Design Wall Monday

I'm going to die of excitment until Friday when the new block for "My Tweets" is ready.  Maybe my fabric will come in today (right colors this time) and help ease my anticipation.

While in one of the stores the other day, I saw canvas work up close.  It's beautiful.  After going through several patterns I found one I figured I couldn't screw up too badly.  I bought the canvas, which appears to look similar to cross stitch but heavier and the threads to go with it.  How hard can it be?

Several hours later and very cross eyed, I gave up.  I can't read these patterns to save my life.  I get the general idea but my brain isn't comprehending how to read the pattern.  The threads are on a 8x8 grid but nothing is coming out right.  The pattern is on the diagonal and I'm not getting a true diagonal line when I start the second block and I'm off by a thread.

The next morning with fresh eyes I start up again.  Same issue.  I took out the thread and looked at the pattern again.  Then I realized my mistake.  I don't know how to explain it but something about the thread not going through the spaces right when I go to my next block.  You have to skip the first space to do the diagonal.

Then I realized it was a 9x9 space grid (the pattern goes by the canvas lines) and everything made sense.  All I had to do was count the spaces instead of the lines.  Duh.

This is so much easier than cross stitch and works up much faster.  I think I have a new hobby.  I like handwork but it's so hard on the eyes and takes forever to finish something.  I added the metallic thread but may rip it out.  I'll see what happens.