a gift certificate from 123Stitch from my daughter for Mother's Day.  I haven't spent it yet though, but it will probably be spent on more Mill Hill kits.

Peppermint Purple Update - Week 20

This week I'm starting over with the colors used in the top section and in the same order.  This time I stitched for 41 minutes using DMC Variations #4022.  Looking at the skein last night, I realized that the portion I used for both blocks has very little variation although the skein itself does. 

Happy Dance - My Pad

Started: 4/29/2020

Finished 5/11/2020

Stitching Time: 9 hours 27 minutes

My Pad is part of the most recent Spring Bouquet Collection and was stitched as charted with the provided materials.  As usual, I used two strands of floss for the cross stitches instead of the called for three.  I also forgot to add the charm, but I'll take care of that when I do the finishing.

It took longer than most Mill Hill ornaments because of my Maynia stitching and there was a lot of frogging involved.  I wonder if that's because of the subject matter.  It's much brighter and more colorful in person.  

I will be adding a magnet and it will soon be displayed on my refrigerator.

If anyone wants my leftovers--beads/floss and chart--please let me know.  If more than one person wants them, I'll draw a name on Friday (5/15).

Peppermint Purple Update - Week 19

The block was a little different this time as we were to choose a saying to go in the block.  Several samples were provided and I chose one of them, but I did change the blackwork on the sides to a different, but still provided design.  I'm thinking of doing something similar on Block 34 which is the other long block.  It took me 1 hour and 44 minutes to stitch this block which included some frogging.  It's simply stitched in DMC 310.  Next week, I'll start repeating the previous colors in the same order.

Stitch Maynia: Days 1 - 7

For Maynia this year, I've chosen to stitch 31 Mill Hill ornament size kits, starting one each day for approximately 30 minutes.  These were chosen using a Random Number Generator and this week's kits have been in my stash for awhile.

 Father Frost is one of the Charmed Santa Faces and I stitched for 30 minutes on the bottom of his hat. 

Day 1 - Father Frost

Snowman Fun is a snowman tangled in Christmas Lights and is part of the Winter Holiday Collection.  I stitched for 30 minutes on his scarf.

Day 2 - Snow Fun

Violin is one of the Holiday Harmony musical instruments.  I stitched on the neck and body of the violin for 34 minutes, because I wanted to finish the length of thread I was using.

Day 3 - Violin

Baseball Mitt. is part of the Spring Bouquet Collection.  I only stitched on the baseball in the center of the mitt.  It took me 30 minutes to do this and there was some frogging involved, because the backstitching for the baseball's seams covered some of the stitches.

Day 4 - Baseball Mitt

Frosty is a Charmed Mitten Ornament.  Yes, it will be a snowman.  I stitched some of the background which took 32 minutes.

Day 5 - Frosty

American Star is a  part of the Political and Olympic Pins Collection.  I stitched the blue star field for 33 minutes, because I wanted to finish the field.

Day 6 - American Star

Santa Jingles is another of the Charmed Santa Faces.  I spent 30 minutes working on his hat which included partially adding the bottom row of beads.

Day 7 - Santa Jingles

In addition, I'd planned to stitch for at least 30 minutes every day in May on the Royals. I've actually stitched a total of 3 hours and 50 minutes so I'm ahead of myself by 20 minutes.  The first image was scanned and shows the true colors.  The second image was taken with my cell phone with the project still on the Q-Snaps.

As of 4/30/2020

As of 5/7/2020