Category Archives: Cross-Stitch

Unbelievable

Holly Doyne Posted on by  

or is that not believeable? Or simply, no freaking way?

I hadn’t realized how much of a SF/Seattle girl I had become. I start most days with a latté from Peet’s. Or Starbuck as a fall back. My neighborhood also has the Caffeinated Cat so you see – choices….

Well, here I am in Sharonville, Ohio which is part of the Cincinnati metro area. There are chain hotels everywhere. There is not a coffee shop in sight. Not one. Not saying there is a lack of fast food or food chains (Dale Evans, Waffle House, Cracker Barrel, Subway) within a block of my particular hotel. And I am not saying that my hotel is missing an urn of decent coffee. Just that, hello? Someone should have fancy coffee.

In the last couple of days, I have ridden the loop both ways (Convention Center, Keepsakes Shop, La Quinta) which is perhaps 6-8 km in total distance.  And there  has NEVER been a coffee shop in sight.

[insert a not so silent screen here]

One of the women arrived at the meeting room this morning with McD’s coffee offering. She had had to detour a bit. She said they had lattes as well as Chai, but that sweet tea seemed to be the favorite. Now, Ohio is solidly mid-West as far as I know. So why the Southern tea thing?

Anyway – early afternoon a woman wandered in with a Starbucks coffee. I wasn’t the only one who made a bee line over to inquire WHERE she had found it. Answer – in the lobby of the hotel across the street. Provided, of course that you walked down the drive, around a corner and followed what she expressed as mini-signs to the lobby.

By this time it is later afternoon. I want to sleep tonight. But a latté is in my morning plans. Along with getting organized, checking out, catching the Stitchy Bus with my gear and hanging out at the convention center till early evening when I will head back to the train station.

 

Just Stitching

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Other than a quick foray into the “local” needlework shop, I mostly spent the day stitching. After all, that is why I came on this weekend anyway.

I finished Garden Dreaming – designed by Barbara Ana. Stitched on 18ct Sunshine Aida by Vintage Needle Arts on Etsy, with the called for DMC. It was a three part SAL (1 May, 15 May, 1 June). I actually didn’t have more than fifty or so stitches, it was a matter of replacing a couple of thread colors lost somewhere on Amtrak. The actual size is something like 10 x 14 cm,

Garden Dreams

 

Since that covered only part of the day – I finished the interesting portion of Part 4, of Owl Forest’s Alice in Wonderland SAL. I still have borders to add when ever I am so inclined.  Stitched on ordinary 16 ct white Aida. You can. see a bit of the White Rabbit above Alice from Part 3. Rather than fancy floss, I am just using the DMC supplied conversion

Owl Forest Alice SAL – Part 4

 

And, since I had picked up those missing threads – I was able to finish Part 1 – of Up in the Air – also by Barbara Ana

Up in the Air – Part 1

and the last project which actually took up most of my time, I will share once completed. I might head for the late night stitching, after all – who needs sleep….

Cicadas

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They are noisy, they are ugly, they fly in your face. They are everywhere. (Wiki Article). It is Anywimpossible to avoid articles in the US news. Cheap reporting as I am told as there are science types, amateurs, and everyone and their dog on the street who are willing to pontificate this particular episode (every 17 years? I was outside the US and spared the last experience).

When I think back, I am sure that there was at least one episode in childhood where they magically appeared, were stomped on and tracked into the house. But, as overall memories of that last period in time – not particularly outstanding. I am sure that the birds enjoyed the feast.

Anyway – when most of us think about a retreat, we think of woods. Quiet peaceful surroundings where you can relax and contemplate whatever. Please, wipe that completely out of your imagination. Instead – substitute a couple hundred cross-stitchers (mostly women) sitting in groups of five around tables; stitching and chatting. Frankly, I think the noise level exceeded the cicadas….

But it most certainly is a nice time. I am having a chance to meet various people with whom I have corresponded over the last year as well as being able to wander around and see every one’s stitching. I will spare you my rant about those who stitch reproduction samplers. (ok, just a small bit of rant – samplers were stitched by young women as their only chance to learn both stitching and a minimum of literacy – thus enabling them to stitch what were effectively laundry markings into clothing and linens…. Why on earth would I want to stitch – an alphabet, an ugly house, a tree, and maybe a flower port? Really. They all look alike because they are) [Off soap box]

I am headed to sleep before 2200 – needing to catch up from the train trip (and time zone change. Three hours isn’t that much, except that it is….)

