Monday, June 28, 2010

Jane retaliates, enlists frogs, triumphs in the end

Well, Jane won her point.  She got all time dedicated to her this past week -- which was considerable with Wimbledon having started.  She did make life interesting though.  Those flowers on either end on the bottom border -- I just wasn't satisfied with that awful new color.  I tried a substitute color on the bottom right flower, but still wasn't happy.  Then I took a look at the model picture and decided to go with a slightly darker color that had been used but sparingly up at the top of the sampler. 

Which of course meant -- Jane got her revenge.  I spent hours frogging those fill in colors on the flowers.  But I think it was worth it.  What do you think?

Yes!  Jane is finished!!!!



Here are the two flowers in question, along with the beautiful middle flower.   Number one,


And number two.


I like this color a lot better than the skin tone color.  The absolutely gorgeous middle flower will forever be remembered by me as the flower that took forever to stitch while watching the forever longest tennis match ever.  Won by American John Isner at Wimbledon, court 18, 70 to 68 in the fifth set over Nicolas Mahut.  Absolutely amazing!  I think there were 109 aces for Isner, 105 for Mahut?  Or something like that.  Geez!  The fifth set was longer than the former longest match in history!

Anyway, here's the rest of the sampler.  I love it so much!  But be forewarned -- the colors were marked incorrectly in more than one place, especially at the bottom border.




Isn't Jane wonderful?  She deserved to retaliate.  :D

Here's the list of colors that went into a second skein.  I used AVAS with 40ct linen.  4136 (marked as such in the chart), 3724, 2636, 2216, 2235, 526, 2611.  I came close to needing another skein with a few other colors as well. 

As I'm typing this, poor Andy Roddick has lost in the round of 16 at Wimbledon to a surprise Chinese player.  I feel so badly for him.  I wanted him to win Wimbledon!  I wouldn't mind Murray winning either.  Or Federer or Nadal.  :D   But it would be fun to have a new winner for a change.  Oh how unfaithful of me to say that!  Wimbledon has been so amazing this time around.  So many surprises and great matches.  The women's side too.  Of course, I love Wimbledon no matter what.  It's my favorite grand slam event.

Big time summer mode going on around here now.  Don't know how that happened.  I feel like it should still be the middle of the school year.  Ah well.

Thanks again for stopping by and saying hi.  It's fun to see what everyone is up to!  Have a great week!

69 comments:

Anonymous said...

What an accomplishment! This is such a beautiful piece, and you did a fabulous job on it. I can't wait to see it framed!

Kim said...

Margaret....good grief you make me wonder why I even consider myself a stitcher! You get so much DONE! Jane is amazing!!! Gorgeous! Stunning!!! What's next?

Bertie said...

Oh Margaret you have made a masterpiece, it is unbelievable how quickly you have stitched Jane, a big Congrats to you.

Yes I am keeping fingers crossed for Andy Murray, glad you like him too.
I did watch the longest match and so exciting the next day when it restarted, luckily not to long LOL.

Berit said...

Woman, you are amazing! Jane is amazing! I can't believe how fast you finished her, or how good she looks! :o

Daffycat said...

Wow Margaret! This is just a stunning finish. Congratulations!

Kristen said...

Gorgeous, just gorgeous! Congratulations~

woolwoman said...

Margaret - I'm glad you made satisfying changes to the colors on those flowers at the bottom. She is a real beauty - I am a sucker for elaborate borders and this one is one of the most elaborate I can think of. Can;t wait to see her framed and what your next big focus piece will be. I knew you'd be glued to the TV during that record breaking match - felt bad the poor guy lost in the next round. Enjoy! Mel

Annie said...

What a marvelous piece! Congrats on seeing it to the finish.

FIONA said...

Congratulations Margaret on finishing such a huge project! This is really beautiful. x

Kelly said...

Beautiful finish. It has been fun watching your progress. Now you get to pick something new and fun to work on this summer. Congratulations!!

Hazel said...

Woohoo!!!! Yay I am so pleased for you. This must have been a major happy dance for you and Jane look ssuperb! x

Deb said...

For all the frogging problems Jane gave you, I think that she was worth every single moment Margaret. She is just spectacular and I give you a lot of credit for doing all that frogging and forging ahead.

Now what are you going to stitch next. I think it's going to be hard to find something as lovely, but knowing you, you're going to come up with another fabulous sampler!!

Vonna Pfeiffer said...

Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous!
Congrats and a big well deserved round of applause coming from Indiana while I dance a jiggity jig for this fabulous finish!

corinna said...

gorgeous stitching
HOORaY!

Sweet Sue said...

Stunning Margaret, warm congrats (with some slobbery drool) from the Finger Lakes! Your special efforts were worth every moment, will enjoy seeing her framed:)

xoxo

Julie M said...

She's beautiful Margaret! I didn't mind the other color of the flower but if you didn't like it then you did the right thing by changing it and the flowers look wonderful. Congrats on your finish! Now what's next?

Marjo said...

Another beauty. Great work as always. Love the colors.

