Weekly Update and supply news

I'm already slacking on the weekly updates because I almost forgot, but better late than never! I have also started posting daily updates on Instagram, but those posts are just basic info about the total progress so far, not a breakdown of what I did that day. I'm still posting here weekly, but the dailies keep me updated a bit better (I don't have to spend so much time searching through apps to count up my progress).

As you may remember, I picked up SS/MC Once Upon A Fairy Tale, an Aimee Stewart bookshelf by HAED last Sunday Switch day. I was still NOT feeling the Q-snaps, so the redux lasted only through Monday. Last time we were here:

And, with the one additional day, I added another 628 stitches (2103/713,265) and another 1.4 hrs (9.52 hrs total). That brings me to 0.29%.

I decided next to move on to Mini Wisdom, a HAED by artist Cherie Gerhardt. In case you don't remember, here is the model (it's a Harry Potter Ravenclaw pattern). I'm not planning on doing the other house patterns (I don't even own them). Since I am a Ravenclaw, I figure one is enough (and I don't have the wall space for all four):

I last left off on this on Feb 29, 2024 (I think the last of my Leap Year starts, but don't hold me to that) with just 645 stitches and 1.08 hrs of progress.

I spent the week questioning my choice of picking the Mini pattern versus the full size, which is quite a bit bigger (they also have a MC, but I have enough of those in stash). I was having issues with the lack of details. Ultimately though, I decided this one should be OK from far off (the same decision I made when I bought it). I worked on it through the week excluding Tuesday (work made me so mad, I couldn't fathom doing anyting but vegging in front of the TV). I got an additional 5268 stitches (a total of 5913/184,500) and an additional 21.95 hrs for the week, which brings me to 7% finished (and the picture below actually shows it better than in person, I can see the transitions that are supposed to be there, the blues and the blacks all blend together in person):

On Sunday Switch day, I decided that, if I'm going to make Alice and the B's my focus piece, then I needed to go back to it for now, even though I'm not finished with the WIP rotation. I left off on 2-15-25 (I think I gave the wrong date in my last update of this one, I'll need to fix that). I was at 186,830 total stitches, about 56.76% complete.

I had planned a full day (and night) of stitching, but Sunday was another tornado night for us, so I lost several hours of work-time and didn't really stitch much once the threat of imminent death with over with. I only got 1458 stitches in (a total of 188,349/329,175) and another 7.47 hrs (I must not have been good about clocking in and out as the storms progressed, because that is appauling time for the little bit of actual stitching), but I am now at 57.22%.

I plan to spend the week on Alice, but we'll see how it goes. I'm not great at sticking to goals lately (apparently), so no promises!

On the new projects front, I have started kitting them up, but I'm still struggling with getting scroll rods or a new stand for them (plus the two on Q-Snaps). I did contact the maker of my newish stand, because I noticed he had a center mount attachment that works on it...I wanted to see if it would go to 48". It doesn't, but he said he could make one for it for an additional fee. I also asked about the tablet extension, as well as the scroll rods that he makes, and he said he would work up a quote for me. I haven't heard back from him yet, but I'll poke him again this week if I don't hear from him. His scroll sets are a bit on the expensive side, so I may just go ahead and order the others from Amazon (or wherever). I did realize that I didn't really need the EZ Stitch rods for the smaller ones, I could get the cheaper rods, like the ones they have at Hobby Lobby. That would save me a ton of money.

I also ordered another big piece of the 28ct Easy Count material. Partly because the other order is still backordered, and partly because I'd like to have some in my stash, you know the stash I apparently never touch? Since I am a bobbin person, that whole process of bobbinating should take a while anyway, so that gives me time to debate new rod purchase and gives time for the fabric to actually arrive. There are still a couple I haven't even measured for rods, but I did at least check to see what I had in my stash, so I might be able to come up with something that could save me from additional purchases.

I hope everyone has a good week! I need to spend some time getting caught up with everyone else's blog, but I'm so focused on stitching right now, I haven't had the time. I'll get there eventually! But thank you to those who are stopping by. I know this isn't a preferred medium for stitchers anymore, but I just can't see myself doing FlossTube. Everyone has such great areas of their house to film in (such as a dedicated stitch room), but my house is just a crammed-pack density of Disney stuff, it would just look horrible! I'm also not an "on-camera" person. I don't even take pictures of myself on vacation (and even before that, only yearly school pics, nothing personal). The thought of filming myself is just terrifying. I'd like to do timelapse videos of all my finishes, but I haven't found a suitable app product that can align them properly. Again, eventually!

Weekly Update and New Starts?

