Stitchmaynia My Way

So Stitchmaynia 2020 is now in the books. For those who aren't familiar with this yearly stitching event, I'll explain. Stitchmaynia was created by a couple of stitchers (who I believe run the Stitchmaynia Facebook group) in 2015. Its purpose was to encourage stitchers to start a new project each day in May.

Now many of us stitchers love to start new projects. For me, though, 31 new projects is just too overwhelming. Last year I did WIPmaynia, where I worked on a different project each day. Other people also modified their Stitchmaynia plans to, for example, starting new projects on the first 15 days. This year I decided to do what I did back in 2018 -- start a new stitching project on the first of May, and then another one on each of the Mondays in May. Five new starts sounded perfectly reasonable to me.

My first new start on May 1st was "Gathering Basket" by Blackbird Designs. I chose 28 count Jubilee fabric in the color "Rendezvous" by Sugar Maple Fabrics and I'm stitching it in most of the called-for colors. I love this project and cannot wait to get back to it.

The first Monday project start was "American Coast", a kit by Chessie & Me. It came with 36 count linen and all of the threads, which happen to be silk. I didn't put a big dent into this start even though I stitched on it for several days. Cute project though.

The next Monday I started "Fragments In Time 2018" by Summer House Stitch Workes". By contrast to my previous Monday start, I made considerable progress on this! I would say that I have probably 75% of it done. No idea why. I'm stitching it on 32 count evenweave in a neutral beige color. I have a lot of unidentified fabric in my stash that I use even if I don't know the name of it. I'm using a combination of overdyeds and DMC for this one.

Monday #3 was time to start "Clementine" by Plum Street Samplers. Oh, that teeny-tiny start. I was working on another project at the time and was glad to get this much done! It's being stitched on another unidentified fabric, 32 count neutral and I changed many of the colors to what I had "in stock".

Finally, on the last Monday in May, my project choice was "Seasonal Bouquets" by The Sunflower Seed. I've had this pattern for a long time and have always intended to stitch it, so now was the time. I'm stepping out of my stitching comfort zone for this one, stitchy friends. That fabric you see is 40 count! I'm such a daredevil! The color is Desert Taupe and it's from Colours & Cotton. Really, though, the color is a pearl gray to me and a beautiful color to stitch the summer bouquet on. I'm using all of the recommended DMC threads. The pattern comes with little triangular buttons to sew onto the flower pots, but I don't know if they'll fit because I'm stitching it on such a small count fabric. It's fine either way.

Here's what I have decided about 40 count fabric. I think I can stitch on it comfortably in a light color, but probably not a darker color. That's fine. I really like the tiny stitches and the way this is coming out.

Here's to a successful Stitchmaynia, done my way. These five new starts brings my WIP total to 23 and that's about all I can handle comfortably. I need to get some finishes in! Actually I do have a finish that I have not shown here, so I'll save that for next time. I hope you enjoyed seeing these new starts! Happy Stitching!