Midnight Blue

I've been filling in the middle some, this part with the dark blue scaffolding. There are, I think, a total of five different colors of blue in each of these. It feels like this one is going faster, but it's probably just because there's not that much regular cross stitching in the edge parts, since those are reserved for specialty stitches. Or maybe I'm speeding up, but I really doubt that one!

Ares Done

Last night I finished my backwards stitching. The ram is done and I'll be sending it out today. I found I was getting almost as fast stitching backwards (I was doing rows starting stitches from the bottom right corner and going across instead of the bottom left corner when working downwards) as I am stitching fowards. Besides learning this trick, I found out I absolutely hate working with DMC metallic thread. It splits horribly, unwinding at every opportunity. Much better to use Kreinik or Treasure Braid. This doesn't count toward my project challenge because none of the materials were mine. On the other hand, it's my first finish of 2008.

Getting Golder

The line keeps moving downward of done stitches. This week I added gold and one of the blues. In fact, the upper arm of that blue is now done. There is a lot of gold in each arm and I don't like cutting the treasure braid too long, so it's only halfway down the arm.

Back in the Rotation Again

The Midi is back in the rotation again, and more than halfway done with part three. The left side arch is done with cross stitches and the right is on its way. Finishing this is one of my goals for 2008, so I need to get working on it!

More Red, More Gray

This week I added more red and more gray to the flag side of the piece. Still pretty easy to stitch and without problems. This week is a low stitching time week because I have a -lot- to do. Eventually this will get to my highest priority, but not yet.

Dazzling Edge

I got the edge conpletely done this week, and unfortunately not anything else. I need to set aside time and just get this -done-. It's my plan to once I'm done on the zodiac round robin I'm stitching on daily. This will be my daily item until it's done afterward.

Leafing Out

I'm getting to the real stuff now - all the big things that need to be filled in. One leaf is done, all in chain stitch, and the other will be (plus something else, I hope) this week. The zodiac thing is taking up significant amounts of stitching time so I can get it done, and then last night I went off the reservation with the crazy quilt block.

I think I shaded the leaf fairly well. For some reason, I've come to like doing crewel more and more despite my "color in the lines" personality and liking of all things counted.