Stitching, Works in Progress

WIPGO 2023 – Week 28.5 – Denim Band Sampler

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Since there are 6 WIPGO projects for July with #13 called (the traditional Bingo “free space”), I have extra entries. This is the last feature for July.

There is no finished sample for this piece – Denim Band Sampler was a mystery weekly release sampler from 2022 in 30 parts, starting in January and ending in August. I was great for the first six weeks, keeping on time… moving right along. And then something happened, either illness or work related, and I fell off the wagon. I’m on week… 7… I think… at the moment.

Denim Band Sampler by iStitch Designs as of July 1, 2023 – stitched 2 over 2 on 28 count banding with random blue chosen floss.

I am doing my sampler in a big mix of floss from Mo’s Sale on Facebook and HandDyedbyRolanda on Etsy. I have no specifics about what floss is going where. I just start the next band with what feels right at the time, and how I personally interpret the pattern in each band. It’s charted as just block stitches with no recommended color. My only goal was to introduce blues that fall on the “denim” spectrum. So that gives me a lot of flexibility to stitch.

iStitch has put out a yearly themed band sampler for the past several years. I’ve watched my stitching friend, Becky, finish all of them so far. My friend Amy has also finished one. They’re not complicated bands, and approximately 30-40 stitches in height is added on every week. This is one of two iStitch band samplers I joined. The other one, the Jade Band Sampler, will be coming up later this year in WIPGO. I decided not to join the 2023 one, even though it’s quite pretty, since I had two of them on the go. I can always go back and purchase one of the others if I feel the need to do another. I think two will likely be my limit, though.

Since I’m stitching this over two, the final piece will be exceptionally long – the banding is 2 meters in length! For now, the planned finishing is to gently wrap it around an antique wooden factory bobbin and place it under hurricane glass to show off some of the stitching. BUT… if we’re ever in a house that has a high enough wall (up stairs, for example), I might finish it as a bellpull for length. The Jade one will be of similar length. They could be striking pieces on a long wall!

I plan on putting a bit more effort into this one next year, since I Love New England is the current “must get done” focus. Between Jade and Denim, I should get at least one of them done next year.

Stitching, Works in Progress

WIPGO 2023 Week 28 – Coming to America

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In 2020, I almost missed a special release from With Thy Needle commemorating the 400th anniversary of the sailing of the Mayflower to Massachusetts. Thankfully I was able to find a copy of it, and although I started it as soon as I received it – getting it done in time for the actual landing was unrealistic. Especially for me. 🙂

Coming to America: The Women of the Mayflower by With Thy Needle (Brenda Gervais)

The tricky part with this sampler is that when I received the kit, there were quite a few floss colors that were missing simply because of the supply chain issues of Covid time. Not a big deal though – I figured I could start it and move forward, and I’d just fill in as I could. Well… that would have been great if it hadn’t been virtually all of the overdyes I needed to start the top. (sigh) Still, I was able to piece what I could together. I tried a blue (as you’ll see below) for the Union Jack, but it’s way too dark. I’ve since found the original called-for floss and will pick my stitches out and restitch as charted. There is a mix of different floss on this piece – some Gentle Art, some Weeks, some DMC.

It also would have helped if I would have paid attention to my overdyed fabric and noticed that it was a printing, not a full dye – so the backside was solid. What did I do? Started my piece on the solid side and didn’t notice until I was far enough along to not want to start over. Not a big deal, though. It just doesn’t have some of the aged look to it. It’s perfectly fine on the back. Clearly this piece will give me a little attitude as we go forward. I don’t mind a piece with its own personality! 🙂

Coming to America: Women of the Mayflower as of 7-1-23, stitched 1 thread over 2 on 36 ct Wren (on reverse side) with charted threads.

In any case, I’ve now moved forward nicely and have framed the top panel with the Mayflower. For now the sails of the ship don’t show up well, but they will be framed and backstitched, so will show up better. My plans for this month’s WIPGO is to get those sails framed – and also finish the last two rows of the Cape Cod board.

I have no timeframe to finish this, since I’ve already missed that anniversary. Once I get past the ship, I think this piece should move forward quickly – especially once I get down to the names of the women. I just have to get past the current block. The block is both mental and physical, but I will push through!

Stitching, Works in Progress

WIPGO 2023 Week 27 – Ghost Stories

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Ghost Stories by Witchy Stitcher is one of the projects that was fully kitted in the 2021 Black Needle Society “Trick or Treat” box, along with Baba Yaga from last month. Like with Baba Yaga, the fabric is just deep and rich. I absolutely adore it. I also was fascinated that this is the only Witchy Stitcher piece that I’ve come across that doesn’t have DMC 310 charted for it. It’s an overdye!

