Tuesday, July 26, 2011

FROGS be damned

Okay, I have just about had it. I just had to frog two rather lengthy branches of the rose bush on Tracery Dragons all because I missed just one two and a quarter stitch repeat. Oh, Teresa, you unrivalled mistress of the irregular repeats, you will be the death of me.



I am ready to go back to a technique I haven't used in four decades: making an enlarged working copy, marking off 10x10 areas to stitch and then marking off finished stitching. This is really doing a number on my ego as I like to think of myself as a rather gifted stitcher. Tracery Dragons is deceptively simple with all its unstitched space. But it is precisely because of that unstitched space that every stitched area has to line up perfectly. There are no large areas of stitching in which to bury or fudge errors. Every design element is relatively small, distinct and its correct placement is crucial to the overall design. This is a very unforgiving chart: do it right or not at all.




I know I am going to delight in the finished piece, but this is my fourth bout of frogging on this project. A stitching friend recently stitched matching boy and girl voodoo doll pin cushions . I am seriously considering borrowing the girl pin cushion and naming it Teresa.

6 comments:

Karen said...

Here's hoping you get on the right track! Frogging more than once is so not fun!

happy stitching....

Teresa Wentzler said...

LOL!!! Well, I know if I start to have sudden, sharp pains who to blame! ;)

I hope the frogs will leave you alone for awhile, Riona!

Jo who can't think of a clever nickname said...

I know exactly how you feel! I'm stitching a band for a RR, it's only 80 stitches wide but I have frogged three separate colours already! But it does look good, I sneaked some of the BS in early just to enjoy the finished look!

Chiara said...

I'm sorry for your frogging sessions, Riona.. still, they take the best out of you..! ;D look at what you write..! it's dreadfully funny after some frogging, trust me!
personally I'm having some snarling too (that's how I call it, since the sound I emit is quite the same) on The Sweetheart Tree's Noel Quadrielle..
good luck with those roses, have nice xxx
Chiara

P.S. perhaps you've been asked this one too many times, but which hoop are you using? (IMO one can never have too many hoops..)

mdgtjulie said...

Her charts ARE difficult, but you know they are sooooooo worth it too. It will be gorgeous when you finish it up! I'm eagerly watching your progress on this one!

mbroider said...

Oh dear... Hope the frogs leave you alone.