There's always hope. I would finish this for one of two reasons;
1) I'm enjoying the process.
2) I want to use the piece for practice so my next piece is better.
If you would like constructive advice there are three things to work on:
1) ensure all your stitches lie the same way so the bottom half is always /// and the top half always \\\.
2) coming up through the holes. There are a couple of stitches where you've missed the hole by one thread so the stitch isn't quite square.
3) your tension is not always consistent, some stitches are being pulled tighter than others.
Work on those three points and you'll be golden! In the meantime remember *It's A Hobby*. It's meant to be fun, if this piece is, keep going, if not either start over or stitch something else. You can always put it aside for a bit then come back later.
This is fantastic constructive criticism. Doubly agree that it's supposed to be fun, and if it's not, IT'S OKAY TO STOP. Once I gave myself permission to do that with books, video games, or crafts, lots of things improved.
I would add that anything will look better when you stretch and straighten it in the hoop again. It naturally gets loose as you work on a piece in a hoop.
I think these are all great points. I just wanted to add that OP shouldn't be afraid to undo stitches when they catch mistakes they've made (if they want to, of course). It's called 'frogging' and it's a time honoured tradition amongst xstitchers. For example there are a few spots where they went across two squares (up one, over two) and then they came back on top with two proper return stitches. That wasn't a bad fix but those sorts of little deviations will add up to your work looking less consistent over all.
What I do when I make mistakes like that, is I undo/frog all of my work back to that mistake and start over. Do I do this all the time? No (I have even gone over a missed half stich with another colour if it's similar enough and I'm kind of working a blend with it anyways) but I do try not to have more than a couple of these types of things in one piece.
For any newbies wanting to know why it’s called frogging … it’s because you “Rippit, rippit!” At some stitching retreats, if you have to rip out a stitch, a big frog plushie sits at your table until someone else claims him. It’s all done in good fun, though, and occasionally whoever has the frog gets a door prize 🐸
Go for it if it makes you smile. Look at the project from 3 feet away and try to find the mistakes. I'd bet you can't find them as we identify mistakes from 6 inches when we're working on it and focusing on tiny details. From normal viewing distance they all fade into the picture.
Wow.. amazed that you saw all that.. good eye.. to OP.. if you are relaxing & enjoying the process.. have at it.. if not.. figure ourt why.. so next effort will feel better.. 🪡
Honestly, if it’s not a big mistake, I just stitch over it with the correct colour. I can’t be bothered to frog stitches if it’s only a row or so.
I call it ‘shading’ the colour. It’s not a bug; it’s a feature! 😬
I did this one!! It was fun to do however it did drag on. Whenever I finished I was so happy! It’s hanging in my husbands office at work
https://preview.redd.it/xyi3602kmq7d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1777685be90c2b374c3641a25be881a8f9567a80
Is this your first project? Because I got to admit, it’s definitely a big project if it’s your first. But I’ll tell you right now, stand 20 feet away from it and you won’t be able to tell the difference if it was done by a beginner or a pro. You’re just staring at it for too long because that’s literally what cross stitch is, no one else is going to be as close to the project as you are right now, so don’t think for a second it’s that bad. It’s really not bad at all!! Besides you want to keep it to remind yourself just how far you’ve come. My first projects didn’t look that good either, but now it looks like I’ve been doing it for decades. It will click eventually and you’ll be perfect at it, it won’t take that long either to figure out the tension and stuff. But seriously it’s not that bad 🙃
Ps if it’s the fabric, you can try different thread counts, some people do better with other sizes.
Now that I've seen this FO of this project - sweetie, this is not a lost cause, this is beautiful! It's a UFO... Of a UFO. So get back to work and finish it 😉😉😉
I’ve had plenty of patterns look weird / bad midway through. But of course it does, it’s not complete! Power through! It will look as good as this finished one. You got this!
https://preview.redd.it/rsv9s9w1rq7d1.jpeg?width=3044&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9fb04befcfca483a64dfafce779c86d49b32bc60
I did this one! I changed some colors. You should def keep on with yours! The truth is out there
unless you, idk, rip up the aida, no project is a lost cause. the questions are: do you enjoy working on it? and do you mind "wasting" thread on this if you're not gonna display this piece? i put "wasting" into quotation marks because it isn't necessarily a waste, of course, but your question implies you're not happy with the project, and if it were me, i'd rather use my thread for something i actually end up liking (but then, thread is expensive where i live, so i try to be as frugal as possible). if you still enjoy working on it and won't regret using your thread on this, no, it's not a lost cause.
even if you rip the aida, there are still ways to fix it!! fray check is soo useful, and you can always add another piece of material to the backside and stitch on that!
