Stitching January Away

So, I thought I might try and be a bit better with tracking my progress this year.

I have used a NeedleWork Press Book of Days for the last 6 years and I am using one again this year. I am hoping to stitch everyday even if it is only a few stitches and also to work on a few specific large projects. I am also hoping to be better at recording my progress here each month.

I managed a side quest this month, this is something stitchy related but not really a project. Something that I need to try or investigate before I can progress. Basically testing a theory or mocking up something for the future. I have a list of Side Quests relating to all sorts of projects and ideas. This month I tried drilling holes in shells I have collected for the Mermaid Grotto on my casket. My hole drilling investigations will continue as I am not completely happy with my methods so far, but it is a start! It's very tricky because those shells are so tiny. I also managed to collect some more teeny tiny shells which I was very happy about when we were away on a short break.  I am sentimental about these shells as they are from the areas we have been going to for family holidays my whole life and now I share these places with my own little family, very fitting to have them included on my embroidered casket.

My shells - the teeny tiny ones are in the top section.

My large projects are my Stumpwork Mirror and Martha Edlin sampler.

Both are packed full of detail and take a surprisingly large amount of time for each section, I have never been good estimating my stitching time much to the dismay of my lovely husband and I am getting constantly caught out and surprised with these projects also! The mirror course is split into 18 months of classes and I am trying to work 2 months in one month. 

The sampler has 20 bands and they are also very detailed, I have set myself a goal of 1, maybe 2 bands a month depending on the size and difficulty of each band. My mirror is the top priority, I would like it finished during this year.

Over the Christmas holidays and January I managed to finish months 6 and 7 of the mirror course. Month six was all of the bugs(13 in total) on the mirror and they are almost all done in different techniques and threads. It was a great way to try out different stitches and threads. Some are tiny and took half a day from start to finish, a couple others took multiple days. Then I stitched my first metal flower in the silk wrapped Purl purl  (Month 7). It went much faster but still took a couple of days!

Month 7 Purl purl flower and bugs above and below.

I also went back and finished some of the earlier months that weren't completely done, I understitched the curtains and redid some leaves because my second lot were so much better than my first. Currently I have started the King's clothes which are needlelace, I have done one leg of his breeches it has taken me 2+ days, but there are colour changes which slow me down along with making sure I am happy with my tension and not losing the secondary pattern in the needlelace from the stitches! Plenty to think about.

Understitched Curtains and Leaves. Bugs finished up the top.

The thing I have discovered about stitching on my Stumpwork mirror is that it is really making me think about my embroidered casket designs. I have been thinking, about the composition of my designs through to the threads, stitches and techniques I want to use. It is helping me immensely with my design and decisions to get the look I am hoping to achieve. In regards to that I now feel I need to look at my side panels and do a bit of a redesign. I am getting very excited about my casket.

I feel like I have been stitching on Band 6 of Martha Edlin forever! Band 6, my current band introduces buttonhole fill to the motifs as well as unstructured satin stitch fill as stripes. It is slightly bigger than the previous bands. I am hopefully on the home stretch of this one now.

Martha Edlin - Bands 1- 6 current progress.

I am filling in the zigzag band with buttonhole, still have a little more satin stitch and to add some details to the tulip flowers. Band 5 was relatively quick with filling in the images with buttonhole or marking and four sided stitch. Band 7 and 8 are looking like fun. Hopefully tomorrow I get to move on to band 7. This piece is stunning to look at, I am loving it on the small count it looks very plump and lush and the colours are fabulous, I wouldn't have picked them to go together but they sing!

Martha Edlin close up of Band 6.

I have of course touched other items on the way through the month. I made a tiny amount of progress on my birdcage stitching. I also made a small amount of progress on my January Christmas decoration. Both of these I would like to get finished shortly. I purchased some dressmaking patterns when they were on sale and I had a voucher. I had planned on making one of the dresses but found I hadn't bought enough fabric. Yesterday I managed to get some more of the fabric so I am back on track. I will make a toile first out of calico to check it fits and will suit me before cutting into the lovely Liberty fabric I have for that.