I’ve made some good progress on Grace on Thee. The chart is by Plum Street Samplers and I love everything of theirs that I’ve seen.
It should finish at 4″ wide x 3-3/4″ high but I have to add my initials and date at the bottom so it’s going to be pretty close to square. I like how the pattern cover shows it finished but I love it and think I’d like to frame it and have it sitting on the mantle but I’ll wait til it’s done to decide.
I wanted to get a few of the bricks done just to see how it’s going to look because the white stitching between the bricks doesn’t show up so much without the red bricks. I wanted a redder brick so I subbed DMC 437 in place of WDW Lancaster Red.
I know it all looks crooked but it isn’t . . it’s just the way I have it pinned in the frame and the more I try to fix it, the more crooked it looks but it will be fine once I get it out of the frame.
The white between the bricks does show up better in real life than in the picture. Believe it or not, I tried probably 6 whites before deciding DMC 3865 shows up better on this fabric than the other.s
I was anxious to do my first big house but this one probably isn’t a true measure of how I’ll feel about houses because the bricks and windows break up the monotony of all the stitching.
My plan is to get the white “mortar” done, get the windows done, get everything done on the house except the bricks, then move on to the topiaries, the flag, the stars and the words. Then, I’ll save the bricks to do when Vince is here since it’s a lot of time consuming work but no counting.
So far, I think I’m pretty lucky that I love all the projects I’ve started.
I’m going to work on Farmhouse Christmas today, tomorrow and Sunday, then come back to Grace on Thee, work on it a couple of days and hopefully by then, all depending on the weather, my longer rollers should be here so I can re-load Pet All The Dogs and get that back in rotation too.
Roberta Miglin says
Why not put initials and date in the urns??? Or in the grass??? Just a bit of line stitching over the crosses??? Just a thought.
Judy Laquidara says
I’m actually trying to make it square so adding the initials the the bottom helps me get to that point.
Marcie says
Judy, I’ve noticed that you are beginning this (? and some other) projects at the bottom. Patterns sometimes instruct to start in the center. I start my projects at the top left. I wonder if you could comments on what you see or have heard as advantages or disadvantages of different starting points. Thanks!
Donna Williams says
It looks terrific! Good job.
Suzette Harris says
I’ve really enjoyed reading about your cross stitching journey. It’s funny. I started cross stitching when I moved to Texas. My mother in law got me started. I would never have dreamed of substituting a color back then. I don’t even think I would have even the day before you started talking about substituting. But reading about you doing it just seems so natural. Yes I was the buy the quilt pattern and make it exactly as shown girl. Right down to the exact fabric. I’m so happy I broke free of “the rules”. Enjoy!
Judy H says
If it were me, I’d do the red bricks and then come back with the white mortar. When you stitch the white it would be ever so slightly more prominent if you did it after the red. Just something to consider.
Ava says
I wish I had the patience for cross stitching. I really like this pattern. You always do such a good job.