Finished at last!!!

Happy Dance!  I finally finished Celeste.  I thought the end would go faster with the Winter Olympics on but it turns out that's not good stitching TV.  You actually have to watch, can't just get away with listening.  So without further ado.

Some changes were made which I have to admit had I finished this back when I started it (2002 I think) I wouldn't have made but my stitching experience over the last 25 years has made me more comfortable changing the parts of a pattern that I don't really like.

I changed the background to just the single thread of light blue and added a light blue bead, size 11 I think, in the center of each mimicking more traditional Chinese pottery patterns.  The original  bead called for is a purple/blue bead and there were 4 at each cross section.

Also I changed the bright gold beads to a darker antique gold, size 15, it might be a hair small but I couldn't find that color in the next size up.  I like the subtlety and think it matches the couching better.  I also left out the gold beads that are supposed to be in the center of each woven diamond in the corners, I felt it was too crowded.

Now on to my next UFO which I don't want to take 15 years to finish!  Chatelaine's Chinese Garden.  I just have the 3 sides left, they are basically a repeat of the top.  Note, the colors are a little washed out in this photo.

Home stretch!

Yeah, I’m in the home stretch.  All the cross stitches are complete, the couching is all done and I just have the back ground to finish.
 

So here came the difficult part.  Wasn’t a fan of the indicated colors or all the beads in the netting so started trying different threads.  After ripping out 5 variations of colors or sizes of grid I decided to go with just the light blue thread at its original spacing leaving out the mauve thread completely.

Next step will be the beads.  Looking at Classical Japanese pottery it seemed that one blue spot in the middle of the blue grid was more typical so I went and found some blue beads in the right family and am planning on stitching one on the middle of each square.  Of course execution may decide that I don’t like that either, I’ll let you know next posting.  So without further ado, here it is in its current state.

I'm back . . .

So, I did a little stitching after the last post, more than a year ago and then got distracted with an obligation piece.  That's not really the right sentiment but it's when you want to stitch a piece for a friend and there is a target date.  Missed the date, no surprise on my part, but did finish the piece.  So hurriedly did I frame it that I have no pics.  Argh.  So back to my dragon.

Having a finish inspired me to get Celeste back out and knuckle down on finishing it.  I did more of the gold lattice/scales, the front arm and neck are all that's left.  All the cross stitches are in, most of the back-stitching is in and I've started doing the couching in gold braid around the outside squares and the curves, you might catch a glint at the bottom.  The lattice work behind the dragon and beading hasn't been started at all.  There are supposed to be blue/pink beads in the lattice work, which goes everywhere that's white around the dragon right now but I think they might be too much.  I might just put on the gold beads, they go in the blue field and the around the woven ribbon in the corners, and leave off the blue ones which would surround the dragon.  Here is a link to someone who left them off and I like how clean it looks.  I'm thinking about changing the colors used in background too, maybe going with blue and green rather than blue and mauve.  I'll decide when I start stitching.

Hoping to get you inspired to start again!