Bday SAL update

UPDATE: my covid test came out negative! So all I have is the mother of all headcolds! Still hacking up a lung though.

Good afternoon all, from a balmy, front-door-is-open central Arizona! It's nice outside and I am home. I started getting sick last Friday with coughing, runny nose, and I thought oh no, not again! I've gotten worse, this coughing is nonstop and it's keeping me from getting sleep. BUT!! I don't know if I have covid again. I took a test on Monday and I have to wait for at least 4 or 5 days to get the result!! Onset of symptoms was really Saturday and they came crashing down, and I've been off work for 3 days now. Tomorrow I return to work because CDC guidelines have been shortened to 5 days with 24 hours of no fever of which today is the 5th day and I last had a fever Monday.

I really don't know what I have. I'm hoping it's just the mother of all headcolds. I have my taste and smell still, it's just been the congestion and the cough that's been rough. I did some reading on the Omicron variant and they're saying this version is more headcold-ish with less losing of taste and smell. So I hope I hear something today or tomorrow.

Alright, on to stitching!

I stopped my Bday SAL on 14 new starts, right about the time I thought something was up healthwise a week ago. I can't show #14 because I'm stitching it for the Valentine's blog hop that Jo is hosting. I'm about done, got some beads to sew in and then sew it together.

However, I did have a finish, the first of the year and a bday SAL start! A freebie from the Primitive Hare..

I used Ship's Manor Ganache floss on a mystery Dixiesamplar linen. I have the perfect backing for this piece and there will be rusty bells included.

After I finished Bells, to get my mind off of how bad I was feeling, I started this .

Bewitched Sampler by Willow Hill Samplings. I'm using the called for floss but may have to substitute a couple-GAST Tiger Lily and Ragdoll. Do any of you have those and what DMC do they closely match? I have used the 123stitch GAST into DMC conversion but I'm not happy with them. Let me know in comments. Oh, the fabric is a grapey gray color, 36ct, from Dixiesamplar.

I wanted to answer Jenn K who asks on the last post if I was going to a Celebration of Needlework retreat. No, I just signed up for participation in a monthly club. I'm not much of a retreat person. Introvert!

Here we are nearing the end of January and the end of my life, lol!! Just kidding, but I turn 58 on the 29th. I'm not sure what we'll be doing but I really don't want to get around people until I know what I'm suffering from. My daughter, her boyfriend, and I all have very different work schedules. Heck, even if she were to call in a pizza and have it delivered, that'd be fine with me!

Take care everyone, I hope you all stay healthy or get healthy. See you next time:))

Post!

Hi everyone! I'm back for the second week of my bday SAL. Have a seat and let's do this!

Last week on the 8th day, my new start that day was Clementine by Raquel Blasco. Here is where I got to .

She's looking good!

On the 9th day I grabbed Mighty Acorn..

by BBD and found in the Winds of Autumn book. Stitched last Sunday because of the amount of stitching! I don't have that much time during the week. So the chart calls for 2 over 2 on 36ct fabric. I feel 2 floss threads on 36ct stretches a stitch out. So I remembered Edgar/Blacksheep's bit of the Web stitched this last year and it looks like he went 1 over 2. I also stitched both on a corner of fabric to see the difference. 1 over looked better. It's a busy design with lots of little stitched motifs around the leaves at the top. Laura (or was it Brenda) of Brenda and the Serial Stitcher calls those little things something but I can't remember her name for them! I'm using Antique Lace by Seraphim.

Day 10..

A freebie. I thought showing the design would be okay. About time I stitched something for St. Patrick's Day!

Day 11..

Another freebie, this one from PSS and found at her blog. I'm using the called for DMC and 32ct stone gray linen. I like the color and I think it'll be pretty when it's all stitched up.

Day 12..

Cactus di Natale, a freebie. I've tried the website that's at the bottom of the pattern but it takes me somewhere else. Gracie at Needles Pins and Dragonflies stitched it and finished into an ornament I believe. I'm not sure of my linen though but it's gray.

