Sampler Hours 5 - 7

So, here I am, bravely negotiating the new Blogger interface to post the latest three photos on the current sampler project!!  I didn't realise the post form had been changed too, but so far I'm managing to find everything and, much as I want to dislike it (how stupid, but true!!), I'm finding that I'm pleased to see a longer post form on the page instead the of the previous scrappy little thing you had to forever scroll up and down.  At least now it's page long.  So, if you use Blogger and haven't posted since the changes came in, you'll see that next time.=)

The progress isn't as obvious as it was on the first four shots as the hardanger satin stitching is all in place and it's cross stitches that are - slowly, as it's very bitty work - growing around the outside of it.

Here's hour five which shows the completion of the Klosters and tulips, some of the darkest green cross stitching and half of the bullion knot flower centres.  I was pleasantly surprised at how smoothly they went as, although I love the look of them, bullions are not my forté.  I loosened the clips to work them as they're virtually impossible in tightly held fabric.

Hour six shows all the bullion centres done, all the darkest green 'x's in and some of the lighter ones started.  It was slow going with the crosses as they are bitty and I was also watching another Chinese history documentary, this time on the building of the Great Wall.

Which reminds me, I'm no great shakes at history, Connie and I too wasn't interested in it at school, or even at Uni for that matter.  I had to do it as part of my Chinese Studies course as some area studies/background modules were compulsory, but, apart from a bit of Mongolian history and culture in first year, I didn't select a single area studies module as an option.  Every single one was either a language (Japanese, Cantonese, Mongolian and Spanish - and, no I am NOT fluent in them all!  Can barely remember a word, in fact!), or some IT classes.  I've always been quite keen on computers.  However, I'm much more interested in the area studies aspect of Chinese these days and so I take in the occasional doc on the good old iPlayer!

This is the current status at the end of hour seven and here you see the lighter green completed and some purpley stitches as well (if you look carefully, that is!).  This bit was done whilst watching a travel documentary on hiking in Iceland!!=)

I've also been making some real progress on getting the roses finished up and should have that whole process ready to show on Monday.  One more stage to go now, but it's held up in the ironing pile at the mo as I can't slip stitch the last part together before pressing the edges.

Text and images © Elizabeth Braun 2012