New Start - Dolphin Ruins by Rabnann

Good morning all!

With Autumnal Abstract finished (the frame is being delivered this morning) I am now free to work on something else which is - surprise surprise - Dolphin Ruins. I know I've got a lot of WIPs that desperately need attention but I just couldn't wait any longer to start this one:

Dolphin Ruins by Rabnann (ebay)

Stitched on 16ct Light Blue aida 2 over 1

Stitch count 223 wide by 288 high

Started - 16th November 2014

Stitching hours to date - 10

So far it's mostly black (310) and very dark blue (823) with a splash of lighter blues thrown in for variation (and sanity!)

Progress on this chart will be a bit slower than you have been witnessing lately - partly because I am having to use the old grey matter and count more and partly because it's a much bigger project. The blues are lovely to work with after the autumnal colours so I'll carry on until I feel like I need another colour-palette change.

Until next time,

All the best and
Happy stitching :)
Rachel x

PS don't forget, you can still leave a comment indicating your interest in winning the Autumnal Abstract chart. I know it's not to everybody's taste, and I actually don't have that many followers, but there's only one entrant so far!!

Chart Giveaway - Autumnal Abstract by Vervaco

Hello fellow stitch-a-holics!

True to my word I am having a Giveaway!

It really truly honestly breaks my heart to give away the original chart of Autumnal Abstract now that I have finished it but I have so many more projects I would like to do that the realistic chances of me actually stitching this project again are minimal.

So, here are the rules for your chance to win:

1. you must be a follower of my blog
2. you must actually want to stitch this project (and not just add it to your stash pile!)
3. you must leave a comment indicating that you would like to win it

Simples!

I will take your interest on this posting, or any future postings, up until the end of November and pick the winner on 2nd December 2014.

Good luck to all who enter!

All the best and

Happy stitching :)

Rachel x

Autumnal Abstract - finished!

Good morning all!

And what a good morning it is! At 1.34 this morning after 177.25 hours of stitching, many late nights/early mornings and the constant disapproval of my husband, I cast off my final thread on Autumnal Abstract. So it's Happy Dance time again - woohoo!!! I really didn't think it would be so soon after recommencing this project back at the beginning of October.

Here are the final pictures and the project information:

After 170 hours

Autumnal Abstract by Vervaco

Stitched on 16ct Antique White Aida 2 over 1
Stitch Count 226 x 151

Started - 12th October 2005

Suspended 25th July 2006 after 52 hours

Restarted - 5th October 2014
Finished - 16th November 2014
Total stitching time - 177 hours 15 minutes

Thanks to my sleep-limiting regime (which is mostly working well) and a few naughty weekends, I've averaged just under 3 hours per day for the last six weeks. It's such a cliche to say this, but every stitch of Autumnal Abstract (all 29,609 of them) has been a joy and I'm really quite sad that this project is now finished.

The frame hasn't arrived yet, so today the piece will be washed and ironed and given plenty of time to dry thoroughly before being stretched and framed.

So, it's now on to something else which is..... you'll have to wait and see! Suffice to say it has been screaming at me to start it (there's a hint) since I received it last month (there's a bigger hint) and has a completely different colour palette to Autumnal Abstract (how many more hints do you want???)

I also said that I would be giving away the chart for Autumnal Abstract once I had completed the project. That will be in a separate post so keep watching for a chance to win!

I'll be back soon, but will it be with Autumnal Abstract framed or the first stint on my New Start?

Until then,

All the best and
Happy stitching :)
Rachel x

Autumnal Abstract - 170 hour update

Hello all!

.....and now the end is near and so I face the final curtain stitching.....!

Oooooh, I'm getting so excited! I'm on the final section of the chart and then this project will be complete! It will definitely take less than 10 hours so..... my next post will be a finish! Go me!!!

Here are the final progress pictures:

After 160 hours

After 170 hours

I've already ordered the frame from ezeframe.co.uk but will not divulge any information about it - you'll have to wait until the next and final post to see it in all its glory!

Right, that's enough waffling. I can't wait to sit down tonight to start the final push!

Be back soon.....

All the best and

Happy stitching :)

Rachel x

Autumnal Abstract - 160 hour update

Good afternoon all!

I'm back with another progress report! Thank you again for all of the wonderfully kind comments you have been leaving about Autumnal Abstract. I'm glad you enjoy watching my progress and are as eager and excited as me to see a finish!

As usual, this latest 10 hours of stitching has flown by, aided by a straight-through four hour session Sunday night into Monday morning - thank goodness for being able to pack the children off to bed earlier on Sundays!!

So here are the piccies:

After 150 hours

After 160 hours

I've already looked at mounts and frames from ezeframe.co.uk and experimented with various combinations. I think I've made my decision but as it's quite a bold choice I'm taking my time before ordering. That's the beauty of internet framing - there's simply no rush.

Until next time then.

All the best and
Happy stitching :)
Rachel x

Autumnal Abstract - 150 hour update

Hello all!

The light at the end of the tunnel is definitely getting brighter as I am ploughing through the remainder of this project. I'm still not getting bored though!

Here are the latest pictures:

After 140 hours

After 150 hours

I hope you're still enjoying my updates - not many more to go before you can rid yourselves of this project and I can bore you to death with something else!

All the best and
Happy stitching :)
Rachel x

Autumnal Abstract - 140 hour update

Good evening all!

I still can't pull myself away from this project and have become even more obsessed with stitching it this last week. Don't tell anyone, but I stitched until 2am Saturday morning! Very naughty but I just wasn't tired and even when I went to bed I still couldn't sleep. Guess I could/should have stitched all night!!

Here are the usual progress pictures:

After 130 hours

After 140 hours

With the school half-term holidays over, I'm now going to try to get back into a proper routine and prove to hubby that I am aware there is more to life than stitching! Boo :(

See you soon.

All the best and
Happy stitching :)
Rachel x