Sojourner's Betsy Morgan Etui casket

[Sojourner]

First piece completed, with some alterations of my own. This is a lovely thing to make, and all praise to the designer, but I found her charts/instructions very difficult to follow, and am making my own up as I go. She has incorporated lots of - to me - arcane stitches where ordinary cross stitch will do equally well; I've used only cross, half cross/tent, and satin stitches so far.
More to follow.

[rcperryls]

Great start! Don't know what stitches you changed to a cross stitch but whatever you did, it looks perfect to me!

Carole

[Squirrel]

That is so pretty and so beautifully and evenly stitched too. Love it.

[Mabel Figworthy]

You are making it your own, which is a great thing!

[fccs]

This is fabulous!!! Beautiful design, beautifully stitched, and super fun colors.

[Midge]

It looks fab. Can’t wait to see how it progresses.

[poppy]

I love the vibrant colours. Beautiful! Looking forward to more updates.

[Podolyanka]

Great start! Don't know what stitches you changed to a cross stitch but whatever you did, it looks perfect to me!

Carole

I am with Carole on this.

[Sojourner]

Second piece finished, the back.

[Podolyanka]

As perfect as the first one. Well done!

[Serinde]

Looking good. Are you stitching all the bits for the box on one large piece as set out in the instructions, or have you cut some of it apart? (Does that make any sense?)

[Mabel Figworthy]

Lovely colours and beautifully worked!

[rcperryls]

Lovely colours and beautifully worked!

I totally agree!

Carole

[Sojourner]

Looking good. Are you stitching all the bits for the box on one large piece as set out in the instructions, or have you cut some of it apart? (Does that make any sense?)

I'm cutting the fabric to suit each piece - the front and back were done in 8" hoop, the sides (just started first side) in 6" hoop. so there will be quite a bit of waste, but no way could I stitch evenweave in the hand, as the author does. The front and back used 10" square pieces, the sides 7" square each.
I anticipate the top being a real challenge - assembling the shaped pieces, and making it all fit together will be difficult. But, press on.
Have you started your kit yet?

[Serinde]

Not yet. I have a couple of things, including a bit of editing, that have to be done first. But you give me hope, the way you are powering through the stitching.

[Sojourner]

Not yet. I have a couple of things, including a bit of editing, that have to be done first. But you give me hope, the way you are powering through the stitching.

Well, I'm sure you'll do it better than me - I have changed a few things: I'm using DMC threads, rather than silk, no "long arm" cross stitch (IMO it looks messy) for the borders, and very little Smyrna stitch, no square or diamond eyelets, again, IMO, she's complicated the design - ordinary X stitch works fine, and I defy anyone to notice the difference. It is a very nice design, but her methodology is a bit off, for me.
TBC

[Serinde]

Oh, I intend to do all the messy bits, me! And I love long-armed cross-stitch cuz it looks like a quick braid. But it's a good thing we aren't all the same. Her way of working isn't the way I'd do it, but on the one other piece by her I've stitched (well, it's not finished yet, of course) I've discovered that there is method in the way she works with all the non x-stitch stitches. So I'm willing to suspend disbelief.

[Sojourner]

Chacun a son gout, as they say.
I can't wait to see your etui - are you going to make all the bits and pieces as well?

[Serinde]

Well, of course. Have to have something to put into the box, after all...

[Mabel Figworthy]

It sounds very Winnie the Pooh, to have "a useful box to put things in"