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What a PITA. It's a beautiful design. Glad you're sticking with it.

Mabel Figworthy wrote:Can't blame you for "doing your own thing" with this one -- sounds like an absolute dud of a chart to work from! I know you can't be the first person to have noticed this, but I think I'd still let them know, just in case your letter is the one that makes them publish a bit with the errors corrected

Hm. You may have a point there, Mabel. I think I might finish it first, though, so I can send 'em a pic of it as well!

Thanks for your comments and encouragement, everyone! Bit more done. She's beginning to look quite nice now, imo. The blue circle makes a lot of difference.

One thing I need to ask, though. Y'all know I've only ever done one lot of beading! - on the TWs The Storyteller - and those beads were done on top of stitching.
So - is ALL beading done on top of stitching? Cos I'm not sure about her beaded headband. There is no real indication of what goes under them on the chart, but in the pic I can see bits of blue here and there, and wondered if I should stitch blue there?
Thanks!

She is coming along very nicely. As for the beading, I would likely do half stitches of blue first and then add the beads--if that makes any sense, then you will get a bit of color and the beads

Not all beading is done on the top of stitching, the Mirabilia designs have beads in 'empty' squares. Try the beads in the 'empty' squares and see if you like the way it looks if not you could then stitch the square and then the bead

She's looking lovely! I agree with willow about using just the beads alone before deciding if you want to add any stitches underneath.

You could attach them on empty squares using blue thread perhaps?

She's looking very pretty!

She is beautiful. Alot of beading is done on the blank squares and using the bead instead of thread to fill the space.

Since your beads are orange I would use a floss that closely matches them, making half stitches then adding the bead on the cross. You have made great progress in spite of mr I know this will look great when you are done.

She is so pretty, the colours a beautiful

Looks great! Sorry for all the frustration you've experienced with it, but it definitely looks like you've made excellent decisions to overcome the struggles .

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone!
Yes, the instructions say to use matching thread for the beads. I have filled in the hairband with blue, but am prepared to take it out if I don't like the finished effect. In the pic it looks as if the beads have been stitched in 3s on a single thread, over blue. But I'm not too sure about it... I shall decide later. But I think I may frog and stitch the beads individually with matching thread, even though that will make the hairband orange rather than blue. Decisions, decisions... !

I have now stitched the 'stars' in darker blue on the pale blue background, but have left the central squares empty for the bead - after all, if I find it works better over a blue stitch it is easy to add one but more difficult to frog 'em all and start over! But I think I will stick with the empty square. Apart from anything else it will mean the bead is slightly recessed and may therefore sit more securely in its place.

I'll post a pic tomorrow. But no beading yet!

I was looking at doing this chart, but now that i know about all the issues i dont think i will be.

BTW your stitching is beautiful despite all the issues.

As for the beading, i always do it over a blank square with matching thread. I find that if it goes over stitching it makes it a little 'bulky' and having a recesed bead is ok, you still get a 3d look. Which is what you are going for.

Lovely, sorry i'm no use on the beading issue (i've never used beads before) but looks like you already have plenty of advice

Looking good

Thanks everyone! I really appreciate your advice and suggestions!

Here is the latest update:



As you can see, I removed the blue stitches from the headband - not that you've seen it stitched, but hey... and have taken all the advice on board: I'm putting the beads on blank squares and using thread that matches the beads.

I'm not sure I have used quite the right thread on the upper wing of the butterfly The chart gives it the same symbol as the dress - but since the dress symbol didn't match the colour in the pic of the design (that was the big frog I did - removing the given dress colour and replacing it with one that matched the pic), BUT wasn't the colour of the dress in the pic - I've gone with what the chart says for the wing (gosh that's a complicated sentence! ). Anyway, I think it looks ok.

Beautiful!

I think it looks gorgeous! Wonderful work! I think the butterfly could work in either color... that's the beauty of butterflies.. so long as they're colorful no one will know
Faith