Happy Dance - August Palko Lap

Started: 8/1/2019

Finished: 8/5/2019

This is a free SAL from several years ago on her blog which can be found at http://palkolap.blogspot.com/2019/07/1220-idojaras-das-wetter.html

 

It's stitched on 25-count ivory Lugana as charted with DMC Coloris floss #4521which reminds me of sunflowers.

It took approximately eight hours to stitch over five days.  It should have been faster, but there was a lot of frogging involved.

Next Up: A Birthday Present
Goal: Finish

Happy Dance - July Owl

Started: 7/27/2019

Finished: 8/1/2019

This is the July edition of Leslie Teare's free Owl SAL on Facebook.  It's stitched on Lite Oatmeal 14-count Aida with the called for threads.  The only change I made was to do the backstitching in 3799 instead of 310.  Oh, and the border was supposed to be stitched in 666.  I also believe that there is at least one unintentional customization, but it's minor and I didn't notice it until I was doing the border.

This will be donated to WOCS with the other owls, hopefully by the end of the year.  I'm very proud of myself for keeping up with this SAL.

Next Up: Palko Lap - August
Goal: Finish

Smalls SAL - July

It's time again for the Smalls SAL hosted by Mary at Mary's Thread This is where we share the small projects we've stitched during the previous month. Click the link to see what other stitchers are sharing this month.  I'm a little late this month.  Fridays are always busy, but this time the weekend was too.

Everything I stitched this month qualifies as a small and you've already seen them all before, but here goes.

Fabulous Watermelon - Cross Stitch Crazy #192 (Jenny Barton)

Flip Flops -Lucie Heaton (Free Chart)

June Owl - Leslie Teare (Free Facebook SAL)

July - Palko Lap (Free Chart on Blog)

Tree Shopping - Mill Hill Winter Holiday Collection

Happy Dance - Tree Shopping

Started: 7/17/2019

Finished: 7/26/2019

This is Tree Shopping from Mill Hill's most recent Holiday Collection.  I used the materials in the kit, but made two changes: 1) I used two strands of floss for the cross stitch and I filled in the empty areas around the white stitches at the top.  

It seemed to take a lot longer than usual to stitch and I'm not sure why, except that I actually followed the direction and did the stitching first and beading last; usually I bead as I go.  Also, all of the beads were in one bag and I had trouble distinguishing between the black and green and the gray and white at first.

It came with a magnet, but I made a hanger for it instead.   I still need to attach the hanger and add the backing, but once that's done it will be added to my drawer of Christmas ornaments to go on the tree this Christmas.

Next Up: July Owl

Goal: A Finish

Happy Dance - Flip Flops

Started: 7/15/2019

Finished: 7/17/2019

This is is free chart from Lucie Heaton; I received it in her newsletter sent last Friday.  

It's stitched on white 14-count Aida.  I made one intentional change in that I removed two columns from between the two flip flops because they looked to be too far apart to me.

I also made an unintentional change in the floss used.  I read the color chart wrong and used 444 for the background, but it was supposed to be used for the shading.  I chose to use 725 for the shading instead of the 727 called for, because 727 was a lighter shade.

This project is for Kyleigh's quilt.  I chose this because she wears flip flops a lot.  She saw the chart and said she used to have a pair just like this.

Next Up:  Tree Shopping (Mill Hill)

Goal: Finish

Happy Dance - July Palko Lap

Started: 7/13/2019

Finished: 7/15/2019

This is a free SAL from several years ago on her blog which can be found at http://palkolap.blogspot.com/2019/07/1220-idojaras-das-wetter.html

 

It's stitched on white 25-count Lugana as charted with DMC Coloris floss #4512.  Now I'm wishing I'd used white for all the squares and just changed the floss color.  Too late now though!

 

I really enjoyed this one and it went fairly fast.  It was fun to watch the bottom motifs appear.

 

Next Up: Flip Flops (a free design from Lucie Heaton for Kyleigh's quilt.

Goal: Finish

 

 

 

Gifted Gorgeousness - July

Gifted Gorgeousness is a SAL run by Jo at Serendipitous Stitching  For this SAL, we post anything that was received as a gift or is being stitched for a gift.  You can click on the link to see what others are giving or have received.

The only gift I stitched this month was the June Owl from Leslie Teare's Facebook SAL.

But I finally used my gift certificate from Rachel on a couple of the new Mill Hill Kits. 

I also received a Hinzeit Mermaid chart from Astrid to make for Kyleigh.

Thank you both for your thoughtfulness and generosity.