Small Finish, Purchase and Nova Progress

I've been able to find some time to myself over the last couple of weeks to get some stitching done. It's been quite relaxing and, as it happens, necessary for me to unwind a bit. I have made some progress on my large project "Nova":

I was also able to finish a little project that was a stitching retreat freebie:

I started working on another little freebie and have gotten a good way into it, but no photos of that as of yet!

I also found this fun pattern on pinterest about a week ago and just couldn't resist getting it:

I was laughing as I bought it because I had recently seen a post on facebook from a friend that said something like "I believe all crafters actually have two separate hobbies: completeing the crafts and buying the materials"... so true, so true!

Vacation Time Means Stitching Time

I am on vacation!! I have a whole week off work and do not feel any obligation to do any particular thing. So I have pulled out a project that I started in, I think, 2009 and have been stitching away...oh happy days!! This one is called Nova and is an amazing canvaswork project.

So afr this week I completed the 8 squares in the right column from the dark blue one with the details that look like little wrenches straight down to the one in row 11 which looks like a checkerboard. This is actually rotated and the right-most column is actually the third row down in the chart...in the event you are also looking at the model image. I have completed a couple more squares in the 4th row down of the main chart...future photo to come. There are something like 396 squares in the project and I think I have 57 completed. So that's just over 14% done. One square at a time...

I also have a little travel project I have been working on called Time by Elizabeth's Designs. It's a cute little freebie that I got from one of the stitching retreats as a prize. The project is a delightful mix of cross stitch and satin stitches. I figure I'll just post the finish when I get there since it's such a dinker.

Also this week I might take some time to clean my WIPs piles so I can figure out what needs to be completed...or I might just work on the projects and figure that finishing them might effectiely result in a clean up. Somehow over the past couple of years I started squirreling things that are not craft related in my craft cabinet --- GASP!!! The only solution is to glare at it all for some time and determine if I should do something about it or shrug and have a drink...probably #2.

Happy stitching!!

Two Finishes and a WIP

Well I have been able to find some time to stitch now that school is over. I was able to finish the pattern from the recent stitching retreat. Now I just need to find the time to assemble the bag:

Then I finished a little project that has been a WIP since at least 2013. Sadly it only took about 1.5 days of intermittent stitching to finish even with some disassembly in order to customize it a bit:

Finally, I have picked up the Bramble and the Rose and started working on it again. It's a really relaxing project to work on. Since I don't need to worry about changing colors at all it allows me to engage in a form of meditation while I am working on it. It rea`lly pulled my weekend together for me!

I'm looking forward to working on this one more in the next few weeks. Hopefully I'll start seeing some progress towards my stitching goals for the year (which really is mostly just tostitch a bunch and maybe finish a few projects).

Stump Doll

I finished the stump doll project from the weekend retreat last night! I still have to finish the bag, but what a big step forward for me. I am so happy with how it came out...and what a joy to stitch!  Thank you to Isabella of The Primitive Hare for the lovely project.

Annual Stitching Retreat

This weekend was the annual stitching retreat for A Stitcher's Garden. This year's theme was Spooky and involved a class taught by Isabella Maria Grazia of The Primitive Hare. Rather than a name-tag challenge for this year, we had an ornament exchange. I finished mine at the last minute (last night)...

This also is officially my first finish (although not the only stitching I have done) since 2015!

Of course a major part of every stitching retreat is the act of separating myself from my money and receiving some bits 'n' bobs from the retreat committee...

Ir was so nice seeing my friends and making new ones at this retreat. It has been a couple years for me and I sorely missed being at the event!

The class is a wonderful piece to front a diddy-bag and a stump doll with a pumpkin apron. I will be posting my progress photos in the near future. In the mean time I must finish picking up from the retreat and start sewing the doll and bag.

Jan, as always, I am looking forward to next year's event!