Mandala Garden update

I was starting to feel a little bit intimidated with the slow progress on the Mandala Gardens today. So, today, I decided to work on a part of the piece which I initially wanted to do after all the cross stitches using the DMC threads are done with as recommended in the chart.

I started on the golden gate using Rainbow Gallery Petite Treasure Braid's metallic thread PB01 Gold. I got into a tangle when I first started with it, but, after a while, when I got the hang of using this particular brand of metallic thread, it was quite easy to work with.

I took a close up of the golden gate, but, since I took this photo only after 10.00pm today, the photo does not do juctice to the lovely mettalic threads. Maybe I will take another photo during the day when more parts of the gate is done.

I also decided to start on the specialty stitches today, starting using the rhode stitches using Thread Gatherer Silk N' Colours' 038 Rusty Amber. This was quite easy to do, and the silk thread just glides through the evenweave.

The last time I used silk threads, I was using it on 14ct aida, and I remember complaining about it that I felt like I was having a toothache each time the silk thread passes through the aida as it creates a friction with the stiff aida. LOL!

Well, I had fun doing the rhode stitches and seeing the Mandala Garden progressing faster as I am stitching faster now that I am not so bored doing the stitches as they are different from the normal cross stitches. LOL!

BTW, I took another photo of the Mandala Garden piece with a measuring tape placed next to it as many thought that the piece is small, when in actual fact, it is 17" x 17" when completed, or, 237 x 237 stitches.