Diamond painting a little bit more

work completed and a little bit more fun.

Finished the first shade, and the second shade (which was black) which was dotted in amongst the fist and so was very easy to see so more enjoyable to me.

I then moved onto another colour, based on the ease of seeing the symbol on the pattern, it kept my hands reasonably occupied whilst we watched the disappointing reboot Laura Croft picture on T.V.

So some lessons learned, rolling it up does not appear to have caused any problems and the plastic that covers the stick pattern is only stick resistant on one side, the other side..sticks! 

No thoughts as yet on what I will do with it when it is finished, well that's not quite true I did mention it to my BFF that perhaps I would give it to her as housewarming gift once she gets moved.

Lockdown SAL nearly almost

on side two.

got the cross stitch finished, there were a few blue and lilac ninjas hidden in all that green. Oh the green was so very annoying to me, my eyes were just having a hard time seeing the symbols under the backstitching lines.  More than likely it was my copy that was a bit blurry once printed.

I made a start on the backstitch and the difference it makes just that little bit is as always amazing!

 

I have high hopes of getting the backstitching finished next session,  oh that will mean having to sew it up, that could be interesting. 

Don't forget to pop over to my friends post to see how she is getting on Link here

Lock down Sal going green

that's what I have left to stitch (other than the back stitch) green, not one shade but several.  Tulip stems, tulip leaves and those interestingly shaped corner leaves.  I recall seeing an episode of the Telly Tubbies where the theme of the little film was green. GREEN GREEN GREEN (which of course was shown twice, again again again!)

Small though this is, the way it is opposite reflective made me think green green green and indeed one more again that the Telly Tubbies had.

And I had to remember to repeat the design variation ( read as mistake kept in) that occurred on the first side with the corner leaves.

So here it is

No my friend and I got to talking colours again and I am embarrassed to admit I had completely forgotten she was not sewing on the same background fabric, and had been thinking the difference was a matter of lighting, I do know her living room is more mood lit than bright. I must get her to tell you about her lighting issues, solutions (my issues with the solutions) and the solutions to out issues at some point, but I digress.  We wondered if that was were the shades difference came from, might be or we might just have different dye lots.

We don't really care we are having fun and it is a topic of conversation.

I see my BFF has started with the hints about our next project, but we will be coordinating when we divulge the pattern and the why of it a little bit closer to finishing this project. (LINK to my BFF's blog)

Oh and I am enjoying using one of my gold plated needles on this now because I found them! Hooray and have popped them into the intended bee needle case. link to needle case post and perhaps  finding them might spur me on to getting on with my big project.Millennium or maybe not perhaps the three angels might get some attention rather then the two.

Diamond Painting ?

I was gifted with a diamond painting kit for Christmas, yes that was quite some time ago wasn't it.  I am not so sure that the title of this craft is exactly representative, its not made of diamonds (shame that) and nor is it exactly painting after all there is no paint.

It is more faceted mosaic, but that lack a certain saleable ring to it.

So the kit. 

 

came in this box.

with the rolled up pattern which is also the base onto which the faceted mini tiles stick. (those are the tiles in the bags at the bottom of the picture.)

Little trays, odd pink stuff and tools for corralling, picking up and placing the tiny tiles.

Instructions on the side of the box.  Well I took everything out, checked everything was there, read all the bits and looked at the pattern and put it all back in again.  This occurred more than once. I am not sure why I put off giving it a go. Maybe all those bags of tiles were intimidating.

Today I thought I would make a move and give it a go.

Started with the darkest colour and what looks to be the most used colour.  Made a bit of a false start trying to get the pink pick up stuff onto the tool, mainly because I had not spotted the protective plastic it was covered in.  Ah well.

The tray with grooves did help in getting the tiles the right way (faceted side up and flat side down) and there is a sort of rhythm to it, pinks stuff, pick and stick several tiles then pink stuff repeat.

