The Pattern Couching Ornament is now done as well. It is on the same light green canvas & I used Perle Cotton #8 Color 3041, DMC Floss Color 3041, Pebbly Perle P66, and Kreinik #8 braid Color 023. But, I added DMC Floss Color 3042 between the darker rows of the inner corners because I didn’t want a solid mass of dark color as Marilyn describes on page 2:6. And, I didn’t want to leave it blank. So, the next shade lighter worked out well. And, instead of a contrasting #12 braid for the center pattern couching, I used a #16 braid Kreinik Color 271 that has a hint of green throughout it and matches the other Kreinik nicely. I do not have a single #12 Kreinik in my stash! But, #16 worked fine.
I have chosen this one (after consulting with my husband) to accompany the already completed String Art Ornament as an insert for a pair of bookends. I am thinking about using mylar to place behind each insert because there is enough canvas showing through that it might look good. Thoughts? Has anyone used this? And, does anyone know who/what type of store sells mylar? I have not taken time to google and search that out yet.
I found a nice deal on the bookends at Kmart and thought instantly of using these designs as singles for the inserts. They are Joe Boxer Frame Bookends measuring 5.5″ x 5.5″ x 3.15″ with the insert area measuring 4″ x 4″. I always keep my eyes open for different ways to display needlepoint! I especially like these because they don’t need to go to the finisher and will make a nice gift without costing a lot of money!
The Nun’s Stitch Finishing stitch works perfect and I found polyester sewing thread with my basting threads! It is thin and so it didn’t add any bulk to the edges. I thought I was careful when cutting but apparently had not pulled as tight as I should have for one stitch and it got snipped when I cut along the channel. I decided to go back and reinforce with 2 stitches on each side of the snip just to be on the safe side.
As a reminder, both ANG CyberPointers and ANG Mainline Chapter decided to do the Ornament Quartet by Marilyn Owens from the 2011 Chapter Handbook (http://www.needlepoint.org/CPB/images/Ornament-Quartet-Composite.jpg).
On to the next ornaments in the quartet! I am pleased with how the first 2 came out and want to see the next couple.
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Melitastitches4fun's Blog 
Cannot find these bookends….what department did you find them in? (I am looking online)
Thank you
Comment by Annie Harrison January 6, 2013 @ 3:00 pmHmmm, I was just walking around the store before Christmas but I think there were other home decorations by Joe Boxer in the section. Maybe that’s why they were on sale – maybe they are discontinued.
Comment by melitastitches4fun January 6, 2013 @ 8:29 pmWow! your bookends are beautiful—and the idea is fantastic. You are definitely an enabler—-but one comment says she could not find them in her K-Mart. If DH is well enough I need to head to my Dr. in Paducah and they have a K-mart up there–will try –and I know Marilyn Owen—we were a foursome for seminars—-ahem—-long time ago. She is so talented.
Comment by Carol January 7, 2013 @ 7:57 amenjoy and will back to you. carol