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Sunday, April 24, 2011

A Way That Works

Since finishing Something Wicked I've felt like working on just about all my WIPs. So a quick touch-everything rotation may in order.

I started Autumn Winds last February, but didn't get too much done. As it can out:

When I put it away:


Autumn Winds
28ct antique white Lugana

I think the main problem was trying to figure out how to tackle her. I know lots of folks go block by block for HAEDs. I though about doing that but I find that there's always one or two stitches in the next block and the block after and it seems silly not to just finish those off too and within a few symbols I'm wandering all over the place.

But I've come up with a strategy that works:
I pick one 10x10 square.
I pick one symbol.
I highlight every instance of that symbol I think I can reach without making a counting mistake regardless of how many blocks this traverses.
After I've stitched that symbol I colour it in with a different colour highlighter.
Then I go back to my original block and pick another symbol.
Repeat until all the symbols in that block are done.
Then I look for the next block that has an unstitched symbol and go on.

This way I get to wander all over and still finish things off block by block. As of right now I have 4 blocks done, and since there's only so much over one I can do without going crazy it's time for something else.

I think I'm going to grab How Does Your Garden Grow (in the Dark)? and see if I can figure out what blues I want to use...

18 comments:

demeter83 said...

You can see a massive difference between then and now.
I have that problem with HAED as well, I work one colour over a page, but one block at a time, so I do all of a particular colour in one 10x10 block, then I move onto the next block and do that colour there, then the next and so on and so on. It does mean I occasionally miss a stitch, but I think only once or twice so far.

Annette said...

great job on your WIP... I could not do such a big piece.. I get bored to fast..
I like stitching color by color...
Good luck stitching your WIP's!!

Justflo said...

Super progress. I've never attempted an HAED although I think they look fantastic (I'm a bit of a coward). I wouldn't know where to start!!

Good look with all your WIPS

Gabi said...

Great progress.
And that's exactly the way I work on projects like that too. With one difference...I use a highlighter as you do for highlighting the symbol, but after finishing it, I scratch it out with a red pen. Somehow that works the best for me...but very same principle then you do.

Lesleyanne said...

Great progress. I have never attempted a Haed so can't help but I say work whatever way is best for you.

Her Boudoir said...

I'll have to try that - I have an Artecy piece that's in UFO status because I got so fed up with going block by block. I do hope to finish it someday but I haven't worked on it in at least a year.

jayne@~an eye for threads~ said...

yellow then pink or blue here, and that's how I have worked on graphs for years and years. In my mind it just makes it simpler and that is a good thing for my mind.
Be always in stitches.

Rachel said...

That is wonderful progress on your HAED!! I kinda do the same thing as you for my HAEDs. I highlight in one color, stitch, then highlight in a second color. Only I don't do it block by block, I try to do the whole page, lol. It works for me though!

Unknown said...

You have gotten quite a good ways on your HAED. I have never attempted one, but on the bigger ones I do stitch, I do a similar thing. I stitch that one color in a given block, but extend that stitching into other blocks until I have used up that pull of floss. Then I go back to the original block. I think maybe this is the skinflint in me that does it that way - LOL!

Sally said...

Fantastic progress on your HAED!

geeky Heather said...

I think it looks like you made great progress!!

OK, so there is a new office supply that you NEED to know about...ERASABLE HIGHLIGHTERS!! I found them at my Target store. While they don't erase well enough that I would use them on precious books, I believe they will work well enough for this purpose! Of course, you may want everything you completed to be colored in, anyway.

But if you want some and can't find them where you are, let me know. =)

Anonymous said...

That's quite a bit of progress. Sounds like a very workable plan.

Joysze said...

NICE progress!!!! You've done lots and lots, Blu. I sometimes to that too... highlight a symbol in a color before stitching, esp. in heavy confetti areas.

Ziggyeor said...

OH that's a great idea! I'm going to try that on my big piece. I was picking a color in an area and just going from there until I did almost all I could. Then I was just picking colors in order on the chart.

Looks like great progress!

Lynn said...

If that system works for you then go for it. It's a beautiful HAED and I'm going to enjoy watching its progress. I haven't tackled one of these yet but hope to at some point in time.

Jo said...

Sounds like a great strategy, and it coming along reall well, but I agree, too much over 1 just isn't fun!
The La D Da finish is adoreable - so fun! Congrats!

Unknown said...

I work the same way and i put some color on the symbols that are too much alike, like the triangle up/downwards the are green and red on my charts.
Enjoy your stitching.

Hugs Yvon.

♥ Nia said...

I find it very interesting to see how different people stitch the same design :)
I've never stitched a piece that big but I'd probably start with the face and stitch color by color.
But the important is to find how we feel better, we all have our own 'best-way' ;)