Siobhán said...

CONGRATULATIONS, Margaret!!! You rock, gf. Jane is incredible!

Glenna said...

Oh, my goodness. I'd have said "good enough" on the wrong color, but look at you--frogging it out, changing colors AND finishing it! It is just amazing. And I'm dying to see what you'll tackle next.

Michelle said...

Gorgeous, Margaret! I love how those bottom two flowers came out. Congrats on another amazing finish - she is lovely!

Carol said...

I love the color changes you made, Margaret! Congratulations on a truly stunning sampler :)

Lisa said...

Margaret!! Jane is absolutely perfect!! Huge congrats! (can't wait to see how you frame her)

Jeannine 520 said...

Congratulations on your gorgeous finish! I love your color substitution, too.

Unknown said...

Congrats on your lovely finish.

Jackie's Stitches said...

Congratulations! I love the changes you made. This is such a beautiful piece. I can't wait to see what frame you select or what project you start next!

Sharon said...

Oh, Margaret, congratulations on such a beautiful finish. It is gorgeous. WOW OH WOW!! I am so excited for you.

Joy said...

Margaret! GASP and GASP again! Jane is an absolute stunner, and I greatly approve of your changes. Thanks for the heads up on the color mis-codings, too. Congratulations!

Karen said...

Congrats on finishing Jane -- she's beautiful! You made excellent color choices for your flowers. I can't wait to see what you're going to tackle next :-)

Melissa said...

My word, Jane is a beauty! Congratulations, Margaret! It's a huge accomplishment!

Sampler Lover said...

Hi Margaret,
Congratulations on finishing Jane. She is the stunner that I always knew that she would be and you have done a wonderful job with her.
Is she your next framing project, or do you have something else in mind.
I shall take note of the where you recommend extra threads.
All I can really say is that she is just beautiful. - Sandra.

Liz said...

Fabulous Margaret and yes I like the new colours much more. I guess that you just have to go with your heart don't you, Jane is wonderful now....
Lizzie
xxx

Laurie in Iowa said...

An awesome finish Margaret. Jane is fabulous. Congrats!

Anne said...

I'm doing a Happy Dance for you! What a fabulous job you did with Jane. I love the flower colours. And I love the way you made her your own. Just stunning.

The French Bear said...

This is stunning!!! What a gorgeous work of art, my goodness you are amazing!!!! I love every bit of it!
Hugs,
Margaret B

mainely stitching said...

Amazing!! I think that project would've taken me at least five years. It's GORGEOUS!!!

Cari said...

Congratulations Margaret!! Jane is STUNNING! Your stitching and stitching speed is amazing. You are an inspiration to stitchers world wide. I love every single piece you select to stitch. Lovely, just lovely. I am honored to call you my stitching friend!! Can't wait to see what you start next!! Have a fabulous 4th of July!! And enjoy the tennis!!

Sylvia said...

Wow, your Jane is a wonder - too beautiful for words. What a fabulous piece!! Thank you so much for posting the floss that needs two skeins - it will help when I stitch her ( in another lifetime..) High five on finishing her.

We are watching soccer here, too bad the US is out, but Germany is still alive and kicking. You should have seen the celebrating that went on when they won the match against Britain - it was like they has won the World Cup already - those silly Germans. Lets see what happens next game.

Juels said...

Jane is stunning! Your color substitutions were just perfect. Thanks for all the info, Margaret.

I have been watching the World Cup. Didn't know I could yell that loudly! It is the only sport (ok, I do like ice hockey) I watch, and the first time when other people were around to hear me yelling.

valerie said...

LOL, seeing you talk about Wimbleton makes me laugh...you are SO into it! I don't know anything about Wimbleton at all other than that Kirsten Dunst movie. =)

Congrats on Jane!! She looks amazing! You did a great job substituting the iffy colors!

Annemarie said...

Margaret, Jane is tunning, fabulous, gorgeous, amazing and so are you for a) finishing her at all b) finishing in such a short period of time c) finishing her despite significant froggaged) finishing her so beautifully, with such lovely colours!

Hmm... Maybe I should re-install a TV. Perhaps I could get something finished around here then!

Isabelle said...

Wow Margaret, your Jane is absolutely awesome ...and you flowers are so gorgeous : what a wonderful finsih : many , you really deserve many congratulations:-))
We also look at wimbledon !!
Have a nice and sunny day,
Isabelle

Deb said...

Jane is stunning - and you are sure one speedy sewer. Well done. What's next??

Love to Stitch said...

You are simply amazing---- JANE IS FABULOUS!!!!! Excellent job in the stitching as usual. I have ordered the silks for this, and cant wait to see her come alive. Very excited to see her framed, as well as what is next. Great job in the flowers at the end-- it was worth all the extra work :)

Katrina said...

Absolutely gorgeous!!!! Love it, congrats on the finish. Thanks for all the notes, one day I will stitch this piece ;-).

Alice said...

