Cross-stitch sweepstake

[watervole]

When will I finish the piece of cross-stitch that I am currently working on? The closest guess will win a prize. Heaven knows what the prize will be, but I'll think of something. After all, it may be a decade or two before anyone gets to collect...

In order to help you make an educated guess (he he) here is some helpful data.

The piece I have just finished is tiny - about two inches square. It probably took around a year and a half - nope, must be longer as I used to work on in in airports before they banned embroidery scissors in cabin baggage.

I once completed a bookmark in a couple of months.

I've managed two pictures that are much smaller than the one I'm currently working on. Both were done well over fifteen years ago.

I started a bell pull with musical instruments on it about 18 years ago. I'm still only half way down it.

The current picture (a woodland with birch trees) has a grid of 120 squares for ease of working out where you are. In the last week, I've managed around 6 of those squares. This is much much faster than my normal rate of progress and may/may not be due to the fact that I've finally got some glasses that allow me to focus at the right distance for sewing. Radio 4 has also helped. If I get a halogen lamp for my birthday, this may also encourage further stitching. Still, there's an awful lot of it to go and it's a very hard pattern to follow. (the bit I'm working on at present looks gorgeous, the colours flow together like an opal, but there's no lines or anything to help you work out where you are)

Of course, if my voice comes back, I might find better things to do with my time...

So, for your prize, get the closest guess as to the date when the birches will be completed.

Comments

[hddod.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't like to guess, but the cross-stitch I am currently working on was originally intended to be an anniversary present for my parents some three years ago. It's still not finished, let alone turned into the cushion that it's going to be. One day I'll get there...

[paranoidangel]

My mum has a daylight simulation bulb with a magnifying glass-type thing attached onto it. Once she had it she can't work without it!

[alex-holden.livejournal.com]

Midnight, 1st January, 2020.

[watervole.livejournal.com]

Well, if no one else makes a guess, you're in with a very good chance!

[entorien.livejournal.com]

23rd April, 2006, I even did maths to work that out...

[micavity.livejournal.com]

if I sneak in to the house and finish it for you does it count? if yes about two years (around the 14 of june) if no, longer. do we get to update our bets if we keep an eye on you to see how you are doing?...

[watervole.livejournal.com]

Hm, given the rate of progress on your 'life-bridge' embroidery, I think I'm pretty safe from you completing mine!

No, you can't update bets as you view progress; that would be against the entire spirit of a sweepstake.

So, what's your bet?

[julesjones]

Did you ever finish that very nice one I saw you working on some years ago, micavity?

(Subtle, me?)

I've seen the current rate of progress (fast), but I'm not sure how long it's going to last.

[waveney.livejournal.com]

Well which will come first, the embrodery or the heat death of the universe? Hmmm difficult.

If she continues at the current rate, then by Christmas, but I doubt it.

Lets assume she will complete 12 squares, then it will be left in the cupboard for 6 months, then perhaps 10 squares, then 6 months, then 8 squares, then six months and 6 squares, six months and 4 squares, size months and two squares, and six months and six months and six months
and eventually another 10 squares when visiting relatives and so on. So a realistic answer is February 31st 2012.

[watervole.livejournal.com]

You know me too well!

[reapermum.livejournal.com]

But which Christmas? I'm in a similar position with a dragon for middle child.

The Greek calends, at a guess.

[dragoness13.livejournal.com]

Interesting. I'm trying to take into consideration the decrease of how long it will take since you'll get more and more used to it and progress more quickly the more you do it, however one easily goes into stages of feeling like doing this kind of thing and then not bothering to pick it up for months.

*ponder*

If no one else guesses, April 24th, 2006 would be a pretty likely guess to win, but it seems too early... oh well. Secretly I will guess sometime in the middle of '08, but my official guess is the one mentioned before.

[headgardener.livejournal.com]

13 Feb 2017: based on ooh, about 10 years, with Christmas season a good time for actually getting really close to completion, so motivating that final dash for really really last stitch.

My current tapestry is one of the Musee Cluny 'Lady and Unicorn' series: Hearing. It sits patiently in its floor-standing frame beside my TV watching chair...

[watervole.livejournal.com]

Ah, the trick is to think radio, not TV. I've managed a lot of stiching (and often been better entertained as well) since I started listening to radio 4 while working.

But you're probably right that the current spurt won't last.