January Wrap Up

January was decent for me, stitching wise.  I accomplished some of my plans, didn't touch some of the planned pieces, and worked on some that weren't planned.  I had a lot energy and desire to stitch for about the first two weeks, but later in the month I found myself always tired and did not feel like stitching anything.  Instead I played a new game that I bought (Slay the Spire) whenever I wasn't in bed (or at work).

I started Mad Hatter by Mrs. Peggotty Arts a few hours before the new year.  I stitched straight until the clock hit 12am.  I decided to stitch up until the end of the page.  It helps me gauge the size a bit better.  This is done on 16 count aida.

My "New Year, New Start" piece was Stitches by Heaven and Earth Designs, artwork by Melanie Delon.  I ended up outlining an area of black to be filled it, but didn't go back to finish it.  This is done on 18 count aida.

I also started my temperature piece on the first.  I completed the first two weeks.  I do have all the temperatures recorded in my planner, it's just a matter of stitching them.

Next I worked on In The Fairy Tales Book by Soda Stitch.  I actually accomplished stitching more on this piece than the original goal that I had set for myself.

I didn't get as much done on Super Mario Bros 3 World 1 by Box Cat as I had planned, but any progress on it is good.  I am down to 2 colors to finish the page.  I had noticed that I used the wrong color as part of the area where the box for 1 is, so I had to unpick it (that was a task!) and restitch it.

I worked a bit on Friendship Compass by Glendon Place.  I'm happy with the progress that I made.

My kit arrived for Into the Jungle by The Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery, and the pattern was released in January.  Once I saw that the starting block was a sloth and is super adorable I just had to get working on it.  I'm not that far off from finishing the first block.  It is stitched on the called for fabric: 14 count aida in Shale by Picture This Plus.

 

Now for some (dare I say) finishes!

Picked up the Cute Kitty pattern, as I had decided that it had been sitting for too long and would be an easy finish.  I made a couple changes to the original pattern.  I used a variegated thread from my stash for the heart, and I decided to backstitch around the heart.  The pattern had the very front paw showing and not being stitched in, which looked odd to me, so I stitched that as well.

I was searching through my a box of my floss and saw that I had some pretty satin dmc floss that I had never stitched with before.  I decided on a small free pattern to give it a try.  It may be small, but I hated every stitch of it.  The satin floss is very twisty and difficult to work with.  The upside is that I learned this now as opposed to later, as I had kitted up a big pattern quite a while back and it called for several skeins of dmc satin floss, which I purchased, and am now purchasing a different thread to use for that pattern.

Lastly I picked up one of the kits from the Cross Stitcher magazine that I have lying around.  I thought it would be interesting to try stitching on the wooden base.

That's my January.  While I did not hit all the goals I had intended to, or stitch on all the pieces that I had planned on, I still accomplished a good amount of stitching, and tried a couple new things.  I have yet to decide on my February plans.  I will be deciding on some pieces that are calling out to me and will make a plans post in the very near future.

As I have mentioned I am participating in the WIPocalypse Sal this year.  Every month they have some topics/questions to answer.

What sals are you participating in this year?

Aside from the WIPocalypse Sal, for facebook I am participating in Stitch From Stash, Soda Stitch Fairy Tales Land, and any sal in Stitch Maynia that catches my interest.  I have started Into the Jungle sal from The Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery.  I have a some other current sals that are not yet fully decided on fabric/floss, and some past sals that are in my kitted/barely started piles (lots of Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery)

The Olympic Stitching Challenge - What challenge am I accepting (if I am participating)?

I currently plan to participate.  I will be doing the rotation relay, where you work on as many projects as possible.

What are your goals?

-get caught up on my temperature piece

-finish January's block of Into the Jungle, stitch all the block frames, and work as much of February's block as possible

-fill in the black box I created for myself on Stitches

-play around with dyeing some fabric (and have it hopefully work out for a couple projects I have in mind)

I'm sure I will have more goals for the month of February once I choose my wips.  I do not however set any long term goals with my crafts as it often makes them feel more like work, and that I have to do it, rather than just having fun with it.  This usually causes me to get annoyed with the project and not work on it for a long time.  Definitely more of a mood stitcher/crafter.

That's a wrap for January.  My February wips/plans post should be up within the next few days.  Until then, happy stitching!