Wednesday 13 August 2014

Work in Progress Wednesday - 13 August 2014, plus a WIPW review!

The trouble with starting a new piece, especially a new cross stitch, is that there really isn't very much to show in the early stages.  Often, the first steps look much more like something very different from what they actually are.  Remember the 'cross stitched Emmenthal cheese' look in the first month of the Tudor Lady project?  Well, I'm not really sure what this section of tropical ocean looks like, but it's the first bit of my Paradise Island picture.  I've done quite a bit more since, but it was barely worth taking an extra photo, to be honest!  It's more of the same, really.  (OK, OK, it'll look more when updated next week too!!!)

So, as there's so little to show with this new endeavour, I thought I'd do a little review of what I've achieved in the just under two years that I've been joining in Sharon B's Work in Progress Wednesdays blog-along.  My first WIPW post was back on 6 September 2012 and I decided to enter two stalled pieces in the challenge, the first to be finished being the Rolled Roses Brazilian embroidery piece:


The other one, not finished for over a year more, was Cross'n'Patch's 'Sunshine and Flowers' sampler:


The next piece entered, and the most recent to be finished was my peacock feather, which you will remember from the WIPW post just last week.  It took me a long time to convince myself to finish that one, but I did work on it in two or three bursts of activity.  Reporting back to WIPW was a great help in getting both that and the other four pieces complete.

What about the final two?  Well, one is the Tudor Lady that I showcased just a couple of weeks ago and that is currently on my desk in the middle of being stretched pre-framing.  You'll see that again soon when I show my little collection for the Fayre just before the event itself.  I wasn't ever really struggling with this piece, I just decided to post an update most Wednesdays and stay in the WIPW 'group.'

The other piece was entered in two finishing challenges, WIPW and also Anna Scott's 'Finished in February' which she did last year, and was a stumpwork bunny rabbit adapted slightly from the design in 'The A-Z of Stumpwork' from Country Bumpkin (now known as Create in Stitch).


So, altogether, five pieces in various styles.  Having the semi-commitment of reporting progress each Wednesday (and, frankly, wanting to have something to post about at all at times!), has really helped and, if you're having trouble motivating yourself to finish one or more projects and would love to be able to blog/post to on-line albums etc about some stitching victories, then you just might find WIPW helpful.  Hop over to Pintangle and find out more!

Text and images © Elizabeth Braun 2014

8 comments:

sharonb said...

Great post Elizabeth, I still really like that sampler - mind you bunny is cute too. I am pleased the WIP challenge is useful

Rachel said...

It' has proved a very useful challenge, hasn't it, and you've covered a very wide range of styles. And that doesn't include other stumpwork - and don't I recall some goldwork too?

Le trame della Galaverna said...

I love your needle works. Wonderful.

Renee said...

Your projects are all so lovely! The bunny is a favorite of mine. I look forward to seeing your cross stitch next week! (My 14-year-old is anxious for me to make progress on mine. I have not let my boys see the finished picture, so the mystery of beginning a cross stitch project is adding some mystery!)

zenuwpees said...

J'aime les broderies elles sont magnifique feliçitation bonne journée Marie-Claire

gracie said...

Beautiful is the word tosay....

jackiescrafts said...

Your pieces are all wonderful and I'm looking forward to following the progress on your new cross stitch

Jackie x

carorose said...

What a lot of lovely things you have finished? So much to be proud of and I agree about beginning a cross stitch. It doesn't take on a shpae for ages.

 
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