DUCJC 2016 - Day 8 - Plant A Tree

Hello again,

Us crazy January starters are into the second week of the challenge already. Doesn't time fly when you're having fun?! I'm also managing to keep up with blog reading, which hasn't happened for a long time so it's been a good 2016 for me so far!

Day 8's chosen piece was another Lizzie Kate called Plant a Tree from her Green series. You may have already seen this started by Mii Stitch a couple of days ago.

Here's my progress:

Plant A Tree by Lizzie Kate

Stitched on 16ct Muted Garden hand-dyed aida by The Crafty Kitten 2 over 1

Stitch count 40 wide by 63 high

Estimated stitching time 11 hours

Stitching time to date - 2 hours 5 minutes

I made a good start, but then I did stitch the easier words and border first!

Tomorrow I shall definitely be in a bad mood again!

Back soon,

Rachel x

DUCJC 2016 - Day 7 - Autumn Alphabet

Good morning!

For day 7 the children chose a Lizzie Kate design which, as I mentioned yesterday, I would not even have glanced at a couple of years ago. But my tastes have changed and I now love it!

Here's my handiwork so far:

Lizzie Kate Autumn Alphabet
Stitched on 16ct Cloud Brown over-dyed aida by Sewitall.com 2 over 1

Stitch count 111 wide by 159 high

Estimated stitching time 59 hours

Stitching time to date - 3 hours 40 minutes

Tomorrow will be a piece which another participant in CJC started a couple of days ago.

Until then,
Rachel x

PS I have two regular commenters (L and A) and one new commenter (M) whose comments do not come through as emails. I tend to reply to most of my emails so if you do not receive thank-yous it is because I either do not get your emails or because you are a no-reply blogger. But please rest assured that I do read every comment and thank you for taking time to read and comment on my blog.

DUCJC 2016 - Day 6 - Playful Puss 4

Good morning!

Another cutie today but one which may remind you of a couple of little projects I did last year. This is another in the set of 4 Playful Puss designs, the other two having already been stitched and framed here.

Here's my progress for the day:

Playful Puss 4

Featured in ???

Designed by Lucie Heaton

Stitched on 16ct Antique White aida 2 over 1

Stitch count 57 wide by 59 high

Estimated stitching time 15 hours

Stitching time to date - 4 hours

It seemed obvious to stitch the tree first, so that's where I started! The rest was a bonus.

I have had a question about how I calculate my estimated stitching time. To me it's very important to know how long a project is going to take, no matter how big or small it is. So in very basic terms I:

1) work out the full coverage of the chart = 57x59 = 3,363 stitches
2) multiply that by the rough percentage of the chart that is stitched = 3,363 x 65% = 2,186 stitches
3) divide that by a stitching rate of between 135 and 180 depending on how complicated the chart is and/or how much backstitching is involved eg = 2,186/150 = 15 hours (just like the chart says!)

Usually I overestimated the stitching time but I'd rather have that than the other way round.

I'm looking forward to tomorrow's chart the children have chosen for me. It's something different again and definitely not a project I would have even glanced at a couple of years ago. It's surprising how some of my stitching likes and dislikes have changed since living in blogland! Does that make you fellow stitchers good or bad influences I wonder???

Until tomorrow,
Rachel x

DUCJC 2016 - Day 5 - Let's Eat Dessert

Morning all!

The chosen start for day 5 was something totally different for me. I have seen a few Ursula Michael "Let's" Word charts stitched up (mainly by Katie, Jeremiah's Mom) so thought I would have a browse for one or two (or more!) for myself. Amazingly I only bought this one but definitely believe it will not be my last!

Here's my progress for the day:

Let's Eat Dessert by Ursula Michael

Artecy (via crosstitch.com)

Stitched on 16ct Crocus hand-dyed aida by The Crafty Kitten 2 over 1

Stitch count 97 wide by 125 high

Estimated stitching time 40 hours

Stitching time to date - 3 hours 15 minutes

I thought the fabric gave this design a really sweet-tooth feel. If I were to stitch another similar design I would probably choose evenweave over aida as there are lots of fractionals.

And to prove I'm human, frogs kept visiting. I couldn't believe how many times I miscounted at the beginning, even though I only had to count up to two or three! By the time I'd got to "Butterscotch" though I'd sent the frogs packing.

Tomorrow sees the return of a character who appeared on two of last year's finished Challenge pieces.

Take care
Rachel x

DUCJC 2016 - Day 4 - Bert Badger

Hello again!

Thank you again for your comments yesterday.

For day 4 of the challenge I'm back to another Woodland Folk and more green fabric! I had originally spread these Woodland Folk throughout the month but obviously the children have decided otherwise.

Here's my progress for day 4. It's still a fair amount considering the normal chores of a working week have started.

Bert Badger

DMC Woodland Folk

Stitched on 16ct Kelp over-dyed aida by Fabric Flair 2 over 1

Stitch count 57 wide by 57 high

Estimated stitching time 16 hours

Stitching time to date - 3 hours 15 minutes

I love his big tummy. It reminds me of the ones my guinea pigs have!

Tomorrow's start is definitely more sweet than cute!

See you then,
Rachel x

DUCJC 2016 - Day 3 - Contentious

Good morning!

Thank you for your comments again yesterday. A lot of you seem to like the little Woodland Folk.

For day 3 of DUCJC 2016 the children chose this funny-cute chart. If you familiar with Margaret Sherry you will be aware how many fractional stitches are usually involved, so I immediately opted to stitch it on evenweave. But... guess what? There are no fractionals! What? A Margaret Sherry with no fractionals? Not even the backstitching splits the fabric! I was (almost) speechless!!

Here is my progress for the day. I will not be stitching the background, hence the coloured fabric. With hindsight I should have stitched the face and expression first and although I tried to squeeze them in before midnight I just couldn't do it. Nevermind, it's something to look forward to when I return.

Contentious by Margaret Sherry

Featured in Cattitudes Calendar 2003

Stitched on 32ct Lime Murano evenweave 2 over 2

Stitch count 79 wide by 71 high

Estimated stitching time 30 hours

Stitching time to date - 5 hours 15 minutes

I mentioned yesterday that today's project was "so me". If you are wondering, contentious means to be controversial or likely to be the cause of or involved in a heated argument. It's not so much the wording that makes the children think of me, rather the cat's scowl and hand-on-hips-do-as-I-tell-you-or-else pose. Apparently I do this quite a lot!

Another cutie tomorrow.

See you then,
Rachel x

DUCJC 2016 - Day 2 - Sally Squirrel

Morning all!

Thank you for all of your lovely comments about Frankie Hedgehog yesterday. He was definitely a good project to start the year with.

Despite doing a Woodland Folk piece for day 1, the children chose another for me for day 2. So here is Sally Squirrel:

Sally Squirrel

DMC Woodland Folk

Stitched on 16ct Kelp over-dyed aida by Fabric Flair 2 over 1

Stitch count 55 wide by 54 high

Estimated stitching time 15 hours

Stitching time to date - 4 hours 10 minutes

I like this one - it's got big areas of the same colour! And stitching the butterfly first gave me the satisfaction of actually finishing part of the project. The remaining stitching was a bonus.

Something slightly different for tomorrow which the children think resembles me most of the time!

See you then,
Rachel x