It's November

 Can you believe it's November already?  What? ....Thanksgiving is the day after tomorrow?  Well, that means it's the end of November and December starts next week!  I suppose I should have known given all the Black Friday ads I've been seeing lately, but it feels like they've been running since last Black Friday.

So what have I been up to since my last post?  During the one tiny window in COVIDness between bad and horrible, I went to Michigan for Cassie's baptism.  As I was going into someone else's bubble, I did my 14 day isolation before I left, only stopped once during my drive over (and back), distancing, masks, and all recommended safety measures were taken and 14 days isolation when I got home.  Honestly? It was a bit nerve wrecking but I'm glad I was able to do it as I won't be traveling for a while.

After my frenzied finishing weekend, my stitching has shifted into "slow".  I have been knitting and crocheting though.  I've finished and started a hat and made really good progress on a throw (I'll show pictures later - I don't know if the recipients read this blog).  

I started my annual craftcation last week - I usually take two weeks off around Thanksgiving (American) to finish off gifts, make cards, bake, and just generally get things ready to send off.  This year it worked out that I could take off from Veteran's Day until the Friday after Thanksgiving so a nice long stretch of time off.  This is what my dining room table looked like on my first day off with all my supplies pulled out for card making:

Here is one of the cards I finished the first day:

I then started in on the Christmas cards:

I'll show the finished ones once they've been delivered

I finished this year's cards and made good progress on next year's (of course I did the same thing last year and then sat back and let I-have-plenty-of-time take over).

I've spent a lot of time sewing - I've made five more bags - they're designed for knitting projects but they make great gift "wrapping" and FFOd three pieces, knitting (hats) and crocheting - I've finished and started a shawl. I always feel like I'm just flitting from one thing to another, but I manage to either complete or make good progress while I'm flitting.

I have not forsaken stitching.  I spent some time on Pandemic and got it to here:

This a tiny bit of the upper left corner.  I'm stitching it on 28-count white Monaco using one strand of Sulky 12 weight thread in Sunset over one thread.

Luna was restarted.  This is where it was when I stopped last time:

I decided it needed to be further over the moon, so pulled this out and moved her over and up a bit:

I think I could have gone over a little further, but as the design spreads out at the bottom, I was pushing further into my framing border than I felt comfortable doing - yes I've heard they can do it with 1" of fabric, but I really don't think they should have to if I can help it.

I finished Needle Nick and really like how he turned out.

I have FFOd this one, but forgot to take a picture (maybe showing the finish will push me to write before next year).

And I have a new start

This is Let it Snow from tiny modernist.  I'm stitching it on 14-count black Aida with mostly the called for - I am doing the white with one strand of white DMC and one strand of white etoile.  I tried with all etoile but it had a distinct grey cast to it so went to a blend.

I have also planned and prepped for two new starts

This is the fabric for Heirloom Christmas Sampler from The Victoria Sampler (front) and The Holly and the Ivy by Teresa Wentzler (back).  I don't have specific start dates, they are just on my "want to" start list.  I really do need to sit down and work on a stitching plan for 2021 or at least settle myself down and continue with 2020's because four more BAPs are NOT needed in my WIP pile.

I hope everyone is well and safe.  If you celebrate, have a happy Thanksgiving.