I’m not ashamed to admit that I’ve stitched through scotch tape before, in a Mill Hill kit with paper canvas. It tore when I was ripping out several stitches for using the wrong color. It’s on an ornament that got finished with a felt backing, and no one is the wiser!
It’s stronger than you may think! Just, um, don’t try to pick out like 20 x’s in two strands of floss without trying to cut the thread 🤓. It was a kit and I was trying to save the thread for reuse. Penny wise and pound foolish.
If you're enjoying working on it, I'd say no!
If you can only see the imperfections, I suggest taking a break and deciding whether to continue in a couple weeks. It's meant to be fun, so don't force yourself to keep going if you don't actually wants to. Personally, I've found that I eventually feel kind of affectionate toward my past mistakes in projects? But I've also put some down never to return haha
You didn't ask for advice, so ignore this if you don't want it, but crossing your Xs in the same direction every time and avoiding splitting your previous stitches (i.e., putting your needle through the thread or overlapping any of the "legs" of the other Xs) will help make your work look more even!
Everything in craft is a learning experience. It may not be the neatest, or something you’re super happy with but if you can look at it and identify the “problems” (sometimes things we thing of as problems can be stylistic choices) then you can find out how to resolve them in future.
There’s no shame in abandoning a project you’re not happy with, but theres also no rule that says you have to.
There’s a great expression I learned while quilting. If you can’t see them (whatever errors you think are there) from a galloping horse, no one else will notice them ♥️
I’ve done multuple full stitches like this - keep in mind that the exact placement of each stitch is less important than it usually is in cross stitch. If normal cross stitch is 2 bit pixel art, this is low resolution photography. Each pixel is the average of all the colors that should be in that square - in other words many squares contain many colors in reality. I’ve found as long as the 2 bit parts are accurate (eg in this case the words, the ufo, and roughly the treeline), everything else can vary a ton - an artist’s paintbrush hitting the paper at a slightly different place for a cloud or a tree is a happy accident, not the end of the project. It simply means your project is unique to you and was created by a human, not a computer.
For the record, i see 0 mistakes.
... "Just happy little accidents!" RIP, Bob!
Plus, your work is a whooooole lot better than my first full-coverage attempt---and I admire your determination!
Everyone makes mistakes, the best part is unless someone is dragging around the chart for this piece and being very anal about it, no one will know. I would backstitch around the letters to make them standout.
are you using a tapestry needle? (more blunt tipped so more likely to go into the hole and not split)
This is my first piece "back in the game" since like, 5th grade...clEARLY horribly miscounted but i enjoyed it and that's what mattered:
https://preview.redd.it/ark3u42obr7d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c12e64d72fa55aa2605aff1f48208b9e7fe90b1c
i need to go back and look at the pattern because i'm pretty sure the "i'm too" should have started higher; but again, meh.
I wish my mom, grandma, and sisters told me one thing when learning cross stitch, most mess ups are fixable. It doesn't even HAVE to be exactly the pattern! You can blend fixes in or cover up other mistakes. If you like the pattern especially and spent a lot of time on it I'm always hesitant to just toss it.
This exactly! I’m a perfectionist who made what I felt was a HORRIBLE mistake with a kit (many years ago, when I thought there was no way to get more floss for it) where I switched around two very similar shades of orange on a tabby cat pattern. By the time I’d realized, the one color was already used up, and my back was so messy there was no undoing it to rescue and reuse the thread. Had to commit to finishing with the wrong color orange and thought for sure I’d ruined the piece for myself and would be bothered any time I looked at it.
I know I made a mistake, but after all these years, not even I can tell by looking at it. I certainly couldn’t tell you which crosses specifically are the wrong color.
Any mistakes are there to learn from and to make the piece all your own. No one else made it exactly that same way. ☺️
you can always put it away for a while while you decide. sometimes it needs to be out of sight for a while and then you mighy decide to get it out again.
Here to say that I am working on a very similar pattern (started back in 2020... I am maybe only half way through at this point.
I go through extended periods without touching it, sometimes I think I will never end up finishing it. It is the biggest project I've taken on, and is pretty daunting every time I remember its existence..
