Floss Friday -- Cross Stitch Finish, Progress and A Cookie Recipe

Happy Floss Friday, Friends.

Before getting to cross-stitch progress, I will link the recipe for the sour cream cookie I shared in  Monday's post. I've been making this cookie for a few years, when we lived in Florida, and now that we live in North Carolina. I will say that the difference in elevation has changed the cookie a bit. It is still delicious though.

Visit Preppy Kitchen here for the recipe.

The new start I posted last Friday is now a finish. Meek & Humble by Teresa Kogut.
                                                    

                                          

I have an appointment to take this and one other piece to the framers this afternoon. It will be a gift for someone.

After finishing Meek & Humble, I put a few more stitches in Peace on Earth.
                                               

This will certainly be a long-term project, much like American Sampler. I still haven't gotten back to that one since you saw it last.
                               
Tonight is the beginning of a sewing weekend. Sewcialites 3, block 22 and assembling the center of Fat Quarters by the Dozen is on the agenda.

What are your plans for the next few days? Whatever it is, I hope it is enjoyable.

See you soon,

Floss Friday -- Cross Stitch Progress

Salute to Abigail has been calling my name but I haven’t given her any attention since my last update.  Instead, I started stitching Patriotic Pears by Annie Beez Folk Art.

I finished the blue one…

Started the red one…

These are a quick stitch and I hope to finish the third one in a couple of days. Then I will attempt to fully finish them into pears myself, rather than sending them to a finisher. I watched a very good tutorial by Nichol Spohr on YouTube. Nichol does a fabulous job with her tutorials, and I feel this is very doable. I'm stitching Patriotic Pears on 32 count linen by Lapin Loops. I'm not sure of the fabric's color names, I'll have to ask Gary at GaRon Stitchery because he put the fabric pack together.  

I am also joining Melisa’s - Pinker n Punkin’ Quilting & Stitching – Summer Stamp Stitch Along.  You can read more about the stitch along on Melisa’s blog.

First the border was released… no progress photo 

Then the header was released… no progress photo... I started and just kept going!

And this week, she gave us “And the Garden Grows” Stamp 1

She will release one stamp per week, with the final reveal scheduled for June 27^th.

I am stitching mine on 28 count Mushroom Lugana by Zweigart, using Melisa’s suggested DMC floss colors. Stitch count is 107 x 132 and when finished, the piece will fit inside an 8 x 10 frame. I already have one picked out.

Melisa is very generous with her talents and offers her designs free of charge to all of us. Thank you, Sweet Melisa!!!

Are you stitching along with us? What has been keeping you busy in your crafty endeavors lately?

See you soon,

 

Quilt Along Progress

Our trip to Florida was productive, but not in a “crafty” way.  We helped our daughter and her family get settled into their new home. I explored their neighborhood and was able to get in a few long walks while we were there.

Since we’ve been home, I’ve been catching up on the quilt alongs hosted by Fat Quarter Shop.

Sewcialites 3 block #8 is Beacon Block designed by Amy Smart from Diary of A Quilter…

Sewcialites 3 block #9 is Daylight Block designed by Corey Yoder from Coriander Quilts…

As a reminder, I am stitching the Sewcialites 6” blocks using Lyda Rose by Bunny Hill Designs

The next block is the Fireflies Block from Fat Quarters by the Dozen.

I’m making these blocks from various lines of Lori Holt fabric.

I have a few cross stitch projects to share on Friday. I hope to see you then…

 

Hugs,

Floss Friday -- March Stats and Cross Stitch Progress

Happy Good Friday, Friends!

Salute to Abigail by Blackbird Designs is the only cross stitch project I worked on in March. I put in 1,977 stitches.

This is where I was on March 31^st

Last week I planned to finish the border because I wanted to make sure it matched up at the end. Well…it didn’t and I frogged TWICE! I’ve decided to finish the motifs in the middle and then finish the border.  This is where I am as of last evening…

I fully finished two older pieces last month.

Fresh Cut was a Stitch Quarterly project from the Fat Quarter Shop.

