My TUSAL Jar Overfloweth

Here it is, the end of 2012.  I've had a very busy but fun year and the past couple of weeks have been no exception.  I went home to visit my family in Wisconsin over Christmas which was wonderful.  We had a very nice holiday together!  I've also been working on some projects around the house during the time I've had off.  I didn't get quite as far as I had hoped on some of them but I did make a lot of progress! 

You can also see that my TUSAL jar for the year is quite literally overflowing!  It's been a year full of stitching too and as I look back at the pieces that I've finished and framed it's really fun to see.  I have no idea how I managed to finish all that I did though.  With as busy as I've been with work, the dog and friends, I certainly don't feel like I've had a ton of time to stitch.  Tomorrow is a new year though and I will be emptying this jar and starting fresh collecting ORT's for 2013.  If you'd like to play the TUSAL game in 2013 just visit this link to Daffycat's blog. 

I've also been stitching a little over my break.  I worked on Christmas Garden, which was my Thanksgiving start.  Here's my current progress on it. 

 

I'm almost done so am tempted to go ahead and pick it back up and finish it, there are probably only a few evenings worth of stitching left here so perhaps this will be my first 2013 finish!  When I was in Wisconsin my Mom and I visited the Country Sampler in Spring Green.  They had this hanging on the wall, and it is such a difference to see it stitched as charted (huge) and mine that is tiny on 40 count linen.   

I probably would have finished this already except that I've been totally distracted by Frances Pool, the latest release by With thy Needle and Thread.  This was my Christmas start this year. 

 

I started this piece on Christmas Eve day and was able to get the flowers, red border and part of the outer border done.  Now that I'm on the border I will probably continue until it meets up and then go back to Christmas Garden.

Or... Maybe I'll work on this...

This is Ruth Bacheler by the Scarlett Letter.  I'll be stitching it on 40 count Vintage Buttercream linen.  I joined Nicola's Scarlett Letter Year challenge so this fits right into the challenge.  Plus, I was completely enabled by a few friends who are also starting this piece.  This is supposed to be my New Year challenge, only I read in the pattern that the Irish stitches and Satin stitches are all done with 2 threads.  I panicked a bit so started with one pennant and found that the cotton floss on 40 count linen using two threads is no big deal!

So, that's that, I have these three projects plus the smalls for my SGR project going for a total of FOUR projects at once!  That is a new record for me!! 

Thanks for dropping by to visit my blog, may you and your family have a safe and prosperous New Year!!

Jen

Comments

[Debbie]

You've got some great projects lined up!! I've been eyeing Ruth to do for the SL challenge, but ended up starting another piece. I know I'll see your progress and want to do it. Wonderful start on Frances Poole and I'll bet that your Christmas Garden looks wonderful on the 40 count fabric.

[Margaret]

All are great projects! So pretty! And lots of red. :D

[Katrina]

All fun projects!!!!!

[Laurie in Iowa]

You've got three great projects going!

[Debby]

Jen,
I'm so proud of you!!!! 3 BAPs and the smalls for SGR - you're doing fantastic. I so don't want to know how many samplers you stitched in 2012 though - I know it's a number I'd never achieve.

I love the Scarlett Letter sampler you picked. IF I were to do that challenge this year (and I'm not...............), that is the first one that I would do. I love that one, and there are so many wonderful SL charts!

I'm watching anxiously to see how these wonderful pieces turn out.

[Sharon]

Love your projects! They are looking wonderful!

[Jeanne]

I just purchased linen for Christmas Garden but the LNS was out of some of the threads I needed. No problem, I have plenty of other projects to work on! I love Ruth B - such pretty colors. I've seen several finishes of that sampler online and all looked great.