Can't pick between two designs with no HAED mock-up!

[Heather]

The first:


The second:


These designs are older so they do not come with the handy "scroll over" option on HAED's website that lets you see what it will look like stitched. I tried putting these images in my cross stitch pattern maker (it's a demo, won't print anything, no copyright infringement) JUST to see what it would look like but I can't figure out how to zoom out to see.

Both are beautiful (I love LOOKING at the dragon ones but they are sort of too cartoony for me... except this one, I love it!) but I am worried about how they will turn out - all of the bright colours in the dragon one, and the sky and snow in the snowman one. Thoughts? As far as I can tell no one on the internet has ever done the snowman, but lots of you do the dragons! Are they close to the picture?

I know I could easily do them both and rotate 'em once I'm done my sunflower... but I don't want to be disappointed in the results.

Want to start gathering stash for the next one soon. Because my current HAED (sunflower bee) is a gift I want to finish it first though. I've decided to take a break from the confetti horror that is the centre and go work on the petals because it's more relaxing and fast!

[rcperryls]

I will be no help at all because those are both great designs. Which one do you think would hold your attention the most? The dragons are great and colorful and lots of different objects will feel like little completions as you go through it. But the snowman feels so magical that it draws me to it. I didn't think that new scroll over made it look stitched, just sort of gave me a sense of how many "blocks" there are to stitch. How it looks stitched will depend a lot, I think, on how you choose to stitch: full vs tent, size of the fabric, etc. I don't see how you can go wrong with either design.

Carole

[Heather]

Thanks!

I know what you mean about the scroll-over... but I do find it is extremely helpful sometimes with regards to colour, especially in skies: colours will look so vibrant and shiny, all blending perfectly, but then when you scroll over it can look duller and the colours don't blend so seamlessly... they have that paint-by-numbers look, if that makes sense. Only some of them are like this, it depends! I might start amassing stash for the dragons... I don't love the old man in the centre though, but he's tiny.

[Sarah83]

Didn't someone have a thread going in Stitch Along for the snowman one a while back? I'm sure I remember seeing it. I'll have a look and see whether I can find it.

Course, I may just be imagining I saw it or confusing it with something else

[Squirrel]

To me it would be a matter of "do I want to stitch a lot of the same colour" as is the sky and snow or "do I want a lot of light and colour in it". Thoughts along those lines might help you choose?

sally

[destructiveernie]

Do them both!!!!

Go on, you know you want to!!!

[Serinde]

Snowman for me!

[vanessanjf]

I think the snowman one is so beautiful but the dragons might be a bit more fun to stitch as there are more colours. I would buy them both and rotate!!

[SusanF]

I really love the snowman ... but all that blue might be very heavy going after a while.

[Nachstenliebe]

Have you tried googling it? Maybe you can find pics of someone else's progress on each
Faith

[Corey.G]

I'm not going to be much help either. Such nice designs. This is my pros and cons for both.

First one: Love the winter scene and I think it's beautiful. But I think with all that blue I'd tire of it quickly.

Second one: love it and love all the jars and it would make it feel like you're progressing after finishing each one. Only thing I don't like are those dragons. If you could take them out I'd love it even more. What I would try is just repeat the background and eliminate them.

[marniecat]

I have the snowman one on my wish list, but like others have said I worry about getting tired of all the blue. The dragons I think would be more interesting. But, it's a matter of personal preference, how do you feel about stitching such a large project with not much variety?
My other issue with the snowman is that I worry about the sky, like you said with the blending and the paint by numbers look. To me it looks like a camouflage pattern effect which I'm not in love with.
I have some patterns by Lewan on my wish list but haven't purchased any for that reason, I worry that I'd be disappointed with the result after working so hard. (The originals are filled with beautiful puffy clouds and multi-colored skies.)

[Heather]

The majority of my pieces are snowy, dark skies and those DARN snow-covered pine trees! I love the look, I love doing them less. I think the bright colours in the dragon one appeal to me more...

Destructive Ernie, you are right I will end up getting both I think I'll get this one first though.

I searched SAL and couldn't find anything And I googled, I couldn't find anything - although I did find the COMPLETE chart for snowman in my googling... I contacted HAED about it but they never wrote back

I would never take it from there though, I want to give HAED all my money so they keep making amazing charts!'

Edit - I found someone who is working on it on their blog (universe in a jar) but no pictures. I emailed her about it

[Sarah83]

I searched SAL too and didn't find the snowman one despite being sure someone had started it. Maybe it's someone in one of the facebook groups I'm on or someone on the HAED BB.

[Theresay]

Send an email to Michele, maybe she'll be able to help.

[Heather]

Send an email to Michele, maybe she'll be able to help.

Is Michele on here, or would that be the same as e-mailing HAED from their website?
ETA: I got approved to post on their bulletin board but I can't stand it... not the business, the people or anything, just the layout and navigation and overall set up. I tried to post and got some message about a verification e-mail and the board software won't let me post without it. Blargh.
ETA yet again: I sent her a message using facebook. I hope she can get it removed (I sent her the message about the chart being available online not creating a mock-up, I didn't think of that).

I am just going to do both of these patterns and rotate. Right now I am just sticking to one HAED and as much as I enjoy it, it is getting tedious at parts!