Saturday 25 February 2017

It's Red Wine Time, because Adrift is Complete!






This is page 33, 34 and 35.  I got to the end of 33 and I was in such a groove that I thought I should just blaze ahead and finish her.  So I did.  I think the end result is stunning.  Maybe this is me being partial, because she's mine, but I just think she is so pretty. 

I think I may also be the first one to complete this pattern.  At least I haven't seen any completed pieces in the Facebook communities.  So for anyone considering stitching her, I can attest that she stitches up beautifully. 

It was a little dicey, though.  I ran out of 3371 last night after the craft store closed, so I had to send out an emergency SOS to my friend, Rika, who lives nearby. Luckily she had one on that that I could have.  (whew, thanks, Riks).  And even then, I finished this with the tiniest amount of thread left.

So now I'm drinking a big glass of red wine in celebration. (Although maybe it should be white, so I can rest my fingers against the chill of the glass - my fingers are aching!)  But I do have to say, I felt a little sad putting in the last stitch.  Journey's ends are always a little bittersweet.

This is the biggest project I've ever done.  She came in at a whopping 229,600 stitches. 

I will get her all washed and ironed and then she is off to the framers.  I will, of course, post a photo when she is framed and hung.  


So I have moved her status bar to black and listed her as complete.  Back to Meeting on the Turret Stairs, and I will unveil my next project with my next update. I don't want to take any attention away from Adrift. 

Thanks for everyone's lovely words of encouragement with her. She was a long, long labour of love, started in January 2014 and finished tonight. 

Enjoy!


31 comments:

  1. Happy dance and plenty of wine!! :) Congratulations on finishing her, she is beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There was dancing AND wine. A little too much wine, my head is smarting this morning.
      But I regret nothing!!! 😉

      Delete
  2. Oh my gosh! Hearty congratulations are in order! She is so amazing. I can only imagine how gorgeous she must be in person. Well done. I think I will miss her too, but I'm looking forward to your new project. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. She's so, so pretty in real life, so much more than the photo.
      I can't wait to get her framed. I'm a little nervous to see how much she will cost to frame. But I don't care if I have to remortgage the house, I'm framing her.

      Delete
  3. Congratulations!! To complete any project deserves a Happy Dance but to complete a large HAED like this... well... I hope the dance lasts a long time! Now I can't wait to see her framed. She really is stunning. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. She was the biggest project I've ever finished. It was a bit of a love/hate relationship at times too. I had to break my 1 project rule and start a second, just because I needed a break from her. But I also learned some really handy tricks too.
      But I am really proud of her.

      Delete
  4. I saw her on an FB group this morning and wondered if she was yours. Beautiful finish! Congratulations! (I've only completed a HAED freebie ornament. I thought I would be excited to finish it, but was also a bit sad. Your feeling is completely understood.)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! I'm so happy to have her done! She was a journey of epic proportions!

      Delete
  5. Congratulations on your finish! Looking forward to seeing the framing :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! I'll be sure to post a photo as soon as I get her back.

      Delete
  6. Huge congratulations! She is absolutely stunning. It must feel strange to be the first person to finish her - but also what an achievement!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! I've heard that someone stitched the mini to completion, but I've not seen a photo of it. But I do think she is the first full size finish. In any case, I'm immensely proud!

      Delete
  7. Replies
    1. Thanks! My husband just calls that tenacious and stubborn, but I'll take inspiring any day! 😊

      Delete
  8. Congratulations! Can't wait to see her framed!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I still have to wash her up, but I hope to get her to the framers by the end of the week.

      Delete
  9. She is beautiful! Congrats on the finish!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Wow. Breathtaking! What a finish. I finished a quick stitch HAED and I missed it too. It was bittersweet like you explained. My hands were literally shaking for the last stitches. This is amazing though. She is beautiful indeed!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think by my last stitch, my fingers were aching so badly, I heaved a sigh of relief. But it was when I was snipping the thread that the moment dawned on me that she was truly done. But it's definitely strange to have her finished and start a new project. Now both of my projects are now. It's all so unfamiliar!

      Delete
  11. This looks amazing! How big is she?

    ReplyDelete
  12. Oh wow. CONGRATULATIONS!!! In my estimation this is all caps worthy. She looks phenomenal! I'm so happy for you.

    Yay for Rika and emergency floss! Yay for celebratory wine and dancing!

    I very much understand the feeling of sadness at the end of a big project. It may sound a little silly because there are so many other things to worry about in the world, but it really can be hard to let it go.

    I think you've become my cross stitch hero. I don't know that that's a thing but I'm making it one. There's a dual pleasure in seeing your progress on your fabulous pieces and being encouraged to work on my own projects because I'm inspired by your progress.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh Thistleberry, you're good for my ego. I can't tell you how many times I've read your lovely, lovely comment. Every comment I have written in reply has paled to your words, and I've deleted them to stare blankly at my reply box. But I was really and truly touched by what you wrote. It seems somehow anticlimactic to just say thanks. But really, from the bottom of my heart, thanks, friend. Thanks.

      Delete
  13. Oh, she is stunning! It's bittersweet when you finish something you've spent so much time on, but soon you'll be able to admire her daily when she's framed.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Astrid, I really wasn't expecting to suffer the, what can only be described as separation anxiety when I finished her. It was harder than I thought it would be, and the new piece that I've started is a bit slow, because she's even bigger than Adrift, and now I know how attached I get to these.
      But you're right, once she is framed and hung, I think that will all change.

      Delete
  14. Wow congratulations! She is incredible, you've done so well on this stunning piece.
    xo Alicia

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Alicia! I think I stared at her for about a week in a state of surprise and a little bit of awe that my needle created that.
      I am so in love with HaED patterns, I don't think I'll ever do another designer.

      Delete
  15. Congratulations that is so great! She is stunning!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks you! I plan on getting her framed this month.

      Delete
  16. Awesome blog, i always enjoy & read the post you are sharing!
    Thank for your very good article...!

    ตารางคะแนนบุนเดสลีกา

    ReplyDelete