Do mermaids have navels?

This one does, finally! I didn't have much time today but I did SAL with you for a little while. Mostly I filled in some single stitches in the previous 10 rows and then began the next 10.
Atlantis Storykeep
artwork by Selina Fenech

I have several other obligation pieces working so I'm only working HAED on SAL day, but it is more than I was doing before this group came together. I seem to get much further along on obligation pieces, so while this is low on the obligation list is it on that list in my mind thanks to all of you. My eyes are dead tired so I'll be back tomorrow to see all your beautiful pieces.

Yoyo
My blog, home of the Totally Useless SAL, come on over and join the fun.

Yoyo's Storykeep

I think I got about 200 stitches in on SAL Thursday. She has hips!!! I'm getting a kick out of the picture process ... I'm stitching it upside down, then I thought you'd see it better if I turned it over, and that makes a pretty cool effect with the carried threads. Good thing I started with a Storykeep...I'm learning sooooooooo much.

I'm off to look at all the progress reports. Happy Stitch'n.

Tiny progress for a tiny chart

I didn't get as much done as I had hoped but I did fill up ALL of my single holes. That was a major achievement for me. As I was working on that I also had one of those hit yourself in the head light bulbs come on. I had said to somebody in an e-mail about "how to" stitch these that I had made an almost fatal error on this, my first, HAED project by starting at the bottom of the chart. I started at the bottom because there were only 10 or 12 lines on that page and I wanted to toss the extra piece of paper. I am used to carrying my threads down as I go, and having started at the bottom, that simply didn't work....I did hang a few off the side but they would keep getting in the way because the silly thing is so small. I had no idea how intricate a HAED was when I began this project. Anyway, there I am stitching away and this light bulb went off, "Well, dummy -- turn the chart and the fabric up-side down and it will appear as though you are stitching from the top down and you'll be able to carry your threads more conveniently!" So I have been stitching up-side-down and I can really say, even though my progress does not compare to you other busy bees, this is the best one sitting progress I have made yet. I know I'll be racing through the rest of this now --- that is racing through as the snail not the rabbit. Oh and.... DS came to visit while I had this out and I explained to him this is a gift for DH....guess who thinks he needs one too!! NOT. So here is what my mermaid looks like standing on her head. Atlantis Storykeep artwork by Selina Fenesh.

Yoyo says Hello

Hello fellow stitchers. I'm Yoyo, I have a real name but have been called Yoyo for more than 50 years, so that will do fine. I am almost embarrassed to enter this blog with my little tiny Storykeep. But I have been working on this for a very long time and I feel like I'm getting no where. In the past I've done several Teresa Wentzler pieces so when I purchased my first HAED's I just figured they'd be like the TWs...but for me that just isn't the case. I will admit though, that I'm much older now and do have a lot more trouble with my eyes than when I was stitching Peacock Tapestry.

I'm working on my first HAED, Atlantis Storykeep, artwork by Selena Fenech, and have two more Storykeeps and Cindy F.'s Santa in his Study in my stash...which up until this blog came along I had almost decided would never see the light of day. But hopefully, forcing me to publish continuing progress may change my mind on that score. You'll notice in my photos that I have gridded my fabric. I actually had stitched about 65 rows before I decided to do that. If any of you are older like me, I will highly recommend that you take the time to do it before you start. I had several visits from the ubiquitous frog before I did that. Gridding the fabric made a huge difference for me, I have not misplaced one stitch that I know of since I did this and I really seem to be moving along a lot faster (read with a lot less frustration!!) than before. So, here is my first photo. I don't count stitches or hours, but I can say I'm about 45% done because of the number of rows in the project. I'm eagerly looking forward to watching all your projects. I have already learned that I should have done this with only one strand of floss (it's DMC 2 over 1 on 25 ct linen) and I'm sure I'll pick up more tips along the way. Thank you all for sharing your projects, I really enjoyed reading all the previous posts.

Happy Stitching,

My blog: Dragon My Needle
Home of the Totally Useless SAL, come join the fun!!