What I Stitched in June

I had high hopes of getting my June needlework update posted before the end of the month this time, but a minor computer malfunction gave me an unplanned technology vacation last week, so no go! Ah well, these deadlines are strictly of my own making, and time off the computer meant more time to stitch!

Throughout May, I was working on several works-in-progress, switching out every day to get re-acquainted with some that hadn't seen the outside of my Big Bag O' WIPs in years.

For all that, there were a few I never got to in May, and I gave them some attention in June, along with adding a couple new starts.  So here's a peek at what I worked on this month (remember that these are almost all in progress - I did not do all this stitching just in the last month! That would be seriously impressive, wouldn't it??).

First a couple of FFOs (Finally Finished Objects!):

4 Calling Birds

Satsuma Street

40 x 63

I've finished the 4th in this series, and am working my way through each one.  I'm a little behind for getting this done in time to display this Christmas, but I'll have it all done and put into it's final state in time for the one after.  I really enjoy Satsuma Street's aesthetic personality.

A Quaker Seasonal Autumn

first appeared in May 2007 Gift of Stitching

82 x 82

I've been working on this series off and on for about four years. I have Spring and Summer done and set aside, and have Winter to go.  I am using my own color choices for these, not the ones published with the graphs.  The Gift of Stitching is a now-defunct .pdf magazine that is currently available through DesignsByKirstenE.

And some new starts:

Regal Gemini

my own design

30 x 44

Started and finished in the same month - that never happens! At the beginning of the month, I received Nordic Needle's June Broderi Box. The theme was Gemini, and it was full of luscious fibers and beads in gold and peacock teals.  I wanted to do something small that would let me get a feel for each of the fibers, and this was what I came up with.  I'll be talking more about Broderi Box tomorrow, as well as showing how I finished this for display using a repurposed Altoids tin.

5 Golden Rings

Satsuma Street

40 x 63

The next in the series - the picture isn't showing the background fabric correctly - it's actually on a sky blue piece of Aida.

A Year & a Day

designed by me

I decided to do this thing at the beginning of June. My birthday is on the 2nd, and my idea was to stitch one small thing (at least) every day until my next birthday.  So each little triangle represents on day of stitching.  I am colorblocking by Zodiac sign - yellows for Gemini, blues and greys for Cancer...  My birthday got gold metallic, my daughter's birthday got a rainbow metallic, and the Summer Solstice got silver.  I've decided to just note the birthdays of my daughters, myself and my husband - I was going to do grandkids, but I am pretty sure they've not all been conceived yet, and it would bother me forever to have any missing. (I am considering tiny dangles to represent each of them, and attaching it to their day at  the end - I have some hope of being able to add more as needed).  I also decided to focus on the Wheel of the Year holidays and avoid secular and federal holidays this go around.  For threads I'm using my big collection of threads odds and ends - some are wool, some silk, some cotton.  The whole  thing feels very 'random with a plan', which is keeping it interesting.

Pretty Little Washington DC

Satsuma Street

119 x 114

Finally! I've been trying to get started on this all year, and had to keep putting it off to hit other goals. I am so looking forward to seeing this one unfold.

Lunation

Ink Circles

89 x 89

I am having a love-hate relationship with this. I LOVE the graph. But I have had to frog out so many mistakes, and then made more mistakes that I still need to take back out that I'm already ready to set this aside for a bit.  Also - I really, really wish I'd done this one a deep blue or black fabric - so what I'm probably going to do is just start over again from scratch.

And finally, one more from my Big Ol' Bag O' WIPs:

Peacock Majesty

Teresa Wentzler

I purchased this years and years ago as a Leisure Arts kit. It originally was done over one on some high count linen and I found it simply impossible to work with.  So I started it again over 2 on 28ct and got a reasonable way through it before setting it aside.  Like so many of TW's designs, this uses a lot of thread blending (combining two shades together), and my system (or lack of one) for managing all the blended colors just defeated me - so I spent a couple days reworking how I'd deal with that, and I'm back to it, and enjoying it mightily.  I am starting to believe I might get this done someday!

My plan for July is to continue rotating daily through these and the unfinished pieces from June.  I'm going to try to avoid starting anything else new unless I get something finished, but I make no promises!