I’ve finished the top row of blocks in the blackwork (redwork? whitework?) ABC. 
I apologize for the mediocre picture but as usual, I took the pictures, moved them to the computer, and looked at them later to discover that the focus could be better. I would have started over but unfortunately I left the camera on so the batteries are dead (the camera shuts off automatically but apparently not when it’s connected to the computer). AND although I have 4 or 5 battery chargers and several sets of batteries, some of which I think don’t work, I can’t even find most of them right now. I probably just need to start completely over with new batteries and chargers. I think one charger got zapped and has destroyed whatever batteries I put into it subsequently. Some of them seem to charge in other chargers (at least the lights eventually go from green to red) but they don’t work in the camera. Anyway — if I ever get some more batteries charged I’ll try for a better picture.
Here’s a detail of some of the topstitching.
I am tempted to put this aside and start working on another Scarlet Quince for a while, but I can’t decide what I want to work on next. I’m leaning toward Hopper’s Mansard Roof at the moment.
I was also thinking about “Splendid”
or “Still Life with Fruit and Pocket Knife” but I feel like I have done enough fruit or a while. So temporarily I’m racing ahead to the letter D while I try to make up my mind. I know some people have a good system of rotating from one project to another but I suspect if I start something else, I’ll finish it before I come back to this — so maybe I should just finish this!
I have been delighted with working on the pattern I ordered from you entitled The Bunch of Lilacs.
From Julie T
16 years, 2 months agoYou didn’t ask for our opinions, but I can’t help myself. If it were me? I’d finish that beautiful alphabet then do the fruit label. But then I don’t “rotate” and I have a thing for the fruits!
I always want opinions! If I didn’t want opinions, I’d keep quiet (I’ve learned that through many years of marriage). I only have one “rotate” piece and I’ve been working on it so long that I can’t remember how long or who originally gave the kit to me … it’s a sampler but the bottom is all long-and-short stitch which I loathe, and the earliest work is not very well done, another demotivator. The result is that I work on it for an hour or two a year, usually on car trips where I can’t take my current cross stitch. (If you look at this gallery picture, it’s the same sampler as in the background on the right.) My temptation to rotate the alphabet is probably a sign that I wouldn’t come back to it — the single color is a little boring though I think it will be beautiful when it’s finished.
From Julie T
16 years, 2 months agoOooooh yes, I see what you mean about the sampler. I have done ones like this for commission pieces, and I was always so thrilled to be DONE with them!
From rifestitch
16 years, 2 months agoWell, the Alphabet is coming along gorgeously – I am sure it is a bit monotonous, but wow! It’s going to be fantastic!! I’ll be selfish and tell you I want to see the next row
Or, if you really feel if you put it down, you won’t get back to it, set up a round robin to work on it; it’s too gorgeous to not have hanging eventually!!
Monotonous is the word … I want it finished but wish that elves would finish it for me. Maybe I should have tried a smaller blackwork piece before jumping into this, but big pieces just seem to have more appeal for me.
As for the sampler, it looks like something I would do, now, but a few years ago, I would never have given anything like that even a glance! I like monochromes more, but I have a lot of the multi-color ones on the Lust List, too
My TW Fall Carousel Horse, which took 10 years – and 2 kids – to finish, was in process long enough that you can tell I learned a few things between starting & finishing 
The sampler was never to my taste but people used to give me kits all the time and I just did them whether I liked them or not.
From Alanna
16 years, 2 months agoWell, I hate to put pressure on you Meredith but I think that alphabet is absolutely stunning and I wouldn’t give up on it for the world! I know it’s boring to just work with one colour, and that top stitching is dull as dishwater, but it honestly is such an exceptional piece, you’ll never regret the finished product. I myself never work on monochromes (since a deathly boring flesh-coloured piece) because I know that they just send me to sleep, but there are exceptions! Such as your pattern for Whistlejacket- which I think is absolutely to DIE for!!! (now I know you’re thinking, how can 87 colours be classified as monochrome? But we’ve already talked about how black and white can be 23 colours!). So I just wouldn’t give up on it! Just grit your teeth, stitch it up real fast, then hang it on your wall and say; isn’t that absolutely lovely? I’ll never do anything like it ever again!
And as for your old sampler :R.I.P.
Actually it’s going pretty fast now. I seem to dislike doing things in a linear fashion so I now have letters D-G all going simultaneously now which makes it more interesting … it gives me a choice about where to stitch instead of being forced to work on the next section of a single letter.
From Chelsea
16 years, 1 month agoWe’d love to see more pics of the Alphabet, even if it is 4 partially-completed letters! Your single-color project encourages me to continue mine (which I love, but really, 25 colors of black and white — whew! Makes me depressed! Especially considering the content, too…) But post pictures of work in progress, I love them!