Midnight Manor - finished!

Good afternoon everyone!

Yes, Midnight Manor is finished, complete with alterations and additions.

Here it was after 30 hours:

This is a reminder of what it should look like:

And here's my finished version:

Midnight Manor by Waxing Moon Designs

Stitched on 16ct Tangerine over-dyed aida by sewitall 2 over 1

Stitch count 133 wide by 121 high

Started - 27th October 2018
Finished - 22nd December 2018
Total stitching time - 34 hours 55 minutes

I don't want to blow my own trumpet (OK, maybe I do a little!) but I think my version looks so much better than the original... more atmospheric and definitely less bland.

I made quite a few minor changes so let me talk you through them:

- the fence on the left was moved one space to the right since it was asymmetrical with the fence on the right, and I couldn't cope with that imbalance!
- the path had to be adjusted very slightly because of the above
- the spider in the top right was replaced with a second hanging bat
- both bats were moved two squares towards the outside since I didn't like the fact that their wings touched the tree branch (as you can see with the bat on the right in the 30 hour picture).
- some little bats were added to fill in some of the blank spaces, especially behind the owl
- the pumpkins were stitched in 3853, as opposed to black (and changed from 741 which the I had originally used)
- lights were added into the house in DMC19
- 19 was also used to colour in the eyes of the animals and the missing feathers of the owl

Other than that, it's all as charted!!!

I intend to frame this piece some time next year, so until then it will go into my Box Of Shame.

Knowing that I'm going to have a new start on Christmas Day has left me two days to try to squeeze in a very small piece before then. I know exactly what that piece will be and you'll see it in the Smalls SAL post on the 28th.

Take care,
Rachel x