Night of the Living Crosstitch, or The Project That Would Not Die!

      After languishing half-completed in a drawer for years, the crosstitch project I had left for dead in 1993 resurfaced back in 2006 and demanded reanimation. After fourteen years, only a few months of which actually involved active stitching, I finally finished it. Then...it went back in the drawer.
      But now, thanks to my Valentine, it finally enjoys the light of day. Donna sneaked it out and had it framed for our anniversary/Valentine's Day. It's from a chart called "Rooftops" by "Graphs by Barbara & Cheryl, Inc," who acknowledge its adaptation from artwork by Douglas Grier at Sea Island Art Gallery, Greenville, SC. If I do say so myself, it looks pretty great. The stitched area is about 7.5" by 11.5" and the chart measures 170 stitches by 270 stitches (I'm pretty sure the fabric is 22 count). Based on my best guesstimate that the empty sky represents about 25% of the entire area, I stitched about 34,425 little "X"'s, not counting the extensive backstitching. You may now stand in awe of my dogged dedication or gape in horror at the shocking waste of time. Your pick.