So , I am still working on my old-fashioned Swedish Christmas picture and this how far I have come in the last few days (I have been stitching on a few other projects as well) . . .
I am happy with my progress on this piece . However , I am now tackling that big blue sky - which put me off ten years ago! - and it is really slow going because of the many white empty ( snowflake ) squares that are placed all over the sky in a random fashion . I love the fact that it is 'snowing' but keeping track of the squares is a big hassle . I started off trying to stitch and count horizontally - which comes natural to me - but it just didn't work at all ! I kept loosing my place on the chart and on the fabric over and over again ! So annoying !
So then I decided to try to stitch and count vertically and that has actually worked a bit better - it is still slow progress but I only have to recheck the chart every tenth stitch . . : ) If the chart had guidelines I could have used them , but apparently they didn't do guidelines on Swedish charts ten year ago (and I don't know if it is any different today . . ) .
Another issue with this chart is the little cute Santa in the foreground , and that is where I need your help / advice ! On the chart there are very , very poor facial features on this Santa ; the eyes and mouth consists of three little backstitches . . . Absolutely horrible !
Being used to stitching Joan Elliott charts and beautiful faces nowadays , I am afraid that poor Santa's face will look horribly UGLY with those three lines ! When I stitched the skin colour and the beard , I decided to add backstitch to the beard to make it stand out more . . .
. . . and I am very pleased with how the beard turned out . So now I am wondering if maybe I should just leave the face as it is ( without distinct facial features ) instead of risking it looking dreadful and like a five-year-old stitched it . . . I have seen modern designs where the designer has left out facial features so it has been done before I guess . . .
Help! I need your expert opinions !
What do YOU think I should do ? ? ?
Anyway, it certainly is ' interesting ' stitching these older charts . . . ha ha !
Happy Stitching !
Annie
I would stitch the eyes and nose. If you don't like it you can always rip it out. He's small so I think three little stitches will look good. Couldn't you draw lines on the chart every tenth?
ReplyDeleteI agree with Heather. Put the three backstitches in and take them out if you don't like them. Also, I would grid the pattern every 10 stitches both horizontally and vertically so that you have the grid to refer to.
ReplyDeleteAgree. I put gridlines as well if the chart doesnt have them. I'm sure your Santa will look awesome with what you come up with. It will be interesting to see this one finished, it's a beautiful design:)
ReplyDeleteI'd go with Heather's tip as well - try the little short lines and see how you like them. If you don't take them out and leave it as it is.
ReplyDeleteGridding could help you with the snow flakes. I would just leave the little open spaces for the snow flakes randomly, without looking at the chart.
Good for you for plugging away at that sky! Keep at it, or alternate one thread length on this project then take a break with a different one for a bit.
ReplyDeleteHow about trying to give him just some eys like colonial knots or french knots. If it loos weird cut them out!
Hello
ReplyDeleteThis project is lovely!
I'm a new stitcher so can't advise as to the face but I think he'll look great whatever you do x
Will the white empty squares be filled with white stitches? Because if they're going to be filled, it's easier (for me anyway) to start on them first (moreover, if you use white thread, it won't be a problem to jump around with the thread). After that, you can just stitch the big blue sky without needing to count.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I find it easier to count diagonally, followed by horizontally or vertically if the intended/next stitch isn't on diagonal line from your last stitch. My stitch ends either on top left corner or bottom right corner and I start counting diagonally from that corner.
As for the Santa's face, I agree with the others.