Hello everybody - it's lovely to see such activity!
Fishwife: I love Mirabilia and Lavendar & Lace - but they are rather complex (in fact, the only designer that I've found is more complex is Theresa Wentzler <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> ).
The best thing that I can suggest is to look at the project as a whole and break it down into small sections.
I'm different from a lot of cross stitchers in that I don't start in the middle and work out. I found that I was making far too many mistakes that way.
I find it easiest to count up and accross from the middle to the top left hand corner and start from there - working accross the piece and doing it in sections (roughly quarters). This way, I find that I'm not trying to count backwards and am moving from left to right all the time - and it makes it easier because that's the way you read as well. (funnily enough, an Arabic friend of mine does the same - only from right to left, as that's the way she reads!)
I suppose what I'm trying to say is that you need to find your own way of doing things - it may not be the "accepted" way but the bottom line is: did you find it enjoyable? is the finished product what you wanted?
After all - after it's done, nobody will know if you worked the piece in the "accepted" way from the middle out, or any other way.
The most important thing is to keep your crosses consistent and that you enjoy what you're doing.
Something that may help is to do a bit of a sampler of the design - pick an element or two that looks a bit hard, and practice stitching that element. Look at what sort of stitches they have (is there a lot of quarter stitches, or example) and practice stitching these. If it uses charms or beads, practice adding these.
That's the beauty of a true embroidery sampler - it's a place to play and learn.
Bob - I love doing table cloths as well (in fact, I started doing freestyle embroidery on traced linen- sort of a family tradition as both my mother and grandmother are spectacular at this (grandma's stitching is 100% reversable - all of it!) but have moved onto wall hanging stuff (although I did a lot of canvas work that is for hanging on walls).
As for projects - I've recently taken the decision to take a step back from my historcal research and just stitch!
I'm also going to be writing some e-books to distribute through Bella on embroidery (the first one will be on simple embroidery projects)
