My SAL Journey Begins

I love sewing, quilting, and anything fabric related….lately I’ve grown a little obsessed with embroidery stitch patterns and colorful thread! I’ve learned to make more time in my busy craft schedule to squeeze in some cross-stitch and embroidery. Lucky for me, this lovely group of stitching ladies have welcomed me into their SAL group 😀 – and so my SAL Journey begins!

For this SAL, or Stitch-A-Long, the group and I will post every third Sunday about our work in progress or about a new project that we will be working on. Joining a SAL group is just the right motivation I need to stay on top of my projects. Whether it’s a little or a lot, any amount of stitching is welcome with open arms and words of encouragement. It’s not a race and there are no deadlines, PERFECT!

With that, these are the projects that I’m currently working on:

1. Moda Bakeshop Summer Sewing Camp – Bee-utiful QAL (embroidery blocks). I’m on block 4 now and there are already 6 blocks released.
2. Cross-stitch – a series of potted, blooming cactus ❤ 1 out of 5 complete. The second cactus is in progress.
3. Cross-stitch UFO! I’ve been working on this pattern for 3 years –ish… I think I went one whole year with hardly any stitching on it. Here’s my original post for more information. Since this pattern is so big and you actually don’t see that much difference, even when I do get to add on to it, I’ve decided to post quarterly on this. I’m setting myself some realistic goals to motivate me to work on it. It’s a beautiful pattern and I can’t wait to get some major progress on it! I think the main reasons I don’t take it out often is the size, the massive amounts of various green flosses, lol, and my frame. It can get a little boring when you’re on your 5^th shade of green 😉 I also want to look into a standing frame. Where I can easily sit up on the couch to work on this. My current frame is a lap frame and the only comfortable way I can manage to use it, is on the floor with my back to the couch. My bum gets sore and the cats want to hangout under the frame on my lap for a nap…either frame won’t deter the cozy felines, but one battle at a time!

Bee-utiful QAL

Block 2 – Bee Productive

Here I used EPP hexies, instead of wool cut outs. The bee’s head is filled with French knots and I used a variegated yellow thread for his body. I need to work on my blanket stitch spacing and decide whether I like small or large stitches. They vary a little from hexie to hexie, but that’s okay 🙂

Block 3 – Bee Lovely

Starting to get a hang of this! Made a couple of changes to the original directions on which stitch to use, which is great news. It means I’m learning my stitches and feeling my own creativity come out onto the designs. I bought some of this adorable shimmery thread…and I’ve read how some of you struggle with it, but I didn’t quite understand until I tried it. The thread is coarse! The micro-filaments from each ply even unravel. So strange…but if you look at my last flower in purple, I’ve discovered that simply embellishing with an interlacing of shimmer works best!

Cactus #2

Small progress, but still worth sharing.

My Scarlet Quince Pattern

If you liked what you saw here, I definitely encourage you to go check out what the rest of the SAL group is stitching up! Click on the links below to see their latest updates.I know I can’t wait to see what they’re up to 🙂

Avis, Claire, Gun, Carole, Wendy, LucyAnn, Kate, Jess, Sue, Constanze, Debbierose

Question for my SAL group and my readers: How often do you change your stitching needle (from old to new)?

 Happy 4^th of July!