Mistakes, mistakes and more mistakes

Iris and Butterfly by Pat Van Cleve was the start of the comedy of errors.  Mistake number 1.  If I'd looked at the picture properly I would have noticed that the butterfly has canvas showing.  Oh well I suppose I'll have to change that, maybe a bit of stump work will be in order.

Finding it interesting shading by blending 3 different shades of DMC.

My problem started with the background.  As I hid some of my compensationing in the bloom areas I also continued to do the same in the butterfly area. 
















Next to my great excitement my first Sue Spargo block of the month arrived.  Unpacked it and decided to get stuck straight in.

Mistake number two.

Cut out some of the first pieces laid out and cut the rickrack to size.

Then proceeded to needleturn the green onto the wool.  Thank goodness I did this part separate from the main background.  Next stitched this onto the aforementioned background. 

The next day I happen to look at the instructions and to my horror notice that I had the block set in portrait instead of landscape.  This meant having to rip out stitches and then my rickrack was also too short as a result.

My luck was with me again as I had a piece of vintage rickrack in my supplies.

I vowed to read my instructions.  To no avail along comes mistake number three.

I start doing running stitch around the leaf area with one of my favorite threads, seagrass.  Again I happen to look at the picture, oh no it should be backstitch.  More unstitching.

On to the bullions and I mean bullions.  That is when I discover mistake number four.  The small circles are in two different shades and of course I manage to backstitch around the wrong ones.

At this stage I have to say it is a good thing I love Sue Spargo items or this would have ended up in the same trash can as my ANG stitch of the month.

Bey heck (as they say back in Yorkshire, England)  Sue Spargo does like her bullions.  When I've finished these looped bullions I think a count will be in order and then calculate the number of wraps.