Progress Report No. 3

Week 3 has passed...the piece is moving along nicely. My plan is to continue my 5-8 hours of daily stitching through Sunday which is the day of our Open House. Then I will spend the remaining days of May layering knots on top and adding details around the edges.

Yesterday I stitched for nearly eight hours straight. It was really good because I maintained my focus and got a lot done. However, all those hours in a row may have been too much time in my head. I ended yesterday "early," around 9:30pm feeling like I had had a solid, productive day, but also feeling really, really low. This piece is very personal and I am processing some heavy thoughts as I work. I think stitching in increments and taking walks or time to read or draw is a better way of going about my day and contemplating the work at hand.

This is of course not a bad thing, it's actually a good thing. Finding the right balance is key, though.

Also, last week I mentioned the awkwardness of the frame...that is now gone. I love working on the frame. Shifting the piece from my small hoop to this larger working area was the right choice. Now I can see the entire piece as I work and I no longer struggle with handling a much larger apparatus. Sometimes I sit and other times I stand. It is very beneficial to see the piece develop from both levels--the sort-of "aerial" view while standing and the more detailed, close-up view while sitting.

 Thanks for reading.