Restart on Noel Sampler

Yesterday I kept thinking about Noel Sampler. I don’t want to be a quitter but I want to be happy with the project. I spent quite a bit of time searching through the linen to see what I might want to use for the new Noel Sampler. I spent some time on Instagram looking at finished Noel Samplers, as well as some in progress. I decided that I would stick with the same fabric, 40 count Cream & Sugar by Fiber on a Whim, but change some colors.

When I started stitching the first time, the “NOEL” letters looked too bright so I went with a lighter color floss, but by the time I stitched the red bricks and started working on the green roof, my NOEL letters were too light.

Here’s the cover of the chart:

I decided what I’m going to do this second time is stitch all the borders. Then I’m going to start on the right side at the top. I’ll stitch the bird, the keys, the trees. Then I’ll start on the solid red, then the bricks, then when I get to the green roof, I’ll make a decision on whether I need to use a different green.

There’s a lot that doesn’t show up even on the photo above – the snow, there’s some stitching underneath the rows of letters. I understand that some people like “ghost stitching” but I don’t. I’m not sure I’d even put the rows of white stitching underneath the rows of letters but in places where the stitching probably should show up, I may go with a bit less white floss.

We’ll see but by the time I’ve stitched from the right side and stitched the house, that will give me a better idea of the other colors I should use.

That brownish colored bird on the left side of the house is a concern too. I don’t know . . I’m a long way from that point.