I'm holding onto hope that I won't give up, I just know how accomplished I will feel when I finally finish as well as how beautiful it'll be up on my wall.
Sending you encouragement (if that is what you need to get through this project)
*
no way is it a lost cause! the joy you will feel upon completion and the important message it conveys far outweigh the temporary blahs you’re currently experiencing.
I WANT TO BELIEVE you can do it.
scratch that. I KNOW you can do it!
BELIEVE in yourself! 🙋🏻♀️🪡👽🛸
Practice makes progress!
Also, remember, when it's hanging on the wall & it's being seen from a few feet back, those mistakes will be virtually un-seeable. When you wash the piece before framing, the stitches tend to snug up a bit, further hiding any mis-stabs.
Keep at it, deary!
Well you're doing good and I do know that feeling of should I just give up. If you don't enjoy it or if you just need a break, take it. I have one that I started 7 years ago and it's still sitting there waiting to be finished. And if I don't finish it , the world will keep going.
I see nothing about this to suggest there's even anything wrong, let alone it being a 'lost cause'. Monotonous to finish, sure, but I'd tough it out. Make it one of those '5 minutes a day' kind of things if you're not really enjoying it, it'll get done eventually 😉
My fiance and I are both staring at this trying to figure out why you might think it's a lost cause?
This is a work in progress, as far as I can see from the photo...
It’s not a lost cause. But I know how projects can feel that way when you’re stuck with massive blocks of the same color. Try going one row at a time. Or one color at a time so it feels accomplished.
Such an awful feeling, making progress and then feeling like you want to give up on it :((( I think it looks amazing though, but maybe if you set it aside and work on something else, you’ll feel better when you come back to it? Regardless, all your hard work looks fantastic and I think it’s a success so far :)))
Trial and improvement. You'll find easier methods afterwards because of making mistakes. Therefore less mistakes in your next project as you'll be more aware.
I would keep going, you’re the only one that will know where things are a bit off. In my experience no one else will notice. It will be great when it’s done.
Me, I would finish it, and display it with pride. I kept my own first hot mess in a box for a long time. But eventually I went back to it and felt joy, and pride. Joy because it reminds me of the journey, and pride because I’ve come so far. It now hangs on the wall on my stitching room.
That said, if you’re not enjoying it, by all means set it aside, for a while or forever. Our hobbies are meant to bring us joy, and if this isn’t doing it, move on.
Hi! I know you've received a lot of awesome answers but I wanted to add, practice makes perfect! Even when a piece isn't perfect, you will have gained valuable practice and learned things along the way. You could finish it for more practice, and keep it for yourself to show how much you have progressed within future pieces! I know that as a crafter, we are our biggest critic, but it is important to give yourself grace. You are doing an excellent job on your creative journey, and this is an important part of it. You may want to look back on this piece years from now and marvel at how far you've come and how much you've learned!
I've only been cross stitching since last October but I've learned this hobby is less about making something perfect and more about powering through the mistakes to make something amazing.
A small suggestion. I'm an all over the place stitcher too. Gotta finish the thread, right? Once I get to a place like this I start working to try and fill the gaps. My next strand would be whatever color is needed to fill that top left or top right gap and continue working down and over like a type writer to fill in. You can still use the full strand but just keep making choices like that if that makes sense. I think you'll start feeling a lot better about it once you start seeing the gaps get filled in.
Honestly, if this was my piece. I would toss it out and find a new one. I feel like at this point it’s almost a sign that it’s not working out. It’s okay, sometimes things don’t work out. I realize how much time and effort but undoing the mess is not fun and it looks like it would be very time consuming to fix. Unless you have the mentality to do it! It’s up to you. In the end it’s your piece and you can do whatever it is you want. There are no right or wrong rules! You do you!
Close up you see every flaw, but at viewing distance, you won’t see them at all. I’d keep going, and next time you’ll have gained the skills to do even better!
This is amazing! The pink is an awesome touch. The only thing I would change is the worry about it - you are clearly talented and tenacious.
As long as you kept close track of the pattern it should be fine.
You went about this in a way that makes my head hurt a little. But I also sorta get it, I just like to be organized, I also find it’s easier to finish one section before moving on. Looks like you’re jumping around a lot and that can make things confusing.
