Happy New Year!

An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet regardless of time, place or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle, but it will never break.

An Ancient Chinese Belief
The Red Thread
Bent Creek
DMC, GAST and Weeks on 32ct Light Mocha Linen
Embellished with snaps and JABC buttons
Finished 1/1/09

I did it. Not quite by the end of the year, but I finished it on New Year’s Day. This piece was a year long SAL with my friend, Sherri. We set a goal of stitching one block a month starting in January of 2008. After a few setbacks, this piece is finally done!! I love the way it turned out and I am so thankful that I finally ended up with the right fabric and all my buttons. The fabric cut for this piece is 10 inches by 39 inches – just to give you an idea of how long it is…over a yard! Sherri and I are contemplating making our own frames for these, after she finishes hers. I can’t wait to have it framed! I’m so pleased to have my first finish of 2009 be such a big finish too.

Here are some closer photos…

cross-stitch piece with blocks for each month and text that reads A red thread connects...
cross-stitch piece with blocks for each month and text that reads it may stretch or tangle but never breaks

Last week I was at the LNS buying more Weeks Bark, and then the next day I went back to buy some more Weeks Cocoa. LOL! They must have thought I was a nut!

Oh, and while I was there, I did a little stash enhancement for the new year. (There is a rule that you can’t just buy thread at the LNS right?!)

And speaking of thread, Anna sent me a beautiful handmade card and tucked inside was this most gorgeous of reds!! Thank you, Anna!!

skein of red variegated thread and a handmade card

For New Year’s Day, I wanted to have a new start after I finished my Red Thread. I decided to start on a piece I’ve been wanting to start ever since it appeared in The Gift of Stitching.

This is At Home with Jane Austen by Tanya of The Sampler Girl. I’m stitching it with the recommended Crescent Colors on 28ct Light Mocha Linen. Love it so far! It is so colorful and I’m really enjoying the Crescent threads.

cross-stitch piece with four stems and leaves and the beginning of one purple flower

I’ve also given some thought to what I’d like to stitch on this year, what my goals might be. Of course, I’d love to finish those WIPs that have been hanging around like Mystery 9, Dorothy’s Garden, my Papillon Creations Mystery Sampler, just to name a few. I believe Anna and I are going to continue our mermaid SAL as well this year, and I hope to not be such a slacker as I have been with it.

I have my Me, Myself & I RR to get started on as well. I still need to figure out what size fabric I need to order so that I can make a start on it. I’ll do that this month.

I’ve also made a list of some things I’d like to start as well, mostly some larger samplers like And They Sinned, Salem Remembered, A Most Noble Pursuit and Shores of Hawk Run Hollow. I also want to do some Christmas stitching this year including ornaments and that Marbek Nativity that I bought fabric for a couple years ago. I can’t wait to get that one started! It would also be lovely to stitch on some of the kits I have ready to go and mark some of them off my list.

I think I’ve pretty much found that rotations don’t seem to work well for me right now, so I’m going to stick with one or two focus pieces and something smaller and portable (like ornaments).

I have also committed myself to a book challenge this year…50 in 2009. That’s twice as many books as I read last year, so it’s going to be a big stretch. I’ve made a list of some classics and some books I’ve been meaning to get around to for years for my 50.

As for my quilting, I’d like to continue with finishing up the quilts I have in progress as well as start some new things, like my Leanne’s House and my Jo Morton quilts.

That’s a whole lot I’d like to do, but I’m not going to put a ton of pressure on myself. At my guild meeting on Tuesday, we’ll be bringing two WIPs that we’d like to see finished, and the members will vote on which one we have to commit to finishing in 2009. I’m going to take my Mystery 9 piece and my Dorothy’s Garden piece as choices. I’ll let you know what they decide. That’s really going to be the only thing I hold myself to this year, other than stitching the mermaids with Anna.

Here’s Mystery 9 at my last update…

For January though I plan to:
Stitch on At Home with Jane Austen
Find out what my guild piece will be and do some stitching on it
Mermaid SAL with Anna

What are your plans?

Happy 2009 everyone!!!

I am grateful for a fresh and bright new year.

56 thoughts on “Happy New Year!”

  1. Congratulations on your finish!!! It is a wonderful piece 🙂
    And it sounds like you have your 2009 stitching all planned out! I shall enjoy watching all these and more I’m sure come to life under your skilled attentions!
    Happy New Year!

  2. Congratulations on your finish!!! It is a wonderful piece 🙂
    And it sounds like you have your 2009 stitching all planned out! I shall enjoy watching all these and more I’m sure come to life under your skilled attentions!
    Happy New Year!

