Crossstitchforum - A FREE forum for Cross Stitchers

Yes, this is another new project! Well, this one is a gift for Simon's Mum's birthday and it has to be stitched and framed by 24 June. I normally have around 30 - 45 minutes free before I got to work, so I thought if I did half an hour a day on this project, I would start making some progress. Having it sit in the cupboard keeping reminding me that I've only got 5 months to get it done and framed is makign me a bit anxious. That's my excuse anyway!

Here's what it looks like....


All the "sea" is only tent stitch so the only parts with full crosses are the dolphins themselves and the coral, so I should think this will grow quite quickly anyway. It's one of those horrible Chinese kits like my celestial one, only this one doesn't have an English translation. Good job I did the other one first so I have an idea what to do!

Some of the colours are blended, but they conveniently sorted them onto a thread organiser with the ones that need blending in the same holes, so that bit was easy. I noticed one or two of the symbols on the chart don't correspond to the colour key so if I stitched it as it says, some of the sea would be orange! But I'll figure that out later. I made a quick start this morning on one of the blended colours which forms a big chunk of the background. I thought I would so as much as I could in this colour first. Here's my first few stitches....


It's stitched on white 14 count Aida and helpfully ALL of the four edges are selvedge, so no fraying. I had to start in the middle because the chart doesn't tell you how big the design is. I imagine it will be about 10 x 16 inches though, or thereabouts. The tent stitch on 14 count doesn't give brilliant coverage, but it was the same on the celestial design - it's not supposed to because it makes the important bits, like the dolphins, stick out more. I'll just do an update on this about once a week as I won't be spending much time on it to begin with.

Sarah, you really are amazing!! Another project on the go!! I don't know how you do it, I would get so confused!!

It's a wonderful design, nice bright colours and subtle blending.

Can't imagine why you are anxious about the June deadline tho'. Even with only 30 mins stitching a day, at your rate you'll be done by Easter , easily.

Great start, great project.

Hehe, well I hope I get finished by Easter! I thought if I finish it by the end of April, that gives me 2 months to get it framed. There isn't a decent framer in my town so it takes at least 4-6 weeks for me to get stuff framed, but I should be okay. I thought if I get to the 2nd week in April and it's not finished, I'll drop everything else and zip through the last part of it.

I really enjoy having several on the go at once, then I never get bored with any of them! Some of them, such as the Chinese Dragon and Predator, are impossible to do in artificial light because Predator is on black and Dragon has a horrible chart so I'm keeping Predator for work or Saturday afternoons and Dragon for Sunday afternoons. Telescope every evening of the week and Dolphins for early mornings. Lots of fun and variety and nice to see them all growing a bit at once.

Only trouble is I'm really desperate to start this other project I'm planning I thought I would finish Dragon and Predator and then treat myself.

I love the pic it will look great, good idea to do about 30 mins a day, as you say at least you feel you have made a start and I am sure it will grow quickly.

I was going to ask what tent stitch was as I have seen people talk about it on the forum, I thought it was the first arm of cross stitch and looking at your picture I think I am right.

I never realised you had soooo many on the go, I don't know how you do it. (I have a load of UFO's)

My gosh you are busy!!!!! Its a lovely project hun, and you've made a good start on it already!

This looks lovely Sarah, I love sea ones. So peaceful feeling.
I'm going to enjoy watching this grow.

great start!

You're right about the tent stitch, Minij, it's half a cross. There is a thread somewhere on here describing how to do it with diagrams. You have to take the thread the longest way across the back of the fabric to the next stitch, which helps avoid having your fabric distort itself in one direction. You can sometimes end up with a diamond shaped piece of work instead of a square otherwise! I'm using tent stitch for my HAED too.

I have some UFOs too, which I intend to finish this year, at some point

One is 3 wolves which is three quarters done and the other is a huge horoscope sampler, which is horrible to do as I hate the chart. It came from a book (same one as my Chinese Dragon) and it's glossy pages with colour blocks and each colour block has a symbol in it. You're ok with the yellows and pale blues, but the darker colours are awful because you can't see the symbol on it unless you have direct daylight shining on it. Hence me giving Sunday daylight hours to it.

Another great project, Sarah! I like the under water pics, but haven't done one yet. I know with your stitching speed that you'll be done with this in no time!

Dolphins Lovely design

This looks like a great one to do for your MIL. I bet she will be so pleased with your gift. I have seen this pattern in some cataloges that I get and I think I also saw it at Michael's. It is very pretty.

Great start on it!!

Do you still have the celestial chart? If you do and it's translated you could always see if there isn't a similarity in the instructions or whatever your needing translated. If you bought it from an individual you could always ask them if they have a translated version of the instructions that could either be mailed to you through the post office or email.

Another lovely projects -- and as you say, the half crosses aren't supposed to give full coverage here (unlike with a HAED), their purpose in life is to make those dolphins splash off the fabric!

Could the orange in the sea be something like the reflection of the sun? (Although it doesn't look like it in the kit picture)

Beautiful project, good luck with it!

Look forward to seeing more

Great start I must find that tent stitch thread, my new project has a lot too

Oh, my...oh, my...sarah...another fantastic project! This will look so great....your projects are all amazing!

I have to admit that I didn't go the long way around when I did the tent stitch on the eagle (entire thing except tree & eagle). I didn't know about going the long way around then. Thankfully it didn't warp the project any.

Lovely new project Sarah

Lovely project I have seen and admired similar pictures to these I look forward to watching it grow!