Wednesday 11 February 2009

Where do you start?

Normally if I am stitching a largish project that is solid stitching I would start at the top left hand corner and work across and down from there. For some unknown reason when I started the Water Tiger I started in the middle. Silly me it was OK at first but by the time I was about half way down the middle page I was bitting and bobbing from side to side and seemed to have no aim. I also began to wonder when the page was complete which page i would go to next (its a 9 page chart). I have never actually done a multi page chart starting from the middle before, and I wonder if others do work this way and where they proceed from the central page if they do. I do not think the problem would have been there had it just been one page. Anyway this afternoon I had a little stitching time and decided that I was going to try and work up and across to that top corner and then I would feel that there was some structure to the work. So here is what I have done so far. It still doesnt look like much though when I look at it against the chart I can tell what I have done.

The Gift Shop in my village has been taken over by Sally; and Lisa if you are reading this then please can you send an application form to Karan as she would like to work for you in the craft shop. I still have the flower shop, the hair and hat shop and we still need a bank clerk/post mistress or we will not be able to get any money for stash buying or send off our gifts and exchanges so this is a very important person for the village. I actually think Christine would be the ideal person for the flower shop as I know she is a dab hand at flower arranging.

Anyway my dear friends this will be the last post for a couple of weeks as we are off on our jolly holidays on Friday and tomorrow evening I will be busy packing. Take care all of you and I shall look forward to catching up on all the blogs when I get back. Thank you again for all your wonderful comments.

Hugs


May your frogs stay in their ponds.

20 comments:

Christine said...

OK Helen, I give in. I'll take the florists ;)
Loving the tiger, he's going to be super, but I can't help with how to do a giant chart because I've never attempted one.
Have a nice Holiday

Stitchabilities said...

You are getting lots done on that now!! Can't wait to see it in the flesh, Which project are you taking with you?
Hoping you and Keith have a fabulous Holiday see you on March 1st!

Laura said...

Keep at it because this is going to be gorgeous! On multi-page charts, I start at the upper left corner. Have a great vacation!

Chiloe said...

Waow!!! It's going to be beautiful !!! I always start in the middle.

Should I wait to send you your winning gift? Maybe I should wait for the second week of your vacations? Let me know ;-)

Angela said...

Well as I'd hate anyone to be in the same situation as me and not be able to afford to get stash I'll apply to run the bank/post office. I do promise not to take any bonus payments and not to foreclose on amy mortgages!!

I start most of my projects in the centre as I dread the thought of running out of space if I started at one edge. Mind St Petersburg is my first multi-page chart so maybe I'll soon come across your problem.

Julie said...

Have a lovely holiday. Tiger looks nice.

Sally said...

Your tiget is looking wonderful Helen.

I look forward to running your gift shop:)

Have a lovely holiday! it's snowing heavily as I type this!

SheilasEmbroidery said...

The tiger looks lovely. The problem you may have is if you have made one mistake on the way up, you won't notice until you get further down, could be a big froggy mistake. I'd have been tempted to carry on the way you started, despite the jumping around. Sorry to be bit of a humbug.

Beatrice said...

That is looking good. Now that you have started in the middle I suggest you work your way up on that page and keep plugging away. The next page should be mark at the bottom telling you which one goes next to it.
Good luck
Have a great vacation!!

Carmen said...

hi Helen,i star the stitch in the middle,when the designer (chart) indicate this, and the big one,like head in the upper left corner (is an ufo my heaven and earth).

i hope you do have a good trip!

Lindylou said...

Looks an interesting project can't wait to see more

I would love to apply to run the post office/bank for you if thats ok.

Big Hugs

Lynn

Dani - tkdchick said...

Your water tiger is looking great! I tend to work down from the center, completing a page at a time.

stitcherw said...

Your tiger is looking lovely. Good luck figuring out a method of working through the various pages that works for you. Have a lovely time on your holiday and I'll look forward to hearing about it when you get back.
Sue

Anonymous said...

Tiger looks good.

I've done a couple of multi page charts starting in the middle.

One was really long and thin, so I worked down to the bottom, then went back up to the top.

What worked best for me was the one I did where i worked clockwise, starting at the 9 O'clock position and working around.

Something to keep in mind was how you hold the fabric and how dirty it might get from contact. I really didn't want to be leaning over or holding onto already stitched areas as I find them harder to clean than just the fabric itself.

Anonymous said...

Your tiger is going to be stunning Helen. I always try to start in the top left corner, I just find it easier that way!

Lisa said...

Your tiger is looking great. I always started in the centre until doing HAED's but now I always start top left.
Does that mean Karan will need an interview (wink)? lol

Karan said...

Tiger is looking gorgeous. I started my HAED in the top left corner & worked across the top, then down 1 page at the left & across again. Found it easier to keep track of where I am with it this way. :0)
Hope Lisa will be gentle with me in the interview - haven't had one of those in such a long time! LOL :0)

Brigitte said...

I always start in the middle since I messed up with a huge chart that I started in the upper left corner and then didn't have enough fabric at the lower edge. That wouldn't have happened if I had started in the middle. So the middle it is, jo matter how large or small the project is.

Erica said...

Hi Helen,
Your Tiger is looking beautiful!

I usually start in the center, work over to the left edge, and then up to the top.
Otherwise I would be afraid of running out of linen. That only has to happen to you once for you to never start at the top again!

I will have a dilemma coming up with "The Old Aviary" because it is published in 4 parts and unless I missed it, the center is not marked. I am not sure if all 4 parts are equal in size.
Quite the dilemma for me! If I start at the top, I will be nervous throughout the project I'm sure!
Have a great holiday!

Susan @ Real Girl Designs said...

I wouldn't even attempt such a massive undertaking, but like you, I would normally start in the top left, and work my way across and then down.

I hope you had a lovely holiday!