WIP Roundup | 2023 Needlework Works In Progress

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I’ve had enough new years to know that I won’t find any comfort or success in making goals for myself. But I do enjoy looking back on my progress over time.

What a better time, then, to take a little snapshot of where I am in my hobbies and pastimes.

My mom is contemplating participating in the cross-stitching world’s #NYE12x12. The idea is, starting today (New Year’s Eve) at noon, to work on a different WIP (work in progress) or start a new one every hour until midnight. I scoffed thinking certainly I didn’t have enough projects to participate.

Well, well, well. I’m still not planning on participating, but I was able to round up plenty of projects and I have several more kitted to go. Here’s a roundup of my current WIPS as of today, December 31, 2022, and the projects I have kitted to start in the new year.

Crochet

Crochet, at least with large gauge yarns, seems to hurt my joints more than anything else. But I couldn’t resist the yarn for this adorable amigurumi set.

Photo by Olka Novytska, AradiyaToys on Facebook

The pattern is Royal Tale by Olka Novytska and is available for purchase on Ravelry. (You guys. I just looked this designer up on Facebook and she has a NATIVITY SET!! So cute.)

I sprung for some new sport-weight yarn because I think plush toys look best in a smaller gauge. I didn’t use quite as many colors as called for to lower the cost and to provide a tighter color palette.

I’m using Knit Picks Brava Sport in the following colors:

  • Peapod (Dragon)
  • Grass (Dragon)
  • Seashell (Dragon, horse, peach on unicorn, red on knight)
  • Blush (Horns on dragon, skin on knight, unicorn body)
  • Rouge (Pink on unicorn)
  • Canary (Gold on night, yellow on unicorn)
  • Marina (Blue on unicorn, light gray on knight)
  • Freesia (purple on unicorn)
  • Coral (Brown on horse)
  • Silver (Dark gray on knight)

If you buy at least 10 of a single yarn (even in different colors) from Knit Picks you can use code MYVALUEPACK for 20% off. (Not sure when this sale ends, but always check their sales page for current promotions.

So far I have one lone dragon body. I would like this set done in two weeks for a baby gift, so I better get going!

Isn’t it so cute how adding eyes to something makes it adorable? I love safety eyes for a professional finish on handmade items. This is the set I have from Amazon.

Knitting

I’m knitting the Festive Doodle by Caitlyn Hunter of Boyland Knitworks. Pattern available for purchase through Boyland Knitworks or Ravelry.

I wish I could tell you more about the yarn. It’s an amalgamation of sock yarns and kits that I never knit up.

I love this project and it is deceivingly simple. The intricate patterns are on a six-stitch or so repeat and never use more than two yarns at a time, so it is decent for travel and so meditative.

I’m making the Lego Man Mitts by Carissa Browning. It is a free knitting pattern download on Ravelry.

These are destined for my nephew, Gannon, and are from Cascade Superwash 220. They are deceivingly NOT simple and require me to refer to the pattern constantly, so I do not enjoy these as much. But he is such a sweetie and that keeps me going.

For another nephew, Carver, I am making a new “bit.” He literally wore his baby blanket to shreds so I salvaged what I could and am making him a new one.

This design is based on the Ten Stitch Blanket by Frankie Brown, a free knitting pattern download on Ravelry. I didn’t want to turn my work quite so often and I like multiples of 12 much better, so I am doing a 24-stitch repeat instead.

I’m making what I can from the yarn of Carver’s blanket and am adding in my old standbys, I Love This Yarn in Key Lime and Graphite.

Cross Stitch

I’m a terrible human and don’t keep good notes on the linen and thread I use. Keeping a blog is an effort to get better at that! I’ll do my best to link up what I can.

First up is Consider the Lilies from Heartstring Samplery. I called the ladies at The Stitchery Nook and asked for “the works” and a cute scissor. They kitted it up and sent it my way! I don’t remember the linen, it’s a 40-ct something, and they included the called-for floss.

This is Pandemic from Long Dog Samplers on 36-count linen. I am using DMC 844.

I love stitching on this. It is meditative for me because the thread colors never change. I have no goal of ever completing this, so it is a nice process piece for me to just relax and stitch.

This is A Year in the Woods: The Hare from Cottage Garden Samplings. I don’t remember the color, but it’s 36-count Weeks Dye Works. I hear other cross-stitchers don’t like this, but I really like the looser weave. I’m pretty new to cross-stitching and don’t know any better. I’m using the called-for threads.

This is Away We Fly from Blackbird Designs. I had good intentions of this being an autumn stitch as a holiday gift but life happened, so it will wait for another holiday. I’m using the called-for threads on 36-count linen.

This is a little sampler of my own design. It has a different vehicle for each letter of the alphabet. I was stitching it on some thrifted evenweave that I honestly hate, so I won’t be going any further. I’ll restart this soon.

Finally is the frogged many times over Good Yule sampler, my own design. I started on tomato red linen but didn’t like how the white blended in.

I restarted on this Lugana with ghost stitching lines and like it much better. It’s not as nice as stitching on linen, but I don’t hate it enough to restart again. I think I’m just a 36+ count one-over-two girly.

Coming Up

This post got too long so I’m skipping sharing my kitted up items. For cross-stitch I have another Year in the Woods and another Easter stitch planned. I also have a lot of my own design ideas rumbling around in my brain.

For knitting I have four sweaters for myself, a shawl for myself, and two sock patterns for myself planned.

I have lots of granny square wishes for crocheting. It will be fun to look back and see where the year takes me!

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