Computer related issues and a journey with a Design-In-Progress
For some reason I have had this odd nervousness about my latest batch and how the prints turn out. For no specific reason, I am just annoyed by the fact that these have been prepared for the print whilst I was still configuring my system after OS re-installation (you got to “love” Microsoft’s updates when they mess up your whole system, right?) which also meant that my software related working environment changed quite drastically – only thing which remained the same was the designing software.
My new virtual printer has caused most of the stress because I had to start to use it out of the blue, I had no time to play around with it before preparing the files. It’s really a pain in the backside, but then… if there had been any problems with the outcome I am sure that my printer would have notified me.
Well, when September launch comes out I have got to know to my new software enough to not worry about things like this. 
The Journey
I was watching one movie by Hayao Miyazaki some time ago and got an idea for a BIG design (we are talking of tens of thousands of stitches) from one tiny detail in said movie
After maturing it for a while (I had to, because I got the idea in midst of my deadline anxiety) I have got my hands to it and have spent few nights by designing it – it always goes like this: “I’ll just add this thing and go to bed, it shouldn’t take longer than 15 minutes…” And after 2½ hours I notice that I am still awake and that fifteen minutes is long gone.
I am not complaining though, I love how the design finds its form in front of my very eyes, I love the way it occupies my thoughts. But I can’t help being afraid of the phase when it’s time to model stitch it, because it is bigger than anything I have ever finished before (I have one personal WIP which is bigger than DIP, but it’s only ~20% done – after one year 
)… This is one of those moments when I understand those designers who use software generated previews instead of the model stitched pieces.
Of course I could find a model stitcher for this, but for some reason I feel that it would break the intimate connection I have with the design. It has grown into me, and even the thought of a model stitcher for DIP is like a thought of giving my child away (not that I had any).
I know, it sounds rather silly. It sounds even sillier when I say that I have no issues to sell the chart after DIP is done. Maybe it’s the journey we, DIP and I, are making together which prevents me from giving it to be model stitched – as sometimes the journey is as, or even more, important than the destination.
Sorry to hear of the computer woes! That sucks. I enjoy the designs you’ve made so far, and will look forward to seeing your big s3kr1t project when it’s finished.
No worries, the prints all looked fine to me. And yes, I would have mentioned it if anything looked amiss.
I can’t wait to see your big design. I can totally relate to you wanting to model stitch it yourself. I think it must be difficult for a designer to send any design away to be stitched by someone else.
I’d be looking forward to something “bigger”. And if it is similar to the geometric designs of Long Dog (suppose, so far you keep to the geometric/ornaments style), I’d be interested to stitch it.