Fresh Cut by Its Sew Emma

Fabric: 14 count Aida by Colour & Cotton in the color Bisque

Floss: Cosmo Thread (Berry, Rose, Straw, Light Green, Grass Green and Jade Cream)

Stitch Count: 99w x 127h

Stitching: Started April 1, 2021, Finished April 10, 2021

Sail Away was a mystery stitch along from the Fat Quarter Shop.

Sail Away by Its Sew Emma

Fabric: 14 count Aida by Wichelt in the color Touch of Blue

Floss: Colour & Cotton (Bing Cherry, Bumblebee, Delft Blue, Dark Indigo, Nickel, Silver Lining, Spectre and Pearl White)

Stitch Count: 131w x 142h

Stitching: Started May 3, 2021, Finished May 30, 2021

I’ll be taking Sail Away to my daughter in Florida next week. She wants it for her new home.

Wishing you a very Happy and Blessed Easter weekend.

See you soon,

 

Floss Update -- Cross-Stitch Progress

No Friday update this week because I was trying to finish February’s assignment on Salute to Abigail.  I ended up feeling a little punky and didn’t stitch until today.

February’s assignment is finished just in time.

This is really a fun stitch and I’m wondering if I should just toss the monthly assignment idea and stitch on it until it is complete. I could then stitch monogamously on American Sampler until it is finished…I am woefully behind on the assignments for that piece.

I have two quilt blocks to make tomorrow. Fat Quarter Shop released another Sewcialites 3 block on Friday and they will release another block for Fat Quarters by the Dozen tomorrow.  I’ll show my progress on those Monday.

Hope you are having a nice weekend.

See you soon,

 

 

 

Floss Friday -- WIP Update and Previous Finishes

Hi Friends and Happy Friday!

In today’s Floss Friday update, I have some WIP progress and older finishes to share.

First, this is my progress on November’s assignment for American Sampler by Crocette a gogo’…

I need to finish the flags and start on that monster of a house.

I completed November’s assignment on Salute to Abigail by Blackbird Designs.  This is a quick and fun stitch. 

I mentioned in my last post that I have stitched everything from the Sweet Land of Liberty book except Salute to Abigail. That is not correct. There is one chart, Liberty Rose, that I have not and will not stitch. It is in two parts, stitched on two different fabrics which need to be sewn together.

Here are the other projects from the book that I have fully finished…

In Full Glory, finished into a pillow.

American Eagle

Sweet Land of Liberty, also finished into a pillow.

There won’t be a quilt update next week because, you won’t believe it, but we are going on another road trip tomorrow….to Florida. Hubby has a follow up with the dermatologist and we are going to spend some time with the kids.  We are bringing my best friend back to NC when we return home. She’ll spend a few days with us before flying back to Florida.
The weather calls for snow next week, so I guess it is a good time to head south for a few days.

Enjoy your weekend and I’ll see you soon!

 

The Random Saturday Post

Happy November 1^st and All Saints’ Day! 

Did you get a lot of trick or treaters last night?

We ran an errand a couple of towns over yesterday morning. Driving down their main street, we spotted the cutest little monsters and their parents.

The stores had people sitting out front handing out candy. This was before 10:30 am! Oh boy, the sugar those kids must have enjoyed.

Our downtown did the same except it was from 5 pm – 7 pm.  We stayed home and missed it.

Before we leave October behind, I’ll give you my cross-stitch stats.

I stitched 3,960 stitches on three projects.

First, Memorial Day by Hands on Design. No new progress since I last shared it.

Next, Hello Autumn by Primrose Cottage Stitches. This was a start and finish for the month.

Lastly, American Sampler by Crocette a gogo’. This is where I am as of October 30^th. No stitching on October 31^st.

My cross-stitch plans for November include continuing with American Sampler. I didn’t quite complete the October assignment, but there isn’t much left to do.

I find that giving myself “assignments” helps to keep me on track. I mentioned in this post that I had started Wilding Hill Manor with a friend in September.

Well, I’ve given myself some small monthly assignments that should allow me to finish this one before the next Stitching in the Wild retreat in September 2026.

And…I will have a new start today, November 1^st.

A Salute to Abigail. This chart is from the Sweet Land of Liberty book by Blackbird Designs.

This is another stitch along with my friends Andrea, @fancystitcher on IG and Gary of GaRon Stitchery.

