Three Days, Four Stitched Finishes

Yep, you read it right! I've pretty much done nothing but stitch and sleep for the last three days.
I stuck a cross stitch project in my stitching bag when I got close to finishing LCKQ. I didn't want to be out somewhere and not have something to stitch on, yanno? So when I took LCKQ out of my stitching bag Friday night, I saw the chart for Don't Cross Me When I'm Stitchin'. I thought I'd give it a try since it was a simple design and didn't have alot of colors in it. Well, I started it shortly after midnight Saturday morning and it was done that afternoon.

I kitted this up at the retreat in May and this design was my homage to being at the ocean. I found the fabric first and fell in love. I tried several other designs before settling on this one for it. I chose threads that would go with the fabric, but only if they had aquatic-related names. I added the Marigold at the last minute before leaving the house because I thought it needed a splash of color, not all monochromatic teal/aqua. How'd I do?

Don't Cross Me When I'm Stitchin' by Simple Stitches

Finish #15 in the Year of the Sampler

28ct Hand-dyed teal opalescent linen

Stitched with Weeks Dye Works' Ocean, Chesapeake, Bermuda, and Marigold six-strand cotton floss

Since making X's was fun once again I kept on going, next picking up a UFO, I'd Pick You. This is going to be made into a cigar tin. I was working on it at the retreat but put it down when I burned out and switched to LCKQ. Laura has been patiently waiting for her tin and I will get it done soon and either take to her or mail it.

I'd Pick You by Hob-Nobb Designs

Finish #16 in the Year of the Sampler
28ct Lilac evenweave
Stitched with Weeks Dye Works' Okeefenokee and Plum and Gentle Arts' Royal Purple and Shutter Green six-strand cotton floss

Shortly after midnight Sunday I began working on Grandma's birthday present. Her birthday isn't until the beginning of August, but I'm still afraid I'll get tired of making X's again. I'm using that stitching mojo while I have it!

This is another project I kitted up at the retreat. Well, I bought one color of Weeks and the fabric. My aunt's cats all eat at Grandma's (because she HAS to feed them), so there's always one asleep on her porch. Grandma also loves birds and has several hummingbirds that come to her feeders. I thought of her as soon as I saw this design.

I changed the initial on the mailbox from a 'C' to an 'M' for Grandma's last name. I thought about an 'A' for Alice, but no one puts their first initial on their mailbox. I just made up the M on my own. I played around with the middle lines, trying different lengths and angles, but this is what looked "right" to me. I put the last stitch into KwB at 11:56pm Sunday.

Kitty w/Bird by Brittercup Designs

Finish #17 in the Year of the Sampler

32ct Antique White Jobelan

Stitched with Designer-recommended Gentle Arts Sampler Threads six-strand cotton floss

***ADULT CONTENT***

As I was wide awake after midngiht, I went through my drawer of "Favorites" and picked another cross stitch project to do. I chose to do one of the ornaments by StitchBitch. The charts were sent to me by Pirjo in the CSE Wishlist Exchange. This is another chart I kitted up at the retreat in May and is a birthday gift for Mary Ann, who is like a surrogate mother/big sister to my brother and I.

Mac is a Dept. of Natural Resources Police officer and will find this absolutely hilarious. It goes with a stitcker that was on her old truck. The sticker is now framed and hangs on the wall in her laundry room. She, Ian, and I had to search the leaf-covered floor of the woods looking for it among the shattered glass when the tree they were cutting landed on the truck and burst all the glass on the truck's cap. I found it after several minutes and the rest is (non)history.

I was able to stitch one-handed at dialysis, where I completed more than half the design during my treatment. The last stitch went in at 8:55pm Monday.

Ornament by StitchBitch

Finish #18 in the Year of the Sampler

32ct Antique White Jobelan

Stitched with Crescent Colours St. Bernard and GAST Brandy six-strand cotton floss