Visible Progress...

I've been working on this Holiday Stocking for BookWorm for .. literally .. ten years now.

It's really rather embarassing.  Last year, I really tried to finish, but though I thought I was close, this year's efforts have proven that I was not. In November, I began working on the stocking during knit-night every week.  I thus guaranteed at least 2 if not 3 hours a week of diligent needlepointing.

This past weekend, I spent an extra afternoon and evening's worth of TV watching with Bookworm diligently needlepointing away (c'mon it was a blizzard out there, we weren't GOING anywhere).  I also ventured forth into the icy windy evil that was the weather on Sunday -- to find more floss to match the green that she chose for her name, and to match the blue that was required to finish two ornament balls on the tree.  When I got home... it was more needlepoint for me...

And last night, just after knit night,  I finally achieved what had begun to feel impossible.

Kitty and I pored over it, finding all the missed stitches (one here, two there -- the buggers hide).  And yet, I am not done.  Oh no.... for this lovely stocking also has a whole swack of back stitching to do.  Yep, outlining things with single strands of floss.

Why?  Well... because it really does look better.  Without the backstitching, the bows look like this:

As the back stitching comes in, they start to look better...

And they work best with all the back stitching in place

Besides... how else will you see his whiskers?

Comments

[marissa]

Now THAT's a labor of love, and a true heirloom. She will treasure that always, I'm sure!

[Colleen G]

Congrats. You're SO close. And it looks lovely.

I'm at 8 pair of mittens finished, so far.

[Kym]

What a beautiful stocking! (The backstitching really does the trick, doesn't it?)