MKAL finish. cross stitch plan change

Every year in October Stephen West runs a mystery knitalong.   This is the fifth year I've taken part.  This years shawl is the MusiKal.  I finished in record time, less than 4 weeks.

It is currently on the blocking mats and is too big to fit in the frame, so I took a video. There was an option to make it bigger, which i intended to do, but wasn't going to have enough yarn.

I love the bright colours.  The yarn was a kit from Mamawooling. 

Now onto cross stitch.  I decided i wanted to try scroll frames. I've used qsnaps  for years, but all the excess fabric on a project was annoying me.  So I  bought a set of 3 Frank A Edmunds handiclip.   I also wanted to use a higher count fabric,  so have gone back to 25 count.  Mini Minervas Melody was on 16 CT and would have been too big to fit the scroll rods.   I didn't want to restart the design as it would mean restitching what I'd just done.  Maybe one day I'll go back to it, but for now I'm going to start some new projects.

In the recent Heaven and Earth sale I bought 3 patterns.   Iris Keeper Storykeep by Josephine Wall,  Mini At the Steps by Leonid Afremov and Mini Childhood sweethearts by Jim Warren.  

Each will fit onto a different size scroll frame.   I have just started At the steps and will start childhood sweethearts at Christmas.   Iris Keeper may be my birthday start.

I am stitching on 25 count fabric 2x1 tent. I just started yesterday, so no photo yet.  I need to use a magnifier and am considering buying a magnifying lamp for my Christmas present.   In the meantime I have a small clip on magnifier and readers and am experimenting to see which I like best.

The plan at the moment,  is to have At the Steps as my focus piece and work on it every other month and do a minimum of 2200 stitches each month to have it finished in 2 and a half years.  I'll work on it every weekend, knitting during the week. Other cross stitch will be done the month its not being worked on.

experimenting on 25ct

I have a lot of 25 count easy grid fabric.   I wasn't sure how my eyes would work with the fine count these days.   I started Minervas Melody on 16 count for that reason,  I decided to experiment.   I stitched a small corner on 25 count,  8 started with 1 over 1 full cross, then switched to 2 over 1 tent.  I liked the 2 over 1 tent, so think I will start future projects that way.  It stitches up so much quicker.  The advantage  of 25 count over a larger grid is the thread goes further, so not as much rethreading is required .

I do have readers that fit over my glasses. I don't know the strength, but think it was quite low.   I will try to get some at a higher magnification just to make it easier

I also stitched in hand in the hoop, and didn't mind that.  The huge amount of excess fabric didn't seem to get in the way.   It may be easier to get out than the Lowry stand.

I'm back!!!

 Wow, nearly 2 years since I last posted.   Because I've been really just knitting, I've found ravelry and Instagram to be good ways to document my work, so havent felt the need to blog.

However, I've recently got back into my first love,  cross stitching.  I had the urge to start.  In my chart stash was mini Minervas Melody . I bought it in 2019.   I've always loved this so decided to start. 

Artwork is by Josephine Wall and charted by HAED 

I'd like to finish this in 3 years.  Since knitting is still my main craft, I'll need to stitching 2400 per month.  I'm not including October in that, as that is Mystery knitalong month which takes all my crafting time. 

My progress so far

I'm stitching on 16ct Aida easy count from Stitch NZ.  So far I've done 2633 out of 80115, 3.29%