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I have just binned the result of two weeks' stitching (and I stitch fast to tell the truth without false modesty). I literally cut off the stitched 1/4 of the project and threw it away. I must have been spoilt by Ukrainian designers of towels because since 1992 when I first stitched their tablecloth, I have never had problems with their charts. I knew they were worth stitching and the result always was even better than expected.

This was an absolutely different experience. From the very beginning I saw I did not like what was turning out. But kept telling myself that perhaps when I stitch more... The more- the worse. The rest you know.
I have written this for two reasons- one, of course, to share (in order not to burst out- so much time, work and threads having been wasted ).
The second reason- to warn other stitchers- if something goes wrong, dont continue till the quarter of the job is done. In other words- trust your intuition.

So, I binned the two weeks' work. Am I alone in this? Did anybody have a similar experience?

I have done that, but on a smallish project, and this was a designer I normally have no problems with.

A larger project would probably languish at the bottom of a box of to-do's. So well done for binning a disappointment - out of sight out of mind.

You are far from alone and I did it with a BIG project. My very first HAED. They suggested stitching 2 over 1 on 25 ct fabric. Wasn't a big problem for the first 6 or maybe 7 pages of pattern which were pretty much all black background. DMC black is so thin that it wasn't hard. Then, I got to the confetti. It became totally impossible to get the needle through the fabric. I was so upset. There was no point in continuing. That was binned. Painfully and I started over. Don't remember if I switched to a single strand or if I started tent stitching it. Got a few pages done, and it is now in the "on hold" pile. So a different reason, but the same result. Still so hard to think about

Carole

I know exactly how you feel!!

Many years ago, probably 25+ I started stitching a Gorilla on linen.
Part of my problem was my inexperience with linen, but mainly it was because it was stitched in 3 strands...all blended!
Dark grey 1 strand Med grey 2 strands, or Dark 2 medium 1 so it was difficult to see where i was on the chart! lots of 'confetti'
Also Light grey 1 strand medium grey 2 strands the vice versa.

After a while I would hold it up and look. Yes I could see how the shading worked and the features of the Gorilla were coming clearer, but I still had to deal with the linen fabric and it's thick and thin weave. I could have started again on Aida but in the end it got put away for 'another day' ,
I am more used to linen fabrics now but 'another day' has yet to arrive!

I guess it never will!

Possibly because I have little experience compared to many here, I am fortunate never to have had this situation.

Regards,

Richard.

I have restarted things, but only small ones, fortunately. I have given up on some larger ones, and have decided they are simply not for me.
Here's hoping your next project will go smoothly and look as beautiful as all your other work!

I feel your pain, Lyudmila! It is an awful lot of stitching time to throw away.

Will you be able you tell if the design is not quite right for another time?

I do not like when the designer uses just whole stitches and just cut the cross right across with back stitching. I think that it looks quite untidy.
Adjusting it does not always work. I am a lot more careful now choosing designs to stitch.

I haven't binned it yet, but I bought replacement fabric. I have a cat pattern I got permission from the artist to turn into a pattern. The first fabric I bought was a black Zweigart, and it feels so stiff and rough, and I absolutely hate it. I got partway into the first page. Last Christmas, my hubby gave me a shopping spree in one of the only specialty shops here in the pacific northwest, so I bought some new black linen.

So this new fabric will let me do 2 over 1, instead of 1 over 1. I'm also contemplating only doing half stitches for the project when I get around to it. I've never not done the full stitch, so it's a little rankling to me because I consider it half-assing it, but I think it'll still look nice. But yes I'll throw away attempt number one when I get around to starting that massive project again.