April A-Z Challenge 2023 - letters A-H

Hi all!

And welcome to my April A-Z Challenge, where I'm planning to work on 26 WIPs during the month related to the 26 letters of the alphabet.

I'll show a starting picture followed by another showing how much I achieved in that one day. Each WIP will also be given an 'enjoyment rating' to help determine whether or not it will make it onto my shortlist of WIPs to finish this year. Before starting, I thought I knew which ones would score highest, but there have already been some surprises along the way.

So let's start off this week (and a bit) with the letters A-H.

Day 1 - 1st April - A is for... Let's Breeze Into Autumn by Ursula Michaels.

This had 2h 10m of attention and stitched up really quickly, mainly because I stuck to the backstitching and avoided the crosses (hence the gap!) Enjoyment rating 7/10.

Day 2 - 2nd April - B is for... The Burrow Snow Globe by MIYAStitch (etsy).

I wanted to stitch just the sky, but thought I'd better stitch a bit of The Burrow, given that that is what the B is for! This had 1h 55m of attention but it wasn't all 'fun'. Enjoyment rating 6/10.

Day 3 - 3rd April - C is for... Basket Case by Heritage Crafts.

I was really looking forward to working on this one but only managed 50 minutes, and that included nodding off a few times as I was stitching! So not much progress, but at least it's now symmetrical! A definite contender for the shortlist with an enjoyment rating of 9.5/10 (perhaps because it's one of those few on evenweave?!)

Day 4 - 4th April - D is for... Deathly Hallows In A Bottle by CrazyBlendShop (no longer on etsy).

Not a lot of progress - just 55 minutes - and that was a real struggle. I just wasn't feeling this one at all, which is a shame as I've completed the three others I started. Apart from the blue it's not that easy to see the bits I stitched! Enjoyment rating a very poor 4/10.

Day 5 - 5th April - E is for... Elixir Of Luck by CrazyBlendShop (no longer on etsy).

I spent 1h 45m and loved working on this one again, possibly because of the yellows. Enjoyment rating 8.5/10.

Day 6 - 6th April - F is for... France by Soda Stitch.

Oh wow, I didn't want to put this one down but did when I hit midnight after 1h 35m! This is second on the shortlist so far with an enjoyment rating of 9/10.

Day 7 - 7th April - G is for... Godric's Hollow Snow Globe by MIYAStitch (etsy).

I loved stitching the simple blue sky but, as a whole, wasn't feeling this one. Just 55 minutes spent stitching, and I really couldn't wait to put it away. Enjoyment rating 5/10.

Day 8 - 8th April - H is for... Hot Springs by TeenyWeenyXStitch.

As one of my recent starts, it was appropriate this should appear. I think because it's new and small and close to completion, this just had to have an enjoyment rating of 10/10!

So some good and very pleasing progress there, and a few surprises as to enjoyment ratings.

My favourites so far then are:

1) Hot Springs - 10/10

2) Basket Case - 9.5/10

3) France - 9/10

4) Elixir Of Luck - 8.5/10

But that could all change next week!

Next week will be the letters I to N, but it's nice to have a day off in between (when I'm probably going to try to finish Hot Springs).

Take care,

Rachel x