WF Update-2-21-10

Progress is slow on my WF, but every bit is exciting as a new curve is revealed or a new section completed. Working on the white and ultra-pale blue remains a challenge. I can only manage small sections at a time, preferably after I've stitched the surrounding colors. "Next time" I will either choose a darker fabric for more contrast or a figure who isn't wearing white! At any rate, here is what she looks like now.

After getting this issue of Cross-Stitch Collection in the bookstore, I was so impressed with it that I subscribed to the magazine. My first issue arrived in the mail Saturday, and the cover is graced by another beautiful pattern from the same artist. WF was the last in a series of seasonal fairies. Now the artist is creating elementals. Water is the first and she is exquisite. She shares many of the same blues and purples as the WF. The next one due out is Fire, and I'm agog to see her (or perhaps him??). I really need to win the lottery so I can quit working and have enough time and money to stitch all of these lovelies!

WF update - 2/7/10

A snowy start to the day turned into a beautifully sunny Sunday yesterday, and I was able to spend a couple of hours stitching. Since the light was so good, I decided to take the plunge and I started on the white. It was still awfully difficult to stitch, so I ended up stitching the colors around it (mostly very pale blue) and then simply filling in the white. Before I tackled all that, though, I stitched more of the blue in the top portion. I'd guess I'm about a third done with the first of the four pages of pattern. It's a good start. Here's a picture of how much I've done so far.

Bookmark #1 finished

I've completed bookmark #1. Here's a picture of it. Aside from changing the colors a bit, I changed the lettering. The original had "to" but I think "To" looks better. I bought some fine denim to use for backing all the bookmarks. I'm going to wait until I have a few all stitched and then do the backing all at once.

Bookmark #2 is started, but not enough to warrant a picture. I'll post about it later.

Bookmark #1

A few of us from the online cross-stitch group to which I belong are making bookmarks to donate to St. Judes Hospital. Here's my progress so far on my first one. It's on 14 count plastic canvas, using 3 strands of DMC thread. This is easy and portable, so makes a nice compliment to my complicated, stay-at-home WF project.

WF update

I got a bit of work done on my Winter Fairy, then discovered I'd made a mistake. I had to frog almost everything I'd done - and frogging on 28 count is hard - but I could not continue knowing that it was wrong. So, it's all corrected and I've progressed a bit beyond where I had reached before. This picture shows the work to date. If you compare it to the model, this is her sash and just the very beginning of some of her dress.

Starting WF

Having gotten some very helpful advice from my friends at the yahoo cross stitch group, I made a start on my Winter Fairy. I'm posting a couple of pics to show my first day's stitching. Doesn't look like much, does it? Well, it's a small amount for the picture (the second pic shows how much space is still to fill!), but a large step for me. No, I don't plan to post daily pictures, but I wanted to document my start. I'll probably post as I finish sections.

Big plans

Here's a picture of my next planned project. I've never done anything so large and complex (well, not since doing needlepoint kneelers for my church a long, long time ago). I have the fabric and threads, except for one specialty thread.

I'll be starting her in January and my goal is to finish her for the winter of 2010. I will post progress pictures as I go.