Snow Finished

SHE IS FINALLY DONE!!

Snow by Maxine Gadd (no background) charted by Heaven and Earth Designs. Fabric is by Chromatic Alchemy called Amortentia Opal Aida. Started on July 14 finished November 8. Even though it was a week after my deadline, the frame shop has not gotten a Christmas rush yet. So she will be done before Thanksgiving. Then, I can put her on the wall and enjoy her for a bit before having to wrap her up for my MIL. Was starting to wonder if I was ever going to finish. The wing just kept going and going. So happy with how she turned out.

Never, I repeat NEVER, was your hand dyed fabrics. I spritz mine with water to iron them. This is what happens:

Yes, that is dye on my ironing towel. Excess dye seeped out. Once, I made the mistake of washing hand dyed fabric. I almost had to throw the piece away because the dye got on the stitching. Quick thinking and lots of praying and I was able to work the piece so that it looked like it was supposed to be that way.

Now that she is done and at the frame shop I can clean my house. It is driving me crazy. The dogs keep bringing chunks of dirt in. Then I am going to bring out my Mirabilia UFO, and turn it back into a WIP.

Queen Mariposa

Finished?

Well here it is November 2. Am I done yet? No. Life just wouldn't cooperate. Kept getting notions of being able to complete it in time. Then something would happen. Monday my husband asked me to go do a few errands that should of only taken an hour. Four hours later, made it back home. Yesterday I knew I wasn't going to have much stitching time. Our 12 year old had two doctor appointments and they are both between 30-45 minutes away. That took most of my day. However I did manage to finish two colors. Hoping to finish by the end of the week. I will keep you updated on my progress.

 

Almost Done

With only 13 days left, until my November 1 deadline, I have been stitching like crazy to try and finish Snow by Maxine Gadd on time. It is going to be a close one. There are only 4 partial pages left and I have started stitching on all of them. Thought I would do something fun and let the boys pick out what page I do next. Two voted for the page with the least amount on it, and the other two voted for confetti crazy page. Husband made good argument as to why I should do confetti crazy now instead of last so that is what I am currently working on.

Today's stitching is a bonus or makeup day. It was not counted in my available stitching days due to court this morning. Never know if they will call me first or last. Managed to get called before lunch break. Off to stitch on her some more before it is time for the bus. 

7 Pages down 8 to go

Woot Woot! Another page finished. That makes 7 pages done, another 5 pages I have worked on, and 3 pages untouched. Hoping to have another page finished by Friday. Starting to feel like I may actually be able to pull this off and finish by November 1. But, not if I sit here at the computer; back to stitching.

Lower wing is done

Finally the lower wing is finished. It seemed to just keep going and going. Only ended up having about 10 ninja stitches on the page furthest out, which is pretty darn good for me. With that wing finished and a pretty good start into the next page I may actually be able to pull off finishing her by November 1. Now if only my shoulder would cooperate. Doctor confirmed it is a strained muscle and gave me some medication to help it heal faster. Today I had much better range of motion with it. Hopefully tomorrow will be even better.

Snow by Maxine Gadd charted by Heaven and Earth Designs

Uphill Battle

Even though I said "I am not going to post another picture of Snow until her lower wing is done.", I am posting a picture of her. Going to keep my word and not post it on Facebook. Exclusive picture here only. This is going to be an uphill battle to finish her in time to have her framed for my mother-in-law for Christmas. Still shooting for a November 1 finish, but being realist in knowing that it probably wont happen. The lower wing should have been done last week. My shoulder started hurting and took me out of doing much of anything for 2 days. Then my dear husband had chest pains, so, spent 2 days at the hospital with him. Would have stitched there but light was also bothering him. All this on top of the days I missed for our move has put me way behind schedule. Out of 15 pages only 5 are finished. That means I am only 1/3 of the way done with only 35 days left for my deadline. Back to stitching. Needle can't seem to go fast enough now.

Snow by Maxine Gadd charted by Heaven and Earth Designs

Snow Update

With less than 2 months left until the deadline for Snow by Maxine Gadd, charted by Heaven and Earth Designs, I need to be over half way. It would be a close call. Things are settling down in our new house, so, I am hoping to have more time to stitch during the day.

I am going to pull down the Snow tab from the page. Trying to get her finished before the deadline I just don't have the time to dedicate to keeping it update, what day I am on, and taking photos each day. Trying to determine what to stitch after I am finished with her. It will be another gift for someone near and dear to our hearts.

Until the next update, happy stitching.

Day 15

Yesterday I felt like I got a lot stitched on Snow. Not sure if it is just because it was a patch all together, the darker color, or perhaps I actually did get a lot done.

Here is the before start picture.

And the end of day 15 picture.

This page I calculated to take ten days. But I have been working on the icicles that drop down from the page above. So, I am going to add an extra day to complete the page. Last night I realized that we are moving in less than 30 days. Starting to panic a little. There is so much to pack still. A lot of it I can't even pack until the day before. Off to pack up one of the game stations, games that go with it and more movies. Then back to stitching.