Since (technically) I'm supposed to be switching projects every Sunday, I'm going to try to make Monday my weekly stitching update. I planned to spend the week on Evil Queen but, of course, I didn't do that. I did start gathering for some new starts (I can't believe how expensive this hobby is), but more on that later. As I was loading some of the new projects into Markup R-XP, I noticed I had loaded Evil Queen wrong. I had forgotten to exclude the page runover. I had to reload it, which changed, not only how much I had already stitched, but the total stitch count. At least for now, I'm not going to give totals on this one because I didn't do this change until after I had stopped stitching for the week. Next time this circles around, I'll give the totals as new. I left off here:

All the black background was wearing me out, which is why I didn't switch to Hook and its all white background. The only spec I can give is the time, an additional 5.49 hrs for a total of 23.12 hrs.

I ended up switching to The Blue Marble is So Fragile by Unconventional X Stitch and artist Borda Danut Adrian. It was one of my Leap Year New Starts for 2024. Since it's been a while, here is what it will look like:

It's one of the two projects I have in Q-Snaps because they were too big for scroll rods (I hate Q-Snaps). I left off here on 2-28-2024 and had only completed 0.85 hrs (161 stitches out of 298,350 or 0.05%)

I probably spent more time fighting with the snaps than stitching (did I mention I hate Q-Snaps?), but it did get a bit better when I moved the stitch area down. I added 11.25 hrs (a total of 12.1 hrs), another 2572 stitches (a total of 2733/298,350), and am now at 0.92%. The funny thing about this one is how tiny each page is. What you are seeing here is almost a full two pages!

Instead of being smart and switching to something easier, my brain was very much "let's get the Q-Snap debacle over with" and moved back to the biggest project I have, SS/MC Once Upon A Fairytale, an Aimee Stewart by HAED (have I mentioned I hate Q-Snaps yet?). This project could not be moved down in the snaps. As a reminder, here it is:

The multitude of projects I started on the 28th of February 2024 just to get them under the gun for the Leap Year starts meant I didn't get very far into any of them. I only did 1.53 hrs and 275 stitches for its first run:

And, even though I only have yesterday's progress to show, I put in another 6.58 hrs (a total of 8.12 hrs), another 1475 stitches (for a total of 1750/713,265 stitches) and am currently at 0.25%. Usually Sundays means 8-10 hrs, but my arms (and my brain) were tired of Q-Snap-gate. This one is already warping under the snaps and, to add to the Q-Snap hate list, even with snap extenders, the fabric is so large, it has a LOT of excess fabric on the side and bottom, which can't really be folded, so it's all scrunched up. OCD nightmare! Here is where I am now:

I have to get these two projects on scroll rods. I've already tried to make my own (massive failure), so that idea is nixed. It's been a journey to even find scroll rods at least 48" long (both Fairytale and a new start need rods that big). I'm still shopping around, but the options are limited and not cheap, plus, my newish stand won't hold scroll rods that long (it already tips with the too small 30" rods on Sleepy Hollow, that project really needs 36") and it HATES snaps as much as I do. I'll need yet another floor stand that has a center mount system. That cheap floor center mount from Hobby Lobby won't cut it because it's not tall enough or stretches over wide enough for my chair (or the couch for that matter). I have one from the 90's (the design hasn't changed) and I did try, hence failure.

Which leads me into my new projects...I had decided on ONE kit (that number will be important later) and two PDF patterns from my stash, ones I debated during my 2024 Leap Year starts, but ultimately decided against...a decision that has haunted me ever since. I ordered the thread, no problem (although don't get me started on prices). The fabric was another issue. I ended up having to get the easy guide from HAED (and only because 123 Stitch was out of stock), but I didn't figure right and only ordered fabric for the actual size of the stitch and not a 2" border all around, meaning I should have ordered the middle and largest sizes instead of the smallest and middle. I went back to HAED to order the bigger piece, but they wanted $24 in shipping...ridiculous considering the largest piece of fabric couldn't weigh as much as the smallest and middle pieces put together (that shipping was $10). I eventually found it cheaper on ABC Stitch Therapy (both cost and shipping), but it didn't say backordered until AFTER I ordered it, so it's now in waiting mode. If I wasn't so addicted to the easy guide fabric, this would be a non-issue. I probably have enough fabric in stash, but alas, I get set in my ways. Maybe I can use the smallest fabric for something else. I'm not in a hurry to start them anyway but, in case you were wondering what the new projects are (and I don't think one of these will be a surprise), it's Strangely Lonely a JBG by HAED:

