Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Thinking about WIP's

Yesterday I was here at work and of course I was obsessing about needlework!! God forbid I actually do any kind of work that might be expected of me - !!! So thinking about cross stitch and my WIP's - I wonder what is a normal number of pieces "in progress." Is there a single number or is it different for everyone? I wondered if it was just me and my unorganized life that causes the WIP's - I am thinking it is those wonderful designers out there always coming up with new and wonderful things to stitch!! So how can this be my fault!!!??? So when I got home I pulled out my WIP's. You should have seen the looks I was getting from the audience of the Hooch, the Pooch and the Peach and the Rico - not pleasant I must say!!! I define for myself a WIP as something large that is getting stitched or not stitched as the case might be. I do not count exchange pieces nor do I count any kind of gift piece as a WIP.

Here is a snap of my WIP's

These four pieces are from l to r - Village of Hawk Run Hollow, Forgiveness, ABC SAL, Beatrix Potter Companion. I made a decision that I can finish up VoHRH and then move on to one of the Quaker pieces before I start up another piece ....... and that start is a toss up between two Carriage House pieces - either Alphabet Sampler - the Whole Kit and Kaboodle or The Shores of Hawk Run Hollow. I am really leaning towards the Alphabet Sampler piece. I think the reasons are three fold - 1). I really love Alphabet samplers - especially this one, 2). I already have a great piece of splotchy linen for the Alphabet sampler and 3). I want to re-chart the Shores piece for over-dyed threads instead of the silk called for that I already have acquired. ( Joke is doing a HRH piece in over dyed floss' and that really appeals to me) I also think that coming off of Village I may not want to start up another piece so similar..... AND I just can't make up my mind about the linen for SoHRH as the recommended is way too yellow/gold for me. I still have quite a bit of time since I am about 3 1/2 squares from finishing VoHRH.

Oh well - I can obsess on this stuff for a while!! Don't forget to throw in for the give-away - in yesterdays post!!! Am I really over thinking this -
I will tend to do that occasionally - or I should say - all the time!!!! :)

Thanks for stopping by!!
Take care,
edgar

26 comments:

  1. I have seven WIPs and I'm freaking out! :-) Like you I only count the really big projects as WIPs because I need small projects for my commute and once I start something small I always finish it asap. I love both your choices for your next piece and I have both kitted and ready to go. But I have to finish one of my BAPs before I start either one. I gave myself almost a year between the Village and Houses and will do the same for Shors. I didn't like the antique gold either and went with a much more nuetral linen.

    ReplyDelete
  2. okay, so you don't want to know how many wip's i have then! I do count my exchanges, etc in there, as they are WIP's to me. I do stitch alot of small patterns as well as some of the larger but not as large as your pieces, they would never get finished in this house. LOL my number is over 30 and that's all i am saying!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Only four WIPs - you must be joking! I'll see your 4 and raise you by about 10 (lol)!! I'll have to do a post about my WIPs since I just found a few more in a closet I just cleaned out. You will feel much better about your four. My mistake is picking pieces with lots of backstitching - I hate backstitching!

    Go with your gut. If you're leaning toward the alphabet sampler - do it, you won't regret it.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I have at least 5 WIPs that I am sure about. I'm afraid to dig too deep. I love the stitching but it is hard to get them finished. Don't ask me how much of those I have. I love reading your blog.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Just wandering by via...Carol's blog, I think??? (I too should be "working" right now!) You do lovely stitching!!

    As for me, I have 3 WIPs (not counting little trifles that catch my eye...freebies and such). Of course, if I could stop doing the little trifles, the big projects might get finished faster...hrm. LOL

    ReplyDelete
  6. 4 thats not that bad...they look great by the way :)

    I have 5 currently and those are the only 5 I will have untill I complete at least ONE I am doing rotation at the moment and hopefully that will keep me on course to stitch more. These are all for me no exchnages or gifts to stitch right now :)

    Take Care
    Natasha

    ReplyDelete
  7. 4 thats not that bad...they look great by the way :)

    I have 5 currently and those are the only 5 I will have untill I complete at least ONE I am doing rotation at the moment and hopefully that will keep me on course to stitch more. These are all for me no exchnages or gifts to stitch right now :)

    Take Care
    Natasha

    ReplyDelete
  8. Wonderful WIPs! My question is when does a WIP become a UFO?

    ReplyDelete
  9. Love your WIPs, Edgar! Gosh, they look like they're almost done! I love the VoHRH! I'm thinkin' about starting that one this year. As for your next Biggie; I vote for the Alphabet Sampler. I have a fondness for that one ~ I stitched it over one (and my sampler's pic is on the cover). Whatever you decide though, will be gorgeous, I'm sure!
    Peace!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Oh all of your WIPs are beautiful. I think it depends on the person, some stitchers don't like to have more than 1 WIP, some have many. I have about 17 right now and it's driving me crazy. I'd be much happier with 2 or 3 big WIPs.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh, I love the picture with your four WIPs, looks very inspiring to me.