  3. I love your Red Thread piece and I so love that saying.
    Your 2009 stitching list is impressive. I look forward to watching your progresses.

  4. I love your Red Thread piece and I so love that saying.
    Your 2009 stitching list is impressive. I look forward to watching your progresses.

  5. Anna van Schurman

    I admit that your red thread piece inspired me to send the red thread. Congratulations on the beautiful finish!

  6. Anna van Schurman

    I admit that your red thread piece inspired me to send the red thread. Congratulations on the beautiful finish!

  7. Congrats on your first finish of the New Year!

    Your WIPs are looking great so far.

    Looks like you have made some great stitching goals for 2009. Hope you get a huge amount accomplished.

    Happy New Year!

  8. Congrats on your first finish of the New Year!

    Your WIPs are looking great so far.

    Looks like you have made some great stitching goals for 2009. Hope you get a huge amount accomplished.

    Happy New Year!

  9. Congratulations on finishing your Red Thread piece, it looks great.

    Happy New Year and good luck for your 2009 stitching and reading plans.

  10. Congratulations on finishing your Red Thread piece, it looks great.

    Happy New Year and good luck for your 2009 stitching and reading plans.

  11. oooo I was just telling a friend of mine that I need to pull out my Red Thread and finish it! I only have the last 3 to do! You have inspired me to get it done! 🙂
    Lovely. Happy new stitchy year!

  12. oooo I was just telling a friend of mine that I need to pull out my Red Thread and finish it! I only have the last 3 to do! You have inspired me to get it done! 🙂
    Lovely. Happy new stitchy year!

  13. mainely stitching

    Everything is so gorgeous!

    Send me an email regarding the Gold Santa. I can’t find your email address right now (it’s 3:30 am and I couldn’t find a bear if it bit me right now).

  14. mainely stitching

    Everything is so gorgeous!

    Send me an email regarding the Gold Santa. I can’t find your email address right now (it’s 3:30 am and I couldn’t find a bear if it bit me right now).

  15. The Red Thread looks fabulous! Congrats! Love the new additions to your stash. Beautiful progress on the others as well, can’t wait to see more!

  16. The Red Thread looks fabulous! Congrats! Love the new additions to your stash. Beautiful progress on the others as well, can’t wait to see more!

  17. Congratulations on your very first finish in 2009! The first finish is always soemthing special.

    Your stitching list for 2009 sounds so great, I’m looking forward to seeing all the progresses on your WIPs and the new projects that you will start.

  18. Congratulations on your very first finish in 2009! The first finish is always soemthing special.

    Your stitching list for 2009 sounds so great, I’m looking forward to seeing all the progresses on your WIPs and the new projects that you will start.

  19. Happy New Year to you.

    I really, really like your red thread finish, I have never heard the saying before and now think I will have to look out for the chart for this as it appeals to me very much :-))

  20. Happy New Year to you.

    I really, really like your red thread finish, I have never heard the saying before and now think I will have to look out for the chart for this as it appeals to me very much :-))

  21. Happy New Year! Love your red thread piece, I have all the charts but haven’t given a thought yet to starting :-). Great list for 2009, my only goal is to be a selfish stitcher and other than an exchange I am doing with my friend Karin and a gift or two for my mom, I am stitching for me.

  22. Happy New Year! Love your red thread piece, I have all the charts but haven’t given a thought yet to starting :-). Great list for 2009, my only goal is to be a selfish stitcher and other than an exchange I am doing with my friend Karin and a gift or two for my mom, I am stitching for me.

  23. Hi Michelle,

    Happy New Year to you and Eric!!!

    And congratulations on your big
    finish. Red Thread looks great
    and is going to be a great
    addition to your home when it’s
    framed. A lovely design with
    lots of charm.

    I admire your list of goals for
    the coming year. Not just in
    stitching plans, but for reading
    as well. Both hobbies are so
    enjoyable, restful and addictive,
    but it’s so hard to find the time
    to do both, plus the rest of the
    stuff that needs doing…like
    work.

    And since it’s been awhile since
    I last left a comment I must also
    tell you, perhaps again, how much
    I adore and admire your Kimono
    quilt. It is Gorgeous!!!! It
    looks beautiful hanging on the
    wall in your dinning room, with
    Eric’s sword collection beneath.
    Congratulations on creating such
    a wonderful heirloom.

