Project – Joyce’s Rose

I have been a stitcher for over 35 years and have completed so many projects. Some I have given as gifts and some I have kept for myself.

The project I am currently working on is very special to me. Both my mother-in-law and father-in-law have dementia. It’s been very hard because there is no real caregiver with both of them suffering from  it. We live 2 hours away and my husband goes to see them almost every weekend now.

I was poking around in my mom-in-law’s china cabinet one day and I found the dishes she used for special occasions. It’s an older pattern from the 60s but it has such a clear, distinct rose design. I photographed it and scanned the photo into my WinStitch pattern maker PC program. After a few adjustments and removal of any background color I had a very big and very stitchable pattern to work from.

Here is the original dish and the photo I took and finally the pattern I made.

I have since divided up the pattern into 12 sections so I can get one section done a month (or more if I have time).

I have completed 3 sections and am almost done with the 4th. Here is my progress so far.

I was a little nervous about making my own pattern especially with a project this large but so far I think it is turning out nicely. I hope to get the rest of section 4 done in the next 2 days which means I will be a quarter of the way through! Believe me there is a lot more to stitch 😊

I am stitching on 32 ct beige linen which I have already had to frog a couple of times because if I am off a half a stitch it throws everything off…sigh.

Finally for this post here are my lovely in-laws Bob and Joyce who have been married since 1960. The project is called Joyce’s Rose and I would very much like to finish it by the end of the year in her honor.

I’ll keep you all updated on my progress each month. -MM