January Gifted Gorgeousness

My stitching plan has worked well so far this year - I know it's only a couple of weeks in, but my plans usually fall apart in the early stages of execution - although I had a couple of instances of, "but I don't want to stop stitching on this one!" early, I was able to convince myself that since I will see it again soon, I could stop and put it up for the next one.

Yesterday was the check-in day for  and I had the day off so I could have posted on time BUT The Hubs had a root canal and ten fillings replaced on Thursday so I was busy trying not to throttle him convincing him that it was *not* the worst pain ever in the history of the world making sure he took his pain meds, antibiotics and ate something.  He seems to be better today or maybe he's just not complaining as much (*that* I doubt very much!!!).

Anyway, Gifted Gorgeousness is hosted by Jo at Serendipitous Stitching and is a very low stress SAL that lets us thank those that gifted us with some stitching item by showing them that we are using their gift or showing folks what we are stitching to gift someone or as Jo put in her post this month, "anything you have which was a gift from someone or is going to be a gift for someone is eligible".  She also gives us a shoehorn category for those pieces we can make fit.  For the foreseeable future, every piece I stitch will fit this SAL, it's just that type of year.  If you're interested in joining up or just seeing what it's all about, the badge in this post should be clickable, but if it doesn't work, the one on the left sidebar does.

First up is Just Nan's Christmas Soldiers.  This is a gift for DNiece's boyfriend. I finished one more tree and have most of the second soldier done now.

Stitched on 28-count Platinum Cashel with DMC and Kreinik

It is very strange stitching on this piece after working on the HAEDs in my rotation - 2-over-2 stitches look HUGE after all the over-1 I have been doing.

Next is Shakespearean Fantasy designed by James Christensen and charted by HAED.  The pattern was gifted to me by Pull the Other Thread and was my January 2015 start. 

Stitched 1-over-1 on 28-count Antique White Jobelan with DMC

Ummmm, Susan what are you doing?, I can hear you saying.  Well, HAED is running six challenges this year on their Facebook page and the first is to stitch 1,000 stitches, in blocks of ten, diagonally.  As the last page of the first row of this chart is 100% black, I decided it would be a good page to do the different challenges on.  Because of the page break, there is a column two stitches wide, so the upper left block is 12X10 as I was not going to leave a strip of two stitches.

I was able to put another 300 stitches into Its About Time by Ciro Marchetti and charted by HAED.  Kate from Needles and Haystacks gifted me this chart.  This piece is giving me a very different stitching experience from Shakespearean Fantasy in that I am into colors and design immediately rather than huge blocks of background color.  I know SF will get much more colorful as I move down rows and that keeps me going on it.

Stitched 1-over-1 on 28-count Antique White Jobelan with DMC

My next two pieces are shoehorns as they are freebies from the designer and, therefore, I am saying a gift. 

QS Christmas Presence by Myles Pinkney and charted by HAED was one of the 2015 HAED freebie stitching challenge pieces on their YUKU board. I am making steady if not stellar progress on this one and had another 200 stitches into it this week. 

Stitched 1-over-1 on 28-count Antique White Jobelan with DMC

And finally, The Sampler Life SAL is still rolling along and designers are still donating blocks.  The block for December was done by Mark Saastad of The Silver Lining and is called Marc's Samplerlife Rose.  I have finished the cross stitching of the rose and just need to do the leaves and backstitching.

Stitched on 32-count Vintage Light Examplar from Lakeside Linens with DMC

The Just Nan piece is on the frame for the rest of today and tomorrow afternoon with Marc's rose up for tomorrow morning.  Monday is a holiday (at least for the banks and Federal government employees) so I am not sure if I will continue with the Just Nan or make it a free day and stitch whatever catches my fancy.