Day 13

Regalo de Navidad or Gift of Christmas, by Raquel Blasco. It's a freebie. I've seen it on the internet. You could do a screenshot to stitch it. I'm using a 28ct linen and the called for DMC.

Day 14..

Eternal Love, a gothic looking piece. I'm using 28ct with the called for and substituted floss. The designer has a shop on Etsy. I'm making changes to the man's clothing. He looks like a pillar with a head attached! I'm going to try to use a gray color for a shirt, and another for pants. He'll have like a black tuxedo jacket also.

That's it for the SAL update. For today's new start, I may take today off. My stitching arm is a bit sore after falling down in my bedroom last week. Also, if you're counting, I only have 13 new starts. I've had to shelve a couple designs due to not measuring fabric right, etc. So I'll go through my kitted patterns and see what I have. I just need 3 more to start.

Today I received my Christmas ornament kit..

with all the stuff needed. It's cute! After my bday SAL is over, I'll stitch it up.

Alrighty! That's it. I'm really enjoying my SAL,  stitching just half of what I normally start; less pressure to stitch it all. I also have MLK Day off too so that's nice!

Take care, stay healthy! See you next time!

Scratching that itch 2022!

Hello all! Hope your 2022 is off to a great start! I have begun my bday SAL or otherwise known as Scratching that Itch! All of last year I pretty much worked on WIPs. Toward the end I was craving new starts like crazy. So let's take a look at what I've started.

Day 1..

Wicked Alphabet by the Primitive Needle. It's on 36 Vellum PTP with the called for floss. Here's the little bit I've stitched..

I stayed up New Years Eve to start my SAL. Fireworks were cancelled due to weather but neighbors fired off a few. 

Day 2..

By Abby Rose Designs, a mystery 32ct R & R linen and the called for overdyes and a couple DMC substitutes used. There's a lot of solid stitching in this one.

Day 3..

Now here's a pattern that's been in my stash for quite awhile. On a 28ct mystery linen with half called for and substitute floss. It's always nice to have a LK in the works 

Day 4..

Here is Peace by BBD, from the JCS 2013 ornament issue, on mystery linen with the called for floss. One thing I'm learning so far is that I really need to label remnants of linen left over from bigger projects! I like that color, obviously it's a Zweigart, maybe flax? Hmm.

Day 5..

This is my most favorite design I'm doing. On mystery linen by Dixiesamplar, with that scrumptious floss by Ship's Manor called Ganache. I don't know if Christmas Bells is a freebie or a paid for PDF.

Day 6..

Merry ChristMoose! So cute! I'm using a 28ct off-white linen and DMCs. I have mentioned wanting a Christmoose tree and here's my start, haha. I'll stitch 2 each for a total of 8. I also want to find other moose holiday patterns too. They're a fast stitch.

Day 7..I didn't have time to stitch so today, the 8th day, here is what I'm starting..Clementine

I have the DMCs and a piece of 32ct Hoffman's Special Blend linen which I think is an R & R. The designer no longer does cross stitch due to illegal uploading of her designs. I wish she would come back!

There you have it, all my bday SAL starts with 8 more to go. I have a list of what I want to start but a few are questionable on whether they'll fit on the fabric I picked. I have some substitutions in case they won't work. 

In exciting news is my club pieces are coming in! I joined the GaRon Tottenbags BOTM club and received my first bag and it's gorgeous..

It's big and roomy and I could probably put several Christmas WIPs in it. 

The other club I joined is the Lady Dot finishing package from Crazy Annie's Stitching. Here's the first one..

Sorry for the awful picture. The sun is pretty bright. The color is more teal blue. They send fabric, charms, and different kinds of trims. 

The third club I joined was the 12 Days of ornaments which I should be getting the first one soon. I'm really looking forward to it. Of course, I may not work on them immediately because after my SAL is over, I'm jumping into working on my oldest WIPs. Maybe I can do a WIP parade soon. We'll see!

And that is that. It is a pleasant 59 degrees outside. I'm not sure how the weather is in other parts because I don't watch news so I hope it's fine where you're at. I'm off to start Clementine. 

Take care and stay healthy! See you next time!