HEART #5….

My goal was 5 hearts in June….I did it! I just finished #5 with all it’s beading. I didn’t think it would take as many gold beads as it did. First there is a large bead placed at each cross section. Next there are smaller gold beads completing the grid.

Because I am working from stash I created some problems for myself. After placing the larger beads, the rows from lower right to upper left were done by threading five beads on the needle and running the needle through the large bead. This worked fine. However when beginning the rows from lower left to upper right I could not go through the large bead, as instructed, the large bead got too twisted. The beads called for in the supply list were different. I improvised by threading the beads on the needle and stitching them down before the large bead and coming up after the large bead. This gives the same visual look.

Next problem…I didn’t have enough of the small gold beads to complete both directions. I did have other gold beads in my stash but they were not the exact gold. Surprise…surprise. Going back to an old trick, I planned to run out. Because I stitch mostly from my stash, I don’t always have enough of the same dye lot. To make the slight change less noticeable I work in from both sides or up and down evenly. The change looks like it was planned and makes a change of dye lot, or in this case beads, much less noticeable.

HEART #5 Designed but Michele Roberts

Now on to Heart #6. Each heart is a little more challenging. I may go away from the reds as I would like to use other colors from my stash. Part of my challenge IS working from stash