It’s three weeks since I last shared my Finery of Nature cross-stitch with you, I didn’t think I’d done that much, little bits here and there, but the photos show a respectable amount of progress! This is a Dimensions kit I found on the sales table at my Embroiderers Guild, it’s meant to be on black aida, but I’ve changed it to a soft green linen so my eyes can manage it!
Three weeks ago I’d tried adding some silver highlights and just started the border too. I was having serious doubts about the silver thread…
After much debating I decided to take the silver out, I felt it looked messy and also I felt the silver (which was meant to be gold!) was mainly to highlight things against the black, it just didn’t seem to add anything to the picture. There’s still back-stitching in other colours on the pattern so if I decided something needs a bit extra, I can always use a colour instead without it looking out of place.
The border is one place where I’m still trying to decide what to do. The swirls are meant to have a gold thread couched down the middle, I’m still hovering between a silver grey, a dark grey or a dark teal!
It would be nice to think I could finish this quarter over the next three weeks, but we will see!
This stitch-a-long is organised by Avis, we each choose our own project, work at our own speed, just share our progress every three weeks, it’s a huge motivator, so if you’d like to join us just send Avis a message. Please follow the links to see lots of inspiring hand-stitching.
Avis, Claire, Gun, Carole, LucyAnn, Jess, Sue, Constanze, Debbierose, Christina, Kathy, Cindy, Helen, Steph, Linda, Heidi, Jackie, Sunny, Hayley, Megan, Catherine, Deborah, Connie, Clare, Mary Margaret, Renee, Jenny, Carmela, Jocelyn, Sharon
thecraftycreek 
Beautiful, Margaret. I love the violets. My thoughts are to use gold thread, to highlight the yellow gold of the bird.
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That’s a idea worth thinking about, I might wait until the other three quarters are stitched to see what colour is needed.
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Quite a lot of progress I would say. Love the subtle orange colour of the flowers.
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Thank you, the flowers do just help to lift it 🙂
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You have been busy, well done I am envious of your prowess
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Thanks Debbie, this one is taking a bit of concentration!
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It’s really beautiful Margaret, those peachy flowers have really complemented the other colours and makes it so pretty. Jenny x
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Thanks Jenny, it’s coming together 🙂
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Loving your progress…such a pretty piece!
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Thank you!
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Those coral flowers are so pretty, a nice pop of color! Great progress, aren’t photos great that way?
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Thanks Kathy, the photos do help to motivate when you don’t realise how much you’ve done!
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You’ve made great progress. It’s looking lovely and I’m sure you’ll choose the right colour for the couched bits.
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Thanks Avis, it’s been a productive couple of weeks 🙂
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Wow~ you made lots of progress and it looks fabulous…love the orange flowers too!
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Thanks, the orange just lifts it 🙂
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Wow! Isn’t it amazing how working on a piece a bit here and a bit there can add so much progress over 3 weeks time? It looks lovely!
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Ten minutes here and there all add up, it’s a bit like my three sessions a week in the garden 🙂
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great progress, and love the Lily of the Valley along the side
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Thanks Claire, I love the variety of flowers in this design, I’ll be stitching bluebells soon 🙂
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Oh how pretty this is turning out! Gorgeous with two of my favourite things, birds and flowers. Wonderful!
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Thanks Jocelyn, there’s dragonflies and butterflies to come yet 🙂
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Ohhh a teal border would look fabulous! Such beautiful work!
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Thanks Mary, teal is definitely a strong contender 🙂
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Great progress! It’s looking great. I would wait till you’ve finished stitching the main elements and then decide what type of highlights you may want in the border.
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Thanks Catherine, that’s the conclusion I’m coming to, even if it means me stitching it all at the end!
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Great progress and it´s looking so good!!!!
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This is so me. I love nature and this one is very pretty and you are rolling along at a nice pace too.
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I love the detail in a Dimensions kit — and your stitching is so lovely it’s coming together beautifully! I think you could certainly wait and finish the other quarters and then decide what (if any) highlighting you want to use.
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Very pretty, love your choice of fabric 😀
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