Stunning! Its one of the most beautiful samplers I have ever seen. It was definitely worth it to unpick that colour. The new colours are very beautiful. What an achievement Margaret. I really feel inspired to stitch when I see such beauty.
Alice
xxx

Robert said...

Margaret - beautiful job. Jane is absolutely gorgeous. Needless to say I am still working on the top portion of the sampler - nearly ready to start down the sides. I had to start mine over because the linen was not wide enough. I got over to the right hand side and only had about an inch left. Luckily I caught this before I got too far down the side. Hopefully will be caught up to where I was this week. Anyway - great job. So what is your next start? You always have some great designs that you are working on.

Giovanna said...

Congratulations! It's really beautiful.

Sherry said...

Oh my gosh! Jane is totally stunning! No fair that you finished her off and I am still working on Independent Mind!

By the way, John Isner is from Greensboro, NC and that is where I grew up!

Ranae said...

OMGosh! It is amazingly beautiful.
What a piece to be cherished

Cathy Lloyd said...

Oh Margaret! Love your choice of colors! You did very well with all your frogging. Made a huge difference! Congratulations, she is beautiful! Enjoy your summer. I'm in the hibernation mode between 10 am and 8 pm! :)

Erica said...

WOW! That is truly spectacular!
Well done!

Melanie said...

Such a great piece!!! A masterpiece, for sure. Congrats.

Nancy said...

Saying this is stunning doesn't seem enough! This is an amazing sampler, and your work is just gorgeous. I think the end result is worth any effort you made.

Sherry :o) said...

Fantastic! not many other words encompass the finish. I love your flower colors!

Peekaboo Bears said...

Oh Wow! You must be so proud. I know
I would be, it is so STUNNING! I have been contemplating stitching this one, and seeing your finish has helped me make up my mind. Thank you for sharing all your beautiful work, I love looking at your pictures. :0)

Kind Regards,
Mira

KarenV said...

Huge congrats on finishing Jane, Margaret! She looks stunning. I think you made the right choice to change the flower colours, they've turned out beautifully :) Like others, I have no idea how you can stitch so fast and do such a beautiful job at the same time :)

Off to watch the tennis now, keeping my fingers crossed for Andy this afternoon!

Solstitches said...

Absolutely stunning!
The colours in this are just fabulous.
Congratulations!

Margaret

Kellie said...

Jane is absolutely BEAUTIFUL!!! Congratulations on your fabulous finish!!!

Loraine said...

Woohoo! A major accomplishment!! Great job Margaret. I love this sampler, and I will have to enjoy looking at yours, as I know I don't have that much patience in a million years.
I've missed all of Wimbledon this year. I didn't even know about the upset! Thanks for telling me. I watched it all last year, but haven't even turned it on once this year. I'll have to watch the rest and see if Andy can pull it off.
Summer is really busy this year, unfortunately.
I got an e-mail from Betsy. She is teaching in a couple of places this year. One is in Michigan in the Fall. My brother lives there, and so does Terri and Deb, so I may have to check into that location a little more. What a good excuse for a visit! If that doesn't work, I'll talk to Cathy about having her come to Swans. I am not a current member, but I did join a few years ago to take one of Ellen Chester's classes. It was wonderful. Anyhow thanks again for the info. I want to do this piece someday!
Have a great week and holiday!

Chocolates4Breakfast (Terri ~ Boog) said...

Awesome finish, Margaret!!! This is absouletly stunning - I am so loving those flowers!!! If you ever get all of the samplers framed that you've finished, you could open a museum! I'd be first in line to visit!

Karoline said...

Fantastic finish Margaret, Jane is stunning

Louise said...

Brava, Margaret. It's stunning. And after seeing how beautifully yours was turning out, I ordered the fibers, and hope to start soon. I've taken note of a your valuable input on the errors and color choices. Thanks!

Laura said...

Hi Margaret! Thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving such fun comments. You are probably over at the Vera site checking out the readers right now! They come in a cute matching case too!!!

Your blog is gorgeous and your header picture is just inspiring!!!!!

SusanIL said...

Oh, Jane is beautiful! One of my favorite pieces ever. The colors are exactly what I love with all the greens, golds and rusty reds. I cannot believe how fast you stitched her, wish I could be so productive. Congrats on your fabulous finish!

Jean said...

Beautiful Margaret, just stunning!! Jane is on my list as well.

Natalia said...

Margaret, I think you did a fantastic job with the colors and everything else !! Thanks for sharing the information on the colors with us and congratulations on the finish !
About Wimbledon, I have to say that, being a Spaniard, I have a soft heart for Rafa Nadal, so I hope he will be the winner this year, yeah..... again. :-)

Littlebit said...

Oh my goodness..oh my goodness..oh my goodness..Margaret, you are my hero! Absolutely stunningly gorgeous!!!

Unknown said...

Margaret - Jane is absolutely stunning! I am just amazed at how beautiful she is. Your color choices are wonderful and I agree that the original white faces are horrible!

I have been absent for so long and am just now reading blogs and catching up on all that I have missed these last few weeks.

Patty C. said...

Gorgeous !!!!!!!