The bane of my existence...

or at least, of my WIP's. I wasn't going to ever post about this piece until I had a finished picture to show but here goes.

I could safely say I don't have any UFO's (in cross stitch, anyway. Quilting might be another story.) I was always a one at a time stitcher working on, almost exclusively, large pieces. I picked one pattern to work on and stitched it until I was done. I was fearless. Nothing was too big to tackle.

About 10 years ago I started adding a small piece here and there while a larger piece was under way. Then I just threw caution to the wind and started multiple large pieces. About 6 years ago I purchased Holiday Express, a Stardust pattern 'specially designed from Artwork by L. Kotila'. That should have been my first clue, but what did I know? I'd never stitched a piece designed specifically from a piece of art. I should have also noticed that the picture on the front of the pattern (which is VERY tiny, by the way) is of the piece of art, not a finished cross stitch. But, heck, I've been stitching forever. I can do this.

So, about 4 years ago I pulled out the specially purchased piece of recommended fabric [from hell] and started stitching. I can't even begin to describe the challenges this piece has offered. No matter, I won't be defeated by a piece of fabric, a picture, and some threads. I've just put it to rest and gotten it back out when it's in a better mood. Fast forward to today, when the piece looks like this.....

Not so bad, I know. It's just Taken me 4 TIMES LONGER THEN IT SHOULD HAVE TO FINISH IT! Hence my frustration.

Enter Jinger, a fellow blogger over at www.raeofsunstitches.blogspot.com (for whatever reason I can't get a hyperlink to work) who has been working on the same piece for almost twice as long as me. An angel in disquise! We are going to cheer each other on thru the final stretches of Holiday Express.

So, cross my fingers, this time I really will set a finish date and make it happen. By August, when my LNS has it's biannual frame sale, I'd like to have the piece finished and ready to take to be framed.

And now, I've said it out loud so there is no backing down.

Wish me luck.

The Queen Bee