Edit: autocorrect has me messed up today
Pattern-wise, it honestly looks fine. How many strands and what number aida did you use, though? It looks a little chunky. I would finish it with the # of strands you have now and it should be ok, unless you feel stressed (atp you're just hurting yourself lol). Then before your next project maybe do something that's not a full cover so you can get the hang of things without as much commitment.
This pattern is in my cart currently! Can’t wait to start working on it. I say keep going with it to practice the points noted above, but if it’s stressing you out/frustrating you, toss it. I just recently started the hobby and keep making mistakes but slowly each piece is getting a little better.
Full coverage pieces can be draining. Maybe once you complete it you can do one with more free space? That helps it feel less tedious for me personally! Good job!
I feel like mine always look like a mess and it always comes together once completed. I like to think it's what makes a project "yours"; they have your imperfections. Saying that, maybe put this particular piece away for a bit and revisit when you feel like it.
I’m be been a Needlearts t aches for years I would keep going. I would perhaps concentrate on one area at a time as opposed to jumping around. I think that’s why you think it looks a hot mess… take your time and make sure you are using good light.. but remember it’s supposed to be fun! I also think you should finish it because if you keep stitching it’s fun to see “where you started” and it’s encouraging to see how much you will improve the more you stitch. Cut yourself some slack it’s only your first piece!
Don’t do anything to it now. Stop start another project and use this as a reminder to watch for similar mistakes in the new project before they go to far to fix. Take this piece out sometime in the future when you have no other project in mind, you might find that fixing the mistakes would be an interesting project. You have put a lot of work into it. I have done this and was happy I did. Good luck, have patience with yourself and move on.
I like the concept, but there are some things to consider.
Did you buy the patern? It's just that the colors of the UFO seem too dark. (I have seen the poster you're trying to reproduce. Still, they seem off somewhat. Maybe because of the background, because the UFO is dark.)
Also, some of your stitches aren't going the same way. Sadly, it shows, so it takes from the overall composition.
Now, the colors that have been chosen, I don't know why so much pink? If it was your choice, it's fine. There are pink/red sunsets, if you want it that way it's OK. I'm just wondering.
About the Aida, I'm not an expert. If it is a kit, then it should be fine? If you selected it, you might want to ask someone here, as I can't tell by the photo what type it is.
Now, even though I would start over, the truth is that any practice helps in this hobby. So it helped you with that.
ETA: No constructive criticism allowed here, downvoting for me 😅
This is less. Stiches are not of the same form. It is very hard to stitch between already stitched areas. There might be miss calculations.
It is pain to continue.
There's always hope. I would finish this for one of two reasons; 1) I'm enjoying the process. 2) I want to use the piece for practice so my next piece is better. If you would like constructive advice there are three things to work on: 1) ensure all your stitches lie the same way so the bottom half is always /// and the top half always \\\. 2) coming up through the holes. There are a couple of stitches where you've missed the hole by one thread so the stitch isn't quite square. 3) your tension is not always consistent, some stitches are being pulled tighter than others. Work on those three points and you'll be golden! In the meantime remember *It's A Hobby*. It's meant to be fun, if this piece is, keep going, if not either start over or stitch something else. You can always put it aside for a bit then come back later.
This is fantastic constructive criticism. Doubly agree that it's supposed to be fun, and if it's not, IT'S OKAY TO STOP. Once I gave myself permission to do that with books, video games, or crafts, lots of things improved. I would add that anything will look better when you stretch and straighten it in the hoop again. It naturally gets loose as you work on a piece in a hoop.
Thank you :)
I think these are all great points. I just wanted to add that OP shouldn't be afraid to undo stitches when they catch mistakes they've made (if they want to, of course). It's called 'frogging' and it's a time honoured tradition amongst xstitchers. For example there are a few spots where they went across two squares (up one, over two) and then they came back on top with two proper return stitches. That wasn't a bad fix but those sorts of little deviations will add up to your work looking less consistent over all. What I do when I make mistakes like that, is I undo/frog all of my work back to that mistake and start over. Do I do this all the time? No (I have even gone over a missed half stich with another colour if it's similar enough and I'm kind of working a blend with it anyways) but I do try not to have more than a couple of these types of things in one piece.
For any newbies wanting to know why it’s called frogging … it’s because you “Rippit, rippit!” At some stitching retreats, if you have to rip out a stitch, a big frog plushie sits at your table until someone else claims him. It’s all done in good fun, though, and occasionally whoever has the frog gets a door prize 🐸
I frequently undo stitches because I’m prone to mistakes!
