Charting the Progress of my Lap Quilt - Week One

This is the first part of the Progress on my embroidered Lap Quilt.  I will take this through to Thursday night 18th March 2021 and then weekly thereafter.  It will be good to get all the embroidery done on this project, and then when completed I can get this all made up and into the Christmas Box for this year.  I have some other projects too.

I am not sure whether any of you are interested but thought that I would post a timeline on my efforts at working this huge cross-stitch which is a Plaid Bucilla kit.  When I first looked at this kit I was totally overwhelmed and so the way I am working it is to simplify it for me to get the most I can out of the threads available.  I always in the past have ended up not having enough thread, but fortunately with this kit they give you the colours and their reference numbers.  I also thought that it would be a useful exercise for me to keep tabs on the time that I have put into this project.  Sometimes these take hours and hours and I do not think that this is always appreciated.

Friday 12 March 2021

D Day and Starting the Lap Quilt.  I have been looking at this project for over a week intending just to sort the threads out but there are so many I have felt overwhelmed.  In the end I have come up with a plan of attack and have started with the lettering which has the bulk of threads all in different reds.  Part of the capital letters is worked in a different red, I shall go back to that so that I do not get any of the threads muddled.  Trying to keep focus.  Happier with this I then started the stitching.  Sometimes it is about getting the upstairs furniture sorted out before actually picking up the needle.  However am as pleased as punch that the needle was picked up and I have started this long-standing project.  

I have split in my mind different areas to start working this lap quilt in that I am starting with the written panel section of the quilt with the bulk of the lettering.  I have worked the bulk colour first and will go back and work the other part of the lettering next.  I will then go on to the Noel section and that will be the bulk of the lettering done.  I can then concentrate on each panel and work little by little.

I have been so pleased to be able to spend dedicated time on a project that is almost unheard of but it is something I am determined I am going to do far more of.  It has made me happy. Sat from about 3pm until 11:00pm

 = approximately 8 hours

Saturday 13 March 2021

From early evening I was able to sit and work until about 1:00am.  Managed to complete the bulk of the lettering on this particular panel.  Spent about six hours working this to achieve this. = 6 hours

I am pleased with how this project is working up thus far.  This will be my biggest project to date and I have so many more beautiful kits and unfinished projects waiting in the wings including part-worked vintage pieces I have bought from Ebay over the years some of which I have to match up with vintage threads where I can.

Sunday 14 March 2021

Did not get to the embroidery until 8:30pm.  Worked until 1:00am. = 4 hours 30 minutes  Working the "Noel" wording.  Well half of it at least as I have been concentrating on one colour so far. This is how I am choosing to work this pattern as there are so many threads. The more I look at the pattern the more I am understanding it.

I have been looking at the pattern to see what to work next.  Still concentrating on the one colour of red before going on to another colour.

Monday 15 March 2021

Started sewing at 8:00pm to 1:00pm = 5 hours.

Later than anticipated because of a late tea.

This way on I can see what I have worked.  Once this colour red is worked I will then go on to another shade of red and so on.  It does mean a lot of bitting about but it is actually helping with the bits that are not so clear.

I am also managing to keep my focus on this project without clearing off and starting something else.   I am determined to get this done as soon as I can.  I have oh so many other projects that I want to do that I already have in-house, and patterns for future projects without the materials. There is a lot more work in these projects than you think at first glance.

Tuesday16 March 2021

Late to the embroidery today.  It was 9:00pm before I was able to start. Worked for four hours until 1:00pm.  Not as much done but every little helps.

I also did a little stitching on a heart motif, only a little which is why I am not showing the progress here. That will be for next time.  I seem to be shifting through this particular colour red areas quite quickly overall, but then it will be to the next colour when they are all worked.

Wednesday 17 March 2021

Managed to work two heart motifs and a small church.  Tarted at 8:45pm.  I suspect I may have to purchase more red thread.

Two small hearts worked and the best part of a church last night.

Time input so far 31 hours and 15 minutes

Shall update again in a week's time as I am keen to get this out of the way with  as soon as I can and if constant working at it achieves this then I am content to put the effort in. 

Of course I have to go back to the different images and complete the other colours, but one colour at a time to start with

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

xx