The Motifs are Finished

I have now finished filling in the different blues in the center motifs and was able to begin the background white.  You can see a tiny bit done in the bottom left corner.

I have decided to do the background using Tent Stitch (also known as Continental Stitch) and work my way to fill each little section as bordered by motifs and lines.  This way, I won't be crossing over the motifs or lines.  Also, if I complete a small section, I will feel like I accomplished more than if I stitch all the way across the whole width of the center. (This is purely a psychological response but goes a long way toward keeping me interested and engaged in a project! 😉 )

Using this method of filling in sections, the finished rug won't be as thick as it would if I traveled across motifs and lines, and I will have the added bonus of using less floss, thus having to re-thread the needle less often.  I find that silk gauze is very hard on DMC thread and I can only use shorter lengths when stitching, or the floss will fray and break.  The longest I have been able to use at one time is about 19" - 20".