More Black Belt Stitching Wizard Stuff

Wednesday, January 04, 2012

Crazy Challenge Day 3

I wasn't daunted by my first day of the Crazy Challenge and the attack the frogs launched on this household.  Yesterday morning I picked my Seasonal Mandalas back up, I spent a bit of time contemplating how far apart I wanted each season to be.  My choices were 1 inch, 1.5 inches, and 2 inches.  In the end I went for the middle choice, 1.5 inches.  I counted and recounted and I was off to the races with my 3rd start!

Everything was going very well yesterday as I stitched away... more black.  I did a little bit of the inside here and there to make sure I was on track, there wasn't going to be any frogs in this house again!



At around 11:30 PM I could be heard to exclaim something that rhymes with "mother trucker" I just couldn't believe it!  I didn't have enough room to put in the last couple of stitches!  Somewhere my counting was off... again!

 Scissors point to where I should of added one more stitch

I sat down and worked backwards as I had started in the top left hand corner and worked my way across the top, down the right side, when I got to the bottom I decided to work down the left hand side and back across the bottom.  Seeing that I started at the top left and worked to the right you can see I probably made my mistake within the first hour.  I forgot to put in one stitch!  One measly stitch and so early on!


I decided before I went any further, I would do something I've never done before... grid my fabric!  I've always said that griding is a perfectly good waste of stitching time.  Not anymore.


I alternated worked on griding and frogging, this is where I had to rip it back to before I could start stitching again.


Ta-ta!  My screw up is fixed, and I have enough time to get a small start on another one of my Crazy Challenge pieces.  I'll save that for tomorrow.

27 comments:

valerie said...

I hope the frogs stay away! You are having the worst luck with them on this project. Hope the gridding has helped!

Gabi said...

How annoying that must have been. I probably would have left it as it is and would have worked my way around the missing stitch.
Gridding can be handy though. When I stitch a border I keep counting. There are several spots normally where you can count, and I keep doing that. Somehow a border not meeting up nicely is a nightmare for me...lo..
Crossing fingers that you got rid of the pesty frogs from now on.
Oh, and it all does look lovely. :)

Anonymous said...

I HATE WHEN THAT HAPPENS!!!!

katica said...

Oh you poor thing! You just haven't had luck with this/these starts yet! Hopefully it will all be sorted and those frogs are gone for good now!

Its going to be beautiful when done!! I'm looking forward to more progress pictures!

Blu said...

Oh you've just been having such rotten luck with these! I really hope the frogs quit bugging you and get lost.

Freddysmama (Kirstin) said...

Those blasted frogs got to me too! Aargh! I had to frog last night and on night two, too.

Frustrating as it is, your mandala are already looking beautiful. I can't wait to see them later, after the CJC is done.

Good luck today, I hope the frogs go into hibernation.

Kathy A. said...

Oh I am so sorry hon. I hope that the frogs visit was short lived.

Christine said...

Oh how infuriating! Glad you managed to find the problem and fix it

cucki said...

oh no..i hate it too when it happens..
but happy that you find out to fix it..
love xx

Mouse said...

ohhh dear .... you sent them to me then after that ... isn't it annoying ... and glad you have got the grids done so no more frogs !!!! ... happy stitching today :) love mouse xxxx

Unknown said...

Ohhh no I really thought you were going to continue on and say your day went without a visit from the frog..on the plus side both pieces look amazing together and thats with just the outlines...small consolation I know. I hope its better today.

Kielrain said...

Those frogs have been living at your place so far this year. Ugh!! I hope you have beat them this time.

Bette said...

Oh, Dani. I can so relate to your problems with the border. That's why I don't stitch it until the last thing. I find it much easier that way.

Adrienne said...

So sorry to hear about the frogging. I can't wait to see the mandalas grow though! They will be beautiful.

Agi said...

If you want to have quick grids, for fully stitched pieces you can use pencil. The stitches will cover it nicely, and much quicker than doing it with floss! Or there is a special pen which evaporates within a few hours and leaves no stains. Hopefully the frogs will avoid your last mandala. Good luck, or shall I say good griddings?

Sally said...

Noooooooo not more frogs! How annoying that you had to take so much out. I hope the frog stays away from you now. You've had more than your fair share of visits!

Julie said...

I'm not surprised some naughty words were said lol

Jan said...

I was spouting my fair share of 4-letter words with the border of "birds of a Feather" by Brenda Gervais. I had completed it when the border didn't match up by 2 stitches. Because it uses overdyed foss and I didn't have the money to replace one side of the border I just shortened the tree and a few leaves. Naturally the one time I didn't grid my fabric!! So I hope the frogs keep their distance for you.

Lynn said...

Glad you're back on top of things now. It must have been frustrating to start off your stitching year like that.

Rebel In Ontario said...

OH NO! Not the way to be stitching - backwards! I may put in a grid, between my mandala's just to be sure it will be lined up in the end. I wish I was home stitching this week as well - work is NUTS!

mdgtjulie said...

I would have turned the air blue too Dani. I'm so sorry you had to frog. Maybe you got all the frogging for this piece out of the way in one fell swoop? I sure hope so, anyways. Good luck getting all the crazies finished on time!! Looking good so far!

Beatrice said...

Oh no...that is too bad...but I do seem to remember someone saying...Gridding? a waste of good stitching time....sorry couldn't resist. I'm glad it is working better now.You do have lots done! It lokks great.
hugs

Mindi said...

I'm normally of the same mind as you with gridding, but in this case, I'd be doing it as well. I'm glad you got back on track, and maybe with the summer mandala, third time is a charm.

Lisa said...

OMG Dani, you're really had NO luck with those mandalas so far. It's a good job they are gorgeous isn't it or I'd have been tempted to just give up altogether! I really hope the frogs will leave you alone for good now.

ollie1976 said...

oh how frustrating!
-Jen

Aussie Stitcher said...

OH NO!!!! Those frogs.

Caitlin @ Naughts Cross Stitches said...

oh no! not again!