This made me want to go back to my previous project. I just got so discouraged with it because I could just see all my mess ups and can't unsee them.
Go for it if it makes you smile. Look at the project from 3 feet away and try to find the mistakes. I'd bet you can't find them as we identify mistakes from 6 inches when we're working on it and focusing on tiny details. From normal viewing distance they all fade into the picture.
Yes to all of this. Great advice. AND I firmly believe that all WIP can be saved.
Wow.. amazed that you saw all that.. good eye.. to OP.. if you are relaxing & enjoying the process.. have at it.. if not.. figure ourt why.. so next effort will feel better.. 🪡
Honestly, if it’s not a big mistake, I just stitch over it with the correct colour. I can’t be bothered to frog stitches if it’s only a row or so. I call it ‘shading’ the colour. It’s not a bug; it’s a feature! 😬
I did this one!! It was fun to do however it did drag on. Whenever I finished I was so happy! It’s hanging in my husbands office at work https://preview.redd.it/xyi3602kmq7d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1777685be90c2b374c3641a25be881a8f9567a80
Omg its gorgeous!
Is this your first project? Because I got to admit, it’s definitely a big project if it’s your first. But I’ll tell you right now, stand 20 feet away from it and you won’t be able to tell the difference if it was done by a beginner or a pro. You’re just staring at it for too long because that’s literally what cross stitch is, no one else is going to be as close to the project as you are right now, so don’t think for a second it’s that bad. It’s really not bad at all!! Besides you want to keep it to remind yourself just how far you’ve come. My first projects didn’t look that good either, but now it looks like I’ve been doing it for decades. It will click eventually and you’ll be perfect at it, it won’t take that long either to figure out the tension and stuff. But seriously it’s not that bad 🙃 Ps if it’s the fabric, you can try different thread counts, some people do better with other sizes.
Now that I've seen this FO of this project - sweetie, this is not a lost cause, this is beautiful! It's a UFO... Of a UFO. So get back to work and finish it 😉😉😉
Are you using two strands of thread?
Yes I am
I’ve had plenty of patterns look weird / bad midway through. But of course it does, it’s not complete! Power through! It will look as good as this finished one. You got this!
LOVE IT! The X Files is one of my faves 🤘
Do you happen to have a link to this pattern handy?
https://www.etsy.com/listing/719224116/
https://preview.redd.it/rsv9s9w1rq7d1.jpeg?width=3044&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9fb04befcfca483a64dfafce779c86d49b32bc60 I did this one! I changed some colors. You should def keep on with yours! The truth is out there
Ooo these colors are better than the original, and I like the original!
I went to Michael’s and bought all of the greens! I’m very happy with how it turned out 🙂
Dang I want to make one now!
No? Why do you think it might be?
No Scully, nothing is a lost cause if you believe.
💚👽 thanks mulder
unless you, idk, rip up the aida, no project is a lost cause. the questions are: do you enjoy working on it? and do you mind "wasting" thread on this if you're not gonna display this piece? i put "wasting" into quotation marks because it isn't necessarily a waste, of course, but your question implies you're not happy with the project, and if it were me, i'd rather use my thread for something i actually end up liking (but then, thread is expensive where i live, so i try to be as frugal as possible). if you still enjoy working on it and won't regret using your thread on this, no, it's not a lost cause.
even if you rip the aida, there are still ways to fix it!! fray check is soo useful, and you can always add another piece of material to the backside and stitch on that!
I’m not ashamed to admit that I’ve stitched through scotch tape before, in a Mill Hill kit with paper canvas. It tore when I was ripping out several stitches for using the wrong color. It’s on an ornament that got finished with a felt backing, and no one is the wiser!
I’ve never stitched on paper canvas before! Probably because I’m afraid I would tear it!
It’s stronger than you may think! Just, um, don’t try to pick out like 20 x’s in two strands of floss without trying to cut the thread 🤓. It was a kit and I was trying to save the thread for reuse. Penny wise and pound foolish.
It’s also possible to grab threads off of the edges and re-weave the Aida. ❤️
If you're enjoying working on it, I'd say no! If you can only see the imperfections, I suggest taking a break and deciding whether to continue in a couple weeks. It's meant to be fun, so don't force yourself to keep going if you don't actually wants to. Personally, I've found that I eventually feel kind of affectionate toward my past mistakes in projects? But I've also put some down never to return haha You didn't ask for advice, so ignore this if you don't want it, but crossing your Xs in the same direction every time and avoiding splitting your previous stitches (i.e., putting your needle through the thread or overlapping any of the "legs" of the other Xs) will help make your work look more even!
