Okay. Now I do like a challenge, but . . .

I just cannot follow these directions as published!
In fact, if I had started with the border of the letter, it would have saved me a lot of time and frogging.

This is what I have so far:

The directions directed you to finish the D first, then do the corners. The border is to be done at some later time. This didn't work for me. I had to stitch atleast part of the border.
The problem is that there is no good picture to go by.

The stitching is mostly one over one, but the border is one over two. Where these two meet, is the problem. There is space left between them. In the upper right hand corner, it is hard to see it, but there is a moon there. The background is one over one, but where it meets curved areas, the space is not entirely filled in. I am not sure whether to fill it in with one over one, or leave it blank.
The directions are not clear.

I think I am going to go off grid here (literally), and just make it up as I go along.
Also, there are supposed to be tails coming off the letter that wind around into the border. This was supposed to be done, but I just didn't see how it could be done until the border is in place.

Well atleast the pulled eyelet turned out well. I am happy about that.

Has anyone out there stitched this? I would love to see some pictures and hear from you

Agghh! All of this has been very tough on these aging eyes!

I will keep you posted with my struggle.

TUSAL and Deep Peace

My jar is starting to get very full!

You see the light gold threads at the top?
That was my new start. - Not fun frogging one over one stitching!

I have had Deep Peace in my stash for years. I decided it was finally time to stitch it.

Deep Peace - Forget-Me-Nots In Stitches
by Lauren Sauer 1998

I think the reason I haven't started it before is that I find it quite daunting! It comes in a booklet form, and the directions are largely written. Although many helpful diagrams are included, it is very different from the usual type chart. I have the utmost admiration for the designer for attempting such a complex design.

Unfortunately the only picture included is very small one on the cover. I have enlarged it here so you can see the detail.

I started on the initial as the instructions suggest.

Not much to show. I had more before I realized I was following the wrong chart. It is all one over one. I was using the smaller overlay and didn't realize that everything was shown one over two! Ugh! Lots of frogging! I was considering buying another piece of fabric and starting over, but the materials for this project were quite pricey, so I thought it best to do the frogging.

One of the things that I am apprehensive about is working with real metal. It calls for gold purl for parts of the initial, as well as real gold and silver paillettes. These were a special order and I am still waiting for them.
I am nervous about this one! I really want to do a good job on it.

Well, I will let you know how it goes. Hopefully there will be no more frogging in my future!

The Sarah Whiteley Sampler is finished!

Yea!
It would have been a day sooner but I discovered to my horror that the border did not meet up.
Every stitcher's worst nightmare! It took me a bit of fiddling with it, but finally, with some creative stitching, I managed to get the ends to meet. Hate when that happens!

Anyway, here she is:

The Sarah Whiteley Sampler
Stitched with DMC on 32ct Natural linen

The chickens are giant! The rooster looks like he can peer into the second floor windows on the house!
I had fun stitching this one! I love the colors. I am always partial to red.

I had some trouble photographing this one. This was part of the reason:

Furrytail was hungry, and was not to be ignored!

I want to thank you for all of your comments. I love reading them. Will let you all know how it goes with the chickens. We are looking forward to our first egg somewhere around the middle of September.

Sarah's house is finished!

I also finished the floral motif in the left-hand corner. ( I am  not sure what that little basket looking thing is).
I still have a few more flowers to do, and then it will be on to stitch the giant chickens!

Speaking of giant chickens, I took a few pictures of my own giant chickens.

DeeDee

Millie

Dotty

Gigi

Gretchen

Andy (Formerly known as Annie)

Bonnie

Sally

Any Jane Austen fans out there?

This will make you drool !

Jane's ring

How cool is that?


Sotheby's is auctioning it off. You can read about it here.
I would love to have this!
I mentioned to Keith that our anniversary was coming up, but it seemed to fall on deaf ears!