Ghost Stories by The Witchy Stitcher

I started this piece as part of the 13 Stitches of Halloween in 2022 – on October 20th, per my notes. It’s not a big piece at all, and I plan on finishing it as some sort of flat – probably similar to the picture above. Since it was part of the big Halloweeen start-a-thon, I didn’t get that far on it. I haven’t worked on it since last year. Although I haven’t completed much of it, I didn’t want to crop the below photo too tightly. I wanted to show you the pretty fabric mottling. It’s just a beautiful autumn piece, and reminds me so much of New England on October foggy nights.

Ghost Stories by The Witchy Stitcher as of July 1, 2023 – stitched 2 over 2 on 32ct Fright Night linen by Fortnight Fabrics

I don’t have a specific timeframe to finish this, but depending on how things go with other projects that are in good shape to complete in 2023… this also could be in the running to complete by Halloween. May be a little tight with other plans though. We shall see! If it doesn’t get completed this year – it’s a definite finish for 2024.

Stitching, Works in Progress

WIPGO 2023 Week 26.5 – A Stitcher’s Sampler

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Since there are 6 WIPGO projects for July with #13 called (the traditional Bingo “free space”), I have extra entries. This is the first of the extras. The next will be posted in two weeks!

Celebration of Needlework in 2018 was a big year for me. That’s when several of my current WIPGO pieces were purchased, started, or inspired. A Stitcher’s Sampler by Primitive Hare is another one I acquired during that retreat. As I mentioned in my And They Sinned entry… Celebration is not easy on the wallet – in the most joyous stash-collecting way.

A Stitcher’s Sampler by Primitive Hare

Ten years ago, this type of piece probably wouldn’t have appealed to me – but I’ve been growing fonder of samplers in recent years. Plus bees in any form now are an affectionate thing, since Max’s childhood lovey is a stuffed bee plush. Mr. Buzzy still hangs out on his bed every night, although not quite as close to him directly as when Max was younger.

I purchased A Stitcher’s Sampler directly from Isabella, the designer, alongside several other designs that year. This is the only active one so far. It’s stitched entirely in one color (Garden Gate by Gentle Art), and on one of Primitive Hare’s fantastic aged/distressed linen colors.

I started mine as part of the #12×12 New Year’s Eve SAL with Just Keep Stitchin’ in 2021. Since that night, I haven’t touched it.

A Stitcher’s Sampler by Primitive Hare as of June 28, 2023 – Stitched 2 threads over 2 on 35ct Olde New England linen by Primitive Hare with GAST Garden Gate (charted).

With the exception of the bees on the top and bottom, there isn’t any particular dense stitching in this sampler. I have no timeline to complete this one, but I imagine once the bees are in… this one will stitch up decently quickly. Perhaps a finish for 2024? Time will tell. I’m also debating if I’ll backstitch the needle next to the word “with” or if I’ll stitch a real needle – one of my worn ones – to the piece as a momento.

Stitching, Works in Progress

WIPGO 2023 Week 26 – Witchy Washy

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I define my legacy WIPs as anything that pre-dates Max’s birth. Witchy Washy by Raise the Roof Designs definitely fits into that category. It almost was scrapped due to an accident with iced coffee in 2013.

Witchy Washy by Raise the Roof Designs

According to my notes, I started Witchy Washy on May 11, 2010. It’s one of the oldest pieces I have a specific start date noted – likely about the time I realized that it might be a good idea to keep records on my work. I remember when I first saw it at the store… with the wording on the cover “Did you ever think you would cross stitch a BRA?!?” Yep, that sold me. I’m weird that way.

The purple and green (my two favorite colors… especially together) swirly bra honestly was fun to stitch.

I was moving right along on this one – it was well over 3/4 done when the iced coffee incident occurred. Nothing extreme – I tipped over my obligatory iced Dunkin Donuts on the table at the library. And a bit of coffee got onto my piece. Unfortunately – the flosses weren’t colorfast, and there was some leeching onto the fabric. I was so upset. I decided to just put it away for a while to decide how I wanted to proceed. Once it dried out, I put it into my finished pieces roll to keep it safe. It sat there. For years.

Last year I decided to pull it back out and decide what to do. I realized that the leeching wasn’t quite as bad as I thought, and an additional button would easily cover up most if not all of the stained fabric. Since there are already several buttons on the finished piece, what’s one more?

Witchy Washy by Raise the Roof as of June 28, 2023 – stitched 2 over 2 on 28ct Manhattan Myst cashel by Dyeing4U with charted threads

My fabric is a delicate lilac color. I wanted to go purple because Halloween and witchy and all that – but the light purple just seemed to fit the slightly more feminine laundry theme. The bleeding, by the way, is just above the basket. You’ll see some orange there. I’ve bought an extra cat button to put into the basket. Cats do love baskets – especially baskets of laundry!

Witchy Washy is now on my super active list, and I am planning to get this one done by the end of July. With the 24 Hours of Cross Stitch Marathon coming up next week, I may be able to wrap everything up except for the buttons. 🙂 It will be a nice legacy completion to cross off the list for 2023!

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