For those of you who might be interested – this is the current status of COVID in the eastern portion of the US. It is why, inspite of the fact that just about everyone attending is immunized, mask wearing makes sense. (see the red marks in Ohio?)

US current COVID Map

And, since it is “so far” between my hotel and the Convention Center – transportation is being provided. This horrible distance is about a mile. Yep. (not even 2km in real money). But then I am relatively fit compared to a lot of the other people attending. Enough said on that.

Our transportation

 

 

 

But I am not there

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In an ordinary year, with ordinary things going on – I would be at CISTM 17 in Kuala Lumpur for the bi-annual meeting. I haven’t missed one since 2005. I even made CISTM 15 in Barcelona in the middle of chemo and two years ago in Washington DC. There was a program that I was running (passed off to a colleague who had a bit more time – or at least is a lot more organized).

I had thought, after the five day meeting, to go on to Australia; perhaps first cruising the Mekong Delta.

But noooooo. We have a pandemic and are making due with conferences on line. While being on line lets those from around the world in the Travel Med community participate without having to spend large amounts of money on travel and hotels, it has the definite disadvantage of time zones. No matter what time zone the organizers chose for the base, someone is going to lose sleep. In this case,  it is both those of us on the US West and those in Australia/New Zealand.

This morning’s start was 0800 EDT (GMT-5) which put it at 0500 here and 2200 Melbourne.

Tomorrow my start is 0345. So not fun.

on other fronts –

I managed to finish another section on Aster’s Amazing Adventure

 

 

and the next section of LittleDove’s Wizard of Oz (I am leaving the backstitching and the glitter to the end – wand/crown & faces…)

Follow the Yellow Brick Road – Part 2

Mini-Tree Hugger 5

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The pattern is by Carol Manning. This month’s bit is smaller than the last (at this point, any SAL which is under 1000 stitches per is much appreciated) which means that I could actually knock this out in a day. Once, that is, I located the floss colors. Only 4, but three were not previously used. 16 ct Aida from somewhere and DMC

Garden Dreams

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I think Barbara Ana (the Spanish designer) is on a kick. Or else Creative Poppy which carries her patterns as locked PDFs has convinced her that stitch-a-longs are the way to go. I finished Dreaming Frida (third and final part was released 1 May) and started the new SAL a couple of days ago. Again, this is a three part SAL – with the first part

Dreaming Garden – Barbara Ana – Part 1

stitched with the called for DMC on 18 ct Sunshine from MyVintageNeedleArts on Etsy which I picked up on sale as an orphan. The total design size will be ~ 6×6 (give or take a millimeter or two). Given there are flowers, a house or two – there has to be a girl (with closed eyes) in this one as well….

Kitting Up

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There are those stitchers who love planning new projects. Picking a pattern, selecting fabric, organizing threads. In fact some love it so much that they have several to dozens of projects bags ready to start at a moments notice. (I know this because I have been known to watch what are called “stash dives” on various Flosstube YouTube channels). 

I am neither so organized nor spendthrift. The idea of matching everything up does appeal. But what if I need that thread for another project? Or the fabric better suits a pattern that is newer, shinier? Not fickle, you understand but rather knowing myself all too well.  When something is organized in a bag, not started, it fades from my awareness relegated to less than important. It isn’t new and shiny anymore. There might just be something more interesting to place in the active project bin.

Why am I fussing about all of this? Because I finished “Dreaming Frida” by Barbara Ana yesterday afternoon

Dreaming Frida

Stitched on 16 ct orphan hand dyed Aida (from MyVintageNeedleArts_

and stitched in the called for threads. The pattern came from CreativePoppy and was a three part SAL which started 1 April.

So then, I could revert to the rest of the SALs (Stitch-a-longs) that are underway. Or I could start the new Barbara Ana SAL – Dreaming Garden. Note the theme going here? Which takes me to kitting up projects. Since this is a PDF downloaded pattern that this particular seller insists on password projecting, I haven’t been able to upload it to Pattern Keeper thus having to print and work off hard copy. (Note – same issue for other PDF readers.)  Since there was thread left from the last, I could grab the 3-4 colors that overlapped. Then I went on a thread hunt (three places to search) followed by a fabric search. An hour later, I was all set. The twelve colors pulled and a piece of 18 ct Sunshine from the same dyer as above.  The pattern is smaller than 90×90 so I didn’t want to take a chunk out of a large piece. After all, I might need it some day….. right. 

