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Hardanger the Hard Way


Subtitle - Why is that crazy lady out on her porch taking pictures of a wastebasket?

Yes, that is Hardanger in the trash.  I have given up!

It is a cute little tree that I thought I could finish rather quickly in my spare time.  I had the kit about a month and when the time was right I started stitching.  I thought I'd have a tree a few days later.

Wrong!  It went slower than usual.  I was making more mistakes and having to undo them.  I was halfway done with the klosters (for the 2nd time) when I realized the problem:  28 count linen and pearl cotton 5 and 8.  The thread is way to big for the linen.  It pushes the holes together and it makes it harder to count. 

I figured that I'd made a good start and if I was careful I wouldn't make any more mistakes.  Wrong!  While the klosters where difficult the buttonhole was nearly impossible.  Still I struggled on.  I got frustrated.  I got headaches.

The next time I picked it up (after ignoring it for weeks) I looked closely.  It just didn't look good and I didn't want to deal with it so it went in the wastebasket.


Instead I found a scrap of linen and some pearl cotton in the correct size.  In a fraction of the time I spend on the other one I was further along.  And having fun.

Lesson learned.  I should have quit when I realized what the problem was.  I didn't realize how difficult the wrong size thread made job.  Hopefully others with the same kit realized the problem and adjusted.  I would hate for a first-timer to have to start with a problem like that.

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