Save Your Orts and Quaker Diamonds Progress

I have been enjoying myself lately by stitching A LOT more on a regular basis. I feel very lucky to have free time to do this right now, but I know it will not last forever.

While enjoying my stitch time, I realized one morning that I was running low on a particular color required for my Quaker Diamonds. This is the one I've been working on for months. What happened to the 'withered green' color? I really couldn't say, but I didn't want to order more Valdani threads as there wasn't really THAT much green left to do.   What to do? I looked at corresponding DMC colors but I didn't want to mix them into the project.

I went into my ORT vase, and lo and behold I was able to find a lot of small strands of withered green (H202)  that I was able to use. I completed all the green required, and I think I have enough tiny pieces of green to finish one small little section.  In fact, some of the ORT threads were so long that I couldn't see why they were even in the ORT vase. Live and learn!

I've also gone from using my frame with Q-snaps, to stitching in hand, to using hoops, and now back again to the stand.  It's great to have all these options. For years and years I only stitched in hand.

Here was the piece before my latest stitch sessions:

And here it is a few days ago:

I took this one today, as yesterday I was able to work about more on the motif in the bottom right corner: 

I think at this point I have completed 21/26 letters, but I still have to finish this motif, complete another small motif, and finish one more motif that is above this one. That's it, except for a few tiny stitch designs here and there.  

Keep in mind I started this in 2013. I am not one to finish things quickly, but that is fine. I did have three finishes in 2014, so for me that is a victory. 

Thanks for stopping by, and do remember to save your ORTs.