Sampler September Week 1

I'm doing my own version of Sampler September this year.  I believe it was started a few years ago on IG but thought I'd post about it here too.  I'm defining this for me as a sampler of my WIPs.  I've pulled 20ish WIPs and hope to give each of them a day's worth of stitching.  Most are samplers, but not all and there are several teaching pieces included.  I may not make significant progress, in fact I won't, but I do hope that it will reignite the spark for the project.  

I'm only showing after photos as adding before photos would make this too photo heavy I think.

Up first was When Thou Art Rich by HATS.  I was at a spot - an entire row of queen stitches on a linen that was a similar color to the thread - where I was mentally blocked on this one.  I picked it up and something just clicked! I finished the row of queen stitches (which was only about 25% done) and started the satin stitch row below.  I'll definitely be coming back to this one soon.

Hannah Hammond by Gigi R was up next.  I was definitely not enjoying this last time I put this one away. I can't say that I love her now but we are in a better place.   Not a bad outcome.

This is a teaching piece by Jane Timmers of Fancy Work called Liberty Little Sewing Box.  This is for a class this fall.  There will be smalls and a box from LeHays that will be finished.  Super cute.

Mary Barres came out.  Hard to see but I completed the ghost alphabet and started that bottom motif.  She's a big girl and will therefore be a long term project.

Tocatta 1 by the Drawn Thread has not been touched in YEARS.  Why?  I have no idea!  It's so close to being completed except for the hem stitching which I've never done before.  This was, I believe, the very first SAL project of my stitching guild.

I started block 10 of Autumn at Hawk Run Hollow.  The black box outline was already stitched, I do that before I put it away.  Everything else was stitched on its day of stitching which was a weekend day.  Closing in on the home stretch on this one too.

I'd call week 1 a success!  If I focused, I could realistically finish 3 of these before year end.  Will that happen?  Probably not.  That's ok though!  

I hope you're having a great week and that all your stitches are happy ones!

Why Do I Do This?

I'm not sure why I put off a task I do not like that doesn't take any real amount of time.  Isn't it better to just get it done?  I have trouble remembering that.  Case in point, this scarf has been finished and blocked and sitting in my sewing room only needing the ends woven in.  It has taken FOREVER.  Today I got it done and it's now in my dresser waiting for cooler weather that is still several months away.

This scarf is the Chevron Scarf byJoelle Hoverson.  Super easy to knit and the 4 row repeat is really just a few stitch combos to remember.  It's long and thinner than I'd typically knit so I will probably wear it like it's shown in the photo below.  Doubled up.  In Florida, that's often all I need in winter - something to keep my neck warm.

Chevron Scarf by Joelle Hoverson

Claudia Handpainted Yarns Fingering

Tropicana and Caribbean colorways

US 4 needle (I'm a tight knitter and should have used a 5)

I feel good having that done!  What do you put off doing that you always think that it wasn't really that bad to just get it done?

I hope all your stitches are happy ones!