Happy Cake Day!
X files is never a lost cause
I don't see what the problem might be. What do you think is wrong with it?
Everything in craft is a learning experience. It may not be the neatest, or something you’re super happy with but if you can look at it and identify the “problems” (sometimes things we thing of as problems can be stylistic choices) then you can find out how to resolve them in future. There’s no shame in abandoning a project you’re not happy with, but theres also no rule that says you have to.
Hey, I’m working on the same pattern at the moment! Pattern buddies! 😊
Oh id love to see your WIP! I like working on it, I've never done a full stitch like this, I just feel I've made too many mistakes.
There’s a great expression I learned while quilting. If you can’t see them (whatever errors you think are there) from a galloping horse, no one else will notice them ♥️
I’ve done multuple full stitches like this - keep in mind that the exact placement of each stitch is less important than it usually is in cross stitch. If normal cross stitch is 2 bit pixel art, this is low resolution photography. Each pixel is the average of all the colors that should be in that square - in other words many squares contain many colors in reality. I’ve found as long as the 2 bit parts are accurate (eg in this case the words, the ufo, and roughly the treeline), everything else can vary a ton - an artist’s paintbrush hitting the paper at a slightly different place for a cloud or a tree is a happy accident, not the end of the project. It simply means your project is unique to you and was created by a human, not a computer. For the record, i see 0 mistakes.
Wow I really appreciate your words. Thanks 😊 I'll just think of Bob Ross next time I pick this pattern up.
... "Just happy little accidents!" RIP, Bob! Plus, your work is a whooooole lot better than my first full-coverage attempt---and I admire your determination!
Great view of things..
Everyone makes mistakes, the best part is unless someone is dragging around the chart for this piece and being very anal about it, no one will know. I would backstitch around the letters to make them standout.
I bought this one awhile ago but haven’t started yet!
are you using a tapestry needle? (more blunt tipped so more likely to go into the hole and not split) This is my first piece "back in the game" since like, 5th grade...clEARLY horribly miscounted but i enjoyed it and that's what mattered: https://preview.redd.it/ark3u42obr7d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c12e64d72fa55aa2605aff1f48208b9e7fe90b1c i need to go back and look at the pattern because i'm pretty sure the "i'm too" should have started higher; but again, meh.
Not at all, it looks really great. Also, where did you get the pattern? Huge XFiles fan and I see my next project, haha.
[Aliton Embroidery](https://www.etsy.com/shop/AlitonEmbroidery) on Etsy
Thank you!
I would do more smaller projects until you get a bit more consistent in your stitching. Hope you don’t mind my honest opinion. X
NEVER! put it in tme out and go back to it.
XD I put it in the timeout shoe box
go back to it when you need to.
I like it. It's so pretty!
If you don’t want to keep stitching anymore, I see no reason why you need to stick it out :O but if you enjoy it, by all means, keep going!
I wish my mom, grandma, and sisters told me one thing when learning cross stitch, most mess ups are fixable. It doesn't even HAVE to be exactly the pattern! You can blend fixes in or cover up other mistakes. If you like the pattern especially and spent a lot of time on it I'm always hesitant to just toss it.
This exactly! I’m a perfectionist who made what I felt was a HORRIBLE mistake with a kit (many years ago, when I thought there was no way to get more floss for it) where I switched around two very similar shades of orange on a tabby cat pattern. By the time I’d realized, the one color was already used up, and my back was so messy there was no undoing it to rescue and reuse the thread. Had to commit to finishing with the wrong color orange and thought for sure I’d ruined the piece for myself and would be bothered any time I looked at it. I know I made a mistake, but after all these years, not even I can tell by looking at it. I certainly couldn’t tell you which crosses specifically are the wrong color. Any mistakes are there to learn from and to make the piece all your own. No one else made it exactly that same way. ☺️
I'm a perfectionist too! Lol to think decisions like changing to a slightly diff color delayed some of my projects lol so silly
Perfectionist buddies, unite! As soon as we can get everything juuuust right! 🤣
you can always put it away for a while while you decide. sometimes it needs to be out of sight for a while and then you mighy decide to get it out again.
