WIP Charming Waterway by Dimensions

In 2014 I started a big cross stitch picture by Dimensions, called Charming Waterway, based on a painting by Victor Shvaiko. I was very keen on cross-stitching then and worked on it for months. Then I abandoned it, as it often happens with me and big projects, but resumed stitching it in 2015, when I probably passed the 3/4 marker. And then abandoned it and cross stitching as a whole - for years.

This year I took it out of its bag, studied the charts and the flosses and resumed stitching it from time to time. I am moving very slowly and I suspect this will be my last cross stitch project, as my eyes are getting weaker and needle point work is not good for them at all.

To the left is a sample of the finished picture and I am really not that far from the end. I'm not imposing any deadlines or making any promises, I just hope I'll finish it and frame it one day, as I like it and it would be a shame to leave it uncompleted so close to the finish line.

I have plenty of work and back stitching to do on the left half of the picture,

but the right half is almost completely finished but for some backstitching here and there.

Some of my favourite details close up

WIP Charming Waterway Cross Stitch

After almost a year of hiatus from this Dimensions cross stitch I resumed my work on the project. Sometimes, when I put away a big project, I feel some resentment to returning to it. I think I got a bit fed up with knitting cotton cardigans and I wanted to do some cross stitching, but I couldn't feel the thrill which made me start Charming Waterway. So I picked another project - Heigl's Toscana and I almost started it, when I decided to give another chance to Venice. And I'm so glad I did, because once I started embroidering it my love for the picture returned and I've been working on it for two weeks now. I try to do some of the backstitching as I go along, because leaving it all for when the picture is finished would be a nightmare.
I won't probably finish it this summer, as there is still much to stitch and my eyes are beginning to feel tired, but I'll finish it some day.

Venetian Bistro

This past month I've been working almost religiously on the Venetian cross stitch project I started just at the end of last year. The theme is one of my favourites - Venetian canals and the artist - Viktor Shvaiko, is quite popular for his colorful romantic scenes of small cafes, old houses and shops.

As for knitting - I'm planning on Clear by Kim Hargreaves, using recycled yarn from a frogged crochet project, just waiting for my knitting mojo to come back.

Scotch Harebells Cross Stitch Panel

So here it is - the fourth and final of the wild flower panels, designed by John Clayton for Heritage. This was probably the easiest to stitch panel because of my stitch by colors method - I highly recommend the method for these panels!

The last three stages of the stitch by colors experiment - adding the two major background colors and the backstitch:

Pattern: Scotch Harebells by John Clayton
Canvas: white Aida 14
Floss: Rosace and DMC

In my first posting about this flower panel I mentioned that I'll try a new brand of floss - Rosace. Oh, how I regret it, I should have stuck to the well known and time-proven brand. At first glance the new floss looks the same as DMC, but obviously the thread lacks the color saturation and silky shine of DMC and the stitched picture looks bland, mat and lustreless. Never again!

I enjoyed playing with the four panels today, rearranging them and wondering how to frame them - together in one big frame or separately. Still thinking ...

Two Birthday Cards

When my major hobbies - knitting and cross stitching, are at a standstill, I seem to turn to miniatures - small crochet projects, beading and as of this year - cross stitch greeting cards. The stitching of a card usually takes two to three days, which in terms of time-consuming cross stitching translates into instant gratification. I think I'm hooked and all of my relatives and friends are "doomed" to receive a cross stitch greeting card from me :)))

Canvass: Aida 14
Floss: a mix of DMC, Ariadna and Rosace
Aperture cards: 8888bg.com

Mother's Day Greeting Card

A cross stitch greeting card I made for my mother for the widely celebrated in Bulgaria international women's day - the 8th of March. I couldn't find a suitable aperture card with big enough aperture for my cross stitch, so I cut the card from a big sheet of aquarelle cardboard.

Canvas: Aida 14
Floss: a mixture of DMC, Ariadna and Rosace

Happy Baba Marta Day!

I'm continuing my work on the Scotch Harebells and now I'm convinced that stitching it by colors is the easiest way of all - the daisies and especially the buttercups were so much more difficult to stitch with my usual consecutive method, while the harebells almost stitched by themselves. The collages show the next 9 stages of stitching. Although it looks only half finished, I have only two remaining background colors to fill in and the backstitch and I'll be ready with the fourth panel.

Buttercups Flower Panel

Pattern: Buttercups Flower Panel By John Clayton
Designer: John Clayton for Heritage
Floss: DMC
Canvass: Aida 14
Time to stitch: almost a year, from time to time

This flower panel took me quite a lot of time to finish, I lost most of my interest in it last summer. Not a very difficult pattern, though with a a lot of half stitches, as are most of Heritage patterns. I like it and I think it makes a nice combination with the Daisies. I'm not in a hurry to frame them, because in my enthusiasm last year I bought everything for a third flower panel of the same series - the Poppies. I think I'll start it this summer and finish it gradually when I feel like cross stitching. I found a pace this last month of combining cross stitching, knitting and sewing and so far I'm enjoying it. So while it lasts - I'll need a cross stitch project too :)

The pictures of buttercups were taken during our trip to Osogovo mountains. 

There I saw the most dense population of buttercups per meadow imaginable :)