The People's Choice and FFG

Since they both have to do with finishing I decided to combine my posts. First up The People's Choice which happens on the first Saturday of the month. Stop over to Jo's blog to see what others have shared that they feel fit the theme for the topic this month.

I've took several pieces over the years to my LNS to get professional framed. It's worth the money especially because she has fantastic prices. This year I just finally got the right tools to do some better finishing on my own for things other than framing. I've always loved pillow type finishes. They are easy to display and sit on shelves instead of taking of wall space. So I thought I would share with you my choices for my finishing that I have now.

First up I finally have an iron I can understand. I was always afraid to iron my pieces. I didn't want to ruin them. Here is the iron I use now...

It has this neat cord that retracts into the storage area on the iron...

This one is from Hamilton Beach Item # 14212 and I got it from Walmart for a little over $15. It can hold water but I just use a spray bottle so I can really control the amount of water I spray on the material. I don't like all the bells and whistles some have and this iron is really easy for my to figure out. It also gets warm very fast which is nice for when I'm ready to use it.

If you follow my blog you know I got into a big fight with my old sewing machine. It was a pain to get the thread loaded into the machine and if you can't figure out that part then sewing a straight line is impossible to do. Here is the one I use now...

This is a Brother Item # SM1400. I got it from Hobby Lobby and it was $99. Best thing is it was labeled Easy Threading. I'll tell you what....it is! The bottom bobbin drops into a little opening. The top thread goes into easy to follow numbered spots. I don't fear this one and I actually enjoy using it. I've finally been able to make the pillow finishes I've always wanted to.

Next up is the FFG which we post on the 10th of the month. Thanks to Rachel and her FFG (Fully Finished Gallery) SAL I've been actually finishing things finally! I tended to just throw my finished pieces into a drawer to hide. Stop over to her post to see what others have finished for this month's check in. Unfortunately I've been so busy I haven't been able to pull out my iron and sewing machine. So no older pieces have been finished. But I still have two new finishes to share.

I finished up a Mill Hill kit...

This one is called Beach Ball. I cut it out backed it with light cardboard to help stiffen the perforated paper. Right now it's a magnet but we might find something to glue it too. I love doing that with Mill Hills. Plus I have a few other beach themed ones that could go with it too. Just need to do the stitching.....yes mom I know Hurry Hurry haha.

I also just finished up Mom's Nautical pillow after my Monday update post...

 (22) July 8th

July from Sand, Sea and Cross Stitch Book

Stitched on 14ct White Aida Fabric

Threads are Suggested DMC

Started Jul 1st. Took 3 Days.

7 Hours and 50 Minutes Start to Finished.

The type of finish for this one is one of my favorite ways to finish pieces. No sewing haha. Let's see if I can explain it so that it makes sense. I go two spaces beyond the border and put in a backstitch line all the way around the piece. I do another piece for the back with the border stitched and add the year I finished the piece. I do the same thing with a backstitch border two spaces beyond the border so that the two pieces have the exact same backstitching outline around them. I fold the pieces at the backstitch lines and then whip stitch them together with the same color I do the backstitch line. I figured this type of finishing out after my first biscornu. I thought why not try it with a square ornament and it worked fantastic. When you get to the last side you can put stuffing in and close it up. Most the time I can't tell at all where I finished the line to put it together. A lot easier than pulling out the sewing machine and everything else. Really doesn't take long either. This July pillow took me 47 minutes to whip stitch together. 

So only 2 finishes this month. I'm currently working on my July Lizzie Kate Stamp but that will have to be included in the next FFG post. Let's see how many I have finished this year...

 February -- 5

March -- 6

April -- 5

May --  2

June -- 4

July -- 2

So a Total of 24 now!

 

I'm very happy with that! Hopefully I'll find time soon to get my sewing machine back out and finish more older pieces that are hiding away. This SAL is just the push I need. Now if only there was a Here's Some Extra Time SAL haha. Don't we all need that.

 

See ya next month on the first Saturday for the People's Choice theme of Monochrome. Plus on the 10th for hopefully more finishes to share.

