Welcome back to WIPocalypse 2014! This month’s discussion topic is:
How many projects do you generally feel comfortable having in progress at a time?
Despite my extensive WIP list, I actually prefer to only stitch one project at a time. My problem is that I dislike finishing so much that I get to the end of a project and just … stop working on it and pick up something new. Which is how I’ve ended up with a slew of almost-done pieces. Pitiful, I know 🙂
But the good news is, this single-minded approach is helping me to clear out my WIP stash! And so I present my first complete finish of the year — in honor of Valentine’s Day, I present my lovely scroll heart:
I completed the framing myself, loosely following the instructions from Needlework Tips & Techniques. I picked up a standard 12″ x 12″ frame, but I had a custom mat cut at the local craft store to match the color. My fabric was too small to wrap around the edges of foam core, so it’s just pinned at the four corners onto the front of the board. The other thing that I would recommend that isn’t in the tutorial – when you wash your finished piece, throw a shout color-catcher sheet in the water to pick up any dye that bleeds over from staining the background fabric.
The other project I’ve worked on this month is the Fire Fighter Sampler (of Shame):
My goal is to complete this by the end of the month, and so far, I’m on track. It’s not a very complicated pattern and I’m able to work at night while we’re watching stuff off the DVR. One thing I’ve noticed is that the color differential between the shades of gold and shades of red is not as striking as the kit packaging shows. I can clearly see the difference when the threads are on the stitchbows, but in the design it’s a very subtle color change and the patterning is not as clear. I’m not exactly happy about that, but there’s not much I can do about it. I wonder if it’s because the thread color has faded, or if it was just a cheap kit and the threads are actually true to color. It doesn’t state anywhere, but the color codes are for Bucilla thread, which I would normally assume are of fairly good quality. I’m also a little worried about how I’m going to frame this when it’s complete. The fabric comes from the edge of the bolt, so there’s a big hem on the top side. I’m going to have to make sure the frame and mat are perfectly aligned to hide that.
I’m counting down to baby now — we’re probably about two months out, so I’m trying to get as much finished as I can before he/she arrives. Here’s to a productive next month!
Outlandish Notions 