Thursday, March 5, 2015

WIPocalypse Report (March)

I was astounded when I looked at my calendar and saw it was once again time for the WIPocalypse report.  This past month has just slipped by.  The topic set by Measi for this month's discussion is about what projects would be on the bucket list if money and time were not limiters.  Hard for me to answer - I'm pretty much out of wall space for hanging framed projects, so for me that is my major limiter.  Maybe a couple more Santa designs by Michele Sayetta / Dona Gelsinger  of HAED.  Perhaps a few more L&L Angels.

This month I have started Secret Santa, a Dimensions Gold Collection Petite kit.  My niece bought it to stitch, but a new baby (her first) has left her with little time for stitching, so she passed the kit on to me.  I will stitch it and return it to her.  It's actually my first ever kit, in 30 odd years of pretty obsessive cross stitching.  I can't say I'm impressed.  The fabric that came with it was Aida 18, a cut piece so neat that left no room for mounting on my lap-frame.  I didn't fancy stitching the design on Aida anyway, so I substituted 25 count evenweave.  The larger count size meant more floss used per stitch, and that combined with my wasteful floss practice of discarding any unused portion of floss each time I thread my needle with a different floss shade meant that I quickly ran out of many of the floss shades.  Fortunately I found a Dimensions to DMC conversion chart on line, and I have so far replaced 13 of the floss shades - and I'm not even half-way through the design yet..  My other major issue with this kit was the coloured chart - I found it difficult to read initially(particularly the green symbols) but I have adjusted to it over time.

Enough whining - here's a pic.  I'm almost half way through the chart (commenced on 17th February 2015), and I have done some of the backstitching as I went.


Since the last WIPocalypse report, I have also made up the ornaments I stitched for James, Alex, Chloe, and Dylan in January. And I have stitched and made up an ornament for Ruaidri & Edin.










 I also stitched a baby's First Christmas ornament for a new addition to the extended family, expected to arrive in New York this month.  I can't make this one up until baby arrives and is named.


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12 comments:

  1. BarbiMarch 5, 2015 at 11:57 AM

    OH!!! he is wonderful! I like to backstitch as I go as well. Makes it less daunting in the end. I'm with you on the colour charts. I avoid them as much as possible.

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  2. BrigitteMarch 6, 2015 at 2:42 AM

    This Santa is a gorgeous project. I don't have many kits either, I prefer the charts because then I can choose whatever fabric I like and I don't depend on the amount of threads coming with the kit. But whenever I stitch a kit I always replace the aida with some linen from my stash.

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  3. jocondineMarch 7, 2015 at 11:58 AM

    Love this Santa, looks like he is saying "Hush, silence needed, Elfie is stitching"... Amitiés

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  4. CathieJMarch 7, 2015 at 3:28 PM

    I really like the finishes on your ornaments. So pretty. Santa is looking great. I have stitched kits for many years. I never made any fabric or floss substitutions, but I do know that you only get enough floss to finish the kit with very minimal waste. So sorry you are unhappy with the kit, because Santa is great.

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  5. JulieMarch 8, 2015 at 3:39 AM

    Santa has such a lovely expression in this kit, wonderful!

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  6. Jo who can't think of a clever nicknameMarch 8, 2015 at 10:22 AM

    Despite the problems, Santa is looking great! The price of DMC here means I stitch down to the last mm, I even use petite needles so I can get an extra half stitch out of every length!

    Your little family ornies are cute too.

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  7. Stitching in the countryMarch 10, 2015 at 5:27 AM

    Great work and the stocking will be fantastic

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  8. MarcyMarch 10, 2015 at 10:55 AM

    Santa looks great! I can relate about kits. I'm stitching a kit now that included mint green 14ct Aida (lovely color) with a crease down the middle that I couldn't remove. I switched to another fabric also. Where did you find a Dimension to dmc conversion? That could be very helpful.

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  9. ElfieMarch 10, 2015 at 2:30 PM


    Dimensions to DMC conversion chart:
    http://www.cyberstitchers.com/stitching_tools/floss_conversion_charts/dimensions_to_dmc

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  10. D1-D2March 11, 2015 at 6:34 AM

    I love your finishing of the ornaments. Especially the beading. I hate buying kits as well because of the fabric. I love the patterns though.

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  11. AnonymousMarch 11, 2015 at 6:11 PM

    I'm so glad I'm not the only one stitching Christmas in February! Love that Santa!

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  12. Lady Stitch-a-LotMarch 13, 2015 at 10:24 AM

    How lovely =)
    I love the Dimensions kit you started ;-)
    I often read about Dimensions kits being quite short in thread and if you don't watch out, you won't have enough yarn. But they seem to have quite a good customer service who send you additional threads.

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