Happy Dance - Hark the Herald Angels Sing

 

Started: 11/14/2020

Finished: 2/1/2024

Total Time: 6 hours and 32 minutes

This is Hark the Herald Angels Sing, another one of the set of five Christmas Stockings, designed by Diane Machin and appearing in an unknown issue of Cross Stitch Crazy.  It was the 14th start for Christmasitis in 2020.

It's stitched as charted with the called for DMC, except that I used the equivalent DMC instead of the Light Effects called for.  It's stitched on 14-count gold flecked Aida.

It will be made into an ornament and given to Ronald McDonald House this coming Christmas.

Next up: File This (Calico Crossroads)

Happy Dance - O Christmas Tree

 

 

Started: 11/17/2020

Finished: 1/30/2024

Total Time: 5:59

This is O Christmas Tree, one of a set of five Christmas Stockings, designed by Diane Machin and appearing in an unknown issue of Cross Stitch Crazy.  It was the 17th start for Christmasitis in 2020.

It's stitched as charted with the called for DMC, except that I used the equivalent DMC instead of the Light Effects called for.  It's stitched on 14-count gold flecked Aida.

It will be made into an ornament and given to Ronald McDonald House this coming Christmas.

Next up: Hark the Herald Angels Sing

Sugar Plum Fairies #1 and #2

Started: 2/8/2023

Finished: 2/9/2023

Total Stitching Time: 2 hours and 32 minutes

 

Started: 2/9/2023

Finished: 2/9/2023

Total Stitching Time: 1 hour and 37 minutes

These fairies were part of the free cover kit that came with Cross Stitch Crazy #222 and were designed by Lucie Heaton.

They're stitched as charted with the provided DMC floss on sparkly white 14-count Aida, which was also included in the kit.  However, I did swap out the kit floss for DMC in my stash as I don't like the short lengths of floss provided in the kit.

They're supposed to be made into gift tags (finishing material were included in the kit), but I'm planning to stitch all eight and send them to Canada Stitches Work Group to be made into a quilt for the Ronald McDonald House in Red Deer.

Next up: Reindeer Kitten

 

Sugar Plum Fairy #4

 

Started: 2/7/2023

Finished: 2/8/2023

Total Stitching Time: 2 hours and 54 minutes

This was part of the free cover kit that came with Cross Stitch Crazy #222 and was designed by Lucie Heaton.

It's stitched as charted with the provided DMC floss on sparkly white 14-count Aida, both of which were included in the kit.  However, I did swap out the kit floss for DMC in my stash as I don't like the short lengths of floss provided in the kit.

They're supposed to be made into gift tags (finishing material were included in the kit), but I'm planning to stitch all eight and send them to Canada Stitches Work Group to be made into a quilt for the Ronald McDonald House in Red Deer.

Next up: Sugar Plum Fairy #1

Happy Dance - Sugar Plum Fairy #6

 

Started: Date Unknown

Finished: 1/29/2023

Stitching Time This Month: 57 minutes

This is one of a set of eight Sugar Plum Fairy tags from the cover kit that came with Cross Stitch Crazy #222 and was designed by Lucie Heaton.

It's stitched as charted with the provided floss on 14-count sparkly white Aida which was also provided in the kit, 

I'm planning to stitch all eight and send them to Canada Stitches Work Group to be made into a quilt for the Ronald McDonald House in Red Deer.

Next up: Witzy and Bauble

Happy Dance - Away in a Manger

 

 

Started: 11/16/2020

Finished: 12/18/2020

Total Stitching Time: 6 hours 29 minutes

This is the Away in a Manger stocking from an older issue of Cross Stitch Crazy.  It was designed by Diane Machin and was my 16th start for the Christmasitis SAL.  It's stitched on 14-count silver flecked Aida as charted with the called for DMC.

Up Next: Snowman Snowglobe

 

Happy Dance - We Three Kings

Started: 11/15/2020

Finished: 12/12/2020

Total Stitching Time: 7 hours 10 minutes

This is The Three Wise Men stocking from an older issue of Cross Stitch Crazy.  It was designed by Diane Machin and was my 15th start for the Christmasitis SAL.  It's stitched on 14-count silver flecked Aida as charted with the called for DMC.

