Dark Forces On The Rise

Yes, it's me - really! I know it's been a terribly long time. In fact, I think my last regular update - that actually showed progress - was in July 2015, when I had just finished the first row of the pattern.

Since then, I had only pulled it out a couple of times and made about hald a page worth of progress, so by the beginning of this year, Dark Force looked like this:

I'm doing a ten hour rotation this year, and earlier this month I decided to give Dark Force a turn as well. I stitched almost 1.500 stitches (giving up my per-column style since I switched to using Pattern Keeper) and now it looks like this:

I want to try and work on this for at least ten hours a month now. It would be lovely to have another row finish, but I'm not sure that'll work out this year so I'll be happy with just a couple pages of progress as well!

Total progress so far: 28448 stitches/20.66%

Leonore's June Update

So half the year is over, and so far I managed to stick to my goals - one column each week. In fact, if I can keep this up, July should see both a page finish (two more columns) and a row finish (two more after that). Maybe once I've reached the right edge, I'll slow down a bit and focus on other things, since finishing one row was kind of my goal for the year, but we will see when I get there :)

As to this month's theme, we haven't planned a real vacation yet - maybe later in the year. This summer, we'll visit my boyfriend's parents in northern Bavaria, and have a few days of staycation. I'll also be going to a big gaming convention ^_^ So for now, my favourite stitching spot continues to be my spot on the sofa :D

Elaine's May Update - nothing

It's been great seeing everyone's progress.  As for me, nothing.  I had a medical situation in April - pretty serious diagnosis and surgery. I'm doing well now, but 7 weeks post-surgery, I'm just now feeling almost normal.  I'd never had general anesthesia before, and it really did a number on me.  Hopefully in a month I will have more to report.  Dark Force is next up in my rotation, and I've only got one more hour to go on my current project. Here's to June!

Leonore's May Check In

May was a busy day for me stitching wise - we had three holidays/long weekend, which made for plenty of stitching time, so it was no problem to stay right on track with my one column a week goal. I finished page 3, and already started page 4 by finishing the first column - now it's only eight more columns/weeks until I can see the full width of the design and start the next row!

I also realized I didn't answer this month's theme yet - my favourite stitchy gift, that's a tough one! I've received nomerous lovely things, patterns, kits, supplies and other gadgets from friends and family, and I think it would be rude to try and pick favourites. So I'll go the way my heart goes, by always loving the one's I recently use most - that's a lovely design by Glendon Place, called Red Velvet Cake. The pattern and silks were a birthday present by my grandma, and the fabric I bought with a gift certificate I got from my friend Carla. The needleminder was a present from Carla as well, and the q snap I use I got from my friend Magical - a truely gifted project for sure!

Leonore's Dark Force - April Update

Another month, another five columns on Dark Force - I'm working on this slowly, but steadily, and like how it comes along. By now I have reached an area with a bit more color-blocking, so I can finish my weekly column a lot more quickly and actually work a bit more on my other projects as well :)

As you can see I only have three more columns gridded out, so May should see yet another page finish!

Elaine's Dark Force non-update

Like others here, I made no progress on Dark Force this month.  Zero. Zip.  Nothing.  Nada.  I have some unanticipated time off in April (medical leave) so hopefully I can finish up my current rotation project and pick Dark Force back to get some done before the next update.

February Dark Force - Leonore

Just in time before the end of the month, but I so wanted to get the latest column done and finally did yesterday - so here is Dark Force after one and a half months of stitching:

I finished page one, and the first two columns of page two, for a total of 7200 stitches so far, and therefor made my goal of one column a week. If you take a step back, you can already make out one horn and part of the head of one of the demon like figures in the bottom right :)

February Dark Force - Elaine

So, here it is - the first 7 hours (I do a 7-hour rotation on my projects). This is my first real try at 1 over 1 on 25 ct, and I like it.  After I finished this I went back to one of my 2 over 1 on 22 ct and it seems huge! It's been fun looking at everyone's progress - such a great diversity of projects. Keep up the good work!

Elaine January Dark Force update

Not much done this month. 3 1/2 hours and 443 stitches. Thanks for looking! 

Elaine

Leonore's January Update

So after a late start on the 13th I gained some ground by focusing on my project and not stitching much else. My main goal for Dark Force was to stitch one block (of 10x10 stitches) a day, which I reached (including catching up the first 12 days of the year) on the 25th. But I wasn't content, because I have another goal which would be so very nice to achieve and that is one column a week. Doesn't sound like much of a difference, considering that wach column is only 8 blocks, but since we are currently in week 5 it does mean I have to catch up one more row. I *might* manage to do just that over the weekend, which is really exciting! So far, I'm at four columns -> 4*8 = 32 blocks -> 3200 stitches, and I really love what I see so far.

A late start...

Though I'm still missing half of the floss (hurry up, post guys!), I really can't wait any longer, my fingers are itching...so, after preparing my fabric yesterday, today will be the day I'm starting Dark Force!

I'll be trying I few new (to me) things with this...gridding (though I decided to grid only one page at a time, as I stitch them) and my own interpretation of parking. It looks like I have most of the colors needed for the corner I want to start in; so here's hoping I'll get in a couple hundred of stitches before the weekend - I have some catching up to do after all!

Leonore

Dark Force start

After 1 hour of stitching, 124 stitches done, 137,576 to go!  Should be able to make more progress this weekend.  Not much to go on, but so far, I'm happy with the coverage, even of the very dark.

Elaine