 I got quite a bit done (the very black bits are done bits) you might be able to tell it is a dragon, my friend knows me well. I am not sure if I like it or not. (the process not the picture, I like the picture).

For the moment, I have at least made a start, but at the same time it has been rolled up again and with all its bits and bobs is back in the box. 

And I will see how long it waits to come out to play again

Appearing Tulips Lockdown SAL

whilst they are not as apparent as experience with the previous side tells me they will be with the backstitch the tulips are done.

There remains leaves, long thin inner leaves and small broad leaves in the corners.

there is still enough stitching and then the finishing to keep us going for awhile yet, but that has not stopped us thinking about what we might do as out next SAL.

Our discussion started with considering what pattern books we have in common.  Only two and of those two I realised that I don't like any of the patterns in one of them at all!

The other is a collection of lots of small patterns and I am not sure that is what either of us feel like doing at the moment.

Our other option is a cross stitch magazine we know we both have. If we can remember where we have put our copies.  We will go into why we both have this particular issue when (see I am being positive there) we find it  and especially if we do find there is a pattern in it we are both happy with.

Here is the link to my friends post LINK 

Together at last

                                                                     Fred and Ginger.

                      They fit into the mounts exactly, not a stitch under or over, that was a relief. 

                                           Overall I am quite pleased with the final result.

Fred Astaire and Ginger Rodgers

I don't know just when I will be in a position to give it to the intended recipient , it is ready as soon as circumstances allow and hopefully it will go down well. I think the black and white will fit in with their decor. 

I will say, of the framing process that the bit I struggle with the most is getting the glass clean and smudge free.  And when taking the picture avoiding reflections and flash points.  On this one, both went reasonably well. Quite pleased indeed..

The lady appears

In an earlier post I mentioned I did not have the charted shade for the collar and was debating doing it in white.

well I was on a roll with the face and after sewing in the last of the shading went on to do the whites of her eyes and her teeth.

The it was back to the hair, I have decided that her hair was worse than Fred's checked jacket, given it was more confetti than it looked and more of it than there was jacket. 

So I alternated between hair and the more restful white until it was all done.

And here she is.

                                                                     Ginger Rogers

Now I have a frame picked out, and it has dual apertures in the mount I just have to decide which way round to display the two images.

                                                                       Fred then Ginger

                                                                                  or

                                                                    Ginger then Fred

                              I am contemplating that whilst they dry out after a gentle wash.

It is funny but on the patterns it looked as if Ginger was a larger image than Fred, The stitch count is the same for both , 95 high by 68 wide, the pattern suggests 14 count mine is on 18 count so it will (I hope ) fit the apertures as per the frame.  Unusual for me to have the frame and mount sorted first.  Indeed if that had not been the case I may well not have bothered to stitch them at all.

However, now they are finished Fred's image looks the larger of the two.

I made a little video of the stages of the stitching on Fred which can either be viewed on this blog or via you tube at Link to Vidio . 

I expect I will try and do the same with Ginger at some point, and will post the pair once framed. 

The Lady begins

to appear.

I have two progress pictures to show you today as I have worked  two shades of grey (and some ninjas)

now this move was not due to my running out of 415 as such but rather the extra skein of 415 I have is not the same dye lot, as most of it is going to be in the hair I think I can get away with that. However, I would like to make sure any ninjas in the face for 415 are discovered before  I completely run out of the original shade. 

So moving on to the next shades helps to flush out the ninjas as I go. The eyes still look funny but she is certainly looking more like a fitting companion to Fred Astaire.

I expect the next shade 414, will make a big difference to the appearance of this project. 

Lockdown Stitch a long, side two

This felt like a lot of progress without a lot of effort or stress.

oh and I meant to mention that single green stitch.

Yes that one at the top outside the pattern area.  It is evidence of my parsimonious nature, as it is the same small bit I used to mark the top on the first side.  Indeed I unpicked it and re used it. However it is too small to uses again and will sadly be discarded once this side is finished.

Her is the link to my BFF s blog for an update LINK