Here to say that I am working on a very similar pattern (started back in 2020... I am maybe only half way through at this point. I go through extended periods without touching it, sometimes I think I will never end up finishing it. It is the biggest project I've taken on, and is pretty daunting every time I remember its existence.. I'm holding onto hope that I won't give up, I just know how accomplished I will feel when I finally finish as well as how beautiful it'll be up on my wall. Sending you encouragement (if that is what you need to get through this project) *
no way is it a lost cause! the joy you will feel upon completion and the important message it conveys far outweigh the temporary blahs you’re currently experiencing. I WANT TO BELIEVE you can do it. scratch that. I KNOW you can do it! BELIEVE in yourself! 🙋🏻♀️🪡👽🛸
I started this one too! It’s not a lost cause. I will say this pattern seems to drag on. Lots of bulk colors, but the finished product is superb.
Practice makes progress! Also, remember, when it's hanging on the wall & it's being seen from a few feet back, those mistakes will be virtually un-seeable. When you wash the piece before framing, the stitches tend to snug up a bit, further hiding any mis-stabs. Keep at it, deary!
Well you're doing good and I do know that feeling of should I just give up. If you don't enjoy it or if you just need a break, take it. I have one that I started 7 years ago and it's still sitting there waiting to be finished. And if I don't finish it , the world will keep going.
I see nothing about this to suggest there's even anything wrong, let alone it being a 'lost cause'. Monotonous to finish, sure, but I'd tough it out. Make it one of those '5 minutes a day' kind of things if you're not really enjoying it, it'll get done eventually 😉
Finish it! You’re the only person that will notice the problems and by the time you’re done, you’ll also notice the improvement you’ve made.
My fiance and I are both staring at this trying to figure out why you might think it's a lost cause? This is a work in progress, as far as I can see from the photo...
It’s not a lost cause. But I know how projects can feel that way when you’re stuck with massive blocks of the same color. Try going one row at a time. Or one color at a time so it feels accomplished.
I love it! Please see it through! You’ll be so happy you did :)
No, but staying in one direction with all the stitches would make your life easier I used to be the same 😭
I want to believe that you will complete this and send it to me.
Such an awful feeling, making progress and then feeling like you want to give up on it :((( I think it looks amazing though, but maybe if you set it aside and work on something else, you’ll feel better when you come back to it? Regardless, all your hard work looks fantastic and I think it’s a success so far :)))
Trial and improvement. You'll find easier methods afterwards because of making mistakes. Therefore less mistakes in your next project as you'll be more aware.
I would keep going, you’re the only one that will know where things are a bit off. In my experience no one else will notice. It will be great when it’s done.
Me, I would finish it, and display it with pride. I kept my own first hot mess in a box for a long time. But eventually I went back to it and felt joy, and pride. Joy because it reminds me of the journey, and pride because I’ve come so far. It now hangs on the wall on my stitching room. That said, if you’re not enjoying it, by all means set it aside, for a while or forever. Our hobbies are meant to bring us joy, and if this isn’t doing it, move on.
I think you have been working on it too long. Take a step back and breathe. It looks nice so far and I'd love to see the final project!
It's x files! Mulder & Scully don't stop until the job is done! (It looks really cool to me btw)
Hi! I know you've received a lot of awesome answers but I wanted to add, practice makes perfect! Even when a piece isn't perfect, you will have gained valuable practice and learned things along the way. You could finish it for more practice, and keep it for yourself to show how much you have progressed within future pieces! I know that as a crafter, we are our biggest critic, but it is important to give yourself grace. You are doing an excellent job on your creative journey, and this is an important part of it. You may want to look back on this piece years from now and marvel at how far you've come and how much you've learned!
I've only been cross stitching since last October but I've learned this hobby is less about making something perfect and more about powering through the mistakes to make something amazing. A small suggestion. I'm an all over the place stitcher too. Gotta finish the thread, right? Once I get to a place like this I start working to try and fill the gaps. My next strand would be whatever color is needed to fill that top left or top right gap and continue working down and over like a type writer to fill in. You can still use the full strand but just keep making choices like that if that makes sense. I think you'll start feeling a lot better about it once you start seeing the gaps get filled in.
