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.

Cross Stitch WIPs into 2014

I began this posting on 31 December last year, but got caught into all the cooking and preparations and never managed to finish it. But at the end of the year I found myself embroidering again, though not with the enthusiasm I had for cross stitching a few years ago.

The poppies flower panel is almost done, only the back stitching and a single color white background remain, but I ran out of floss. I plan a big purchase of various colors and then I'll finish it and probably frame the bunch of flower panels together:

I did some stitching on the big Algeria picture too. I had planned finishing these three sheets of the chart, but my disappointment in the design got the better of me and this cross stitch is again deeply frozen.

And for the new year I started a new project - Charming Waterway by Dimensions. I'm stitching it very slowly in between knitting - presently I'm kind of deflated both about my current knitting and cross stitching projects. Maybe I need more new projects :)))