June WIPocalypse

Today is the last Sunday of the month. That means it's time for a WIPocalypse update. The purpose of this fun blog SAL is for us to stitch all our WIPs before the end of the world. I think since I will never come close that it helps keep the apocalypse at bay. I do my part at least. For this update I like to keep track of what I've worked on and how many days I've worked on each project. So let's see what I've been up to my last WIPocalypse post.

Wish Upon a Starfish -- 4 Days
I hadn't worked on this one since January. Here is where I was on it...

Here it was after the first 3 days. Reached the bottom left of the pattern...

Then I made a bit more progress on the starfish itself during the Longest Weekend Marathon. Here is the zoomed in progress from that...

Nautical Year -- 4 Days
Started and Finished Mom's Pillow from Sand, Sea, & Cross Stitch...

Lizzie Kate Flip It Stamp -- 3 Days
Started and Finished my monthly set...

Adjust Your Sails -- 5 Days
Started this new pattern. (Exactly why I never finish my WIPs haha) Here is what it will look like when finished...

Here is my progress so far...

Embers -- 1 Day
Broke this old WIP out. Hadn't worked on it since July 2015! Got a little bit added to it.
Here is what it will look like...

Here is where I was...

Here I am now...

I also got work done on 17 different projects for the Longest Weekend Marathon. I won't post them all again. Just scroll down on my blog to read those 3 posts to see the projects if you would like.

Beach Ball Mill Hill -- 2 Days
I started this one during the Longest Weekend Marathon and Finished it up the 2nd day...

Cabin Fever Mill Hill -- 2 Days
One day during the Longest Weekend Marathon and 1 After to Fix my Mistake and make a bit more progress. Here it is now...

Free to Be Me -- 2 Days
One during the marathon and Friday at home and at the cabin. I will share the photo tomorrow on my Monday Update post. So come back for that if you want.

I've had 12 non stitching days. So that's not bad considering we've been busy with some fun things and cabin time.

Measi also gives us cool questions to answer...Question of the Month: Half-year recap:  How are you doing with your goals so far this year? I'm happy. I'm marking things off my list even though I'm starting new things. I'm the most happy with how many different projects I've made progress on. I love the variety. I also have been finishing a lot and not only that but FFO the pieces instead of just letting them sit in a drawer.

See ya next check in. I hope I have a lot to share with you again.

June Smalls and Update with a Finish

Today is the last Friday of the month which means it's time for a Smalls SAL update. For this SAL we are to stitch up a small piece each month. Hoping we will have at least 12 little finishes each year. I joined a few years ago and used this SAL as a perfect excuse to stitch up monthly pieces for the whole year to display on a seasonal shelf I have. This year I'm stitching two sets. One for my mom and one for me.

Mom's set is a Nautical set (of course haha) from Sand, Sea, and Cross Stitch book. My set is Lizzie Kate Stamps.

Here is Mom's June all finished up...

Here is mine all finished up...

I enjoyed both of them yet again. I really look forward to stitching them every month. Almost time to start the next pair.

I just finished another piece that will qualify as a small too Wednesday...

(21) June 26th

Beach Ball Mill Hill Kit

2019 Spring Bouquet Collection

MH18-1916

Using Kit Materials

Stitched on Perforated Paper

Started June 24th for Longest Day Marathon Weekend. Took 2 Days.

Right now I made it a magnet but we talked about finding something to glue it to like I did the snowman Mill Hill earlier this year. We'll see. I backed it with cardboard to make it more stiff and Mom has it sitting on her shelf unit in her living room.

Yesterday I pulled out Cabin Fever Mill Hill. Remember during the Longest Day Weekend Marathon I made a mistake with the section I was trying to stitch up...

I made a mistake on the outline of the section so everything was off inside of it. It took me forever to rip it out. I had to be careful so I didn't hurt the paper underneath the stitching. I finally got it out and restitched though.....correctly even haha. Then I did a little bit more on the fire block in the bottom right section too. Here it is now...

Here is a reminder of what it will look like when finished...

