Cross Stitch

Wait…you mean it’s not April anymore? Oops! This little piece really didn’t take very long, but I still didn’t manage to finish it in time to display it. I really ought to start and finish May this week. That’s probably not going to happen, but it’s good to have goals, right?

I’m also still working on Carrie’s poncho. I think there are only about eight more 8-row pattern repeats to do. It looks like it will be finished just in time to put it away for fall! Although, the evenings will still be cool, even during summer, so maybe she’ll get some wear out of it sooner than that.

The thing that’s been distracting me from everything else, though, is a baby carrier that I’m sewing. I’m sort of making it up as I go along, so it’s being a little challenging. I think it might be close to done, though. Once Carrie wakes up from her nap I’m going to try it and see what modifications need to be made. I have enough scraps from the fabric that I think I might make a couple of quilt blocks with some fabric in my stash and turn them into a tote bag/diaper bag/day bag sort of thing. Maybe I’ll even get brave and try to figure out how to add a zipper. (And with the amount of free time I have lately, that will likely be done by the time Carrie’s about 12!)

A year ago I started collecting the charts and buttons for a 12-month series of cross-stitch patterns from Shepherd’s Bush. On Saturday, I was finally inspired to start them! They’re teeny-tiny – I didn’t measure, but maybe 3″ by 5″? – so they’re quick to stitch. I figure this one took about 8 hours worth of stitching time.

I’m finally starting to have a bit more crafting time lately. Once Carrie goes to bed, I have a little “me” time, plus we’re starting to work out how she can take naps that last longer than 10 minutes without having me hold her for the duration. Not that I mind snuggling with my baby, but it’s nice to have my arms free occasionally!

Now I just need to figure out how to display these without spending a fortune on framing them. Oh, and I still need to stitch the other eleven months. Details, details…

While I was out buying the thread I needed for this, I bought a couple of patterns for cross-stitched ornaments and some fabric to stitch them on. My goal for Christmas this year is to have an “unbreakable tree”. I have some felt ornaments I started last fall that are nearly done, and I’m planning to order a pattern for some knitted ornaments. This way, if we secure the tree to the wall, we won’t have to worry quite as much about having a toddler near it. (The dozen or so spun-glass heart ornaments we got as a gift the first year we were married won’t be coming out of storage for a long, long time.)