And A Discovery of Witches by Modern Cross Stitch, which will be my second largest piece once I started it, at 499,999 stitches and the one missing some thread because the directions didn't give stitch counts (so I either had to guess, or didn't want to overshoot) and is also the one I still need to get that large fabric for:

Then I had to choose the kitted project. The first option was Amour et Vengeance from Dailen Ogden and GeckoRouge (although not my original option for Leap Year, that one is #2). I had originally nixed this one because I was already doing a Hook stitch, but oh well. I'll still need to buy new fabric because it comes with 25ct, which just isn't my jam, but I'll figure that out later (and, unfortunately, the smallest piece I bought from HAED is 2" too short on either side):

Choice 2: Kitchen Fun, which is a Design Works project. I've already stitched this in my youth but, thanks to my ex-husband, it came to a grizzly end. Years ago I found the kit on eBay, and it's been in my stash ever since. I actually have the whole set of the Design Works mouse kits. I've finished Tea Time already, but there are still several and, like the DoNa Stitches princesses, I'd like to get them framed all at once so they match. After years of full coverage pieces, half and quarter stitches and backstitching will be a pain, but this is an easy enough pattern. And, 14ct, sheesh! This kit is pretty old and I'm not sure if the fabric and/or floss needs to be replaced, but the floss will definitely need to be sorted. I remember that process taking for-ev-ah! It might just be easier to use my nicely-labeled stash floss rather than trying to sort through a pile of unlabeled thread. You can tell that non-stitchers created these old kits, am I right? At least now kit floss is (usually) sorted.

Choice 3: Garden Path by Monet and Yiota's X Stitch. This was from when Yiota's just started and she sent a bunch of kits to bloggers for review (including myself). Blogger threw a fit and asked her to have everyone remove their reviews, but I don't think I did...it was an honest review about the kit only, so why should I remove it? Plus, I just don't like being told what to do. I figure it's about time I actually stitched it. I've had it for literal years and it's not really that big, so why not? I'm not sure what fabric it comes with, but I'll be doing it on 28ct, so it will barely be 12x12, just a hair bigger than Faces of Faery 167. The thread is on bobbin cards, so it should be fine.

And last, but certainly not least, choice 4 was The English Garden, a kit I've had since the 80's and possibly my oldest stash. I'll probably also have to replace both the fabric and the thread for this. They have been literally sitting around for over 40+ years and I can guarantee the floss isn't sorted. How did we manage back in the day with a pile of floss shoved in a bag? I remember the reason why I never did this originally was because it was 18ct and I was scared of it! Funny now that my preferred fabric is 28ct!

I scanned all of them in and created PDF's because I wanted to see how they'd load in Markup R-XP, a step that was going to determine which kit I chose, but I think the whole process of scanning (copying in the case of Kitchen Fun and then scanning), etc, got me pumped to start them all! Bad me! Between the money I've already spent on floss and fabric, adding the already needed scroll rods (not to mention the ones not originally factored in for the kits) and a new stand will be outrageous! If I were a patient person, I'd buy new rods a bit at a time and add the stand last. But patience is NOT one of my virtues (says the multi-year cross stitcher). I want it all NOW! Oh well, who knows if I'll live long enough to finish any of my WIPs anyway! As Wilma Flintstone and Betty Rubble used to say "CHARGE IT!". How do people with 100's of WIPs afford it?

2024 New Starts

Not quite ready for a end of year review, so let's go with the new starts.I have been off this week and tried to finish Happy Haunts, but it is killing me. I don't think I'm going to make it through the week with it and it won't even be a row finish, let alone a total finish. I need a break from it. But that's for another post.

So, I guess you guys knew that I wouldn't be able to hold off from new starts, but I came VERY close! I had the chosen six picked out, but when I added some fabric to a chart (I do have fabric in my stash) and added the thread (more about thread in a mo-mo), it was almost $700! I am NOT kidding...it was exactly $678.76, but that's pretty darn close to seven (and yes, that is with discounted fabric and a coupon)!!! For friggin THREAD! I can't say how many skeins I ordered, it was for at least one max color project and four others (yes, 4+1=5, my math skills will bite me later). I decided I could NOT afford that and was ready to let it go with the WIPs I have. I agreed with myself that I would pay off three credit cards first (granted, the smallest three, but three nonetheless). But then we got our xmas bonuses and they cashed in some of my vacation time (because we're only allowed to roll over three weeks and I had way more than that saved up) and all of a sudden, three credit cards were paid off. I took that as a sign (granted, I didn't need much of a sign, but the checks came the exact same day I decided not to make the purchase, so here's your sign Keebs).

