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!

Is there anybody out there?

Just nod if you can hear me.
Is there anyone at home?

-Pink Floyd

Sorry if I just got Pink Floyd stuck in your head but since it was stuck in mine figure yourself in good company.  So I have a few WIPs that I need some motivation on, including the Celestial Dragon from 2011 and my question is this:  is there still enough of a cheering squad to get this site resurrected?

If you are interested in cheering on your fellow stitchers and maybe posting a few pics yourself please put your yeah, olé, áno, brava, ypa etc. in the comments.  Please note, I don't own this site and can't add authors so contact Jen, info in the side bar, if you are interested in becoming an author.

Cheers, Elizabeth

A finish!

One WIP down, so many still to go...

Not long to go now!

I have had this project on the go since I started blogging.  The final cross stitch was put in yesterday. Now it's the back stitching and the rest of the fancy stitches.  There are five of these santas to finish off.

I have a finish

I finished HAED -Lusk-Aurora's Garden It is a freebie on their website.

25 ct evenweave

DMC

4/19/09 - 2/3/13

I stitched this for one of Dylan's ex girlfriends , when they were together. I am still friends with her and she gets to choose if she wants it framed, put onto a tote bag or made into a pillow.

A finish

I finally finished HAED QS Fragile Heart.

1/1/11-11/23/12

25 ct 1x1

I have been stitching

I pulled out S is For Stitcher and finished the top half

I pulled out Rocky Mountain Christmas and finished page 4

Next to work on was HAED Fragile Heart. She will be done this month.

Only 6 Pages to go on Dragons!

Forgive my exuberance but I am very excited to announce that I only have 6 pages to go on Dragons. That's a row and a half.
I finished the sixth page tonight and it seems like the most exciting finish of the year. I'm not sure why... maybe because it took me twice as long as usual or maybe because 6 seems like a manageable number.

This piece was started 4 years ago (nearly to the day) and I have gone from loving to hating it and back and forth. I love it currently and am very excited to show you Dragons... to date. :)

HAED SK Sunny is finished

Took me a little longer to finish than I would have liked but this summer has been hot and humid, even with the a/c on it doesn't help. So I read books instead of stitching.
She is done on 25 ct evenweave, 1x1.

7/5/10 - 7/17/12

HAED SK Sunny

I picked Sunny back up this year and am hoping to finish her in the next week or 2.

Dragons update

Hello to all my UFO friends. I know it's been awhile. It's because sometimes those UFO's become, well UFO's again. LOL.

However I do finally have for you all the next dragons page complete since Christmas. A bit behind my "hopeful" schedule but I'm hoping I can catch back up later in the year.

There is a ruler this time around on the whole piece to give you an idea of proportions/size. A few people have told me it's so hard for them to really picture it in their mind at full size... so maybe this helps?

 

Hope all are doing well! 

Mel @ epicstitching

SK Sunny & RMC progress

I am still stitching on HAED SK Sunny. I finished page 1, gridded page 2 and started stitching it. There are 3 pages to this.

I also stitched a week on Rocky Mountain Christmas by Marty Bell.

A Finish and a WIP

 I haven't posted in some time (can barely keep up with my personal blog!) but I have been stitching.  I finished Grace Mason (Of Female Worth), a WIP since November, 2006 (or maybe 2005). 

Now I'm working on Lizzie Kate's ABCs of Aging Artfully.

Susan

HAED progress

This was a UFO that I pulled out this week. It is HAED SK Sunny and will be my main focus til it is finished.

A Colonial Garden finished

This is from Elizabeth designs and was started March 19, 2010. I hadn't touched it since. Last week I pulled it out to finish it.

another UFO done

This is The 1892 Pledge by SamSarah Designs. Done on WDW 30 ct Havana Linen with Crescent Colours floss.

WIP The Pledge

This was a UFO that I pulled out 2 weeks ago. It is The 1892 Pledge by SamSarah Designs. It was for a retreat in March 2010. It should be done this week.

Christmas Angel finished

I must be on about 4 blogs geared to UFOs lol.
I forgot about posting on here when I pulled out Christmas Angel to finish.
Anyways here she is. Joan Elliott's design from The Cross Stitcher 1996 done on 28 ct Antique White cashel linen. Started in 2005.