Starting the 2011 Stitching Challenge

My, what a big undertaking for a new year.  I decided to do the 2011 Stitching Challenge and start fifteen (yes, that is fifteen) new projects -- one each day from January 1st through January 15th.  But I was a bit hesitant because I have so many WIPs and UFOs that I also would like to work on and possibly finish.  So, I did start 15 new projects for the first half of the month and I will be selecting 15 WIPs and/or UFOs to work on the second half of the month.

A major portion of my stitching time for the upcoming year will be working on ABC Tapestry by Karen Kluba of Rosewood Manor, but I will be making it into a quilt.  I call this "The Quilt I Hope I Live Long Enough To Finish". 

A little bit about this project -- I was invited to Karen Kluba's home for a stitch-in with the Hoosier Stitchers group.  The ABC Tapestry chart had not been released yet, but Karen had stitched it and allowed us to look at it.  I thought it was one of the most beautiful projects I had ever seen -- instant love, lol.  That night I dreamed about a quilt using this chart -- which is most unusual because I almost never dream.  I got up the next morning and jotted down a few notes about my dream.  Then I contacted Karen and started bugging her about the publish date for the chart.  I finally ended up buying the chart when Karen came to an ILCS retreat in 2007 in Indianapolis. 

By the end of 2010 I had finished thirteen of the forty-two blocks I need for the quilt --

ABC Tapestry

Rosewood Manor

Motif Block

(#1 of four I need to stitch)

 ABC Tapestry

Rosewood Manor

Heart Block

(#1 of four I need to stitch)

 ABC Tapestry

Rosewood Manor

Letter A Block

ABC Tapestry

Rosewood Manor

Letter B Block

 ABC Tapestry

Rosewood Manor

Letter C Block

ABC Tapestry

Rosewood Manor

Letter D Block

ABC Tapestry

Rosewood Manor

Letter E Block

ABC Tapestry

Rosewood Manor

Letter F Block

ABC Tapestry

Rosewood Manor

Letter G Block

ABC Tapestry

Rosewood Manor

Letter H Block

ABC Tapestry

Rosewood Manor

Letter I Block

ABC Tapestry

Rosewood Manor

Letter J Block

ABC Tapestry

Rosewood Manor

Letter K Block



Next I will show you the fifteen new projects I have started for the 2011 Stitching Challenge.

Love in Stitches,

Coleen



A New Year, A Resolution to Start Blogging

I've resisted the blogging bug for a few years now, but with the 2011 Stitching Challenge I decided this would be the easiest way to keep updated on my stitching.  The Stitching Challenge started out as a challenge to start fifteen new cross stitch projects -- one each day from Janaury 1st through January 15th.  I wanted to do this but felt a bit hesitant to do that considering all of the WIPs (Works in Progress) and UFOs (Unfinished Objects) that I have in my stash.  So, I modified the challenge just a bit.  OK, I did start a new project each day from January 1st through 15th, but for the 16th through the 30th, I will be adding a WIP or UFO to my stitching rotation.

My blog will not be limited to cross stitching updates, but might include other things I am interested in or that I am doing, such as:  family updates (we do have a new grandbaby arriving in March, which will bring us up to four grandbabies); quilting, crocheting, reading and anything else I can come up with.

I'll be back soon to update with pictures of my cross stitching so far this year.

Hopefully you will enjoy reading this blog as much as I hope I enjoy doing it.

Love in Stitches,

Coleen