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Hello everyone.

I started my first HAED, Wolf Maiden. I'm stitching it on 25count evenweave, 2 over 1, and I swear the dark coloured stitches will drive me insane. Next time I may use 18count fabric and deal with a massive finish if it saves my eyes. I'm aiming to get this done for either my mother's xmas or her birthday five days after...Wish me luck, it's slow going!

Here is a link to the chart I'm stitching:
http://heavenandearthdesigns.com/index. ... ts_id=8167

And my first update:


Apologies for the bad lighting. The darker stitches look really bad in real life...

Great start! That's going to look spectacular when it's finished, although you don't sound as though you're enjoying it so far . I find that when I'm not happy with my stitches, I come back to them later and they seem to have "settled" and don't look as bad as I thought they did, so maybe you'll find the same.

Don't be put off by the slow going. You'll get plenty of support and encouragement from us lot!!

It's true,the stitches do seem to settle, I just had another look at my chart and I love it so, it will make a stunning gift for your mum, however, you have just started, if you are really not enjoying it and they do take a while to stitch! Then maybe think about swapping and doing it on 18 count which is what I do mine on, yes lots of folk do thm on 25 count and they are lucky, my eyes wouldn't cope with it but I am more than happy with the results on 18 count and wouldn't change. Good luck.
Glen x

This is a beautiful pattern! Good luck working with the small stitches!

It's not that I'm not enjoying it, I love the chart and can't wait to get to the stage where I can see the image coming together. It's just a pain when there are so many dark stitches, however, I've found stitching next to a window helps me to see the different colours better.

Good idea, and use a lamp (daylight) or stitching light it helps enormously with dark colours.
Glen x

Great start. I also found it hard to go to the 25 ct the first I did it, but after a while got used to it. I can't go to any higher count though. I tried 28 ct but couldn't grid and I don't want to try a HAED without a grid. Ever. You are doing a lovely design. If it does get to be too hard though, think about switching to a smaller count like 22 or 20 if 18 seems like it will be too big a piece. Right now your stitches look good to me and they will settle in. They did on my LOTR which I at first was sure would be too bulky doing 2 over 1 full crosses and now I love the way that one looks.
Looking forward to your updates. Keep them coming. I love this design.

Carole

Wow that is going to be GORGEOUS!!! I think it would have been great on 18 count.. this seems one that demands to be large... good luck with the 25 count
Faith

Gorgeous design, I really like Penfound's designs. Looking forward to watching it develop.

What an amazing project you have picked. It will be well worth all thoses stitches!!!

Oh I'm so glad to see someone doing this. I have this in my wishlist because I absolutely love it. I am doing mine (Lady of the woods) on 25 ct but two over one tent stitch because the full was just too bulky for me. It was hard to adjust to the 25 at first because 18 was as small as I had ever stitched on but now my eyes are used to it. The dark colours do throw me a bit as well but when I come back to it they look just fine. I can't wait to see this one grow, keep up the good work.

It looks great! Very pretty chart, love all the colors

Gorgeous chart with a some lovely colours. Can't wait to watch your progress on this one. Great start btw

You picked a beautiful pattern.

I too had major issues with the 25ct when I started my first HAED, I even came on the forums asking people if I was confused, ' cus stitching over 1 seemed like an insane idea. I've gotten used to the tiny stitches now. And yes, it's slow going indeed but think of it as one stitch at a time, and every time you finish a page, you'll feel super accomplished!

hi. i haven't started my HAED, yet. still waffling over 25ct vs. 18ct. so i admire you for jumping in.

it's a beautiful chart and i'm glad you like it so.

i'm always surprised at how slow going my projects seem to me, but one day i found the "zone" and saw i had accomplished alot without trying to. i put my brain in "neutral" and just stitched. of course, there were no distractions that day, and i had a chunk of time set aside, but still... felt really good.

hope you get a zone day, too

Well, today is a day for stitching a lot! I was going to bake but that would involve going to the shops with money which I don't have...So until about 5pm tonight, I can stitch away!

I'm slowly getting used to the smaller stitches but I've yet to go back to the dark colours. I really should but I'm working on the purple-y shades right now and seem to have fallen in love with them!

So I may have miscounted some stitches which may have involved me frogging the dark colours...

Cool HAED!

Good luck with this! I hope you can get through those darker stitches quickly.

What a beautiful design!!!