Views of Modern Rome

I'm on google, so I did a search on the group and found Fred's original post.

Dora

Many thanks Dora. I cannot imagine the patience needed. I thought taking over 12 months each to do Beth Russell's "Acanthus" & Africa Violet" rugs was being patient. I bet he doesn't have children or grandchildren.

Steve

Steven wrote: I cannot imagine the patience needed. I thought taking over 12 months each to do Beth Russell's "Acanthus" & Africa Violet" rugs was being patient. I bet he doesn't have children or grandchildren.

And I reply: Well, I'll bet he doesn't have cats.

He certainly is a 'numbers' person, and very meticulous. He won't for example, work vertically in cross stitch. He says there is too much danger of stitches getting 'boxed in' and as a result threads won't lie perfectly. Plus the backs aren't as nice. I'm afraid I'm not that picky.

The last few days, I've been thinking of starting a large computer generated chart of a French tapestry. I don't know though. I try to have a balance of large and small projects. Too many large unfinished projects becomes depressing.

Congrats on finishing the rugs. Are they in Victorian Needlepoint? I guess the paperback version is now OOP. Proof one shouldn't put such things off forever. Dora Who has a cat sleeping on her lap

African Violet is in her first book William Morris Needlpoint, Acanthus is in Victorian Needlepoint. I have done them both on 10 ct as I couldn't get 8 ct, only 7.5 and a trial area didn't seem to cover too well. Some people don't like working from her colour patterns & prefer symbols. I havn't found any problems interpreting them, African Violet uses printed colours which are easy to destinguish, the Acanthus pattern uses coloured pencil some of which can sometimes be difficult to distinguish. I scan the pattern, blow up section to approx finished size, then outline the colour blocks (not individual stiches) with a black pen. I am not pedantic enough to be worried if I get the colour of the odd stitch wrong, there is not much difference between pale green & very pale green. No-one is likely to know & its adds a bit of individuallity.

They were both intended to be used as bedside rugs but to save a prolonged argument they are now wall hangings. Its the children who are now fighting as to who will get them in the future.

What's next? I'd like to do Beth's Peacock (WMN) but as a wall hanging on

Ahh! I think the rug pattern in the first William Morris book is actually called African Marigold. I've always wanted to do that one. I have a place for it, but I don't know if I'll ever get around to it.

I have done them both on 10 ct as I couldn't get 8

I'm doing the same thing on an Eliane McCready pattern. I bumped it down to 10 ct from 8 ct, which makes it a more manageable size for my place btw.

I think the 7.5 would have to be done in cross stitch rather than continental in order to get the coverage. XS is a better stitch for rugs anyway.

Some people

You need good light to work them, but you can't be too persnickety. I prefer the color ones combined with symbols myself.

Good luck on your projects. Off to work! Dora