 

Next up: Away in a Manger

Happy Dance - Festive Woody

 

 

Started: 11/8/2020

Finished: 12/1/2020

Total Stitching Time: 5 hours 1 minute

Festive Woody was my eighth start for the 2020 Christmasitis SAL on Facebook.  It can be found in Cross Stitch Crazy #261 and was designed by Cheryl McKinnon (Tiny Modernist).

It's stitched as charted on white 14-count Aida with the called for DMC.

Next Up: Christmas_Ornament_3

Happy Dance - Cheerleader

 

Started: 3/29/2020

Finished: 4/3/2020

Stitching Time: 5 hours 46 minutes

This piece came from Cross Stitch Crazy #256 and was designed by Lucie Heaton per a request for a cheerleader wearing red and black.  It's stitched on 14-count white Aida, but I changed the colors and modified the charting to match Kyleigh's POM uniform.  It's not perfect, but it'll have to do.

This is the reason I chose this design for Kyleigh's quilt.  Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of her without the sleeves, but they are separate. 

Finally, this is the last square needed for her quilt.  I gave her all of the squares except this one for her birthday so she can start thinking about the layout.  I did show her this one and she was very excited to see how I changed it.  

Next Up: Easter Lizzie

Happy Dance - Violin

Started: 3/26/2020

Finished: 3/29/2020

Stitching Time: 2 hours 58 minutes

This violin came from Cross Stitch Crazy #256 and was designed by Fiona Baker.  

It's stitched on white 14-count Aida.  I wanted to change it to normal violin colors, but my attempt failed so I started over with the called for colors.  It's stitched as charted, but I left off the border since none of Kyleigh's other squares have a border.

This square will be going on Kyleigh's quilt and I chose it because her grandfather took her to a garage sale and let her play with a violin.  She immediately signed up for Beginning Strings at school and has taken the class twice.

Next Up: Cheerleader

Happy Dance and Peppermint Purple Update

Started: 3/24/2020

Finished: 3/26/2020

Stitching Time: 2 1/2 hours

This Irish Fairy is from an old issue of Cross Stitch Crazy and was designed by Lucie Heaton for her Challenge Lucie column.  

It's stitched on white 14-count Aida as charted with the called for floss except that I substituted 744 for the 726 called for again, because I still can't find my 726.  (My daughter brought me a skein along with our groceries last night.)

This is another square for Kyleigh's quilt.  I chose this one because she's part Irish on her father's side and her name is spelled the Gaelic way.

Next Up: Violin

I also finished this week's block for the Peppermint Purple SAL.  Believe it or not, this is the 13th week of 2020 so this is the 13th block.  This time I used DMC Variations #4245 and it only took 40 minutes to stitch.

I also want to thank Jo (Serendipitous Stitching) who pointed out that I'd missed several stitches in block 12 and then sent me a picture with the errors circled so that they were easy to find and fix.  Here's the corrected block:

And here's the whole SAL so far:

Happy Dance - Musical Carrot

Started: 3/23/2020

Finished: 3/24/2020

Stitching Time: 2 hours 58 minutes

This happy little guy was designed by Lucie Heaton in the Challenge Lucie section of Cross Stitch Crazy #261.

It's stitched as charted with the called for DMC floss on 14-count white Aida.

I chose this design for Kyleigh's quilt, partly because he looks so cute and when I first tried to teach Kyleigh to cross stitch, she wanted to stitch a carrot, why, I don't know.

Next Up: Irish Fairy 

Happy Dance - Fireworks

Started: 3/19/2020

Finished: 3/22/2020

Stitching Time: 4 hours 30 minutes

Fireworks is from an older issue of Cross Stitch Crazy.  I also don't know the designer, because I had torn out the chart, but didn't note any of the pertinent information on the chart.

It's stitched white 14-count Aida.  It was supposed to be stitched on black, but Kyleigh's quilt squares are all white. It's stitched mostly as charted with the called for DMC except that I had to substitute 744 for the called for 726, because I couldn't find my 726.  I said it was stitched mostly as charted, because there's at least one unintentional customization.

This is another square for Kyleigh's quilt, chosen because she likes watching fireworks.