Finish Day 8

So far I have been able to keep up with at least 500 stitches a day. Each day you can see the changes. Trying to get ahead before we move. I'm thinking I will be unable to stitch while we are moving, even if it is just across town. This is stopping point for day 8.

Funny thing, I don't have any real photo editing programs. So, I load up the photos every 3-5 days and add the day number to them in paint. I don't really look at the photos very closely and go in the order they loaded from the drive. This time they loaded out of order. I didn't notice until started loading them to the Snow tab that day 6 was really day 8, day 7 was day 6, and day 8 was day 7. Needless to say I had to go back and correct it by making a big white block over my mistakes. Next time I will look more closely before adding the day to them.

Start of Snow

Finally the fabric arrived from across the pond last Thursday and I was able to start on Snow (no background) by Maxine Gadd charted by Heaven and Earth Designs. The design has almost 56,000 stitches in it. Deadline for completion is November 1, 2016. This will allow time for framing during the holiday season. My best approximation is I need to do 500 stitches per day. This means there will be noticeable amounts each day done. I am taking pictures of my progress daily. There is a tab at the top where you can see each days progress. I will try to update once a week.

This is finish of day 5 or start of day 6.

Time to get busy stitching.

Finished Green Bike in Red

Finally finished and framed Green Bike in Red by Alessandra Adelaide Needleworks. Sewn on silvermist opal in Kreinik red. It takes four spools of Kreinik for each bike. It is all ready for my oldest sister for Christmas. That makes two sisters and my parents down; one sister and my mother in law to go.

I have started on Summer Butterfly by Alessandra Adelaide Needleworks for the remaining sister. Hopes are high that this one wont take long. The fabric for my mother in laws has shipped. I calculated if I started on July 1 and stitched 450 stitches a day I could have it finished to be framed October 31. Shipping usually takes a good 10 days coming from overseas so each day adds more stitches to that and I want to start as soon as the fabric gets in.

Oak tree was casting a shadow on the fabric. Babbling Brook by Wichelt

My other two WIPs are becoming UFO. I just don't have time to dedicate to them with trying to get these finished and framed for Christmas. Spent last week volunteering at VBS. The week before that we (me and the two youngest) drove to Colorado to help out little sister with her new baby. So, I have not stitched on them in at least two weeks.

Queen Mariposa by Mirabilia on Quiescence by Chromatic Alchemy

The Heir by Terrence Nolan on Jaded

Updates on WIPs

Lots going on. Start with Green Bike in teal is back from the frame shop. It looks great. My sister is going to love it. Currently I have it displayed on a shelf in my house until Christmas.

Almost completed Green Bike in Red for the other twin. Trying so hard to finish it before I leave for vacation in 9 days. I want to get it to the frame shop before I leave if I can. Then it will be ready about the time I return.

Boy mermaid (The Heir) is still chugging along. The baby is mostly complete. That should complete most of the confetti. So, it should start going faster when I stitch on him.

Lastly is Queen Mariposa, working with limited thread has really held her back. I now have all the DMC threads, it isn't as hard to find a place to stitch. Still need to get the beads and specialty threads.

Finished TEXAS

I have finished TEXAS. Took longer than expected but it is done. Just needs to be washed, and ironed. Then off to the frame shop when Green Bike in Turquoise is ready to be picked up.

 

Texas Panorama by Bestitched designs by Bev

on Smokey White Zweigart 18ct Aida

Two new starts since this one is finished. First Green Bike by Alessandra Adelaide Needleworks. This time in red Kreinik thread. Also, a Christmas gift for the other twin. So far I have not messed up this one, and everything is lining up correctly. Fabric is Silvermist Opal 18ct.

Second is Queen Mariposa by Mirabilia. I couldn't stand not working on a Mirabilia. Only two days progress, with limited thread supplies. Next week I will swing by the LNS and get the remaining supplies need for her. I am not sure which is worse having three WIPs or not having a Mirabilia. Everyday I feel each one needs some love. Currently I am doing 1-2 threads then switching. It seems to be working well.

Not just Diamonds and Gold

Whoever said that all that shines is diamonds and gold never saw the Mediterranean Mermaid in person. I have completed most of the Kreinik metallic thread. I ran out of the lighter green and need to run by the LNS to get more. So far she is only stitched in Kreinik I have not put any DMC or beads in to her tail. She is stitching fairly fast now so hopefully I will be finished soon and can start something on the new fabrics I received. Now I have fabric for four designs.

Speaking of new fabrics I got my package from Chromatic Alchemy. It felt like for ever to get in, even though it was only two weeks. Definitely will be ordering more fabric from them. Worth the wait to come from Europe. Now I really can't decide which one to do next. Might have to toss a coin or let one of the kids pick.

Frost (aida)

Mermaids of the Deep Blue by Mirabilia

Going to change mermaid colors

Antares (aida)

Peacock by Alessandra Adelaide Needleworks

Quiescence (aida)

Queen Mariposa by Mirabilia