And absolutely no way to reclaim that hour of search & destroy find that I spent neither stitching nor organizing. I just do not get joy out of this kind of getting ready, putting things together. My joy comes from progress, not preparation.

Dreaming Garden

 

That little bit? Most, but not all of the lower first page. Deceptive – with an estimate of at least 600 stitches it that little bit coupled with a lot of color changes (9/12 included in just this section). 

when I started getting punchy, it was time for bed.

Stitching

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There were errands, just a few. And an exercise class followed by working on various stitch-a-longs of the cross stitch variety.

The third of three parts of the Barbara Ana “Dreaming Frida” was released. I can feel a bit snarky because there is more to do in this section than the other two combined. The first section was the keys->flowers on the bottom. The second section was the sun, mountains and houses above. Which leaves me all of the girl (just started with the rest of her hair, her face&head + some more flowers to go.

Dreaming Frida

the fabric is a 16 ct Aida orphan from MyVintageNeedleworks. Stitched with the called for DMC.

Then there is Aster’s Amazing Adventure courtesy of Fuzzy Fox Designs out of Australia. This particular SAL started with 5K’s worth of lunar landscape at the bottom (not visible in this photo) and then adds a planet or so every week. This is through week 7.

Aster’s Amazing Adventure – Parts 1-7

with back stitching to be done later.

Little Dove Designs – Follow the Yellow Brick Road. I ignored the frame (which came out 2 weeks ago) to see if I wanted to play with this – and decided why not. Even with all the little red hearts.

Part 1 started –

Follow the Yellow Brick Road

stitched with the called for threads so far on ordinary natural color 16 ct Aida. Still have the rest of Glinda to stitch as well as the road. I think I just may add some shiny threads to Glinda’s crown and wand.

and lastly – Owl Forest (the Russian company) is offering another free stitch-a-long. This one is Alice in Wonderland. Past SALs include 101 Owls and The Emerald City which are still available for free on their website.

This one starts with an arbor in the middle (and the whole thing is not small). Rather than stitch green all day, I figured that I would make a start and do a bit each day…

Alice in Wonderland – Part 1

stitching on white Aida with the DMC conversion since I figured this out too late to order thread from Owl Forest.

UCBerkeley is on a reading week. I have no more lectures to give. Even leaves me with the option to sleep in!

Recognize this?

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Given that I was offered slave labor by one of my daughters late this morning, I could hardly procrastinate any further on cleaning/organizing in the garage.

The end count was three huge boxes completely emptied. A pile of clothes to be charity donated. A large number of lose items folded and packed. Contents of previously unknown two boxes identified. A very large duffle bag with various family treasures packed by Maus (and taken home by her). The dear girl also claimed two completed cross stitches as “hers” and will do the finishing. A third will make an ideal present for a friend of hers – so that went out the door as well. 

There is now a nice, clear, open space at the front of the middle section of the garage which can be turned into a metal stamping area by Daughter #2 who needs some place to pound other than her kitchen counter.  One of the old sheepskins is now decorating the floor and will make a great and comfortable nesting location for which ever of her dogs needs to accompany her.

Back to the thing –

Sansa Nano

It was in the sleeve pocket of one of my uniform shirts. I am forgetting the exact name – I was issued three that last tour in Afghanistan. They were designed as essentially a long sleeve pullover which could be comfortably worn under kevlar. I think I remember someone calling them “tanker’s shirts” but I could be wrong. The zippered sleeve pocket was great, and not to be confused with the various other velcro closure pouches and pockets. It has a standard port as well as a location for a micro chip (not that I think I have a reader for anything that small anymore) and a regular port for ear buds.  (Yes, my dears – this was long before blue tooth…

I am going to charge it and see what happens. If nothing else – I could find a card and load one of the dozens of audio books I found in the garage still sealed in our original household goods shipment boxes.