Of course, it's never just that simple and here's where my math caught up with me...I forgot an entire project hence #6, so fabric and thread again, another $108. I also had to place an Amazon order for some other things (another $120), I still have to get scroll rods (and you'll see why in a minute), and there are other things, so it won't be a January 1st start for any of these. I need to pay this stuff down, save up more money, and frankly, kit up six new projects. I like bobbins, so bobbinating a max color project is going to be a chore. But oh my, cross stitching is an expensive hobby!

I've always prided myself on my stash of stuff, but apparently, I'm not as stashed up as I thought. I went through all my thread to see what I had (so I hopefully wouldn't have to buy any) and I discovered that all that Chinese thread I bought years ago had faded and started to fuzz up. Most of it was probably over 10 years old, but the DMC was about the same and it was fine. I just decided to pull all the bad thread, unless it was the only one for the color I had and I gave it all to a co-worker. I ended up with about a forth of the stash I had to begin with, and none of it was enough for a full project. After all these projects are finished though, my thread stash will be stocked again.

Speaking of which, so which projects did I choose? Well, I guess it's no surprise that I went with HAED's Belle of Bonaventure by Jasmine Becket-Griffith, she'll be on 28ct Lugana:

And the HAED Supersize Max Color version of Once Upon A Fairy Tale by Aimee Stewart (and I'm not doing the redo chart...I had already printed the chart when they reissued it...I actually had to email HAED last week to figure out the difference because it's been so long, which was just two colors, so I figured I wasn't going to reprint the whole thing just for that and I don't mind the colors anyway, so I'm just going to keep as is...I do still work with paper charts and I print them on this soft card stock stuff, and it ain't cheap either). This will also be on 28ct Lugana, magic guide. I will say, this week I've been on vacation and I've been working on Happy Haunts (it's on 18ct 2x1) and I really HATE working with two threads, so I'm pretty sure I won't be doing 2x1 tent stitch on this. I still can't wrap my head around tent not being a "cheat" version of cross stitch, but any time I would save with tent I would just be wasting with the two threads. I can't deal. I think I stitch fast enough that 1x1 full crosses will be fine. Guess we'll find out!

A chart by Thread Geeks that goes with my Snow and Charming, Evil Queen is also one of my new starts...it should be fairly easy if it's like Snow and Charming. Of course, another 28ct Lugana, unless I pull out some old Monaco that I still have.

Then there is my first Unconventional X Stitch, The Blue Marble is So Fragile by Borda Danut Adrian. I've been wanting to start this since the second I saw it! She will probably be on the 28ct magic guide Lugana as well, but she is not small.

Another easy one, DoNa Stitches Merida, she'll be on 18ct opalescent Aida, like Rapunzel was. She shouldn't take very long, although she is a lot more coverage than some of the other DoNa's.

Another new designer, Fox and Teacup Designs, Harry Potter Bookcovers. I went with the American version, not because "American pride" and all, but when the books were coming out, I was one of the weirdos standing in line for them, and I live in the US, so the American versions were the ones I ended up with. I still own those original versions. Maybe, when I finish this one, I'll do the British covers (which I also now own). It will also be on 28ct, but I'm not sure whether it will be Lugana or Monaco. It's also the supersize max color version, but it's still not very big, so I'm not sure if I have the wrong pattern, so I'm reading it wrong, or what. If it's right, it shouldn't take very long.

I've also decided, since I have a new stand now, on the kit front, to go back to A Summer Ball. I UFO'ed that several years ago and haven't touched it since 2015. I hated it. Maybe a new stand will make it better? It seems like I also had issue with all the partial stitches, but I'll cross that bridge when I get there. If I still hate it after another shot, then I'll look at another kit.

Here is where I left off, barely a third of the way through (and to be honest, I'm not even sure where I put it, so I might have to do some digging):

As a side note, I am going to UFO retire a project, HAED's Christmas Contest Suteki by Aimee Stewart.

This was a project I started for my sister, who never really acted like she cared for it anyway. I don't know why I was bothering. It was a nightmare to work on with all the confetti, and frankly, now that my sister is not in my life anymore, I just don't see the purpose in working on it because it definitely isn't my style at all. I actually have several charts I bought to do for her. Guess they will go in my RAK folder. I haven't worked on her since 2020, so it's really no skin off my back to retire her. Maybe someday I'll pull her back out again if I meet someone who's style she is, but I just can't see it. I only made it here:

So that at least takes one WIP off the books along with Maleficent. Next time, a year end review, which should be short since I've only been stitching since October and only (at least so far) on two and there is only a few more days left in the year.