I am a geek

After seeing my Doctor Who needlework, this shouldn't surprise anyone.

I reinstalled an old version of PCStitch to see if it'd work on my XP computer.


Not only did it work, but I was able to import jpgs to create cross stitch patterns. I'd tried this before, but I hadn't much success. I suspect I was trying too complicated pictures.

So what did I do for my first project?

I charted a familiar symbol for fans of "Stargate SG-1" and "Stargate: Atlantis" -- the point of origin symbol from the Earth gate. After several attempts, I came up the final version you see stitched on aida. The hardest part was figuring out to scale the picture down, so the symbol could be small enough for bookmarks. I'd love to see it in other colors, maybe in a starry or sea variegated thread.

I'm not sure how well the Pegasus gate addresses will translate into cross stitch. They're less symbols and more constellation patterns. Maybe with backstitch & french knots for the dots?

4/22/08 Celtic Masks

A quicker update this time. I finished most of the top section. Now I just have to lie in wait for the green and gold skeins to arrive in the mail. The scanner boxed the ears of one of the cats. Sorry about that.

My friend Lisa had an observation about the pattern today. When I asked if the colors were too Mardi Gras-ish, she pointed out the cats could be masks. I hadn't thought of that particular interpretation. Most people thought of them as gargoyles or ornamental beasts. I rather like it.

I'll be interested to see if any of the other squares work with that idea. But that's part of the mystery, right?

Celtic Mystery SAL Progress

I found a piece of 28 ct Platinum Jobelan at Scarlet Thread in Vienna that worked well with my chosen Celtic Mystery SAL colors. I steadily got started two weeks ago. I've been mostly working on the black borders with a couple of detours with two of green knots. Everything was going so well.

And then I hit another snag along the way. Last Saturday night I discovered I was off somewhere. I couldn't figure out for the life of me where. Finally I made a plea on the SAL mailing list. The designer is very nice and posted a larger version of the first part. I found my two errors. The major error was on the big square underneath the top green knot. It was missing one stitch which threw everything else off, of course. That involved the heartbreaking frogging of the whole green knot. Thankfully needlework can be redone.

After a morning with the frogs, I was able to close up some sections and complete my first corner motif. I still have to work on the left side some more before the next release. The design goes pretty quickly when things are clicking, even the black border. Then I hit another major snag. I was in tears and ready to throw in the towel, but I persevered. I finally found light at the end of the froggy tunnel and I finished off the interior framework. All that black...

I've included a closeup of Barfy the Cat-Owl. That requires some explanation. On the mailing list, there's been some discussion on what animal is in that corner motif. Was it a cat? An owl? Some strange mutation thereof? Then came the observation that the cat was puking a rainbow and Barfy (Or maybe Ralph?) was born. (Someone also joked it was the original Lolcat.) My variegated orange thread has made Barfy into a very mottled calico cat, rather than a tabby, kind of orange and brown, although the glowing eyes are rather owlish too. Hence the Cat-Owl, a rare species lost in Celtic times. Or something. The rest of the color scheme with the green and purple is very Mardi Gras-esque, especially once I add the gold interior border. Pretty though.



This is the fishtail section that comprises the second part. I'd like to thank my yellow highlighter for its part in my success, because keeping track of those color changes is no small feat.



And this is my full progress as of 4/21/08. I've since added more green in the border and completed the other cat on the corner. Thank god I've ordered more green and gold for the borders. Otherwise I'd be at a total standstill.

Purple Ink Circles

Since I can't start the Celtic Mystery SAL until I find my fabric, I stitched the Ink Circles May 2007 freebie using MLI's Needlepaints 2011/2010/2008. I'm still not sure if I picked the right shades of purple. One shade feels a little off somewhere. What do others think?