September's small and finish.

I have stayed on track with a finish out of my unfinished pile and a finished small each month.  But, as the year goes on it is taking me longer and longer to get them finished...often into the first days of the next month.  October is liable to be a complete fail unless I come up with something fast.  It is an all around busy month.

My finish out of the pile is this cute little Christmas piece stitched earlier this year.  Primitive Stocking by Waxing Moon Designs.

My small is another patriotic piece.  Liberty Flag by Lizzie Kate.  I used all the same elements as the two previous patriotic finishes.

I now have a trio of matching little pillows.

I have not come up with a small yet for October.  I was looking through my old Just Cross Stitch ornament issues and think I'll pick an easy one since it's already the 20th!

Happy Stitching,

Pam

A little finish and a little organizing.

First, my table runner finish.  A fun fall applique.  I like any and all patterns that feature an old pick up filled with something....pumpkins, a Christmas tree, etc.

I bought a kit with the pattern at a nearby quilt shop.

I have to say, though, SHAME on my local quilt shop!  First, they cut width of fabric when it should have been fats.  Just fat 8th, no less.  Neither that truck nor the house can fit on an eighth yard width of fabric. I had to cut off part and make a seam to have the width.  Come on!  Secondly, nowhere did the kit say:  You better work on this with your stash nearby.  Or:  Warning!  Don't take this on a get-a-way or retreat because we have not included various bits of fabric that you'll need.  For shame.  And they do plenty of belly aching about how shoppers are quick to go to the Internet to shop.

Anywho, on to the cross stitch portion of this post.

I know we all struggle with how to organize our stuff.  Our patterns, our fabric, our ongoing projects and UFO's.  I am planning a major sewing room over-haul this fall/winter.  I have a wall of metal shelves that we will remove and replace with tall cabinets with doors.  I opted for the metal shelves in the first place because I like seeing my stuff.  I operate under the theory that out of sight is out of mind. Fast forward a bunch of years and my stuff has taken over and just looks messy.

So, first I needed to deal with a huge over-flowing basket of cross stitch patterns.

I bought a couple file boxes and created files for the more popular designers and a miscellaneous file for each season.

 
Some kits and books are in the back...Oh, look!  I worked hard to find that book with French words. I like foreign words in stitching.  I need to pull that book out and stitch something.

My boxes look so neat and tidy.  Then I spied some more patterns on my table.  Drat.  I hate to put them away because I really want to stitch these now!

But, what about the baskets by my upstairs stitching chairs?

Not one,

but two baskets of 'nexts'.

Wait...what about the basket on the trunk by that very same chair?  I really did cringe and wished not to look.

You have no idea what is in there!  Some big pieces, some patterns, and some kits.

I am trying.  Trying to stitch like a crazy person.  I can't say I'm not buying because there are new things every day!

I've been watching Floss Tube and I've gotta say...I have nothing compared to some stitchers!  Next year is a new year with a new plan to stitch more than I buy.  Seems reasonable, right?  We'll see.

Pam