April WIPocalypse and an almost finish

I hope every one is still healthy.  Everyone in my family is still doing well and I'll keep knocking wood for the foreseeable future.  Not sure how we got to the end of April already, but I have literally lost days so I'm not surprised that it's April 30th already.

I haven't been very good about SAL check-ins, but I am in time for .  WIPocalypse is hosted by Melissa at Measi's Musings.  No special patterns, fabric or floss is required just stitch on what you've already started and post about it once a month.  The posting part is the hardest thing for me.  Melissa also gives us questions so we can all get to know each other and maybe find a chart we didn't know we needed.  

April's question is really a prompt:  Talk to us about your longest running WIP or UFO.  I honestly don't know. A large percentage of my WIPs - I consider everything a WIP as I AM going to finish them - were started in the 1997 to 2000 range.  My first husband passed away in 1997 and I did a lot of comfort shopping and starting.  The only one I have the starting year for is Linda Driskell's Sampler in a Year 1999.  

 

I first saw this series of samplers at Celebration of Needlework - way back when it was a new thing.  An EGA friend and I picked out the newest one and started it together.  I don't think either of us got much further than here.  I've lost touch with her since my move so don't know if she ever pulled it out and finished it.  It is done all in white and mostly perle cottons.  I don't even remember what the finished project looks like, but it's started so it's going to get finished. :-)

Speaking of finishes...  I've finished crossing all the Xs in Grady's stocking.  In April, it went from here:

to here:

I've started the backstitching at the bottom and am working my way up.  I wasn't going to do the outlining backstitching as it's all done on black and really doesn't show up, but it does seem to make a difference so outlining I'm doing. I was hoping to finish this in April, but that isn't going to happen.  It will definitely be finished in early May.  FFOing will have to wait until I can get to the store.  I was thinking of ordering fabric but most places have a minimum order and it is way more than I need.  If anyone is interested in statistics I stitched for 99 hours in April (so far - I do plan to stitch a bit tonight) all of them on the stocking.  So far, I've stitched 164.25 hours on it.  In April I stitched 26 days so I'm averaging just slightly more than 3.75 hours a day.  

Once I'm done with the stocking, I'll be starting Sweet Pea from Nora Corbett.  I'm doing it as the birth announcement for Baby Girl due the end of June.  I think it will be done fairly quickly.  Her brother's announcement was finished as a pillow, but I'm not sure how Mom will want this one finished.  Once that's done, I'll be starting her Christmas stocking - Vintage Baubles by Shannon Christine Designs.  

I am not sure how I'm going to put her name on it - I'm thinking of a fruffy tag, but may try to work up a band for her name.  I think a space above those half motifs at the top for her name and another band of half motifs or maybe just the tops above the name.  I got the notice today that my order has shipped so I should have the pattern, floss and fabric in another week or so.

   

Hopefully I can get myself around to posting more often.  Maybe once the stocking is finished - right now it's just black outlining on black fabric so not a lot to see.

I hope you all stay safe and healthy.