Doctor Who Tapestry Update - March 2023 (Late)

My March update is quite late, I simply ran out of March before I was finished. I had aimed to have the panel fully integrated into the main body by the end of March, but it proved to be trickier than I had expected. I had pinned then tacked the panel in place, but it became necessary to untack it and re-tack it several times as the canvas pulled apart under the tension on the hoop.

In the end I had to try and work for a period without the hoop and put my own tension onto the square inch I was working on at the time, to avoid straining the rest. However, the join has been completed and all that is left now is for some filling in to be done.

Trying to match the colours from the original edge in order to bring the pattern across the join onto the new panel was very difficult. When that edge had been done before with the companions that had been intended to be the outer edge, so I had no notes of what wool brand, colour or shade had been used. Some I was able to find a good match for but he candy pink blob was a headache. 

I’m going to try and get Nimrod finished asap, as the weather is turning and very soon it will become too warm to be sitting with the whole tapestry across my legs as I work on it, so attention will then turn to the two remaining panels that will be used to complete this side of the tapestry now.

I’m going to jump ahead and work on the top panel for awhile as I have made a change in the planed design for this side, and I will be allocating a part of the top panel to a special version of the Doctor.

Doctor Who Tapestry Update - February 2023

Just a quick update today, still joining on the panel to the main canvas 

And adding Nimrod into the space next to the other Ghost Light characters 

Close up on the join area…

Doctor Who Tapestry Update - January 2023

The joining of the panel onto the main body of the tapestry has begun. This is not going to be easy, there are sections along the edges that have little aida left to join with. What has made it even harder is that the vertical join is not a straight one but has a step in it where the previous sections were not evenly matched.

The first stage is to pin in place the new panel. You can see towards the top left of the photo where the edge steps out of line. This area might be easier to join when I get there as it will have a lot of extra aida to work with. That will be the last part to get stitched in to place.

What you can see to the top right of existing panel that is already in place, is that there is a large gap that should really have been filled before I started work on this other panel. Because of the location the only choice of stories I had to pick from to fill it were Ghostlight and Curse of Fenric.

Before I can do anything about that I need to secure the right-hand edge of the aida and bind it. The general binding I've used on the panel being attached is a black rib of wool, although it's not black edging right to the bottom. 

This binding is the first part where the top canvas is stitched on to the main body forming the final tapestry.

I've gone with Nimrod from Ghostlight, but it might just be a tight squeeze to get the top of his head in. The top of his head will form part of the join across the two pieces. I'm busy trying to complete him as well as securing the panels together.

To help hold the whole thing together I've done some rough tacking stitches using cotton to hold the ends together. I will be stitching through both layers where possible to join them together. Any visible cotton can be clipped out after.

The background here will be done in blocks so that the wool  threads cover as much of the material as possible above and below the join. This is to ensure a strong join exists between the panels.

 

It's been a bit tricky to hold the ends taunt and flat whilst tacking them together, stretched out across the bed as I need a large space to work on. But, you have to be very careful not to stitch the blankets to it at the same time. It really needs about three pairs of hands.

And so it begins

My end of January update will show how much progress has been made in attaching the latest panel on to the main body of the Doctor Who tapestry.

This is the panel now that the final gaps have been filled in and last small details added. I started this panel back in September 2021 and it is now January 2023. By this rate it will be a good few more years before I get the whole project complete. A rough calculation says two more panels to complete the right-hand side and at least three on the left-hand side to include everything I want to feature.

I've already cut and prepared the material for the next panel. This is so I can stitch when away from home or sitting in an armchair. 

Attaching the finished panel to the main body will involve laying the canvas across the bed as it is the only area where the weight of the main canvas can be supported while I work.

Wish me luck...

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Doctor Who Tapestry - December Update

 I'm not too sure how, but during December I appear to have been more productive on the tapestry, almost finishing Delta and adding a Navarino from that story. I worked on the Navarino over the Christmas period whilst away from home as this character was easier to work on than the final details of Delta or Gavrok.

When the Navarino is finished, along with any small outstanding details and a bit of background work I will be ready to join this panel on to the main tapestry, hopefully within the first couple of weeks of January 2023. 

The first update of next year may show how the panels are joined on to the main body of work. This panel is part of the McCoy era and will be joining the other McCoy era panel going on just above the Ancient One and Light.

The work on the tapestry has taken priority for my spare time, so other crafting and model building took a backseat during 2022, and may well do so during 2023 as well. However I have been stocking up on the Doctor Who figures from Warlord Games since their Doctor Who licence expires at the end of 2022 so I want to ensure I have as many unique characters to paint later when I get the time. It's just a shame there were so many non-released packs that are only available if spend £75 and cannot be bought separately. 

Doctor Who Tapestry - November Update

It feels as though I've had a lot less time to spend on the stitch work this month. Continuing to work backwards through the classic era, I've now reached Delta and the Bannermen. I've also reached the top of this canvas so the top of Gavrock's head will be stitched in across the join with the next panel that will be started some time next year.

After I finish Delta there will be just enough room for one more character to be added before I have to start joining this panel onto the main tapestry. With the size and weight of the main work that is going to be some task.