The mood strikes…serial starting

Oh my, I have so many projects I want to do, and this past week I have spent so much time trying to figure out what to do and how to approach each project… I have to admit, guiltily, that I have started too many things.

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1. The Pink Sparrow Sampler by Brenda Gervais. This was the first reproduction sampler I ever really admired and thought, “I could stitch THAT one happily…” mainly because it has a cute bird and no houses or Adams and Eves or boxers or a million alphabets. Also it is not too big, just about the same size as Toccata! I’m stitching on 36 ct so I’m doing 1 over 2 (not making THAT mistake again of 2 over 2 on 36-looking at you, Leaping Cat!) with the pretty called for threads. I LIKE it.
2. When This You See from Blackbird Designs. This was a fundraiser chart a few years ago. It took me a while to get the Lupine linen as it was difficult to find on sale anywhere and I am the queen of sale shopping. I finally did. I have been looking forward to starting it for so long! However, now that I’ve begun, I find the Lupine hard to stitch on and not so fun. Well, I love the end result promised by the picture so I will tough it out because it is not too big.
3. Mill Hill’s Father Christmas. After realizing I stitched no Mill Hill last year, I knew I had to make up for that this year! Can you believe this series came out 21 years ago? It is just timeless! I think this is the only Santa face from this 1999 series that I do not have so I have to make him up to complete my set. I’ve got the face done which is always the most tedious part after you’ve made 7 or 8! Now I am starting the beard. The hat is the most fun. I will save it for last.
4. Now this one is really enjoyable so it’s gotten the most time…Ode to the Ort, also by Brenda Gervais. This was a kit I coveted from the moment I saw it (and it was sold out of course) but patience paid off and I snagged one. The 1 over 2 on 40 ct is going very well. The bird is so cute! He gets a satin stitch wing. I am not sure I will mount it on the basket…the basket seems a little heavy for the delicacy of the project. If I can find a more delicate cute little basket I will very pleased, or maybe a little box.

I also kitted a start for later in this year, one which I must wait on as I do not have a piece of linen big enough or in a color close enough to what is required. I have other linens that would work ok, but the more I tossed my threads, and the more I thought of what a commitment this project will be, the more I realized, it just really needs the called for linen, which is Doubloon from Picture This Plus. The project is Autumn Quakers by Rosewood Manor.

I am changing the Valdanis to silks I have in my stash. I didn’t have the Valdanis to color match with so I used Karen’s (the designer’s) Weeks conversion which she kindly sent to me, combined with some conversion charts Weeks/DMC/Valdani and just looking on my computer screen at various shades in the Valdani. I spent too much time on it, and I’m not sure it’s perfectly matched but I am convinced it will be GORGEOUS with these colors, plus a joy to work with the silks. Here are the Weeks colors and my conversion. I left off one of the skeins in the picture so there is actually a twelfth that was added later.

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If I can’t get it on sale, I will ask for the linen for my birthday. Honestly, I do not need another project to start before March so that is just fine.

I have not neglected my big projects. I bought the Apple Cider threads I need for the Joyful World border (well, shopping is easy!) and I’ve been working on Frosty Knotgarden as well. I forgot how fun Frosty was after getting bogged down with the dueling shades of white the last time I worked on it. Well, I picked out the problematic white to deal with later and got seriously into the garden borders and I feel like it is back on track. The Rainbow Gallery metallics are SO sparkly, this is such a gorgeous piece to work on.

With so many fun projects vying for my attention, it will be hard to stay out of my stitching corner! And no doubt it will be a surprise every time you check in to see what I worked on! See you next week with an update on some of these…but which ones? No one knows, not even me!