When Tracey first offered to teach me how to cross stitch 18 years ago, she left me with some pattern books to decide what I would like to learn on. On her next visit, I showed her the design I wanted to do. It was of a Victorian style angel's head and wings. Pretty intricate, lots of detailing, back stitching, 1/4 and 3/4 stitches etc. She kept insisting, "Are you sure you don't want to try to learn on something simpler?" Nope, I'm good. I had no problem catching on and quite loved the challenge.
As years went by I chose such projects as large pieces that were 'stitched over two' (that one took me 5 years, but I was in college at the time so that's my excuse - we'll show that picture closer to Christmas...). I even chose a pattern of a little girl in a dress and I really didn't like the colours in the dress so I changed the pattern. I simply laid out all the colours of the dress that the pattern called for in the corals and oranges and then I laid out all my blue colours beside each one and found the right shades and tones to correspond. Then I just replaced the number beside the original colour. Easy. I'm sure you've all done it.
Let's not forget the MAX Kit with the multitude of shades (light green gray, lighter green gray, lightest green gray, light green moss gray, lighter green moss gray, lightest green moss gray etc).
To top that all off my Labour of Love photo stitch that took me a little over 197 hours to complete; it was a lovely photo of a couple that I gave to them as a wedding gift and ....they are now divorced. I have the picture back and I'm studying it to see if I can RIP him OUT of the picture. I'm undecided about that as yet???
Recently took part in a Secret Sister Cross Stitch Exchange and one of my gifts was a gift certificate to 1-2-3 Stitch. I had a blast shopping on that site. Oh and Jayne...your Heaven and Earth 'Xmas" (snowman and little girl) inspired me to choose something similar. I chose 'Dear Santa'; it's adorable. See the photo below of what it will look like once complete.
However, even though I love challenges - I confess I nearly fainted when I saw that there are 20+ pages of pattern graphs. (Small pattern graphs I might add.) I'm really going to have to study this before I begin working on this project. I'm curious to see how long this picture will take me. I plan to log my hours ... you know... just for the fun of it. There are over 90 different colours in this pattern and I think I watched 2 or 3 movies while I wound the floss to "kit-up" my project.
I think I'll head to the lottery store now for a ticket. One that will go BIG so I can stay at home!
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| Dear Santa |
4 comments:
That is quite the project! I'm looking forward to seeing you progress!
Have fun stitching that one! I will look forward to your progress. I think it may be one in my wishlist on the HAED site as well!!
You will have a blast with Dear Santa... Can't wait to see it next May!!!
Be always in stitches.
Jayne has that effect on us sister stitchers. She has given me a HAED called The Gift. I have yet to pull my threads together for this major project. You will probably be further a head than me in May. Let's see what happens!!! Say hello to all the girls for me.
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