Monday, February 4, 2013

Can you hear the singing?!!

Last night around 8:30pm, I put the final stitches in the largest project to date I have ever stitched.  That is correct, I have finished Dutch Beauty!!!!!!!!!  My first finish for 2013.  One less WIP!!  So many things to be excited about!!!  Exactly 4 weeks from my last post, I completed the final row and added the flowers to the border.  I have stitched so much in the last 4 weeks, that my shoulder was killing me from holding my hoop!  I was so desperate to get this finished and I posted last time I wanted it complete before April 1st, then I made a new personal goal of January 31st.  Well, in the last 4 weeks, there has been alot of adventure so sometimes I didnt get as much stitching in as I wanted.  So clearly that goal came and went.  Not much longer after my goal and stitched in less then a year, here is my Dutch Beauty!!
I am sooo thrilled to be done stitching this piece.  It was getting quite tedious near the end, I wasnt enjoying it anymore.  I feel like if I didnt push myself I wouldnt have felt this way--but it had to get done.   I was tired of the threads sitting out for so long, and what a joy it was to put them all away. With each and every page complete, there were less and less I had to stitch, I was pumped up.  You can do this!!   I spent time with each and every motif choosing the colors I wanted to stitch with-- I didnt follow the symbols at all, I referred to them, however most of the time chose a different color.
I spent a long time stitching the swan motif, I wanted to see the family separate from their mother.  I wanted depth for feathers.  I do feel that using the over-dyed silk that each motif popped from the next.  The flowers you can smell and the animals breathing.  Amazing what simple things can do for your project.  I know it was worth the time using this technique instead of following the chart.  Do I want to try that in another project?  Sure, but not for a long time!! LOL.
Using 23 overdyed silk colors and stitched on 45ct Vintage Maritime White from Lakesided Linens.  She measures 25 1/2 inches x 15 1/2 inches.  Thanks again for all the great emails, texts and comments keeping me motivated.  I know that is what helped drive me to complete this fantastic sampler.  I look forward to having her framed this summer and hung in a special place :)
The next question is that tonight, I will have to stitch on something else.  I cant just sit and do nothing!!  I actually might have to break out the WIPs and play for a bit!!!!!

41 comments:

  1. A-maz-ing! All I can say is wow!

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  2. Oh!!! That is lovely!
    What an accomplishment!

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  3. HURRAY !!! I am so pleased for you Shannon, a HUGE congratulations, you can hang her with great pride.

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  4. Congratulations for your fantastic finish. Wonderful work.
    Best wishes, Grit

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  5. Wonderful... congratulations!!!
    Ciao
    Fabrizia

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  6. All I can say is all your efforts and time were worth it. It is absolutely
    B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So happy for you.

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  7. What an amazing accomplishment! Congratulations! Your DB colors really pop!
    Melinda

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  8. Congrats, Shannon, on having completed this mega-sampler! It's quite an accomplishment!

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  9. Gorgeous!!!! You did a great job and it looks fabulous! You must be so proud and carrying a huge smile on your face every time you look at it. So glad you finished it and that you enjoyed it!!!!

    pj

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  10. WOW! WOW! WOW!!! A truly amazing piece!! I was thinking about you just last night when I finished my large project and wondered how you were coming along on this. So very happy for you and such a wonderful accomplishment!! Congrats, Laura

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  11. Huge congratulations on your finish! DB is gorgeous!

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  12. Your version of the DB is just amazing!!! I love it so much!! Take a rest by stitching something small and easy.....LOL
    Shelly

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  13. Absolutely beautiful! You did such a good job picking out overdyes--the colors really pop! I think I would just sit and gaze at it for awhile--and rest that shoulder!!!!

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  14. It is so beautiful!I love it. Bet you're glad to have your couch back!

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  15. Another WOW to add to the others...you can be so very proud. I think I speak for all: we share in your joy of a job well done!

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  16. congrats, I wish I could see it in person. I'm very impressed and inspired.

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  17. CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can so definitley hear the singing! :) And it's beuatiful singing to boot because how could you have anything bust Heavenly choirs announce the completion of such a wonder?! Lovely. Lovely. Lovely. You did an amazing job making that piece really live. Pat yourself on the back... now show us what you've decided to pick up! ;-)

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  18. What a wonderful and beautiful finish. I know this is one you will treasure forever. Great job.

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  19. Wow! Congratulations on finishing that!

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  20. Congratulations!!! You are experiencing the same excitement as I did when I finished my
    DB in 2007 (stitching with the first SAL group)... I love your colors...I did follow the original colors except I did use a pinkish/rosish overdye for the flowers, stitching over one on 32 count. Yours is absolutely gorgeous and I can't wait to see it framed!

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  21. Just stunning!!!!!!! I can't wait to see it framed and hanging in a place of honor in your home.

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  22. Congratulations! She is soooo gorgeous.

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  23. Yes, I can still hear you! And rightfully so.

    CONGRATULATIONS!!!

    Big Happy Dance. Your DB is fabulous!

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  24. Congratulations on your gorgeous finish!

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  25. Congratulations!!! What a magnificent piece and your stitching is gorgeous!!!

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  26. Holy COW! That is a biggy! Congrats on the amazing finish :) She looks beautiful!

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  27. Oh.my.goodness.Oh.my.goodness.Oh.my.goodnesss!!Gorgeous, Amazing, Fabulous, Lovely ... all of that! DB is quite an accomplishment and you should be very proud. Congratulations!

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  28. It's incredible, you should be very proud!

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  29. It looks amazing! I can't wait to see it in person. The swan motif is just gorgeous. Congrats on such a fabulous finish. What's next? L.

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  30. Big, big congratulations on such a wonderful finish!

    Did you ever post your silk thread conversions? I am wanting to start this one, but feeling slightly intimidated.

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    1. Hello and thank you for visiting my blog :) I appreciate you leaving a comment as well. To answer your question, it is a popular one, I do not share my conversions. Simply because conversions are a personal thing and take a lot of time. Dyelots tend to be the biggest bugger of all, no 2 shipments are ever the same. And as for Dutch Beauty, I used twice as many colors as called for, and it would be impossible to duplicate.
      I do recommend that you try a conversion for yourself, it is alot of work but it is alot of fun and well worth the time. It also makes the sampler your very own :)

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  31. Congratulations - she is absolutely stunning! You really pushed to get her completed in these last few weeks. Love love love how the swan family looks. Such an inspiration!

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  32. Wow it does look fabulous, the colours are so different compared to the DMC's, my sister stitched it and I have to show her this one, she will be envious!

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  33. Lovely...just lovely. Congratulations, what an accomplishment.

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  34. Wow, that's definitely a masterpiece. Congratulations on having finished it!

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Thank you for stopping by! I enjoy reading your comments :)