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Stitching, Sniffles & Sweet Surprises
March might have felt like a slower stitching month on the surface, but behind the scenes? So much good was happening! The real star of the month was definitely the progress I made on the six(!) bus driver gift pieces I’m stitching for early-June; before the end of the school year. I’ve been planning them out, designing each one, and steadily stitching away—and I’m actually ahead of schedule for once! It feels so good to be working on something thoughtful and personal for the people who are so kind to my big girl every day. 🧡
Between all that and being unwell for what felt like forever (thanks mystery infection—you could've left anytime), I still managed to wrap up a few creative wins, chip away at ongoing projects, and sprinkle in a little Two Little Kits business goodness too. Let’s dive in!
![A hand holding a pair of black-framed eye-glasses, where you can see a [very saddening] series of scratches.](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0732/3733/2277/files/250419-irl-glasses_scratch.jpg?v=1745092199)
Leading image: A puzzle in progress that my family & I were working on.
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New Pattern Release: "Missed Opportunities"
March was a flurry of behind-the-scenes activity at Two Little Kits, and I’m honestly so chuffed with how much I managed to tick off. I released a brand-new cross-stitch pattern, “Missing Opportunities,” which plays with subtlety, sarcasm, and—of course—variegated floss. To support that, I also published a blog post all about mastering variegated floss, packed with tips and encouragement for those wanting to give hand-dyed threads a go.
"Missed Opportunities" uses 11 colours (one of which is a variegated floss) and measures 100×49 squares. When stitched on 14ct Aida fabric, it will fit perfectly in a 6" embroidery hoop with the border wrapping over the edges of the hoop frame.
😘👌
Finished Pieces
Stitch People Demo Family Portrait
This has been on my “should do” list for years—and I finally did it! I stitched up this sweet demo family portrait to use as an example, for my kids' school silent auction. I’d done a portrait for them before and was told that having a real, tangible example helped people visualise exactly what they could get. So, I created a six-character sample complete with two parents, three kids (of varying ages), a little black cat, and a bold family name underneath.
"Not Less" Cross-Stitch Pattern
Just released in early April (so just a little blurb about this for now), my new pattern "Not Less" is -as of writing this post- officially out in the world! It’s a heartfelt one—inspired by my Autistic daughter—and I'm really proud of how it turned out. I’ll talk more about the release next month, but it was definitely something I wrapped up and finalised in March.
Works-in-Progress
Here’s a peek at what I had in the hoop (or on the frame!) throughout March:
- Flower Meadow - I didn’t do well staying caught up over the entire month "properly", but I did manage to catch up at the end of March. That’s something, right?
- Court of Crows SAL - Part one came out right at the end of March, and it was a quick little section to get started with. I love the dark vibes of this one.
- The Secret Grove SAL - Still working through Part 3 and enjoying how all the colours blend together. It’s shaping up beautifully.
- Night of the Frost Dragon SAL - Still catching up on this one, but I’m nearly done with Parts 1 and 2. I’m stitching it on charcoal fabric and, let me tell you… my eyes are not thanking me!
- Bus Driver Gifts - These are coming along brilliantly! Two are nearly finished, and all six designs are sketched out and ready. I’m way ahead of schedule, which feels amazing.
- Designing the Bus Driver Gifts - I’ve been loving how the digital mockups are turning out too. I can’t wait to show you all six together—they’ll make the cutest little collection.
Let's have a look at the visual progress though, shall we?
Cross-Stitching
All six custom bus driver pieces.
Designing
All six custom bus driver pattern designs.
Two Little Kits' Stuff
March was a flurry of behind-the-scenes activity at Two Little Kits, and I’m honestly so chuffed with how much I managed to tick off. I released a brand-new cross-stitch pattern, “Missing Opportunities,” which plays with subtlety, sarcasm, and—of course—variegated floss. To support that, I also published a blog post all about mastering variegated floss, packed with tips and encouragement for those wanting to give these beautiful flosses a go.
Alongside that, I shared a few more blog posts throughout the month. One explored the wonderfully quirky world of ORT jars, another delved into how perfectionism can be gently unravelled through cross-stitch, and there was also a post on why cross-stitch symbols aren’t always universal—a gentle reminder to always check your pattern’s key! For any budding designers out there, I also published a beginner’s guide to designing your own cross-stitch patterns to help people take those exciting first steps.
And lastly, I showed off two finished pieces: my “Serenity Poem” embroidery commission from 2021, and the sweet little Mice Family commission I shared in last month’s wrap-up!
On the more business-y side, I ordered some new fabric from 123stitch.com (because clearly, my stash needed beefing up… again 🙃), and I put in an order with Moo for some fresh, updated business supplies.
And yes… I may have signed up for yet another Lola Crow Cross Stitch stitch-along. I just can't help myself—I absolutely adore her designs! The new one is called “Extraordinary Birds”, and as of writing this, the frame has just been released. I do have all my materials ready to go-just have to wait for that release date..! Priorities, right?
New Blog Posts
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Haul
IRL
Life Outside of Stitching
Outside of Two Little Kits, March was full of small moments and shifting seasons. We saw our final flurries of snow at the beginning of the month, which was honestly lovely—I do love a bit of snow when I don’t have to drive in it! Spring started nudging its way in not long after, and I’m already noticing buds and blooms popping up around the neighbourhood.
We had a bit of excitement mid-month when a wild windstorm blew through. No damage, thankfully, but it did wake up our eldest in the night. She took it in stride, though; she's such a good girl..!
Now, the not-so-fun part: I was sick for so long in March. It started with cold symptoms, then just… lingered. Eventually I had to go on antibiotics to clear it up properly, which thankfully worked. It really knocked me around for a couple of weeks though, and I definitely fell behind on a few things because of it. But I’m back in action now (touch wood) and feeling more like myself again.
On a brighter note, I was lucky enough to be sponsored on Finch this month! It was such a lovely little surprise and gave me a much-needed lift during the snot-filled days.
And lastly, we tackled one of those delightfully nerdy family puzzles—from The Magic Puzzle Company, no less. We worked on it together over a number of days… only to discover a piece was missing at the very end! Classic, right? Still, we had such a good time puzzling it out together, and the girls are already asking when we’ll do the next one.
Finch
Miscellaneous
The Cats
I wanted to share [more] photos of my kitties as I got some cute ones during March!
Social & Upcoming
What's Coming Next?
April is already shaping up to be busy in the best way, and I’ve got quite a few creative plates spinning.
Some of the things I’m planning or working on:
So yes, it’s going to be a full month… but I’m ready for it. Or at least, I will be once I’ve had one more EarlyBird drink!
Social Stuff
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