Perfect for our cabin right? I know. For some reason I just hit a done wall with these larger Mill Hill kits. I was working on it yesterday for a long time and then my needles just say Okay I'm done. I don't know why. So I put it down. I at least made some nice progress on it finally.

We are off to our cabin for the weekend as soon as hubby gets off work today. Supposed to be a hot one this weekend. Glad we have AC! I'll pack some stitching just in case I have time to work on it.

See ya Sunday for a WIPocalypse update. Have a great weekend.

Day 3 of Longest Hermit Weekend Marathon

Here is the wrap up post for my last day of the Longest Hermit Weekend Marathon.

Progress is progress but I definitely slowed down Sunday. I also got a late start since I made a yummy breakfast real fast Sunday morning and spent some time chatting with Mom about my weekend of stitching. So let's see what I worked on...

Mom picked Cabin Fever a Mill Hill Kit. I was hoping this one would be picked because I need to finish it so I can display it in my cabin. Beginning Photo...

My goal for today was the fish section in the top left corner. I started on it at 11:30am. Stopped at 12:50 after realizing something was wrong...

At the very beginning I did the brown square outline. Guess what? It's wrong. So the whole inside of the section is wrong too. No fudging it since it will affect the way it fits in the frame I have plus it will throw off the lower sections. Very frustrated with myself. I don't normally make mistakes but boy I sure did this time. Over an hour of time wasted! So instead of continuing to work on it I put it away. I will fix it later and hopefully make some actual progress. Grrrr.

We had lunch real fast. Then next up Jeremiah picked a paper that said New Start. I had 5 new starts picked out that I would like to do soon. (From the million haha). I laid them out on the couch and let Jeremiah and Mom both fight over which one I should start haha. I already knew which one mom would pick. She'd been eyeing it since Friday morning. So finally I got started on this one...

Beach Ball another Mill Hill Kit. I was nervous honestly I had just screwed up with a Mill Hill kit. What if I did the same thing with this one. My goal was to work on it for an hour since mom loves it so much. Here is where I got...

I counted, counted, and counted it again. It was right haha. Finally. Started at 2:00pm ended at 3:00.

Mom picked next and it was another Mill Hill. How funny to have so many picked in a row...

 

The above photo is where I was at the start. Goal for this one today was to finish the sailboat square on the top right......hopefully counted correctly. Started 3:30pm Ended 5:00pm after a lot of counting to make sure I was right haha...

 

 After this I took a dinner break. Plus hubby got home and I wanted to hear about his weekend. They really had a great time and a nice turnout. He was happy but tired and stinky since the shower wasn't working. So he happily took a shower and I got back to stitching.

Jeremiah picked out Polar Bear Ornament. This is another 3D Durene Jones Ornament. I have finished one before if you remember. Here is what this one will look like...

Goal was to do the middle red part. Started 7:00 and finished 8:15pm...

After that one Fred was finally joining us and we were settled in for the WWE pay per view. I let him make the last pick. He picked out Hinzeit Love 2 Stitch which he said was obvious after my stitching filled weekend. Here is what it will look like...

My goal was to finish the outline of the design. Started 8:25pm and stopped 9:15pm...

I decided to wrap it up after this one. I was honestly tired and just ready to watch the rest of the show. So overall Sunday I worked on 5 more projects for a total of 17 for the weekend! What a blast. I loved each one. The torture now is deciding which one I want to work on again first. So many of them are screaming for attention now that I teased them.

I've discovered a few things. I don't like keeping track of time. I feel pressured. I like to look away. Check Facebook. It takes forever to load things and get the piece ready to be worked on. Sometimes I would think I'll be ready in two minutes and 15 minutes later I was still getting the piece in my QSnap, the chart on my chart holder, and the threads ready to go. I like the just relax and stitch. It was so hard to put some of these down when I met my goal. I really wanted to just say screw it and keep working on it. I loved the whole thing though. What a blast. How fun to push myself and work on so many different things. It was a fantastic weekend for both hubby and me definitely. Now we are really looking forward to this coming weekend because we both missed our cabin time. I even got a message from my Step Mom and Dad on how much they missed us haha.