Stitching Goals for 2011

So I've been thinking recently about what I would like to achieve with my stitching in 2011.  I have 8 projects on the go at the moment and when I add in the 2011 SAL that will make 9.  I enjoy having lots of different things to stitch so I don't get bored but I do sometimes feel like I am not getting anywhere with any of the projects.  So the goals I am setting myself for 2011 are to:-

1. Masquerade SK - complete - this was the June to Dec 2010 SAL and I have currently completed 61.83%
2. Butterflies Galore SK - complete 75% - I have currently done 45.21%
3. Christmas Stocking - complete by Christmas 2012 - I find this quite hard going sometimes as it is a very simple pattern and has huge blocks of the same colour so my goal is to have completed it by Christmas 2012 when Samuel will be nearly 3
4. Hickory Dickory Dock QS - complete 50% - I have currently done 10.44%
5. Christmas Cards & Bookmarks - I would like to have 5 bookmarks for my mum to sell at next years Church Christmas Fair and I would like to have 6 Christmas cards to be able to send to family members
6. Train of Dreams - complete 1 page - I have currently done 3.51%.  I am finding this project quite hard to motivate myself to stitch.  It's a strange one because I love stitching it when I get started but I never want to start sewing it.  The really odd thing is it is one of my most favourite designs so I can't understand why I find it so hard getting started on it.
7. Shy Baby - complete 3 pages - I have currently done 6.86%.  I love stitching this design and have to stop myself from stitching on it all the time to do some stitching on other projects.
8. Samuel - complete 20% - I have currently done 2.63%.  This is a photo of my son that Michele charted for me.
9. Blue Rose Fairy QS - complete 2 pages - this is the 2011 SAL so I haven't currently started it.

So it will be very interesting to look back this time next year and see how much I have accomplished in relation to these goals.  I don't know if they are realistic or not as I have never set goals for myself before.  If I complete half of the goals I will be very happy.

I have been working on the photo of my son this week and am going to work on it a couple more days before I post an update.

Just a little update

Well I've finished the birthday card for my niece and here is the finished article.

I've also decided to change how I work my rotation.  I found I wasn't getting enough accomplished in a week to see any progress which was getting me down a bit.  I have therefore decided to work on each project until I either complete a page or get fed up working on it - which ever comes first.  So the projects I have on the go now are:-

1. Shy Baby
2. Butterflies Galore - SK
3. Masquerade - SAL SK
4. Train of Dreams
5. Christmas Stocking (Non HAED)
6. Christmas Cards (Non HAED)
7. Charlie's Ark (Non HAED)
8. Hickory Dickory Dock - QS
9. Samuel (Photo of my son charted by HAED)

So I probably won't be posting every week but will just post every time I change project.

Butterflies Galore SK as of 16.09.10

So I've been working on Butterflies Galore this week.  I was disappointed last week with my progress on Masquerade but this week I am really happy with my progress on Butterflies Galore.  Her face is nearly finished now and I am very close to finishing page 1. 

Butterflies Galore SK as of 05.08.10

So here is my progress on SK Butterflies Galore after another week as of 05.08.10.  I've now completed 3,944 of 11,853 stitches which means I have completed 33.27%.

HAED Half Year Goals Challenge

Today I set myself some half year goals so I thought I should record them here to remind myself what they are!! So by the end of the year this is what I hope to have achieved:-

1. Finish 2 pages of Masquerade SK SAL - currently completed 2,402 stitches (12.7%)
2. Finish 2 pages of Butterflies Galore SK - currently completed 2,434 stitches (20.53%)
3. Finish 1 page of Cruising the Information Highway - currently completed 600 stitches (0.54%)
4. Finish 1 page of Steam Butterfly - not currently started

So I will try and keep track of how I am doing with these goals as I update.

Butterflies Galore as of 01.07.10

Well this week I have been working on the Story Keep Butterflies Galore by the artist Jasmine Becket Griffith, copyright Heaven and Earth Designs 2009.

This is the original picture.

I've loved stitching this so far as the colours are so vibrant compared to the other projects I am currently working on. I'm using a different technique which I haven't used before. Basically for each colour I start I go through the whole chart and stitch every stitch (I can find) in that colour. This will hopefully cut out all that horrible confetti stitching and starting and ending threads all the time.

I started this project on 14.05.10 and initially didn't make much progress but this week I feel like I have really accomplished a lot. I have now completed 2,434 of 11,853 stitches which is 20.5% complete.

My first blog post!

Well I have decided to start this blog to keep track of all my projects, those I am working on and those I have in my stash. I will try and keep it updated weekly with the progress I am making on each project.

This week I am working on the story keep Butterflies Galore one of the amazing designs from the Heaven and Earth Designs site. I am currently working on three charts from them and I have probably another 15-20 charts from them in my stash. I just love the detail of the designs without the hassle of cross stitching or fractional stitches!!

I will post a picture at the end of the week showing my progress.

I used to mainly stitch on 18 count aida but have recently discovered 20 count aida which is great. I have tried to stitch on linen but I don't enjoy it at all and for me the whole point of cross stitching is for the enjoyment.