The Year of Cross Stitch

It's amazing to me how quickly you can get out of the habit of doing something.  It's been months since I blogged.  At first it was because my computer went up in smoke. Seriously, it made a funny buzzing sound, the screen froze, then smoke billowed up out of the keyboard.  Oh the smell!

Hubby was having issues with his too, so he arranged for repair, which entailed waiting for Dell to send us packing boxes, then sending the computers to them and waiting for them to be returned.  This took almost two months.  During the time I was computerless I didn't blog because I don't like to do things like that on my phone.  Then, when I got the computer back, the holidays were upon us and I was busy, so I let the blog sit awhile longer.

Now we're well into the new year, and I decided enough was enough.  No more putting off blogging until tomorrow.  I enjoy it once I get started, it's the getting started that can be difficult sometimes.

I did finish up some projects.  Below is an applique runner I made for my buffet. I used the same pattern to make some kitchen towels to add to the goodies my hubby gave to his coworkers.  They turned out so darn cute, I'm going to have to make a set for myself next year.

I also finished another table topper.  My goal is to have a runner for my buffet and topper for my table for each month of the year.

I have a few more photos of finished items, and I'll share those throughout the rest of this week.

Anywho ......

Last year turned out to be a bit of The Year of the Quilt.  This year is looking to be The Year of Cross Stitch.  I pulled out all my needlework projects and organized them.  They all have their own little container.  The smaller ones have all supplies tucked neatly into a ziplock and are stored in bins in my spare bedroom.  The larger ones are in plastic storage bins.

I got all geeky with a spreadsheet that someone in a cross stitch group started.  It's meant to organize all your DMC floss for large projects (like Heaven and Earth Designs patterns), with a tab for each project that calculates how much floss you need and how much you already have.  I tweaked the file a bit to suit me, adding a tab that calculates overage/shortage of each color so I know where I can get floss for any new projects I want to start without having to buy new.  My hubby likes this because I can kit up a new project from stash instead of spending more money.  I also added a tab that calculates when the project will be completed.  I've calculated this in two ways; first on average number of stitches completed per day using start date, and second on average number of stitches completed per day using actual number of days stitching.  This tab already calculated the % complete a project was based on how many stitches were completed.

Why did I do all this?  Well, because I'm geeky like that and analysis and stats make me happy.  Also because I like to use weird methods to determine what projects I work on.  I use a random number generator to choose a knit/crochet project to complete when I get too many of them just sitting around not getting worked on.  I'm using that method to choose one of the non-HAED needlework projects too.

This week, the RNG chose a fairly large piece.  It's a Mirabilia pattern called The Kiss.  I started this way back in 2004!  At that time I was pretty much a non-stop knitter, so this didn't get much love at all.  Add to that I had it on a scroll frame without a stand, and it wasn't comfortable to work on, so it got shoved into a storage bin and was all but forgotten until I did my organizing.  It will get at least 1 hour of work time each day Mon-Fri this week.

This will be a gorgeous piece once it's finished!

Because I have craft project ADD, I need to have several projects being worked on at once or I get burned out and quit working on them.  That's when serious startitis infects me and I get into serious trouble with too many things sitting around not getting any closer to completion.  With that in mind, I've set this geeked out spreadsheet tab to choose several large HAED patterns to work on each week.

 I added conditional formatting to highlight the one that is estimated to be complete soonest based on actual number of days stitching.  I will work on this one in the evenings while watching TV.  Currently this is Ornament The Enchanted Christmas, which is estimated to be complete at the end of May.  I'll add a photo of current progress tomorrow.

I added conditional formatting to highlight the one that is estimated to be complete last based on number of days since start.  I will work on this one on the weekends.  Currently this is Time I, which is estimated to be complete in 2105 LOL.  Of course, that's only because I started it, then let it sit for more than a year, so avg stitches completed per day is only 8!  A couple of weekends worth of work and that will look much better.

I added conditional formatting to highlight the one that has the least % complete.  I will work on this one during the day M-F, if I have time and get tired of working on the RNG chosen project.  Currently this is Stocking Walk As One.