Maria's Dechado

Starting off with another great sunny morning, starting off another week.  I have to start off straight away with a finish-- well she is 99.9% done :)

Isnt she just beautiful?!  I have to clip the threads yet in the aztec stitch, (then she will be done).  It is hard enough for me to cut plain linen let alone cut into the hard work I have just completed!!  LOL.  I am getting up the nerve and I will keep you all posted.  But for now, this is what Maria looks like.  I am over the moon in how she turned out-- and for all of you reading the start of Maria on January 1st-- few stitches, then picking her up again on February 1st-- until now, have heard me complain on more then 1 occasion.  It wasnt the design, it was at first the threads- working with Soie de Paris for the first time, the threads were a bit more slippery.  I have friends that have used this thread for sometime and I have never heard them complain, so why not?  I ended up to liking them, very much so, that I would be open to using them in a future project.

Most of the complaining came from the over 3 section on the right hand side.  I have never done that much ripping out in my life, so it was very frustrating.  The satin stitch, once getting into a rhythm that worked for me, went quickly.  The aztec stitch was the part I feared the most.  This was the only thing holding me back from finishing Maria, or throwing her the hell out :)  All that work, I had to give it a try at least right?  So last week, I think Wednesday night, the light went on, and I figured it out.  I didnt think I would be able to get it done for weeks, seemed to hard, to much to concentrate on, but, in reading the instructions, 'once you get the rhythm down, it is easy going'   ta-da!!!  (Friday night I didnt work on her, actually worked on Olga from Plum street-- I needed a break, but still wanted to stitch something!)  After work on Saturday, and after a quick supper, I picked up Maria and I said to my husband-- this is it.  She needs to be put to bed tonight!!!!!  Late Saturday night, more like 12:30 am Sunday morning, she was finished.  I couldnt be more pleased.

For all the fear of the unknown on the Aztec, it is well worth it and it was actually very easy.  I know that there are several who have commented on previous posts that are stitching this piece, and are fearing the Aztec-- dont be scared-- it looks much much harder then it is.  You may practice on another piece of linen-- I am not much for practicing and jumped right into starting-- why do it twice!  LOL!!!!! 

Maria's Dechado by Samplers Remembered along with the supplies can be purchased at your favorite LNS.  I chose to stitch Maria with the called for Soie de Paris & with the suggested 45ct Vintage Luna Lakeside Linens.  It is worth the hard work-- complaints or not :)  

She is definitely one of my favorite finishes, and I thank my Friends for suggesting it.  Now, onto celebrating with a nice shot of tequila :)