2015 Recap & 2016 Stitching Goals

Well my stitching finishes in 2015 were pretty paltry in comparison to other years, but I’m still proud that I managed as much as I did considering the exhausting year I’ve had at work etc.  Here they are all together (with the exception of one last finish coming tomorrow!):

“Boo” (from “Boo Hiss Eek”) by Lizzie*Kate Stitched on 32ct Thunderstorm Belfast with a mix of threads (GAST, Carrie’s Threads, DMC)

“Eek” freebie by Lizzie*Kate Stitched on 32ct Thunderstorm Belfast with recommended threads

Black Cat (from “Boo to You”) by The Prairie Schooler Stitched on 30ct Guacamole Weeks Dye Works linen with recommended DMC threads

“Grandma’s Cushions Stitching Accessories” by The Cat’s Whiskers

I have a HUGE list of stitch-a-longs and challenges I want to join in 2016 – I have no real intention of actually FINISHING any of the SAL projects during 2016, but I hope to get a decent rotation happening again where I can give each piece a bit of love and dedication throughout the year.  Here is the planned list:

• 1 Jan – Mirabilia SAL – my choice is Bluebeard’s Princess, which I’ve had kitted up for a couple of years now, the only problem is I can’t decide on the fabric … I guess I’d better make a decision over the next 24 hours or so!
• 1 Jan – Ornament SAL (12 months) – my choice to kick this SAL off is Victoria Sampler’s Blackwork #3-4 … other ones throughout the year are ones that I already have the fabric cut up and ready for stitching.
• 1 Jan – JCS 2015 Ornament Issue SAL (12 months) – The chosen design will be the most voted for design from each double page spread throughout the year.
• 1 Jan to 7 Jan – Crazy 7 SAL – I haven’t decided 100% on all of my choices yet (or even if I’ll definitely do this challenge).  I have a couple of large projects I definitely want to include, but also wanted to have some smaller ones too, which would give me more of a chance to actually finish one of them during the year!  So far my choices aren’t looking too small though!:
  1 Jan – Lizzie*Kate’s Christmas flip-its
  2 Jan – Rosewood Manor’s Quaker Diamonds
  3 Jan – Shepherd’s Bush’s Here We Go A Haunting
  4 Jan – Mirabilia’s Christmas Elf Fairy
  5 Jan – CCN’s The Tea Room
  6 Jan – Shepherd’s Bush’s Finch Song
  7 Jan – Either Country Threads’ Paris kit, or Mill Hill’s Haunted Hotel
• 10 Jan – Dimensions SAL – my choice is Weekend a Paris
• 10 Jan – Teatime Stitchers SAL – we have a choice of 3 freebies charts, so I’ll be stitching on of the pansy freebies for this round
• 12 Jan – Christmas Stocking SAL – I have a Dimensions kit Enchanted Ornament Christmas Stocking that I’ll be starting, but don’t hold out much hope of having it in use for 2016, maybe 2017 all going well!
• 13 Jan – HAED SAL – I’m still dithering over which one to stitch – I have a choice of three (originally it was two, but I just recently splurged on a piece that I’m totally in love with … and had to choose the maximum colours, so I think I’m a bit insane with that one!!).  My choices are either QS Iris, Blue Daisy, or His Way Home.
• 14 Jan – Valentine’s Day SAL – Still deciding on a chart to use, but it’s like to be Bent Creek’s Bliss or the Drawn Thread’s Love fob.
• 15 Jan – 2016 Hallowe’en Ornie SAL – There’s no actual start date for this one, but I figure the first two weeks of the year are horrendous for new starts, so I’ll start my ornie in the middle of the month!  The theme for January is Winged Creatures (bats, owls, crows, ravens etc), so I’m really looking forward to that one 🙂
• 7 Feb – Country Cottage Needleworks SAL – No idea which one I’m going to decide on in the end, but it’s likely to be one of the beach/seaside designs.
• 17 Feb – St Patrick’s Day SAL – A nice small one for me this time round, I think I’ll be stitching Bent Creek’s Leprechaun, or Victoria Sampler’s Ireland from the International Hearts series.
• 27 Feb – Easter SAL – Another nice small one, I’m going to be stitching Bent Creek’s Happy Easter.
• 26 Jul – Specialty Stitch SAL – I have so many projects to choose from, and this is so far in the future, I’ll see what I’m in the mood for closer to the time.

And just for my own amusement, here are the planned new starts in visual format (and means I’ll have a truckload of WIPs/UFOs for 2017 LOL):

Mirabilia – Bluebeard’s Princess

Victoria Sampler – Blackwork #3-4

Lizzie*Kate – Christmas flip-its

Rosewood Manor – Quaker Diamonds

Shepherd’s Bush – Here We Go A Haunting

Mirabilia – Christmas Elf Fairy

CCN – The Tea Room

Shepherd’s Bush – Finch Song

Country Threads – Paris

Mill Hill – Haunted Hotel

Lavender & Lace – Celtic Summer

Dimensions – Weekend a Paris

Teatime Stitchers SAL – Pansies

Dimensions – Enchanted Ornament Christmas Stocking

HAED – His Way Home

HAED – QS Iris

HAED – Blue Daisy

Bent Creek – Bliss

The Drawn Thread – Love fob

CCN – Summer Seascape

CCN – A Day at the Beach

CCN – Summer at the Shore

Victoria Sampler – Ireland (International Hearts)

Bent Creek – Leprechaun

Bent Creek – Happy Easter