    I always love seeing the TW
    ornament that you stitch for
    Eric every Christmas and this
    years design is so sweet. Boy,
    look at all those single stitches
    in there! Yikes!! This is such
    a pretty series and I should
    think it’s one of the highlights
    of Eric’s Christmas to receive
    the next one in the series.

    I love going to your Cozy Style
    blog too and I really enjoyed
    seeing your Christmas decorating.
    You have such classy taste
    Michelle.

    I look forward to seeing your
    many accomplishments in the
    year ahead.

    Cheers!

  24. Hi Michelle,

    Happy New Year to you and Eric!!!

    And congratulations on your big
    finish. Red Thread looks great
    and is going to be a great
    addition to your home when it’s
    framed. A lovely design with
    lots of charm.

    I admire your list of goals for
    the coming year. Not just in
    stitching plans, but for reading
    as well. Both hobbies are so
    enjoyable, restful and addictive,
    but it’s so hard to find the time
    to do both, plus the rest of the
    stuff that needs doing…like
    work.

    And since it’s been awhile since
    I last left a comment I must also
    tell you, perhaps again, how much
    I adore and admire your Kimono
    quilt. It is Gorgeous!!!! It
    looks beautiful hanging on the
    wall in your dinning room, with
    Eric’s sword collection beneath.
    Congratulations on creating such
    a wonderful heirloom.

    I always love seeing the TW
    ornament that you stitch for
    Eric every Christmas and this
    years design is so sweet. Boy,
    look at all those single stitches
    in there! Yikes!! This is such
    a pretty series and I should
    think it’s one of the highlights
    of Eric’s Christmas to receive
    the next one in the series.

    I love going to your Cozy Style
    blog too and I really enjoyed
    seeing your Christmas decorating.
    You have such classy taste
    Michelle.

    I look forward to seeing your
    many accomplishments in the
    year ahead.

    Cheers!

  25. Your Red Thread SAmpler looks fabulous, and I’m sure that whatever your choose to work on in 2009 will be great.

    I haven’t made big goals for 2009, I’m just going to try and enjoy whatever I choose to do!

  26. Your Red Thread SAmpler looks fabulous, and I’m sure that whatever your choose to work on in 2009 will be great.

    I haven’t made big goals for 2009, I’m just going to try and enjoy whatever I choose to do!

  27. Red Thread was supposed to have been a finish for me in 2008, but maybe it will be in 2009! Yours looks wonderful! Can’t wait to see it framed up!

  28. Red Thread was supposed to have been a finish for me in 2008, but maybe it will be in 2009! Yours looks wonderful! Can’t wait to see it framed up!

  29. Yay you finished! That is so great. I love how it turned out. They are long aren’t they? I am working on the Bent Creek Snappers, and I just need to do the border on it, and it’s really long too 🙂

    I just started Shores of hawk run if you want to join in on a SAL! Keeps us all motivated you know 🙂

  30. Yay you finished! That is so great. I love how it turned out. They are long aren’t they? I am working on the Bent Creek Snappers, and I just need to do the border on it, and it’s really long too 🙂

    I just started Shores of hawk run if you want to join in on a SAL! Keeps us all motivated you know 🙂

  31. “Red Thread” is a lovely finish with a wonderful sentiment. Have fun with your new stash! (I have many rules for visiting needlework stores, and leaving without buying new patterns is definitely NOT allowed! LOL!)

    Happy New Year!!

  32. “Red Thread” is a lovely finish with a wonderful sentiment. Have fun with your new stash! (I have many rules for visiting needlework stores, and leaving without buying new patterns is definitely NOT allowed! LOL!)

    Happy New Year!!

  33. I am in love your with your Red Thread and even more so because I started mine last weekend, I plan on doing the blocks as QSW’s (Quick Stitch Weekends!)…hopefully I finish this early in 2009!

    I love your Chatelaine…I’m close to finishing part 4 in Holland Springtime and did do 5 already so hop skipping to part 6 and am sooo excited I didn’t let this one fall to the wayside…I think I will always have a Chatelaine as a WIP – they are all too gorgeous!

    I look forward to seeing what you finish up in 2009!

  34. I am in love your with your Red Thread and even more so because I started mine last weekend, I plan on doing the blocks as QSW’s (Quick Stitch Weekends!)…hopefully I finish this early in 2009!

    I love your Chatelaine…I’m close to finishing part 4 in Holland Springtime and did do 5 already so hop skipping to part 6 and am sooo excited I didn’t let this one fall to the wayside…I think I will always have a Chatelaine as a WIP – they are all too gorgeous!

    I look forward to seeing what you finish up in 2009!

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