I’ve been working away on the kit. Here are my progress photos.
When I was at the store selecting floss I initially tried to find a match for each wool color individually. But that was a slow process which rapidly became very irritating, so I ended up getting three main ranges of colors for the flowers: a set of purple-pinks, a set of orange-pinks, and a set of pink-pinks. Thus the color scheme is not a complete match to the original, even though I’m more or less following the kit picture.
A few random thoughts:
If I had wanted to radically alter the color scheme I’d have made a few copies of the design and used colored pencils to plan out the overall effect more carefully.
I’m glad I decided on two strands of floss. This is supposed to be my easy motivational project, after all. One strand is very delicate but it does take more time. The very thought makes me tired.
Floss is very pretty – these flowers really shine in the light.
Finally, I would like to officially blame Mary Corbet for all the split-stitch outlines under the petals. It’s extra work but the edges look so much better that I always do it ever since I read about it on her blog. My goodness this project requires a lot of split stitch outlining.
embroidery for ducks 
Just catching up on your last 3 posts so this comment relates to them all. Both the kits are beautiful but they look HUGE! I am working on a very small Trish Burr and that is taking me ages, I dread to think how long these would take me!
I love what you have done so far. Your stitching is beautiful. I like the french knots on the flowers. There are some on the design that I am doing but there are also few straight lines joining some of them to the centre.
Great work. I shall look forward to seeing these progress.
Thanks so much. I’ve been wondering if they would look better with a few straight lines from the french knots to the center. Still thinking it over.
I have such a weakness for huge kits! I look at them and I know it’ll take forever, but they are just so lovely! Every now and then I take up a small project just so I can finish something. But then I see another huge kit and thing “I WANT IT.” Oh well, I enjoy them. Even if they take me FOREVER.
Did you see the new Trish Burr book is out? I’m super excited!
Yes, I’ve put it on my list for Santa 🙂 I really struggle with colour so I am very excited about this book.
I know the split stitch is time-consuming, but it’s not difficult, after all, and it makes such a difference!
Oh, I’m still doing it. Because wow, it really does show!
Yes, I agree that the split stitch is a bit of a chore. But it is well worth the effort fot the lovely raised edges you are getting on the flower petals. Mary Corbet certainly gives good advice.
I shall be watching this with interest.
You chose beautiful colors and your stitching is lovely.
thank you!
I love the colours in the flowers!
My advice would be to not put straight stitches going to the french knots. Sometimes an implied connection is more visually exciting than if all is obviously iterated.
True. Maybe I would like a different color of french knots better.
From your photos the colour seems fine. But if you don’t like it, change it. That’s the wonderful thing about your own work. Other people may comment, but you get to decide how YOU want it.