Cross stitch

Not a lot has been accomplished today. I managed another two blocks on the Tetris upper border. Otherwise – the outline for the first tree in Caroline Mannings – Tree Hugger SAL. The fabric is 18 Aida Shale by Picture this Plus using the called for DMC.

Tree Hugger #1

I need to add the Owl on the upper portion and fill in the entire tree…Only about 600 stitches more…

Sick of Pink

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And I have almost a thousand stitches to go yet in the bottom section.

Bleh.

But I will say that it is shaping and up and actually a fairly rapid stitch as there are huge whacks of color.

Aster’s Amazing Adventure

is actually the official name of this stitch-a-long but I am likely to continue to call it the Space SAL (which is not the same as the Solar System SAL – just saying…)

There are only four colors of DMC pink – 961, 962, 963 & 3354. The fabric is 16 ct opalescent Aida which I ordered from DoveStitch but is actually Fabric Flair (if I am remembering correctly). I still need to add a dark navy stitch along the outside. And after all of this, I may change my mind completely once I see the section of the actual SAL.

 

Beside the Sea

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This weekend the last part on this SAL (stitch-a-long) was released. Normally Patty releases her pattern updates on Friday, but delayed till today.
That was fine with me. It is not like I don’t have enough other things to work on. 

I was caught up, but for a small portion of the frame to the outside of the lighthouse. 

The final part added a pair of seagulls. 

1054 stitches later, I could claim I was done!

Beside the Sea

stitched on light blue Aida (sorry about the lighting) with Sulky instead of DMC. Main colors substituted included 1001 (Parchment) for the gulls and lighthouse, 4055 for the frame and little blue beach house, 

My first DONE of February (and likely the only one). 

Otherwise, I started a simple blanket in a half-log cabin pattern and just switch directions about every 12 rows/6 ridges of garter or when I get bored. It is a great project for Zoom conversations and meetings..

FFN

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and I just picked up another new acronym. FFN = finished for now. It is perfect. Not for just any old piece of stitching or knitting; not when you are bored or frustrated. That is not the point of this little gem.

It is for when you have gotten as far as you possibly can on a piece with the current amount of pattern than you have.  The classical use is for a section of a SAL (stitch-a-long) where the parts are released at regular intervals. There are those individuals who arduously keep up with the clues and have their stitching current to the most recent release. There are those who mutter along for a while, then fall behind, never to catch up. In neither group are those wait till the whole project has been released, then jump on board.

But for me – this gives me an expression which expresses that the particular project is not exactly a WIP (work in progress) because there is absolutely NOTHING else I can accomplish till the next portion of the pattern is released.

The following – for example – count as FFNs –

 

From CloudsFactory – there is no Planet B. A year long SAL delivered the first of each month.

Wonders of the Solar System – releases on the 15th

Dreaming Girl started 1 Feb and releases every two weeks.

But for now, they are FFNs

In contrast – the following are NOT FFNs –

In all cases, I finished the segment for the month well before the next portion of the pattern was released. BUT, all of these SALs have frames involved. The frames were released prior to the start of the year. To be FFN = I would have to have everything stitched that was available so far.

And I pretty much prefer to stitch frames as I go.  There are several reasons, perhaps the biggest being that stitching a frame is a significant investment of time and materials without knowing whether or not I am actually going to like the pattern. By not starting the frame ahead of time, I can decided not to play. Now that I am committed, I will work on the frames both as I go and in any extra stitching time that I have.

Clear as mud – right?

B is for Broadway

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Is what I am going to assume in this particular stitch-a-long.

The designers love musicals, so I should not be surprised.  They released the frame for this particular piece well prior to the 1 Feb start.  The frame is simple, but a freaking lot of stitches.

Started on 4 Feb

 

The portion of the frame that you see (the black marquis with the yellow spotlights) was stitched prior to this week. I had a few other things to complete first, so didn’t get the “B” started till yesterday morning. Thankfully,, it loads into PatternKeeper. I groaned on discovering that there was a measly (!) 2330 stitches in this section. Frankly, that is actually a bit much for a SAL that releases every couple of weeks.

But by late this afternoon, I managed the 1169 stitches that remained after yesterday.

From Les Mis

I had no clue, but Jill identified the “can you hear the people sing” and Graeme nailed the musical. French flag rounds out a portion of the clues.

