al.vick's HST cross stitch progress

I have started the Wonders of HST cross stitch pattern. You can't really see it in this picture, but there is a little bit of shiny silver added to the lightest color of HST, giving it just a little sparkle. The project is bigger than what is pictured, see Wonders of the Hubble Space Telescope Stitchalong. It is 16 count, and that is really taxing my 50 year old eyes, but I got a nice little LED light I can wear around my neck, and that make the whole thing possible for a few hours a night.

I work for HST, so this has a special place in my heart.

Oh wow, that looks amazing! I love the dyed background cloth, too. Looking forward to seeing your progress!

That is really nice. I can imagine it is hard on the background color.

Oh wow! I don't like stitching on dark fabric, but that will be lovely.

Thanks all! I don't really like dark fabric either, but this project demanded it, and the LED light around my neck provides a very nice light, so it's not so bad. I may have to do more copies of this pattern to give away. The fabric is from Finland (recommended by the Climbing Goat designs people), and it is lovely to work with. Very soft.

>1 al.vick: Looks great!! Terrific start! I got everything to do this last year as a SAL and then never even started it. LOL I'll get to it eventually...

>1 al.vick: wow! I know of Climbing Goat designs through stitching for Love Quilts. I love that you're doing it and work for HST.

>6 PlatinumWarlock: I like the idea of a SAL, but I also know i would fall down along the way!

Have just started picture #3, the whirlpool galaxy. Pictures to come. I had to get myself some magnifying glasses, you know, drug store readers. I am wearing them with my prescription glasses now (to fix astygmatizism) to I must look pretty odd, but I can see much better. Ahh...what a drag it is getting old. :)

>8 al.vick: Looking forward to the pictures.

>8 al.vick: Check these out, Alison... I wear glasses too (astigmatism in one eye, farsighted in the other... it's nuts...), and these have made ALL the difference. Multiple strengths available, inexpensive, lightweight.

>8 al.vick: - I wear an extra pair of magnifiers when I'm sewing the binding to a quilt or when I'm working on my hand quilting project in addition to my glasses. I'm sure it looks strange.

That will be such a gorgeous piece! Stitching on dark fabric is certainly a pain, but the end effect is so great. I always make sure to have a white sheet on my lap to help a tiny bit with the visibility.

>10 PlatinumWarlock: I am so getting those if I ever go back to these decorative napkins where end up with 1.25 mm squares. I did a large scale piece on one years ago and really felt like I was going blind.

Here's a current picture. I see there is more cat fur on it that I thought. I spend a lot of time picking that off! And of course it is not as flat for the picture...

>13 al.vick: Beautiful work!

>13 al.vick: It's very nice!

>13 al.vick: That’s such a cool project, and it’s looking really good.

moving on to the helix nebula today.

I am almost finished with the next picture, the helix nebula. It has been fun to do, as the colors are more in concentric patches instead of the scatter plot that typifies the galaxy pictures. Also lots of nice color. I wanted to post an updated picture, but for some reason, LT is not uploading the picture right. The powers that be of library were looking into it...

>19 al.vick: Hopefully they'll figure it out soon so we can all see!

Well here is the progress as of a few weeks ago, I have gotten much further now, but have not taken a new picture.

>22 al.vick: It's looking so good!

Lovely!

I love this project so much!

A bit of progress, though slower than I might hope. Well, a lot of progress since the last update, but still... I made so many mistakes on that last bottom nebula. But who will notice? And now there is mud in the basement from hurricane Helene, and the furnace, washing machine and dehumidifier probably all need to be replaced/fixed because of water damage. And I live is southern OH! Climate change is real people! So there will likely be more delays. I had hoped to finish by the end of the year, that may still be possible. And then-on to the JWST one.

It looks great! And definitely no one but will realize there are mistakes.

I didn't realize we were in the same neck of the woods (in Appalachian distance terms at least!). I used to kick around that area a good bit when my dad lived in Adams county.

>26 al.vick: Oh, you’ve made tons of progress! Looks great!

And I’m sorry to hear you’ve been affected by the hurricane. The news reporting I’ve seen has been heartbreaking.

Your stitching looks great!

I was really surprised to read that Helene had reached southern Ohio. I grew up in Cincinnati where there is a long history of the Ohio River flooding, but nothing like this. I'm sorry you're having to deal with it.

It is heart breaking to see the news. Prayers for all.

>26 al.vick: That is really great.

>26 al.vick: - That's really stunning!

>26 al.vick: So gorgeous!

Sending my well wishes as you recover from the storm damage.

Sorry you are dealing with flood damage. Our church's warehouse ministry has received more than 1600 loads of supplies and because of lots of volunteers has had quick turn around on getting them out to places in TN and NC, primarily, but also to GA and FL. I have wanted to go help in the warehouse, but based on what I've been told, I don't think my stamina is back at an adequate level post-COVID to handle it at this point so I'd probably be more of a hindrance than a help. I'll see how I am Friday. I think seasonal allergies are complicating regaining the full stamina.

Hope you feel better soon!

I have finished the main pictures in cross-stitch. I still have some backstitch to do on the pictures, and borders, and text at the bottom.

Wow! That turned out really well.

I was going to say WOW also. Love the colors. Working on black is hard. Where are you going to put it?

>36 al.vick: That looks amazing!

That's very nice looking.

It's actually a very dark blue. I had to get an LED light that goes around my neck to illuminate the fabric sufficiently! I am thinking of gifting it to someone at work (I work for the Hubble and James Webb Space Telescopes) as a retirement gift. After this one is finished, I will be starting on a JWST one. Only a few select people that I have known for years can get these prized retirement gifts of course! I am running out of wall space in my own house, though I will probably do this pattern again (to keep), as it is especially nice, and close to my heart.

>41 al.vick: You job sounds fascinating. That is a very special gift for someone.

>36 al.vick: So gorgeous! I'm in awe.