Stitching Updates...

 

Progress All Around....

Way back in March, Dear Readers, was the last time I showed you any progress on the carpets I am stitching. It seems hard to believe so much Time has flown since then, but truly it also means I have progress to show you! I had just completed the outline of the second dragon, to make sure they were not bumping too closely anywhere. This was especially necessary because I had made an error in my stitching of the first dragon's tail which effectively "lifted" it up towards the second dragon by one whole stitch! You would think that would not matter.... but in the nature of curves and their geometric parabolic trajectories.... it did make a difference. I had to "shift" the hind leg of the first dragon away from the second dragon's face....  But who will ever know that? I was able to make the second dragon's outline much truer to my design (no counting mistakes!) and she now has her outline completed. I added length to her "hair" and "tail fringes" to differentiate from the first. I did not want them to be identical.

I had also made a fair amount of progress with the William Morris carpet. 

The leafy parts of the central section are nearly done, as are the pink tulips.

If you spot the errors, please don't tell me... 

I already know they are there!

Here you can see I have made progress

 on the first dragon's scales,

 as well as the background blue sky.

And here I am continuing with the first dragon's scales... 

adding the golden color.

Here you can see I have completed the gold in the scales

 and started the gold frame which will "contain" the dragons.

Remember this is the part of the carpet that I am designing... 

it is not part of the kit design!

But I am staying strictly with the colors that the kit uses.

As you might imagine,

 I really wanted to see how the dragons fit in the frame.

I did plan for very slight overlap in a place or two with the tails and feet.

Counting the stitches in those long diagonal runs was a challenge!

The gold thread in this kit is two very very similar shades.

They are virtually indistinguishable except when

 they are right next to each other, as they are in this frame.

 The inside row is the lighter gold,

 the outer rows are the darker shade.

Here you can see I have begun the scales for the second dragon. 

I decided to use the paler shade of gold for her scales....

I think it will be subtly noticeable in the finished carpet.

Even more progress on the scales!

And lest you think I have ignored the William Morris carpet...

Here you can see I have begun to work the outer border shapes.

This is where the carpet doesn't quite fit the frame!

For the top edge, I am holding the frame in my lap without using the stand

 while I stitch the top few rows of the outer border.

I will need to "scroll" the carpet when I reach the bottom border.

I am saving that part for last so as the minimize the stress

 put on the already stitched upper edge.

Alas, I have made a few stitching errors on those leaves.... 

(I really should not stitch late at night!)

I am really enjoying stitching both of these projects. 

And I think you can agree, Dear Readers,

 I have made good progress all around!