Sprial Fractal - negative progress

Some times negative progress is still progress. 

I had to unpick all the outer blue on this page because when I went to start the next page I realized my colors weren’t matching up.  That was because I didn’t stitch the darkest green on any of those spokes.  I put this project away for a couple of years because I was so disgusted with myself.  It’s been nagging me ever since. 

So for the last 2 days I’ve very carefully unpicked all of that blue.  I only nicked a small thread of the fabric once but not enough to make a hole.  Once I restitch over that it should be fine.  I also somehow picked up a purple thread in the small section on the bottom left part.  I decided to rip the whole single line of purple threads out even though I only caught 1 color and there was 2 or 3 in the line.  It was about 8 stitches so I don’t mind redoing those. 

This is another project I’d like to finish this year.  I think it will be my UFO project each month until it’s done.

Cherish Teddies - USA Bear FINISHED!

So every time I picked up this project to start stitching I told myself to get a progress pic . . . but it’s just so cute and easy that I just wanted to be stitching it.  So here’s a finished picture.  It was really fast and easy until I got to some of the backstitching.  It was really hard some times to tell if a line was backstitch or a grid line, especially the thicker 10x10 lines.  I eventually had to look at the finished picture on the booklet and see where my piece was different.  Once I figured that out I could match it up with the pattern and see the lines.

Cherished Teddies - USA Bear

So I'm stitching the Cherished Teddies International Bears based on the country I've been to.  I started with Japan since I was born in Okinawa.  I've now started to work on the USA bear.  Unfortunately the only other countries I've been to are Mexico and Canada so I'm going to have to start visiting other places if I want to stitch more of the bears in the booklet.

Here is what it is suppose to look like:

I'm doing it on 14ct Lt. Oatmeal (Fiddler's) Aida in 2x1, full stitches.  This is what I've got done so far (it's 2 hockey games worth of work):

Carcassonne update

I told myself that I couldn't start another project and until I'd finish something I've already been working on.  So . . . I pulled this project out and I've got plans for it when done.  I need to change the colors in the "C" because I didn't like what I picked when I made the pattern.  Hopefully I can pick something that will work.

14ct Aida, 2x1,  full

Winter in the Village - update

My goal was to finish 2 more buildings on this project this year.  While I finished the Toy Shop (I'm not counting the backstage buildings) so I've only got one more to do to meet my goal for this project this year.  I might revise that to finish the project if some other projects go well also.

Chinese Symbols - #1 done=Love

So the first of my Chinese Symbols are done.  I'ts LOVE on 14ct Solo fabric from Silkweavers.com.  I love their fabric.  I've got a bunch more and I figured I could do about 1 a month.  The threads will all be DMC rayon/silk and it's not the easier thing to use.

14ct 2x1 full

Wreath for all Seasons - update

So this UFO (Unfinished Object) got pulled out because I couldn't stop thinking abou it.  I've really enjoyed working on even when it was giving me trouble.  I actully can't wait to start some of the backstitching because it's going to really make things pop.  It will be a pain in the butt but then what else is new?

2x1 full 14ct kit

Disney Princess Portraits

I've had this pattern for a long time now and I figure I should probably get it done before my niece is too old for Disney Princesses.  I don't have a final picture to show so you'll just have to wait and see how it turns out.  This is done on 18ct Aida from Silkweavers Fabric.  I don't remember the name and now I can't find the packaging to tell me.  If I figure it out I'll post it later.  This is 2x1 full.

My progress so far: (can you tell which princess it is?)

Winter in the Village - update

I finished another building (except for the backstitching) and was having so much fun with it I decided to work on the next building over and finish that before I start the backstitching.  Once I made the grid lines every 5 lines instead of 10 it's been much easier.  At least now the dark grid lines match the pattern. 

16ct Aida, 2x1, full

City of Swords - update

So I wanted something easy to do while working on the project I started for my dad (more on that later).  What could be easier than tent stitches.  I actually ended up doing 3 pages worth of stitches before I moved on to other projects. 

28ct Evenweave 2x1 tent stitches

I think there's only 2 1/2 pages left on the row and then I have to do full pages.

The Last E Ticket Ride page 3 comlete - update

So one of my HAED BB goals was to finish page 3 on this project in 2012.  I didn't finish until January 8th but that's close enough for me.

The center line on the pattern was on this page so I'm half way across the top of the design.  That was encouraging since I'm averaging about one page a year.  At this rate I'll be done in another 30 years or so.  I'm hoping to up the tempo but I've got a lot of other projects I'm working on as well.  The confetti in the castle was much worse than the confetti in the stairs.  I wonder why that was.

Japanese Beauty #1 - update

I was so focused on getting my xmas gifts done that I forgot to take pictures of some of the ornaments and frames to post here.  I also forgot about some updates of the other projects I've been working on.