I'm stitching mine on 36 count linen in the color Frappuccino by XJudesign and substituting the called-for floss with Valdani cotton threads.

We are including this in our “Year of Patriotic Stitching”, or #YOPS on Instagram.

Fun fact, I’ve stitched and fully finished every chart in this book except Salute to Abigail. I’ll be sure to share more about these projects in a future post.

Well, we are off on a road trip to Nashville for the weekend. I’m a passenger princess this time and hope to get a more than a few stitches in during the ride.

Enjoy the remainder of your weekend.

See you soon,

 

 

 

Floss Friday – September Stats and Cross Stitch Progress

Happy Friday, Friends!

September was another light month for cross-stitch. I completed 3,122 stitches on four projects.

Finished Patriotic Heart

Started Wilding Hill Manor

Made some progress on American Sampler

I haven’t completed September’s assignment for this project, but I’m close. I should be able to put a lot of stitches in while we are on our next trip.

Also made progress on Memorial Day

I was going to skip the grass and flowers at the bottom, but it looks too plain without them. I’m also taking this one on our next trip.

Speaking of our next adventure, we are taking a 10-day cruise to New England and Canada. This was supposed to happen last year but then Hurricane Helene hit, and I didn’t want to leave my mom alone. So, we rescheduled it to this year.

In addition to American Sampler and Memorial Day, I’m thinking of taking some small Christmas projects to stitch. We will have three cruising days so I think I can get in some good stitching.

My weekend plans are to start binding the Sewcialites 2 quilt. I also need to start packing for the trip since we are leaving next Wednesday.

I'll be joining Cheryll at Gone Stitchin' for her Friday Night with Friends event. Hopefully, I'll have good quilty progress to share afterwards.

I hope your weekend is fabulous and filled with activities you enjoy.

Linking up with Alycia Quilts for Finished (or Not!) Friday!

See you soon,

 

 

Floss Friday – Stitching in the Wild, August Stats and More

Welcome to the last Friday of September, 2025! How can this be?

Before getting to what happened after my return from Italy, I’ll give you my August cross-stitch stats.

Number of stitches = a measly 2,873 on three projects.

American Sampler

I finished my first (August) assignment on time. And I am currently working on the September assignment. This is where I am now.

                                          

Patriotic Heart – I’ll share this as part of my retreat update below.

Parrot

                                        

There hasn’t been any progress on this one since I shared it last.

We returned from Italy late on a Monday evening. I had one day to finish getting ready to attend a cross-stitch retreat in Montgomery, AL. I’ve mentioned previously that Stitching in the Wild is hosted by Gary and Ronny Hovatter who own a brick-and-mortar cross stitch store in Ozark, AL. They also have an online store called Garon-Stitchery. They’ve held three annual retreats so far and I’ve attended all of them.

I had enough time to make sour cream cookies with green butter cream frosting for my friends.  They are always a hit!

Gary and Ronny welcomed everyone early on Thursday morning.

There were 130 attendess, not including hosts and vendors.

There were a lot of table and attendee gifts exchanged. I haven't unpacked and organized those yet. I'll show them in a future post.

Many stitchers brought pieces for the brag tables.

There were so many creative finishes and absolutely stunning stitches!

In early August I had visited Gary and Ronny and left three pieces at their framer. The guys brought my finished framing to me at the retreat.

Witching Hour

English Rose Sampler

Red Bird Sampler

I'm entering this one into the county fair this weekend.

There were several of us from the GaRon zoom group that stitched Witching Hour together. Two of the ladies brought there finished pieces to share with me.

Karen, a zoom friend, wanted to start a chart that we both purchased at last year's retreat. I'll show you more on that in a future post.

I know...I hear ya...another start???? Well, I had a finish while at the retreat.

Patriotic Heart

I can check this one of the old WiP list!! It is small, but don't let that fool you. Those are a lot of stitches!

Friends old and new gathered for lunch

And one last hug until next time!

That is my September cross-stitch update in a nutshell.

My agenda for the weekend is back to binding quilts and enjoying some cooler temps. What are your plans? How is your weather? Tell me all the things.

Linking up with Alycia Quilts for Finished (Or Not!) Friday

Until next week...