Nope!! I have the same pattern and I was so happy when I finished
I absolutely love the colour pallette FWIW
Honestly, if this was my piece. I would toss it out and find a new one. I feel like at this point it’s almost a sign that it’s not working out. It’s okay, sometimes things don’t work out. I realize how much time and effort but undoing the mess is not fun and it looks like it would be very time consuming to fix. Unless you have the mentality to do it! It’s up to you. In the end it’s your piece and you can do whatever it is you want. There are no right or wrong rules! You do you!
No. There’s bits where the stitches aren’t neat but I think it adds something. Gives it that hazy summer feel
There’s not that much left so I would definitely finish it. I’m not sure what exactly you’re unhappy with either.
Close up you see every flaw, but at viewing distance, you won’t see them at all. I’d keep going, and next time you’ll have gained the skills to do even better!
Believe in yourself 😆 i think it looks cool
Absolutely not a lost cause! I love it so far!! :)
No!
This is amazing! The pink is an awesome touch. The only thing I would change is the worry about it - you are clearly talented and tenacious. 
As long as you kept close track of the pattern it should be fine. You went about this in a way that makes my head hurt a little. But I also sorta get it, I just like to be organized, I also find it’s easier to finish one section before moving on. Looks like you’re jumping around a lot and that can make things confusing. Edit: autocorrect has me messed up today
Pattern-wise, it honestly looks fine. How many strands and what number aida did you use, though? It looks a little chunky. I would finish it with the # of strands you have now and it should be ok, unless you feel stressed (atp you're just hurting yourself lol). Then before your next project maybe do something that's not a full cover so you can get the hang of things without as much commitment.
This pattern is in my cart currently! Can’t wait to start working on it. I say keep going with it to practice the points noted above, but if it’s stressing you out/frustrating you, toss it. I just recently started the hobby and keep making mistakes but slowly each piece is getting a little better.
If you like it, keep going. Also read it. I believe it will turn out gorgeous.
Full coverage pieces can be draining. Maybe once you complete it you can do one with more free space? That helps it feel less tedious for me personally! Good job!
Seeing this made me think "oh man that's awesome, I wish I could make one" I say finish it!
Uh, No????? It's fantastic! Unless someone does cross stitch and knows what to look for, no one will see anything abnormal about this piece!
I want to believe.. yull finish that because it's AWESOME!!!!
I feel like mine always look like a mess and it always comes together once completed. I like to think it's what makes a project "yours"; they have your imperfections. Saying that, maybe put this particular piece away for a bit and revisit when you feel like it.
I did this one! Took me a while also.
i've never done cross stitch so not sure why this sub is in my feed, but in my opinion it looks gorgeous!! i don't think it's a lost cause at all
I’m be been a Needlearts t aches for years I would keep going. I would perhaps concentrate on one area at a time as opposed to jumping around. I think that’s why you think it looks a hot mess… take your time and make sure you are using good light.. but remember it’s supposed to be fun! I also think you should finish it because if you keep stitching it’s fun to see “where you started” and it’s encouraging to see how much you will improve the more you stitch. Cut yourself some slack it’s only your first piece!
It's fantastic
Don’t do anything to it now. Stop start another project and use this as a reminder to watch for similar mistakes in the new project before they go to far to fix. Take this piece out sometime in the future when you have no other project in mind, you might find that fixing the mistakes would be an interesting project. You have put a lot of work into it. I have done this and was happy I did. Good luck, have patience with yourself and move on.
No it’s not
I want to be able to do my own freestyle cross stitch but idk how
It is not a lost cause. It's relaxing to do and beautiful!
I did this cross stitch. It REALLY helps to go square by square.
I like the concept, but there are some things to consider. Did you buy the patern? It's just that the colors of the UFO seem too dark. (I have seen the poster you're trying to reproduce. Still, they seem off somewhat. Maybe because of the background, because the UFO is dark.) Also, some of your stitches aren't going the same way. Sadly, it shows, so it takes from the overall composition. Now, the colors that have been chosen, I don't know why so much pink? If it was your choice, it's fine. There are pink/red sunsets, if you want it that way it's OK. I'm just wondering. About the Aida, I'm not an expert. If it is a kit, then it should be fine? If you selected it, you might want to ask someone here, as I can't tell by the photo what type it is. Now, even though I would start over, the truth is that any practice helps in this hobby. So it helped you with that. ETA: No constructive criticism allowed here, downvoting for me 😅
(Visible confusion)
Yes it is.
Please elaborate.
This is less. Stiches are not of the same form. It is very hard to stitch between already stitched areas. There might be miss calculations. It is pain to continue.
No, you