I was able to finish the first page of this project around the end of September/first part of October.  As a reward I started another project, but more on that later.  When I started filling in all the color on her kimono I was worried you wouldn't be able to see the flower designs.  I don't think it's as visible as what's on the pattern booklet but at least you can see them.

Japanese Beauty #1

Since I finished my Cherished Teddy Japan bear this is my next start.  I'm working on the top one first.  I decided to do it on 16ct Antique White Aida.  The precut size for 14ct wouldn't have left much room for framing with a matt so I went to the smaller count so I'll extra border around the edges.  I'm doing it 2x1 full stitches and I started in the lower left page (there's 4 pages total).  Once I finish the first one I'll start the next one after I've worked on other things.

Here's the booklet:

Here's what I've done so far.  I've just got to fill in the main color of her kimono and then the page is done.

Cherished Teddie - Japan FINISHED!!!

I didn't think it would be this easy to stitch up.  Even the backstitching wasn't as bad as I had fears.  I'm not saying I liked it either, but it's finally done.  Now I can wash it and store it away with all the other projects I've made for myself that I haven't framed.  I think I need to do something about that.

Year of the Rooster redo

Here's the redo for the Year of the Rooster.  14ct light blue Aida, 2x1, full.  Now I'm done stitching them . . . . again.  Hopefully I won't run into any problems when I try to frame them that would cause me to restitch one again. 

Twilight Balloon Flight - update

So here's my latest update on this project.  I'm doing this for my mom and yes, she has seen it.  I'm doing it on 18ct Aida 2x1 full.  I got the pattern from patternsonline.com.  I've got one more row of pages to do.  That's 3 full pages and one skinny column of stitches down a 4th page.  Then I've got to add all the strings for the little balloons.  I don't think I'll have it done by her birthday but maybe for next year (I've already got something planned for mother's day).  It's in desperate need of a wash so I might do that before I start the last pages.  I actually finished the last page at the beginning of June but I'm just now getting around to taking a picture.  I think it's only been 4 years so far . . . .

Cherished Teddies - Japan

I got a book called Cherished Teddies Around the World and it has a bear for a lot of different nations.  I loved it and thought I'd stitch them all.  But which one to start first?  I thought I'd do them in order of the nations I've visited.  I'd start with Japan, because I was born there.  Then the USA, because I live here.  Then Mexico, because I've visited there first.  And finally Canada, because I've visited there too.  And that's about it.  How depressing is that?

So . . .

I've decided to make it one of my "bucket list" items to visit all the places represented by these bears and then stitch up the corresponding bear to hang on my wall.  I doubt that I'll get to all of them but at least it's worth a shot.

Here's the book:

I'm doing the Japanese Bear first.  This is what it's suppose to look like:

This is how much I've got done so far (14ct Mint Aida, 2x1, full):

Chinese Zodiac - ALL FINISHED!!!!!

I can't believe it.  I'm all done stitching the Chinese Zodiac characters for my family.  All I've got to do now is paint the frames, frame them and stitch and assemble the xmas ornaments I'm making.  I might actually be done months before xmas gets here.  And the best part is I'm not having to scramble around finding the money to buy gifts.  They'd already be done.

Here's the last one.  It's for me.  Year of the Dog.  14ct lavender Aida, 2x1, full.

Year of the Pig

My next to last finish.  Yeah!  It's the Year of the Pig on 14ct Mulberry Aida, 2x1, full.  I thought it would look absolutely wonderful on this fabric but it didn't turn out as well as I would have liked.  I think a lighter fabric would have been much better.  I don't know how I'm going to do the frame for this one.  It's for my niece and her room is all in red.  I'll figure something out eventually.  I only have one left to do and it's mine so I can take all the time in the world . . . but I'm not.

You know the feeling you get when you get so close to finishing a project.  Suddenly, a project that you once dragged your feet through gets faster and easier to do.  You become hyper-focused on the project and excited to finally see it finished . . . and the chance to start something new.  That's how I feel about this one.  I'm almost done with the next one after only working on it for 2 days.  I could finish it tonight.  Then I've got a bunch of small ornaments to do (although they have a lot of backstitching on them which I hate) and then I'm done with the stitching part of this xmas gifts.  I can't wait to dive into the painting again.  For some reason I don't feel like painting while it's super hot here.

Year of the Sheep (4) FINISHED!

This is my last Year of the Sheep and it's finished.  AND I changed the colors.  I think it turned out better than the rat that I changed colors but I should have picked a darker brown for the color and inside the ears so the transition stands out more.  I also should have used a darker brown for the backstitching.  I'm still happy with it and I'm not going to nitpick about it.  Now I only have 2 left to stitch.

14ct red Aida, 2x1, full