Lately, I’m not getting much casual stitching done. Evenings are my best chance, when I’m pretty much stuck at home and there’s not a lot going on.

This weekend, I had a chance to put needle and thread to fabric and drum up the third fish in this fishy line that I introduced to you many weeks ago.

This one’s a bit ostentatious, but that’s the grand thing about this kind of project! You can do what you want, with whatever colors and whatever stitches float your boat (or your fish, in this instance).

I always use the Absolute Easiest Stitches on the Face of the Earth on these projects, and I highly favor stem stitch because it really is a perfect stitch for most line stitching.

When I want something a little heavier, I’ll go for chain. When I want something a little finer or with a fun variation of color, I’ll go for a whipped back stitch either in the same color or in two colors. If I want a heavier fun color combo, I’ll go for whipped chain stitch in two colors.

For small filled areas, it’s usually a satin stitch with two strands of floss so that it fills quickly.

And for really simple accent lines, you can’t beat running stitch.

Here and there on the fish, I’ve dabbled with some open buttonhole / blanket stitch. And I suspect as I get a little further along with this motley school of multi-faceted fish, I’ll probably add a touch of seed stitching. But that’s probably it, as far as stitches go.

Color is another question. Anything goes!

The only thing consistent, color-wise, holding the school together at this point is the bubbles. All the fish produce the same color of bubbles.

Well – they’re all swimming in the same sea, after all.

I am a slob when I stitch at home. I tend to amass an incredible pile of orts (thread fragments – you can read about them here) that I let build and build and build until they practically bubble and seethe over the edge of my side table and slowly take over the floor. Right now, since I’m not actually living in my house, I try to keep things contained in a tin.

It’s a desperate struggle.

So that was my weekend stitching. I hope you had a chance to connect with your needle and thread this past weekend!

And speaking of …

Coming Up!

Little Blooms: a Mini Snap Purse – the first Stitch Snippet stitch-along of 2023 – starts later this week! You can read more about this project here.

Yes, we are putting together more kits for this project and I hope to have them available by the end of this week. It’s not a huge run – we’re putting together as many as we can with the supplies that we have on hand. I’ll mention it here on the website when they are ready. I am not keeping an advanced notice list at this time, so you’ll have to keep an eye out for the announcement!

And yes, whether you order a kit or not, you can still stitch the project using what you have on hand. I will give information on substituting materials, etc., as the project progresses.

Yes, I’ll supply the pattern and all the instructions during the course of the stitch-along.

You can expect the first installment later this week (setting up the project, design transfer, etc.), and the second installment (which involves a good bit of stitching) in the middle of next week. The project is broken up in regular portions or installments that will take us through the first week of May.

We’re occupied with some embroidery work right now that has a looming deadline of the end of April, so between the Stitch Snippet installments, I will have either very short articles and updates, or … nothing at all! We’ll see how things progress!

I did manage a whole bunch of goldwork this weekend, so I’ll share the update on all the lettering on the project shortly. I’ve also got the design for the central medallion on that project ready to transfer and set up, so I’ll share that with you along the way, too.

Hope your week’s off to a great start!