Mask of Colors 1, Batik Cascade, Tweedy Topper

Knitting:

Since the brim on my other sunhat is too floppy to be of any use on windy days, I've started knitting a new one. It's a bucket-shaped hat called Tweedy Toppers designed by Susan Z. Douglas (whom I can't find online). It's supposed to have a contrasting-colored band just above the brim, but it looks like the person who knit the one at the link made the same decision I did, i.e. to leave the band off. I'm using leftover cotton yarn to knit it, so I'm having to do some color blocking: blue/purple for the brim, green/purple for the side of the crown, and blue/green for the top of the crown.

I've learned a lesson on this one: change the length of your circular needle if feels like the recommended length is wrong. Not only did I have great difficulty knitting the brim with far too many stitches jammed onto the 16" needle called for in the pattern, but I actually broke my needle! Things were much easier after I switched to a 24" needle.

Quilting:

I did some more quilting on Batik Cascade (Batik Go-Round) by Karen Combs. I've just started the outermost round of squares.

Cross Stitch:

Finally, I did some more work on Mask of Colors 1, a Colray Crafts chart by Michele Sayetta of Heaven and Earth Designs based on artwork by Linda Ravenscroft.

Mask of Colors 1, Batik Cascade

Quilting:

I did some more quilting on Batik Cascade (Batik Go-Round) by Karen Combs.

Cross Stitch:

Finally, I did some more work on Mask of Colors 1, a Colray Crafts chart by Michele Sayetta of Heaven and Earth Designs based on artwork by Linda Ravenscroft.

Mask of Colors 1, Batik Cascade

Quilting:

I did some more quilting on Batik Cascade (Batik Go-Round) by Karen Combs.

Cross Stitch:

Finally, I did some more work on Mask of Colors 1, a Colray Crafts chart by Michele Sayetta of Heaven and Earth Designs based on artwork by Linda Ravenscroft.

Mask of Colors 1, Batik Cascade, Da Capo

Quilting:

I did some more quilting on Batik Cascade (Batik Go-Round) by Karen Combs.

Cross Stitch:

I did some more work on Mask of Colors 1, a Colray Crafts chart by Michele Sayetta of Heaven and Earth Designs based on artwork by Linda Ravenscroft.

Blackwork:

Finally, I did some more work on Da Capo by Elizabeth Almond.

Mask of Colors 1, Batik Cascade

Quilting:

I did some more quilting on Batik Cascade (Batik Go-Round) by Karen Combs.

Cross Stitch:

Finally, I did some more work on Mask of Colors 1, a Colray Crafts chart by Michele Sayetta of Heaven and Earth Designs based on artwork by Linda Ravenscroft.

Mask of Colors 1, Batik Cascade, Da Capo

Quilting:

I did some more quilting on Batik Cascade (Batik Go-Round) by Karen Combs.

Cross Stitch:

I finished the first couple of rows on Mask of Colors 1, a Colray Crafts chart by Michele Sayetta of Heaven and Earth Designs based on artwork by Linda Ravenscroft.

Blackwork:

Finally, I did some more work on Da Capo by Elizabeth Almond.

Mask of Colors 1, Batik Cascade, Da Capo, Wheat Fields

Quilting:

I did some more quilting on Batik Cascade (Batik Go-Round) by Karen Combs.

Swedish Weaving:

I finished the embroidery on the towel based on Wheat Fields from Learn to Make Monk’s Cloth Afghans by Marilyn T. Magly. All that's left is to hem the ends.

Blackwork:

I pulled out Da Capo by Elizabeth Almond and got quite a bit done on it.

Cross Stitch:

Finally, I've started yet another new project. This one's Mask of Colors 1, a Colray Crafts chart by Michele Sayetta of Heaven and Earth Designs based on artwork by Linda Ravenscroft. As I said in this post, I'm not too happy with Ms. Sayetta's adaptations. However, I bought this chart and its companion piece at the same time as Joy of Computer Work, so I didn't know about the issues with her charts and I've fallen in love with the designs. So, I plan to stitch these 2 pieces and Joy of Computer Work and then never buy one of her charts again.

Hopefully, these won't be as bad as Joy of Computer Work. After careful study of the original artwork for both pieces, I'm pretty sure that the images on the patterns are the computer mockups rather than the original artwork this time. Also, there's no text in these designs. Moreover, I'm stitching them on 25-count linen rather than 28-count Murano, so the stitching's not quite as dense.

I'm beginning to suspect that I might have a slight masochistic streak, however. Besides the potential problems with the charts, these are the largest and most complicated designs that I have ever attempted. Mask of Colors 1 is 400 x 755 stitches. The chart is 48 pages long!

Anyway, here's what I've got done so far. I'm about 2/3 of the way across the 1st row.