True Colors

Mahjong Shows Off It's Real Stuff*

I'm back. Some of the "big things" got taken care of. At least enough for me to justify rewarding myself with a little crafty happiness. Mahjong is now finished. And I actually got a daylight shot of the project (albeit under cloudy skies from which snow had been recently emanating) so the true colors of the cushion/wall hanging can now be seen.

I liked this project. I know, I know, I like most of my projects, but the color in this one makes me particularly happy. It has such a springy feeling about it, and I feel, as if by completing this project, I am doing a little bit of a dance to encourage spring to really Spring.

For anyone else who decided to do one of these, I do think that Emma has exactly the right idea by starting hers in the center and working out. I've done enough counted cross-stitch to know that inside outwards is a good rule to follow (needlepoint seems to me very much like cross stitch only on a bigger canvas), but I just ignored it here. In the end it worked out fine, but I did have to rip out a good portion of the center section and re-do after I miscalculated something. After ripping I worked things out from the center, and the results are what you see below.

Hitting the Bullseye with Mahjong**

This picture is much more representative of how much the canvas shows through than the previous closeup.

Now I so need another one of these kits. (Actually, I need another project like I need a hole in the head...but that doesn't keep me from wanting another one of these lovely projects). Chequers in Travertine anyone?

*for once, an unretouched photo from the Keyboard Biologist
** can you believe it? a second unretouched photo!