Lynx's Leopard + First HAED: Update 6/30/11

[lynx]

This is my first real cross stitch, I think. I vaguely remember a small image of a cat I did when I was about twelve, but I can't find any evidence to support that, so perhaps I imagined the cat? I've done needlepoint before, and sometimes I do hand-embroidery, but cross stitch is new.

This kit is called "The Snow Leopard" and is from the Gold Collection line by Dimensions. I bought it on clearance a year ago, I think, and just recently began actually stitching. So far, it's a ton of mistakes squished together to vaguely resemble a paw, but I've learned a lot in the day or two I've been browsing this forum, and I'm having fun.

Any tips/tricks/suggestions/critiques and general comments are very, very welcome.

*Edit: Trying to upload images again.*

It's supposed to look like this:

And this is what I have so far. The ivory/silver bits were added after reading a super-helpful thread about advice for newbies.

[karen4bells]

Very nice design! Great stitching--looks like you are definitely catching onto cross stitching

[Rose]

Oh wow he is so handsome!!!! Quite majestic!!!!!

[LadyS]

That's a really nice kit! And you've made good progress! It's looking good.

The only tip/trick I can give for someone starting is to cross all your Xs to the same side. Everything else will come with practice and picking up new tricks from all the lovely stitchers around.

[Theresay]

Very lovely design, and it looks like you're off to a great start!

[Kirstylou]

Great start and its a wonderful design

[dollystitcher]

Lovely design and you have made a great start, I look forward to seeing more of this

[Lili]

very pretty!!

[Nachstenliebe]

Very nice! It's going to be gorgeous when it's completed
Faith

[Sarah Gixxer]

Oh, I love big cats. This is a gorgeous design and you're getting on great. Looking forward to more updates.

[purvislets]

This is such a pretty design! You're doing great!

[Mabel Figworthy]

A lovely design and a great start

[tiffstitch]

Nice choice of design! And I agree with LadyS, you'll find your end result looks even better when all your crosses go the same way.

[lynx]

Wow. Thank you so much, everyone! The encouragement is very appreciated.

I have no update today, because the power went out and I couldn't stitch on Monday evening, I spent most of Tuesday working, and I am a slow stitcher. I did get up early before my shift to put in a few hours on this - turns out, I love cross stitch - and plan to spend several hours working today, so I should have an update tomorrow.

The parts that I had stitched earlier have the crosses going in different directions all over the place, and I hadn't even noticed. The newer parts, they all go the same way (I even drew myself a picture on my chart so I wouldn't forget ), and it looks so much nicer. Thanks for the advice, tiffstitch and LadyS.

[lynx]

My pictures all came out very sad and dark today... This is a mystery to me. If I figure out what happened, I will take better photos.

I've been working on this design with pretty much every second of free time I get - a rarity for me; usually I'm only so dedicated when doing beadwork - and I'm almost a little embarrassed by how much fun I'm having. But WOWZERS, this is slow. I've mapped out the bottom right edge of the design, but haven't filled that in or moved to the bottom left edge or even begun to make my way upward. After I finish stitching for the evening, I feel like I've made great progress, and then I unpin the extra fabric and see just how little I have done.

Ah, well. I'm in no rush. I think I just want the satisfaction of seeing a larger area done - and, you know, I want to start stitching the kitty.

This is 3 over 2 on 28-count, by the by. I don't know if I mentioned that.

[karen4bells]

You have made fabulous progress!! Great update--keep up the fantastic stitching

[LadyS]

You've made a lot of progress! Great job!

[Mabel Figworthy]

Fortunately stitching is no speed contest -- you've made great progress!

[johannauk]

Doesn't seem like slow progress to me!! Gorgeous design, and your stitching is coming along beautifully

[Juel]

Great progress, looks fantastic!