A Year of Cross Stitching

Last year, I was here by myself for New Years and I started posts about my quilting, knitting and cross stitching accomplishments. I planned to add to those posts as I finished things and I never went back and added anything to either of them. There was a reason nothing was added to the knitting or quilting posts but still, I forgot I had them scheduled to post today. Sorry about those showing up.

As far as cross stitching, I’m pretty happy with what I accomplished. Considering I started 2021 off not knowing anything about linen, 1 over 2 or 2 over 2, which designers I liked best; which floss and needles I would like best, it has been a very fun year of cross stitching.

The things I learned:

Fabric:

I love working on linen. I like the look and size of 40 count for most things. My eyes like 36 count better than 40 count. For some small things, or things with details, I feel like 32 count works best. I like a bit of color variation – not so much solids.

Floss:

I see to love it all! DMC is a great floss and I can get it at Hobby Lobby and that means a lot these days. I also love Vikki Clayton silks and for $3.50 for 8.7 yards or $9 for 26 yards. I started out buying a lot of the overdyes because I found that I love stitching large areas with the bit of variegation the overdyes provide but with them being about .50/yard and Vikki Clayton’s silks being about .40 per yard and the overdyes being about .50 per yard, I’m only buying DMC or Vikki Clayton floss these days (except I guess I’m not buying any floss after today!). <G>

Needles:

For 36 and 40 count linen, I like the Piecemakers Tapestry 28 needles but I also love the Mary Arden Tapestry Petite 28. For 32 count, I like the Sullivan’s Easy Glide 28 but if I were to keep only one needle, it would be Piecemakers Tapestry 28.

Finished Projects in 2021:

These are in alphabetical order but the first project I finished is also the first in the alphabetical list.

All of the projects, along with links to the charts and info about fabric and floss can be found here. There is a link at the top of the blog. When I started it, I named it “Finished Projects – 2021” but I think I’ll just keep the alphabetical list going, adding new projects as they’re finished so as to make it easier to find them.

Not all of these are fully finished but the stitching is done.

I’m very thankful for Denise having learned to frame her own pieces and sharing that info with me. That keeps the cost way down and I’m not having to send my finished pieces off to be framed and then hoping they arrive safely back home.

I had mentioned about several floss tubers who finished 30 – 50 pieces in 2021 and I was thinking I would do some smalls in 2022 so I’d at least have more finished pieces but looking at the 14 pieces I did finish, most are smalls! There are definitely no really big ones but it was my first year.

1. A Good Marriage

2. A House Is . .

3. Always Thankful.

4. Big Red House.

5. Cat-O-Lantern for Addie.

6. Deux Oiseaux

7. Harvest Tina

8. Let’s Give Thanks for Addie’s Thanksgiving Pillow

9. December 25th Pillow for Addie:

10. Love is in the Air – This will be made into a small stocking.

11. Love Your Family:

12. Rooster Alphabet.

13. Veterans Day at Twin Gables.

14. Winter Cardinal Etching.

Goals:

It isn’t about numbers but I truly want to have a lot of cross stitched, framed pieces on my walls. When I see the wall behind The Contented Stitcher or Salt Box Stitcher, and the pieces Colorado Cross Stitcher shares, that makes me want to cross stitch non-stop. Having a piece or two on a wall is nice but having a LOT on a wall . . a LOT that were hand stitched . . I love that so much.

In my sidebar, I have listed the projects I want to start on specific days this year. There may be other starts but there may not be. There are 12 items listed. They will not all be finished. Some are large, some are scheduled to be started in November and December so it’s very doubtful those will be finished before the end of the year.

There will be little pillows or other decorative items stitched for Addie that are not on the list.

I would like to finish 20 pieces. That will include finishing WIPS left over from 2021, smalls, and larger framed pieces. I stitch faster now than I did when I first started. There will not be a move this year, hopefully Vince will get his shop set up and will be playing more in there and not wanting me to run to town with him as much. We’ll see but 20 is my goal for 2022. I thought about saying 22 in 2022 or 24 which would would mean two pieces per month. Heck, if I can get 50 pieces done, I’ll be happy but my goal is 20.