Embroidery Scissors

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Probably aren’t necessary – I could cut floss with just about any sharp tool. But they are definitely an indulgence. Unlike kitchen shears which can cut just about anything successfully (not discussing poultry shears here) or fabric scissors which also come in a great variety with different material targets – embroidery scissors need only have relatively sharp edges and a pointed end.

Usually small, I have discovered that there is a huge variety of scissors ranging from the cheap to the incredibly and indulgently expensive. Now, I like shiny as well as the next person – but give me a choice between half a dozen to a dozen pairs or one pair costing more than 100$US and I am going opt for the variety.

Instead I go for the cute pairs –

like this small cat

or 

the adorable owl

or a fancy version of the traditional stork

 

These were just the three that came quickly to hand. I have a few more…

 

Three Done

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I mentioned last month that I was “participating” in a number of mystery cross-stitch-a-longs. Each SAL is released in segments on a regular (for it) basis. The most common interval is once a month. A few are every other week. The rare pattern gets released on a weekly basis – but this type of SAL is usually a short term project of no more than six components.

Not that you wanted to know any of that – but to avoid personal confusion, I print out a calendar each month I can write down the dates that patterns will be released. Allegedly, this will let me plan what I will stitch, when.  In reality, I am likely to go with whatever shows up first, which ever looks the more interesting, or which ever is going to be the hardest to catch up on if I fall behind. 

I may just have bitten off too much, but we will see.

Anyway – today is Wednesday, 3 Feb and I have completed my first three pattern segments for the month.

  1. First up is a 12 month SAL by TinyModernist called Zodiac. There is a rather large and complicated frame which was available, and I could have stitched ahead of time (Dec) but I didn’t since I was finishing up December projects. In January, I decided that “frame as you go” was good enough. That meant that the 1200 stitches of the fish required completion of the two circles on the right hand side. If I stay ahead of things this month, I will fill in a bit more of the decorations around the frame. This pattern segments are published monthly.

Pices

2. Second up is Dreaming Girl by Barbara Ana. This is an every two week pattern drop. Unfortunately, this pattern is not compatible with PatternKeeper, so I have no clue as to how many stitches were in this first part, but I have the feeling that it is over ½ of the total. 

3. And I finally was able to pick up fabric for the Wonders of the Solar System by Climbing Goat Designs (no, I couldn’t possibly make this up). The first planet – Mars, was released the 15th of last month which means that I will see the next planet up in less than two weeks. Pattern Keeper compatible – 827 stitches to the Red Planet.

Planet 1 – Mars

From here, I have a start (for the third time) on this year’s Linens and Threads Mystery SAL and a number of others in the queue. Progress will be made….

a find

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I started out thinking today was going to be pretty much of a loss. Not in terms of family, but in the realm of getting progress on any of my cross stitch projects.

There was the 0500 broadcast from WHO re: Neglected Tropical Diseases (leprosy among others) and the next in a series of occupational medicine broadcasts re: the construction industry at 0900. From there I made a mad dash over to the Eldest’s house (meeting up with the youngest for errand running) in order to make the 1100-1200 & 1200-1300 schedule. Even tho all were not “Zoom” since Cisco’s Webinex was in the mix – I was totally & completed zoomed out.

So anyway – Maus wanted to cruise the thrift (charity) stores for some household items and used furniture. Over the next few hours, we stopped at four (or was it five?) Goodwill locations, a consignment furniture store, and Out of the Closet.  She made out like a bandit. Found some picture frames, candle sticks, a most excellent tea kettle, serving bowls, and a couple of vases. 

I purchased one picture frame at a Goodwill – then found this lovely thing –

my new cabinet

 

Obviously (grin) it is a jewelry cabinet – a top that lifts up for precious storage on top, four draws with dividers inside, two draws below. 

Now, I don’t have jewelry. But I have floss, beads, and lots of notions. This lovely little cabinet is going to replace a number of cheap, plastic containers and look elegant in doing so. Price? $25US.  After it airs out a bit, I will move it to a place of honor in my sewing room. 

 

Kid Icarus

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which is not one of the 8-bit games that I remember, but forms the basis for this month’s PixelPrime segment of the SAL. I elected not go with one of the alternative power-ups, but stitch with pretty much an original interpretation.

Jan segment

Unfortunately, I think my color choice on the one character is a bit dark. I could restitch him, but probably won’t. As you can also see, I managed to extend a portion of the frame.

