Finish it in 2013 Update blog and WIP update post

It's been a while since I last made an update post like this so here is an overview of where everything is:

New Projects:

I started a "large" and complicated new cross stitch project this year based on a photograph by a really talented Alaskan photographer who was incredibly kind and said I could make a cross stitch of it. The photographer is Mike Gates, go check out his site - his work is amazing!

The pattern was made for me as a prize for winning a competition on dA. It's 10 inches wide  x 14 1/2 inches high = 180 x 261 stitches on 18 ct Aida and it uses 147 colours. I am truly intimidated but I did ask for the pattern to be as close to the photo as possible and didn't limit size or colours and I certainly got what I asked for!

In February I dyed the fabric for this using coffee. I started stitching in March

 Update: The first 3 sections are complete and part of the 4th section has also been done.

Mystery project A and B:

New completed projects:

See the Finished in 2013 tab of the blog for my finishes :)

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The Current WIP's:

8th century tile floor embroidery in greens and blues. 

 Update: I have finished the outlines for the border and done quite a bit of the filling in.

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The UFO's:

2 sleeping bunnies - a Priscilla babyland embroidery - about half done but I *so* hate doing 1/4 and 3/4 cross stitches.

Dog embroidery (portrait) made from a photo years ago by a company - about 1/5th done.

Dog embroidery (standing) made from a photo years ago by a company - barely started.

Autumn leaves needle book WIP - embroidery is 1/2 finished.

Sampler - started
Update: I am behind with the TAST (see side bar) and haven't worked on it since the last update so added to UFO list.

Sagittarius star sign by Lanarte - central area complete
Update: No progress made on this.

Finish it in 2013 project: February overview and WIP update post

It's the beginning of March and time to write my update post. I've copy/pasted the last post and will be adding updates for each item so you can see before and after pictures showing last months picture and a new on for this month :) I didn't get so much done this month - I was still feeling quickly tired at the beginning of the month - then got hit by a flare up of my rheumatism that especially effected my right index finger and I'm right handed so holding a needle was as good as impossible for almost a week.

New Project:

I am also going to start a "large" and complicated new cross stitch project this year based on a photograph by a really talented Alaskan photographer who was incredibly kind and said I could make a cross stitch of it. The photographer is Mike Gates, go check out his site - his work is amazing!

The pattern was made for me as a prize for winning a competition on dA. It's 10 inches wide  x 14 1/2 inches high = 180 x 261 stitches on 18 ct Aida and it uses 147 colours. I am truly intimidated but I did ask for the pattern to be as close to the photo as possible and didn't limit size or colours and I certainly got what I asked for!

In February I dyed the fabric for this using coffee.

Update: I have not done anything else for this yet.

New completed project:

 I made a cover for my diary using 25 different embroidery stitches - a new post with this will follow soon as it's worthy of it's own post.

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The Current WIP's:

Sagittarius star sign by Lanarte - central area complete
Update: No progress made on this.

Air and Earth Biscornu - complete

Update: I finished both biscornu. 

  

8th century tile floor embroidery in greens and blues. 

 Update: I have added a bit more to the top border.

Sampler - started
Update: I am a bit behind with the TAST (see side bar).

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The UFO's:

2 sleeping bunnies - a Priscilla babyland embroidery - about half done but I *so* hate doing 1/4 and 3/4 cross stitches.

Dog embroidery (portrait) made from a photo years ago by a company - about 1/5th done.

Dog embroidery (standing) made from a photo years ago by a company - barely started.

Autumn leaves needle book WIP - embroidery is 1/2 finished.

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The Finishes can be found if you click the tab "2013 finishes" at the top of the page.

Finish it in 2013 project: January overview and WIP update post

It's the beginning of February and high time I made an update on where I am in the Finish it in 2013 project! I've copy/pasted the first post and will be adding updates for each item so you can see before and after pictures :)

New Project:

I am also going to start a "large" and complicated new cross stitch project this year based on a photograph by a really talented Alaskan photographer who was incredibly kind and said I could make a cross stitch of it. The photographer is Mike Gates, go check out his site - his work is amazing!

The pattern was made for me as a prize for winning a competition on dA. It's 10 inches wide  x 14 1/2 inches high = 180 x 261 stitches on 18 ct Aida and it uses 147 colours. I am truly intimidated but I did ask for the pattern to be as close to the photo as possible and didn't limit size or colours and I certainly got what I asked for!

Update: I have dyed the fabric for this using coffee.

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The Current WIP's:

Sagittarius star sign by Lanarte - central area complete
Update: No progress made on this.

Air and Earth Biscornu -  1st colour (of 4) of the air side done. 

Update:  I finished all 4 sides to make 2 biscornu. This is on hold till I have buttons to finish them with.

8th century tile floor embroidery in greens and blues.  
Update: I have managed to complete 2 sides of this now

Sampler - barely started
Update: I decided to use for the TAST SAL(see sidebar for a link to the project blog) and see if I can make some sort of picture with all the different stitches have done the first 3 weeks so far.

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The UFO's:

2 sleeping bunnies - a Priscilla babyland embroidery - about half done but I *so* hate doing 1/4 and 3/4 cross stitches.

Dog embroidery (portrait) made from a photo years ago by a company - about 1/5th done.

Dog embroidery (standing) made from a photo years ago by a company - barely started.

Autumn leaves needle book WIP - embroidery is 1/2 finished.

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The Finishes can be found if you click the tab "2013 finishes" at the top of the page.

IHSW, TAST, and more

I didn't get as much time as I'd hoped to stitch during the IHSW, nor did I have as much energy as I'd like - I'd seriously underestimated how long it takes to recover from pneumonia and how easily I tire still, which is also why this post is so late - I just have not had the energy left after dealing with everything else.

What I did manage to achieve was a start on a bookmark for a special someone, which I finished last night. The completed bookmark is 7" x 1 " / 17,5 x 2,5 cm. the little blue figure is a Lego minifig the recipient chose from their collection for me to use as the inspiration. He said that he thought the minifig looked dead because of the X eyes and the fact that he's lying down which he thought was extra fun - that's kids for you lol. The name is done with red variegated thread, the rest with standard DMC floss. Made on a scrap of 18 ct Aida.

I sewed one of the two Elements biscornu's together - the fire and water one, which I won't include now as it's not yet got the button on, looks exactly the same as the last one and I'll make a separate post with both of them once completed.

I also cut out 2 cloaks from fleece for the kids that I still need to sew together, and, as there isn't much to look at apart from a pile of fleece I won't be showing photo's of them yet either.

This year I'm joining in with the Take A Stitch Tuesday project where every Tuesday (or almost every Tuesday) a wonderful lady shows how different embroidery stitches are done. Since I want to expand my stitch knowledge this seems like a good thing for me to join in with and hopefully it will be fun to do. One of my many UFO's was a partially finished frame that I couldn't remember what I had started it for. I realised that this would make the perfect frame for me to try and do all the TAST stitches in, hopefully also creating a pretty picture in the process.

 I have already done this weeks stitches for this - not much as I don't want to run out of space prematurely and I can always add more later. I am also working on completing the frame of cross stitching.