I'm starting to remember why I left this Thomas Kinkade cross-stitch kit in my closet for ten years.
Isn't this the scariest stitching mess you have ever seen? First of all, I wish those kit companies could think of a better way of organizing the threads for us consumers. Included in the kit was one of those cardboard "organizers" with punched holes. I was a good girl ten years ago and sorted my threads. I neatly wrote the thread color numbers above the appropriate hole...BUT Man o Man!!... just looking at this mess NOW is making me nuts! I can't work with threads all jumbled together like that. That "organizer" is not organizing anything! Looks I will be spending some time making bobbins this week!
The chart is a magnificently (horrendous) black and white chart with a gazillion symbols. Plus, many of the colors in this design are tweeded. (Two colors of floss stitched together) How special is that! And included too is this ultra fine pearl filament "floss". This stuff reminds me of that pretty grass you find in Easter baskets.
O and would you like to see what aida stuck in a hoop and all folded up in a bag for ten years looks like?
A most perfect example to any newbie how not to store your projects. This aida had an immediate date with my iron tonight.
Finally, here is closeup of what I started ten years ago:
I gave myself a goal to complete at least half of this chart by the end of the year. The only problem is that this chart takes a lot of concentration because of the millions of symbols. There is also some specialty stitches as well. I see myself only being able to stitch this project on the weekends when I am home while the sun is out and shining. I just don't have the required brain power in the evenings for this one. Wish me luck!
Good Night All...I am off for some rest and reading.
Jen
Isn't this the scariest stitching mess you have ever seen? First of all, I wish those kit companies could think of a better way of organizing the threads for us consumers. Included in the kit was one of those cardboard "organizers" with punched holes. I was a good girl ten years ago and sorted my threads. I neatly wrote the thread color numbers above the appropriate hole...BUT Man o Man!!... just looking at this mess NOW is making me nuts! I can't work with threads all jumbled together like that. That "organizer" is not organizing anything! Looks I will be spending some time making bobbins this week!
The chart is a magnificently (horrendous) black and white chart with a gazillion symbols. Plus, many of the colors in this design are tweeded. (Two colors of floss stitched together) How special is that! And included too is this ultra fine pearl filament "floss". This stuff reminds me of that pretty grass you find in Easter baskets.
O and would you like to see what aida stuck in a hoop and all folded up in a bag for ten years looks like?
A most perfect example to any newbie how not to store your projects. This aida had an immediate date with my iron tonight.
Finally, here is closeup of what I started ten years ago:
I gave myself a goal to complete at least half of this chart by the end of the year. The only problem is that this chart takes a lot of concentration because of the millions of symbols. There is also some specialty stitches as well. I see myself only being able to stitch this project on the weekends when I am home while the sun is out and shining. I just don't have the required brain power in the evenings for this one. Wish me luck!
Good Night All...I am off for some rest and reading.
Jen
10 comments:
Um...Jen? Do you LOVE it? Enough to spend hours of your life working on it? If not, gift it away! I won't tell the counted-cross-stitch-cops. Promise! :D
I feel you pain. Everything you mention is the exact reason I dislike kits. IF I stitch a kit, then I wash the fabric to get it softer, put everything on bobbins, and find ways to make it work better for me.
For charts with a gazillion symbols I found a way that works better with my brain. I sort the colors with their symbols and grouped the symbols in a for me logical order. I can send you the pdf file of one of those. It contains basically only the numbers and shows how I sorted them by symbol. For me that makes a big difference.
And I agree with Grammasheri, if you really don't like it, toss it. It's not worth to loose the fun in stitching for it.
It will be a great accomplishment if you reach your goal of getting this halfway done this year! I have a Thomas Kinkade UFO also. LOL
yup..i am agree with all the above..if you dont like stitching on it then you can give it away...
but if you like it then try stitching on it little by little every day..you will surely finish it..
good luck..love cucki x
This reminds me of the Dimensions Gold Collection kit that hides in my closet: lots of tweeding, the number of strands on the needle varies from 2 to 5 (and oh what a pain it is trying to force 5 strands through the eye...) and I totally agree with you on the floss "organisers". It's an absolutely beautiful piece, but I don't know when I'll get the strength and courage to dig it out again. I so prefer HAEDs these days: the whole project is all cross stitch with 1 strand (or 2 if you prefer), no tweeding and no floss "organisers". Simple and relaxing, and oh so beautiful.
Good luck with this project, and if it turns out to be too much trouble just get rid of it - life's too short to spend on something you don't really want to do. Especially when there are so many funny, beautiful and gorgeous projects out there that are far less troublesome to stitch!
I bet that will be beautiful when it is finished. I agree with you about the floss, and I was just showing my husband last night what a mess is in a kit. I sat on the couch and separated all of the floss, folded each bundle up and tied it in a loose knot close to the card so that it was out of the way of the others.
My advice - cut the organiser into individual pieces, one per colour and put each one in a small zip-loc bag.
Make a new organiser just for the blended colours but only add them as you go, not all at the beginning.
Colour the chart as you go, pick a shade close to the thread and colour all those symbols before you stitch. Then pick a different colour pen for the next thread colour and so on.
Good luck, will be watching your progress and cheering you on!
Oh! One of those UFO projects - been there, sympathise. But good for you picking it up again.
I think you're brave for picking this one up again. The finished product will be worth it. Maybe you could have the finished picture beside you while you stitch to remind you why you chose this design in the first place!!! Good Luck!!
Good luck with it!! I figure if you're willing to put up with the pain of sorting the floss etc, you must like this design. I'm looking forward to seeing it take shape. :D
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