While I am thinking about it – the original program in the US was on Nintendo in 1987. If you want the background – probably about the best short vid is here on Youtube.

Tetris

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You all remember Tetris – right? The Russian origin 1984 game that addicted millions.

That fun game with blocks fall from above which had to be slotted such that you filled up layers. In most games, the layers disappeared as you filled them up with the goal being to survive for ever (as the blocks fell faster and faster) or to complete so many lines at each level…

As I started looking into the history of the game (the reasons why should be evident shortly) I was also looking at what colors were normally used in the blocks. I branched from there out to other 8-bit games of that era (meaning early 80s through mid 90s). There are seven different shapes, originally grey scale which morphed into distinct colors. Standardization of the colors did not exist for the first 15+ years of the game.

Why am I telling you all of this? Because PixelPrime decided to release a SAL based on the old 8-bit games. I was a bit floored at the size of the initial frame (17k stitches as computed by PatternKeeper).

Rather than stitch the whole frame – I decided to stitch each portion as that month’s segment was released. As it turned out -the first section started in the lower right corner. The fabric is 14 ct Aida, the thread is Sulky.

start of both the frame and the pattern –

Two down

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and a number to go.

Release dates on SALs (you remember – Stitch-a-long) can vary.

There is the ever popular first of the month. There is the alternative every-other-Thursday. Or Friday. Or every three days. Or the 15th, the 25th, the…. you get the idea. For someone participating in one or two SALs, keeping track is not an issue. I have more than two, so printed a calendar in order to be able to track what is due when. This is important for a couple of reasons: the first is that I don’t like getting behind; second being that, while some designers mail out their patterns, others don’t; third is that the list seems less intimidating when spread out.

So today – I am going to mention two SALs (which both came out actually on the 31st)-

1. Besides the sea – by FourBoysAndAnNLGirl (Etsy here). Patty designs clear, easy to stitch designs. This is a five part plus frame lasting about six weeks (give or take). The first part, a cute lobster, wound up being a bit fatter on my fabric than initially planned. I looked at him, decided I would leave him fat rather than frog and restitch. The fabric is 14 ct White Aida, the threads are Sulky 12wt

fat lobster (center section about 4 stitches too wide)

2. Funk Menagerie by Lindy Stitches (link here) which is a monthly release x 4 months. Stitched on 16 ct (something blue from Fortnight Fabrics ) and stitched in the called for DMC.

Upper left quarter

leaving me only a portion of one creepy critter and a pink bellied bird to complete.

The year of the SAL

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As all of us have figured out over the last several months – we are not going anywhere for a significant amount of time.  This leaves me, like many of you who are no longer employed full time with the dilemma of what to spend all those waking hours on.

I could clean and organize. – Right.

Next idea.

That leaves me with free time in which I can read, listen to audiobooks, write things, sew, knit, cross-stitch, spin, or more than one of the above.

Oh yes, then there are several other things on my plate (why do all of these ideas come to me after I have gotten part-way down my list?). Including guest lecturing in a couple of UCBerkeley’s courses, continuing education on line, performing research (volunteer status) for a couple of organizations…

Which takes me right back to the idea of hobbies & crafts. Last year I started a reasonable size full-coverage cross-stitch as a project for the new year. Only 76K+ stitches, I finished it in June along with working on the occasional other random project.

This year, I want a bit more variety so I decided to sign up for a few mystery SALs.

SAL stands for Stitch-a-long. The idea is that the pattern is released in sections (rather than all at once) over the course of time which can vary from weekly to monthly. The shortest SALsThen  have 4-6 segments, the longest is 25 (on a q2 week basis).

Since I am not going anywhere in the near future, I don’t have travel to write about. I don’t play on Facebook or Instagram so I am not posting pictures of anything in those social media locations ether. I originally started this blog in 2007 and mostly posted about knitting and a bit of our life in Heidelberg. After retiring from the military, my posts became more about traveling and knitting. Since moving to California, my interesting in knitting has fallen by the wayside. After all, there is a real limit to my need for woolen knitted garments. I have a world supply of scarves and shawls if anyone would need one.

And now I am back around to cross stitch. Over the next several weeks, I will introduce projects, give you more opinions that you care to read and perhaps summarize what I finished last year.