2026 Year of 100 Starts: Start #40 - Vermont Mini Block by Hinzeit

And another designer makes a return to the 100 starts year! I think I might have been able to do 100 starts with all different designers, but that's maybe more than I was up for. So many of these patterns have been hanging around just waiting for their opening, and I'm so glad 2 Martini Stitcher did this last year to give me the inspiration for this year!

The previous chart, the Canada Mini Block, had a lot more stitching because each charm will be on a maple leaf. I was debating about that for this chart as well, since the "colours" are always a big deal here each autumn. However, in the hopes of actually finishing more projects this year, I left them off and stuck with the pattern as charted. Here's their mock-up of the design:

And I stuck with this one for 2 days to get it finished! I stayed up a little later than maybe I should have last night attaching the charms, but it feels so nice to have it complete. 

Here's what it looks like:

Vermont Mini Block by Hinzeit

stitched 2 over 2 on 28ct Bridget's Garden by Chromatic Alchemy

with stash threads, Jodyri and Silks4U

In case the charms are difficult to see, in order from left to right, there's an evergreen tree, an apple, 2 skis and 2 poles, a maple leaf, a cow, a canoe and the Vermont state shape with a maple syrup bottle. 

The charms are well made and I did a kind of buttonhole stitch around the hanger so they would be secure. I do like this finish. The outline looks like the mountains here in autumn:

And the darker green fits the "Green Mountain" translation of Vermont. 

This one definitely needs to be finished, just have to decide how. Possibly a horizontal flat fold? For now it's in the "drawer" and someday I'll get the inspiration to finish it. 

Hope you've all had good stitching days!

Happy Stitching,

Tiffstitch

2026 Year of 100 Starts: Start #17 - Mini Block: Canada by Hinzeit

 Although the Olympics are over now, I started this one a few days ago while watching Canada in speed skating and hockey. It was quite the Olympics, and although I'm a little sad Canada lost both gold medal games in hockey to the US, at least both the men's and women's teams played really hard. The men's team sang the national anthem at the end too, and that was pretty amazing to see. 

Here's what it will look like eventually and the fabric I chose for it:

These have been around for a while, and the charms are pretty fun for each individual chart. I believe this was purchased at one of the LNS' that closed here in Vermont, as are so many of my charts. Hard to pass up 50% or so off when they're trying to sell up. 

I was debating on following the straight DMC for this, but instead I think I have enough red leftover from the reindeer finish to do the red in this one. I might choose plain DMC for the letters, or possibly WDW Kohl or something similar. The fabric is very plain, no variegation, so a little in the letters might look nice. You'll see below there is some in the leaves, but they'll mostly be covered by the charms, so I'm not sure how noticeable it will be in the actual finish. 

Here's where I got to:

Mini block: Canada by Hinzeit

stitched 2 over 2 on 28ct Jobelan light blue

with Silks4U advent threads so far

A decent start and you can maybe see that I figured out a kind of rhythm to the red to make sure everything lined up properly. I'll be happy to get back to this one, again, it shouldn't take too long once I can. 

I hope everyone that watched the Olympics enjoyed them! One of my favourite sports that isn't hockey is short track speed skating. It's so chaotic, you really don't know what to expect. Lots of different countries seem to do well in it also, so that's nice to have things spread out. There's an Italian woman that's been to 5 Olympics and has 13 or 14 medals! That's incredible. I definitely wouldn't have been speed skating still at that age (mid 30s), but my fun pick-up hockey groups are great. 

Happy Stitching!

Tiffstitch