Picture time! I can only take pictures with my phone, so they aren't the best quality, but I really want to share them because the blanket was the one good, consistent thing I've relied on to get me through all these long months that never ever disappointed me (yeah, I'm looking at you, heterotopic ossification thing). Plus some little tidbits about making the blanket.
1) I used the same needle to stitch the entire thing. I'm pretty sure I've worn an entire layer of metal off of it by now It's gone from shiny and silver to dull and grey... might be time for a new needle now.
2) I kept little notes everywhere when I was working on the blanket. Some of the sections on the blanket were really easy because I used one pattern. This mean that I only had to find the center of the square and start stitching. Other sections, however, are made of bits of different patterns that I choose together. This required a lot of thought to map out (first on paper, then on the actual blanket with single strands of white thread to help guide me) and could be painfully time consuming. But it was the only way to guarantee that the images would be centered and everything would fit properly. Other times the pattern I choose would be to big for the square so I would have to alter things a little bit or take out small sections to get things to fit without ruining the overall design. I think it was well worth the effort. here are some of the notes I had lying about.
3) I also kept track of how many hours each square took to complete, hence the grid with numbers in the picture above.
4) Here are all the patterns I used to complete the project. There are twenty-one of them. Some of the patterns were used for multiple squares e.g., the fairy tale patter was used for three squares (the circle of flowers was originally only around the dress, but then I added it around the castle and Cinderella like coach as well), I used the pattern with laundry hanging on the square for two squares, etc.
5) Just to compare, a brand new never used before embroidery hoop on the left and the hoop I used to complete this project on the right. Look at that colour difference. The hoop I used used to look like the new hoop XD
6) I spent my tax return on embroidery supplies. *Shh. Don't tell!*
7) My next two project. I'm doing the Seashore sampler (left) first - I adore Madeleine Floyd's designs. After that I want to stitch the butterflies (right).
8) I know where all the mistakes are in the blanket XD
9) Pictures of the overall blankets and each square:
A couple views of the finished project:
First square, twenty hours, three different patterns. I picked the colours.
Second square, fifteen hours (I know where the mistakes are in this one!), one pattern. Some of the flowers and hearts were cut off because they didn't fit in the square. I picked the colours.
Third square, twenty-five hours, three items from a series of patterns that went together. I picked the colours.
Fourth square, thirty hours, one patter. The patter was only a portion of the finished work. It took a long time to map this out and then I had to concentrate really hard to stitch the design nine times. I picked the colours.
Fifth square, twenty-five hours, several patterns from the same series. I picked the colours.
Sixth square, twenty-five hours, same as above. I picked the colours.
Seventh square, twenty hours, three different patterns. I picked the colours.
Eight square, twenty hours, two hearts from the same series, each done twice. I picked the colours.
Ninth square, thirty hours, one pattern. I picked the colours. The lace work was amazing to do - just seeing it come together was fascinating.
Tenth square, thirty hours, two patterns. I used the suggested colours for the little dog. Then I used those colours to stitch the butterfly/flowers at the bottom. The hearts are from the same series as the butterfly/flowers.
Eleventh square, thirty hours, one pattern. I used the suggested colours.
Twelfth square, twenty hours, two patterns. The flower came from the series with the tea pot (the first square I completed). The bumble bees are from a different pattern. I stitched them around the flower wherever I thought they should go. I choose the colours.
Thirteenth square, thirty hours, one pattern. I used the suggested colours. This pattern was bigger, with two smaller animal in it, but they couldn't all fit in the sq
Fourteenth square, fifteen hours, one pattern from a series of three. Used suggested colours. I used gold thread for the first time ever while stitching this project. It didn't work well on this fabric so I didn't use it in any other square. I look forward to trying it again on aida fabric.
Fifteenth square, fifteen hours, from the same series as the square above. Use the suggested colours. The originally pattern just is just of the carriage. I added the circle of flowers from the princess dress pattern.
Sixteenth square, forty-five hours, one patter. I used the suggest colours. I did not include the sequins that the patter suggested between the flowers. I think they would be pulled off the blanket too easily or snag on things.
Seventeenth square, fifteen hours, one pattern from the series with the princess dress and carriage. Used the suggested colours. Like the carriage, I added the circle of flowers myself. I made lots of mistakes in this one...
Eighteenth square, fifty hours, all the patterns in a series. Used the suggested colours. This one took a long time to map out. Also, I couldn't do the french knots on this fabric, so those are missing from this (and all the other) squares. I tried picking patterns without any french knots in them.
Nineteenth square, thirty hours, on pattern. Used the suggested colours. This pattern was actually to tall to fit into the square so I had to take out lines here and there. I am very pleased with the end result.
Twentieth (and final!) square, fifty hours, fours patterns. I choose my own colours for everything except the birds/flowers/butterflis around the three middle words. This one took so much work to map out. All the big letters that make up love and grow came individually, and if I hadn't altered the letters none of the words would have fit on the square. The middles three words were from a different pattern, also all as individual letters. The bird, flowers and butterflies in the center were from the same series - the bird ad the flowers directly around it were one pattern but everything else I choose to my liking.
The final square is based on something I did months and months ago, after I had the initial surgery to remove the infected bone from my leg. I had coloured a picture that and changed the text to say "Love makes tibias grow". I then posted about it and said that if love were enough, my tibia would have grown back in a night. Unfortunately, that;s not how things work. But my leg will get there in the long run, even if it's not quite there yet. I thought this phrase was very fitting given the situation.
And there you have it! My blanket. On to the next project now XD I can't walk very far yet anyways, so I might as well make good use of my time.
