Counted Cross Stitches: Long Dog Sampler

I never ever did quite put the things away like I was expected to! A reader once asked not too long ago how this project was coming, so I believed I’d owe you an update.

Now that summer finally arrived, my grandchild has released a sampler with a little more effort. She informed me she has a plan to listen to audiobooks (she’s an actual fan of Agatha Christie) and sew away. Looks like a great summer plan!

After I informed you I was bidding farewell to this project for a time, I found that I might slip the entire project into a great basket and keep it more or less available, despite other work to do. It’s a lot easier to take this project out and put a couple of stitches in when I have a couple of minutes than it is to head out to the studio, where I’m dealing with the ecclesiastical piece! I have actually kept this thing next to the couch in the living room, and have actually handled a couple of sessions on it here and there, as time allowed.

I have actually handled to put in practically 3 entire bocks up there on the right.

Each of these little blocks is less than an inch square, however in each of those little squares, there are 728 little stitches, and they take a good amount of time.

While the real stitching might get a bit recurring, the modifications in pattern and color make the piece fascinating to sew. There’s no tension at all included in this kind of stitching, so it actually does make an excellent summer season project!

I didn’t like the zig-zag pattern or the color plan. What’s weird is that, simply as I was coming to the end of this square, I discovered I did in fact like it, in some way. I liked the method it filled in so firmly, and how all the colors formed their little own zig-zagged cool little rows. I really liked it!

This leading half of the pink and grey square is maybe among my preferred components up until now. I like that “carnation” appearance, common to 17th-century petit point slips and other historic embroideries.

I’m pleased we carried out the project. It’s offered me much better gratitude for counted strategies. And I still do plan to bring the entire project through to the end, which, for me, is a great indication that I’m enjoying it.

I have not sewn on this for a couple of weeks now, however, I am still keeping it beside the couch, waiting for the next 10-minute break that I can dedicate to it!

Enjoy the day!