    I only count my big pieces as WIPS, and I have six of them. Five are very dear to me, whereas the sixth must be seen as UFO because I haven't worked on it for at least three years. And I don't know if I will ever finish it.

    I'm very curious to see what new CHS piece you will finally choose...

    ReplyDelete
  12. Four WIPs got you looks? Yikes! I have more like 24. You're doing great!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I win, I win! I stopped counting my WIP'S when the pile hit 48. I'm going with the theory that if I get hit by a bus tomorrow I won't regret the fact that I didn't start everything in my stash. Besides, my sister already knows to stuff it all in the box with me when I go, so I figure I better have enough to keep me busy, right? Love love love everything that you do, Edgar!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Should you really count the "ABC SAL" as a WIP (I sound like the Department of Defence!)? Afterall, you have completed all of the chart that is currently available. I LOVE the colors you chose for that! Also love that Quaker with the similar color scheme. I think I have 6 WIPS laying around here. My oldest is my One Year Wedding Anniversary Sampler. We celebrated our 20th this past July! I just keep changing the number in the center motif every 5 years.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Your 4 are beautiful!
    I know that I have two of them in my to do list, maybe three... heh. As for me, I have many more than 4 WIPs which is why this year is the year of the WIP for me. And all are huge, or so it seems.

    ReplyDelete
  16. WIP if I just count the cross stitch ones I'm in a tie with Coni. I hope I don't have more. I think it is like a box of chocolates..I have to find out if I really like each one. LOL
    I'd opt for the ABC SAL as I love SAL.
    Shay

    ReplyDelete
  17. Only having 4 is great. At the start of the year I had 19 WIP's which is now done to 15 yehhhhh.
    I try to be good but I am always seeing new designs and can't wait to stitch them.

    ReplyDelete
  18. That's it? Those four are all of the WIPs you have? Have you seen my list of WIPs on my blog? It took me two pictures to get them all in! And those are the ones I'm admitting to! I think you've shown extreme restraint and self-control. I feel like I should get busy stitching.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Have you ever moved with a moving company? We did. They have a box that is like 3 feet tall and maybe 4 feet square, it's the box they pack the home owners dishes and kitchen stuff in. My WIPS -- never mind my stitching paraphernalia -- filled an entire box...and that did not include any UFOs. The mover's just did not seem to understand when I kept telling them "this one, that box" -- "no no, this one goes over here in this box".... Somehow it really annoyed me that they did seem to understand the 45 different fishing poles hubby needed packed up. But hey, it's not a contest -- is it??

    ReplyDelete
  20. You can imagine how many wips and projects I have in progress. I work at niah, quilt, sew, and paint. My stratigie is to have long, med, and short term projects. Then I get the thrill of compleating something (short term) and the goal of eventually finnishing a large project. At least that is my theory, or story. And I am sticking to it. :)

    ReplyDelete
  21. ps I'm sorry for the miss spellings. Long term project for me over 10 years medium size is a yearish and small is less than that. m

    ReplyDelete
  22. Hello!
    I can only have one official WIP. Them I might do one or two small things while i do the official one. If I had more I could not concentrate. I would think of picking the one I was not doing. The giveaway you have in your other post is beatifully. I will not try my luck because I had an offer some time ago from a mother of one of my friends of greens, reds, yellows and blues.
    Best regards

    ReplyDelete
  23. You don't have that many WIPs. But I only count the big ones as WIPs too. Why do we do that. I guess because the smaller ones actually have an end in sight! LOL!

    The alphabet sampler is beautiful! I would love to do VoHRH but with only 1 block finished on HoHRH, I better hold off! LOL

    ReplyDelete
  24. 4 Wip's .. that is not so bad !! :-)
    And they are all wonderful, for sure you will finish them one day !!
    Patti xx

    ReplyDelete
  25. Let me begin by saying your WIPs are awesome! And let me end by saying you don't even want to know how many I have. Oh but I wanted to wish you a great weekend too. I'm just like you - just ready for it to be here and the week to be over.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Edgar, my dear, you are a WIP amateur! I am right up there with Coni and a few others. I count anything that I've made a commitment to stitch and started as a WIP. I have active and inactive WIPs. Active = 5, Inactive = >40 but who's countin'.
    I have a tendency to concentrate on finishing a piece when I am about 3/4 of the way complete. The other stitching then languishes. Right now, my lovely Beatrix Potter is the focus piece.

    I love your blog and your stitching! I visit often. And just like you, at *work* I dream of my stitching. Like NOW.

    ReplyDelete

“In every end, there is also a beginning.”

 Gentle Friends, I finished the sampler last night and here's a snaperooo... Village Square Sampler from Samplers Remembered   1/8 - 3/2...