I've spent
* First one, specifically to those of you who have stitched Evening in the Park:
- This photo, on Chatelaine.net, appears to have a stitched centre.
- Yet This photo, on ECC, does not.
- And This photo has a crystal star in the centre.
EitP is the design that's yelling at me most loudly but I don't want to spend a bucket load of money and not have a charted centre when that's one of the principal things drawing me to the Chatelaine designs.
* Secondly, the yahoo groups. Are the past groups still there and do you have to join the group to stitch the piece? I can't get the hang of the yahoo boards. I joined the Specialty Stitchers and the Crazy January Challenge but I just can't negotiate my way round the board.
* Thirdly, There's no way I'd keep up with one of these and get it all done to a schedule. For me, a "Chat" will be a long - very long - term project, so if there are rules and regs about stitching them, I probably shouldn't start...
* Should I start with a "mini" or "micro" or is it ok to just jump right on in with a biggie? I've never really been a "beginner" stitcher. I leapt in at the deep end when I started cross stitching. My first stitch had fractionals and tweeding, my second had fractionals, tweeding and blending filament and my third had all of the above and was on linen... I'm not overly experienced with specialty stitches but I don't have too much trouble learning something new if I've got decent written instructions or a good you-tube vid.
TIA!
I know there's plenty of support out there
xxx
K
I can't speak to the design but I am jumping head first into the chatelaine pool! Last month I got the hawaiian garden mandala and have been acquiring the materials. I glanced over the 18+ page chart, yes, I'm serious, and its very detailed. Detailed instructions for the specialty stitches are included and the internet is amazing! I say go for it! I am very excited to start my piece once I get ebetything together!
ReplyDeleteI figured the chart would be a biggie - that doesn't bother me too much. Can't be bigger than a full sized HAED, LOL.
DeleteJust looked up the Hawaiian Mandala... wow, beautiful!
Thank you :)
I'm a noob too, I have the kit for my first Chat but I want to finish at least one more big WIP before starting.
ReplyDeleteCan't answer your question on the specific design you have linked there, but it looks to me like the crystal star was something that particular stitcher decided to add. It looks like the center had two options in the original class, stitched or not, according to a reply in this thread:
http://chatelainedesigns.yuku.com/topic/11298/EITP-UPDATE
For the groups, I believe they are deleted once all the parts are published and 1-2 months pass. Some of the designs are released as charts later on, but not all. I hate Yahoo groups as well, very difficult to navigate, but there's not much activity on the groups from my limited experience, just posts to announce new parts or some q&a.
Jump right into a big one! You know you want to. :p
LOL, I definitely want to :)
DeleteThank you!
Ooooh, a new Chatelaine WIP to drool over. This is so exciting, Kirstin!! :D
ReplyDeleteOk... regarding the pics you found... the one with the star in the center looks like it's a stitcher's choice. The one on ECC looks like they used an unfinished piece, and the one on Martina's site is probably her original mock up.
I looked up my chart, and the center is indeed stitched. Found a few pics for you showing the center as charted:
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bMbb4SfK4wc/TbmttcWgh5I/AAAAAAAAA58/TEYgs0du1Qc/s1600/M8wip8-Chatelaine.JPG
http://community.webshots.com/photo/fullsize/2942222710100381921BgMuCS
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c130/Wanda72908/Chatelaines/Evening%20In%20The%20Park/DSC00516.jpg
http://chatelainestitchers.blogspot.com/2011/04/finally-got-my-mojo-back.html
Bookmark this link, as it has lots of info from previous stitchers. You'll find it really handy. :)
http://chatelainedesigns.yuku.com/topic/897/Evening-in-the-Park-formerly-Mystery-8#.Tx95LsNCoXk
Regardless of if Martina releases a chart as a mystery or not, the center, as far as I know, is always charted. The mystery just means that she doesn't post the picture for all to see and puts it in a different area on the YUKU board for the curious ones.
The yahoo groups...
Once a class as closed, the yahoo group closes. So, the only way to get those charts are when Martina releases the PDF, which you will be able to purchase from ECC and other similar online stores.
I'm not crazy about using yahoo groups either. For the Chats, I use it solely to download the new parts and get the password. This is not hard to do as you get an notification when Martina posts a new part to the classes, so all you do is click on the link, download, unzip and put in the password. That gives you a workable PDF.
Great news!! There's no schedule. You stitch at your pace. Just make sure you download the new parts each month so that you have that on your computer. Lots of us join the classes to purchase the chart and stitch them at a later date. Absolute NO RULES! :D
If it was me, I'd jump right in... come to think of it, I did! LOL!! The specialties aren't hard. Martina provides illustrations. :)
A note of import... you won't have to deal with the classes for EitP. I see the the chart is available from ECC. :)
Thanks Joyce. This has pretty much sealed it. I'm in :) There'll be a Chat start sometime this year.
ReplyDeleteNow I've got to save my pennies and hope that the exchange rate stays good from our end.
Oh I am sure you will love stitching a Chat. I just jumped straight in as well with White Nights in St Petersburg - it's huge and will take me forever to stitch but good fun in the making. I went for using DMC threads though as it was just going to be ridicously expensive otherwise.
ReplyDeleteas for yahoo groups, i find them very easy to use as I just receive all messages through my email - simples...
good luck dear whatever you chose..
ReplyDeletehappy stitching xx
Oh I love these too but am daunted by the size.
ReplyDeleteGood luck if you start one - I will definitely look forward to following your progress.
How fun! I jumped straight in with Japanese Garden, and I am loving it. Like Joyce said, the instructions are very clear and Martina shows how to do the specialty stitches. I look forward to seeing your progress :)
ReplyDeleteI say go for it, I've been thinking about trying a mini just to say I've done one. It's on my cross stitch bucket list right behind a biscornu.
ReplyDeleteI love jumping in the deep end when it comes to something new. Go for it!
ReplyDeleteIf it's callling your name, go for it. I've started on a smaller one - RRGM that was in TGOS online magazine, but I've brought several others as well. Chats are designed to be worked in sections from the centre out, which makes it easier.
ReplyDelete