Exchange piece again

It's not coming along as easily as I expected. So far about the only bit that looks the same as the original are two diagonal boxes (and they look good so I'm not changing them). I've tried three different filling patterns before settling on one (with the help of DH to choose), and what I've done in the centre I think I'll change again - but I'm going to leave it for a bit to see if it makes more sense once I've done more around it.

At times I wonder too if a perle cotton would have worked better for some bits instead of the stranded cotton. But as I didn't have any in the right colours it's a bit of a mute point so I'll keep working with what I've got.

And I'm beginning to think I won't be doing the stitching right around the back either - but then I need a new way of finishing it. I guess that is the last thing to worry about right at the moment.

So I'm keeping my options open as it could all change again. I wish I could show you what I was talking about, and perhaps get opinions, but as it's an exchange I can't do that. So I'll just have to mutter away and then when you see the final product you'll have to guess what I was talking about (or just ignore my ramblings and tell me the final version turned out fine :lol)

I've also signed up for the next exchange of a scissor fob. I'd just found a quick little scissor fob pattern I wanted to try the day the exchange was announced so I signed up immediately. I've already got it down to about 5 threads to choose from, and I think I've found some fabric, and I'm not expecting to deviate from the pattern, so it should be straight forward when I get up to that.

I'm hoping to have made some serious headway on the first exchange this weekend, as it has to be posted by the end of April (and hopefully received). I also need my wall hanging square finished by then too, so I really need to get my skates on, or is that just find those smoking needles that some people use?