Hello from Kent

[JackieR]

Hi All

What a fantastic site

I have been x-stitching for a few years on and off but have picked up so many tips on here, including the free software for converting photos to charts mentioned by Busy_B in the Tips & Tricks section.

I'm a huge Madness fan and found a nice photo of the whole band with 3 or 4 of them in nice coloured tonic suits so I converted it into a chart and started it a few weeks ago. Considering it's free, the software seems to work very well, I didn't play around with the chart at all afterwards, just thought I'd do it and see how it turned out and I'm really enjoying it so far although I'm only on the 2nd page of a 20 page pattern!

Other tips I've picked up from here so far are buying enough needles to keep all the colours ready to go and the loop method for starting threads off. Both of these tips have already saved me loads of time so thanks

I'm anticipating the Madness project will take at least a year to complete so I won't have anything to put in a gallery for a while!

Anyway, congratulations again on a brilliant site.

Jackie

[karen4bells]

Welcome to the forum Jackie --your project sounds fantastic and we'd love to see progress pictures of it!

[pamelam]

Hi Jackie, and welcome to the forum!

[Bee26]

Hi Jackie welcome to the forum. it's nice to meet you. Your Madness project sounds amazing!

[JackieR]

Thanks for the nice welcome

I will try to remember to post some progress pictures, at the moment though, all you can make out is a shoe and a bit of a trouser leg!!

I decided to start bottom right - I gather from here that it is best to start in the middle and work out but if I'd done it that way, all their faces would be done within the first 3rd of the project and I was worried I might lose interest after that

[Serinde]

But are they Baggy Trousers!? Glad you found us, and welcome from the West of Scotland.

[willow]

Hello Jackie, welcome to the forum How big will your 'madness' be when it's finished?

[Mabel Figworthy]

High Jackie and welcome -- sounds like Madness is a good name for a project that size ! Any chance of pictures?

[Nachstenliebe]

Welcome to the forum!
Faith

[maggs]

Hi and welcome

[elsanna]

Hello and welcome Jackie. Anna

[Squirrel]

Hi Jackie and Welcome from sunny Melbourne Australia.

Your current project sounds great and will keep you busy for some time I guess. Do you do smaller ones in between whiles?
I find it helps to take breaks from bigger projects.

Sally

[Jamielea]

Hello and welcome

[tiffstitch]

Hello from Vermont/Quebec!

Edit: Do you listen to Madness while you stitch them?

[Like_Fine_VVine]

Welcome to the forum! I'm looking forward to your progress updates...no worries about it just being a lil bit of trousers , we are easily excited on this board!

[carladee]

Hello, nice to meet you

[vanessanjf]

Hello and welcome. I would love to see your Madness picture. I am working on a picture of Steven Tyler from Aerosmith so I know how much fun it is to do a picture of a band you love.

[JackieR]

Just to answer a few questions, the size in stitches is 318h and 231w (I think - I'm at work at the moment, I'll have to check later). I'm doing it on 18 count Aida so the fabric I got is 30" x 20" so plenty big enough.

I have got another Dimensions Gold kit going and only got about a third of it left to do but since I've started the Madness one, I've not touched it!

I listen to Madness every day Seriously though, I tend to listen to music rather than watch the TV while I'm doing it as I have to take my glasses off while I'm stitching

I finished the first full page yesterday so I'm intending to get a picture up in the SAL this weekend.

Happy stitching everyone

[Midge]

Hello and welcome to the forum. I love Suggs, he is lush. Good luck with the cross stitch and we love piccies.

[annkor26]

hello and welcome Jackie! I love your Madness project!