Next Up: Musical Carrot (also for Kyleigh's Quilt)

Happy Dance - Follow Your Heart

Started: 3/11/2020

Finished: 3/18/2020

Stitching Time: 6 hours 47 minutes

Follow Your Heart is the free cover kit that came with Cross Stitch Crazy #266 and was designed by Emma Congdon.  It's stitched as charted with the materials in the kit except that I replaced the fabric with a larger piece so that I could use a hoop.  It took so long because there were several sections that had to be stitched twice.

I was planning to make up as the magazine did, but Kyleigh saw me stitching on it and said "I wonder whose quilt that's going on."  Fortunately, because I replaced the fabric, it will work for her quilt.  She also stated that she was getting tired of waiting for it, so I'm going to spend the rest of March working on squares for it.  

Next Up: Fireworks

Happy Dance - Ladybug Alphabet - K

Started: 1/31/2020

Finished: 1/31/2020

Stitching Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

The Ladybug Alphabet was designed by Lucy Heaton and is in issue #265 of Cross Stitch Crazy.  As soon as I saw it, I knew I had to stitch it for Kyleigh's quilt since she's always been fascinated with ladybugs.

It's stitched on 14-count white Aida as charted with the called for colors and was a fairly easy stitch.

Next Up: Let's Learn from Our Cat (10 hours)

Happy Dance - Fabulous Watermelon

Started: 6/27/2019

Finished: 7/2/2019

Again, this is one of the fabulous fruit designed by Jenny Barton for Cross Stitch Crazy #192.  Its stitched on 14-count white Aida as charted with the called for DMC.   

I only have one more of these to do, but I'm setting them aside for now, because I have several other things I want to do first.

Next up: June Owl (Leslie Teare); Goal: Finish

Happy Dance - Fabulous Grapes

Started: 6/23/2019

Finished: 6/27/2019

This is another one of the Fabulous Fruits designed by Jenny Barton for Cross Stitch Crazy #192.  It's stitched on white 14-count Aida with the called for DMC.  It's stitched as charted with one unintentional customization--both legs are one row longer than they should be.

I accidentally lied last time when I said I had four more to stitch; it was actually only  three.  There are currently a watermelon and a peach left.  I had planned to set these aside for awhile, but I finished the grapes at the Angels game last night and since I had all of these with me, I decided to start another one.

Next Up: Fabulous Watermelon; Goal: A finish

Happy Dance - Fabulous Pear

Started: 6/19/2019

Finished: 6/23/2019

This is another of the Fabulous Fruits designed by Jenny Barton for Cross Stitch Crazy #192.  It's stitched on 14-count white Aida as charted with the called for DMC.  I now have just four of these left to stitch before I can make them into a wall-hanging.

Next up: Fabulous Grapes; Goal: a finish

Thank you for the comments on my being overwhelmed and backing out of SALs, etc.  Part of the problem is I want to stitch everything which leads to trying to do just that and some of the SALs were to help do that.  As several of you mentioned, I only stitch SALs that can use the things I'm already stitching with one exception.   It's just that I've gotten so far behind in other parts of my life that stitching and the computer can't take up as many hours in the day as they have been.  Hopefully, I'll find a happy medium soon.

Wednesday Update - 5/8/2019

This has been a good stitchy week for a change.  I worked on four projects, three of them WIPs and had one finish, again stitching every day.

My finish is another square for Kyleigh's quilt.  This time I stitched a Unicorn from Cross Stitch Crazy #251.  It's the monthly Quickie and I think it's designed by Lucie Heaton, but I'm not sure about that.  It's stitched on 14-count white Aida as charted with the called for DMC.

My Monogamous Monthly Stitch for May is Tinkerbell Spring Blossoms from the Art of Disney.  he colors are more accurate in the first picture.

As of 6/21/2018

As of 5/8/2019

I also continued stitching on my April Owl, the free Facebook SAL by Leslie Teare.

As of 4/30/2019

As of 5/8/2019

Last night I started my April ornament for the JCS Ornament SAL.  I'm doing a wildcard again; this time it's Dashing through the Snow by Lucie Heaton.  I didn't get much done last night because I discovered that I have two different die lots of DMC816.  I'll have to do some frogging before I start working on it tonight.