2020 in review and 2021 plans

IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES.

ORTS

I got a fancy new ORT container in the summer, and I adore it.  I wanted something different and I think I accomplished that.

Here are my ORTS for the year

To follow my tradition, I also made them into an ornament

2019 WIPS

I started the year with 14 WIPS.

1 was completed (Tapestry) and 2 were removed (Prickly and Mini Monsters)

The following will continue onto 2021

1. Canada Sampler (2017 WIP)
2. Fantasy Triptych (2017 WIP)
3. Dragons of Sumatra (2018 WIP)
4. Sneek (2018 WIP)
5. Death by Cross Stitch (2018 WIP)
6. Shakespeare's Fairies 
7. Zen Garden
8. Templar Prophecy
9. The Red & The Black II
10. Words to Live by
11. Castle Walls

2020 Starts and Finishes

I started 12 new projects in 2020 including 5 ornaments

I finished 7 and one was removed

The following continue onto 2021

1. Worker Bees
2. Starburst
3. Celtic Band Sampler
4. Henna Mandala

This leaves me with 15 current WIPS, which I am perfectly okay with.  However, I would like to see even a couple of the 2017/2018 WIPS get completed.

2021 Plans

My January 1st start is picked and all ready to go.  This will be done with a few friends again.  I love this tradition we have!

2021 is Jardin de Plaisir from Long Dog Samplers

I also plan to do the Peppermint Purple 2021 SAL.  I am doing this one in the same style as 2020 (rectangle) and with the called for DMC.  After Clare released the framework, I am now thinking I may do both as the square is amazing.

I would like to get back to doing the monthly ornaments again.  Shannon Christine released a SAL in October called the Cross Stitch Ornament Club.  I have them all kitted and planned to start them right away.  That did not happen, so I'm now planning on using them for 2021 ornaments.  There were 10 released and a few freebies, so the numbers are perfect!

Something else I would like to get back to doing monthly is the Words to Live by Project.  I was doing well with this until COVID and tax season struck (not sure who to blame, but money is on both).  So will see how the months go and maybe I can have this one done in 2021!

I would love to say I'm going to keep up with my blog in 2021, but I just don't know what this year will bring.  I know I would love to do the weekly updates, but for now i'm going to try and do at least a monthly update... fingers crossed.  If you are on Instagram, I do post much more frequently.

2020 updates - Week 9 and forward

Due to work commitments and the stress from the pandemic, I am not going to make weekly updates until at least May

I am still planning to do the monthly update and goals post though!

2020 updates - Week 8 - Tapestry, blackwork, and knitting

Monday, even though it was a provincial holiday, I still went to work for a few hours.  It is amazing how much work you can get done without co-workers talking, the phone ringing, and client coming in.

Since all my other monthly goals have been finished (Except keeping up with the SAL which is weekly) I went back to Tapestry Monday night.

This is where Tapestry started on Monday

And here is where I was late Sunday afternoon

Not as much progress as I would have liked, but I also need to remember that work is getting busier.

The only other stitching I did this week was Part 8 of the Peppermint Purple SAL.
Still loving this SAL, and also love that its not a huge amount of stitching each week.

Current Week

Progress to date

On the knitting front, I have been attempting a start on the Northeasterly blanket.  For some reason I need to start things 50 million times before I'm either happy with it, for fully understand it.  This was no different.
Thursday night I finally was happy with the start. 

Since my knitting is going so slow lately, this blanket will be made up of leftovers and mini skeins that I pick up from local yarn shops or dyers.

Hope everyone had a great week, and here is to the last week of February... Hopefully March brings some sun!

2020 updates - Week 6

I have been trying to do my blog updates Sunday afternoons or evenings, but I had a massive headache.

I finally got a change to get caught up tonight.

Monday I worked on Tapestry for Ink Circles Monday

Wednesday is release day for the Peppermint Purple - A Year of Blackwork SAL.  I got week 6 done as started work on the border.

Saturday I sat down to work on Words to live by, but the mess of my stitching area was BUGGING ME!!!
So, I cleaned it out, and then got to work on the border of Part 3.
I didn't get too far as Hubby and I spent a big part of the day together and then joined some friends for gaming.  Day out included YUMMY Indian Food

Like I said, Sunday wasn't a great day, so no stitching to report.
Let hope this coming Sunday is MUCH MUCH BETTER!!

2020 updates - Week 4

This week didn't see much stitching

Work kicked my butt, and ended up crashing early most nights.

Saturday, I was out all day, so again no stitching.

I did manage to keep up with the Peppermint Purple SAL though... thanks to getting up a bit early on Wednesday morning
Here is where it is to date

Other than that I have worked on Tapestry when I have stitched
Here is where I am tonight

Hoping this coming week sees more progress on Tapestry before it goes away for my February goals.

The other thing I'm trying to do this year is keep up with my orts for TUSAL
We had a new moon on Friday, so here are my orts from Jan 1 until the 24th

2020 updates - Week 3 - Words to live by and some knitting

Week 3 of 2020 is now history

This week I went with the next thing on my goal/plan list, which is my Words to Live by SAL from the Tiny Modernist

You last saw this during my WIP Parade

Before

I finished Part 2 on Saturday night

Part 2 Done

On Wednesday I got up a bit early to pump out Week 3 on the Peppermint Purple  A Year of Blackwork SAL.  I got it done early that evening

Sunday morning I decided to pull out Tapestry (one of my oldest WIPS)
This is where I was from the WIP Parade

A bit of progress was made

KNITTING
This week I also started the Everyday Shawl from Andrea Mowry.

Everyday Shawl - Drea Renee Knits

I attempted it late last year, but wasn't happy with the way it looked with the yarn I had picked.  I changed yarn and am much happier.

This is my small progress to date

2020 Updates - Week 1&2

How is it January 12th already???

Since January 1st I have been working on my Let it Snow from Barbara Anna Designs

I haven't stopped working on this since, and finished it Saturday night (11th)...
YES! My first Finish of 2020

Saturday after I finished Let It Snow, I started my January Ornament.  This month I am doing Moose Joy from the JCS Xmas '19 issue.
I picked a random 32ct linen small and thread I had on hand, and finished this up on Sunday afternoon.
YES! 2nd finish of 2020

Plans/Goals update
Starting Let is snow was #1 on the January list, so that can have a check mark!
Stitching an ornament was #2, so that can also have a check mark!

I have also decided to add a SAL for the year.  I have LOVED everything from Peppermint Purple I have stitched, so when she came out with a 52 week SAL how could I resist!

I started mine Sunday afternoon after the ornament, and got the first 2 weeks done.  I plan to keep up with these each week