One step back and 2 steps forward is part of designing. Kathy Rees isn’t the first person to say it is necessary to try something different requiring restitching.
I didn’t like the center overdyed thread getting lost next to one color or another and outlining it wasn’t going to make it better. So, I took it out. Luckily, I put it in in such a way that it was locked into itself and allowed me to keep the solid purple overdyed, Watercolours 232 African Violet, Scotch stitches in the center.
Now, I’ve added Byzantine using the multicolored Watercolours 296 Stained Glass excluding the yellow and green portions. I did do some manipulating of the overdyed thread as I stitched but didn’t go crazy. This is better.
I am very excited about my plans for each corner. That’s next. Since the overall design size is 4″ square, this was an easier size to start with and is stitching up quickly. We got another canvas for an 8″ square design and lots more thread including Tahiti. This is our practice canvas!
Filed under: ANG Seminar 2018, Designing Geometric Sampler with Kathy Rees
I played with several options before deciding on 3 basic diagrams repeated multiple times.
Before lunch, I stitched the center motif.
And, after lunch, I got a little more done. I have to find a thread to outline the center motif because some portions are getting lost.
Lots of small areas to stitch. In contrast, Jan from PA, who sat next to me, made larger areas, got started last night and looks like she’ll be done by the weekend! And, it’s looking fantastic. I know, it’s not a race. Just interesting to see the difference in approaches.
Filed under: ANG Seminar 2018, Designing Geometric Sampler with Kathy Rees, General comments, Threads
Last night at Expo, I picked up Jean Hilton’s Light ‘n Lacy booklet and a Bohicket Road Bag that fits all my threads from Kathy Rees’ class. She had some nice fabrics to choose from and I went with the lobster/seashell/beach theme.
Day 2 was examining design elements, stitches, and threads. I played with paper designs.
Of course, I have my own diagrams I’m playing with. Tomorrow we stitch!
My ANG 2018 Seminar class is Designing Geometric Samplers with Kathy Rees! There were 3 fantastic colorways to select. I went with ‘Bright’ which has Tahiti Watercolour as a key thread. Here are all the threads!
We made a color wheel today. I put it on the white and black paper to see the difference.
And, we started making diagrams. Just whatever shapes came to mind (on 8&1/2 x 11 paper).
I could do these for hours. What a fun and exciting opportunity to learn from Kathy.
Linda, Lori, and I are here in Washington DC representing the Main Line Stitchers Chapter. Our chapter is entering our 35th year together. The colors of our logo changed over the years but it remains essentially the same. This has been on display at Seminar for many years. Has your chapter sent your logo to display? Once you send it in, they keep it and display it year after year.
Also in the picture are the goodies from registration and the banquet dinner. Trish Vine made 450 of her plastic project bags! She also made my lanyard.
Can you believe that 2 chapters stitched 450 of those ornaments? Mine is stitched with beads on both sides. Wow! Way to go Nova & Seashore ANG Chapters. I have to ask Brenda or Roseanne if that’s the Delaware ANG chapter. Probably is them.
I ran into Gretchen Janesak from Threads in Charlottesville, VA & she remembered me visiting the ANG Hampton Roads Sandpipers Chapter near Virginia Beach. She was teaching the day I visited. Gretchen is the designer and stitcher of the Seminar logo, Stars, Stripes, and Stitches on the cover of the booklet and the pin. Very pretty. I was very honored and pleased to hear her say she enjoys my blog! Thanks again Gretchen.
As in Woodlawn earlier this year, there were a variety of wonderful pieces on display from the family of Mary Duckworth, once a longstanding member of Nelly’s Needler’s.
Also, “Valley Tapestry” from the Shenandoah EGA chapter is on display and I joined the community of stitchers who have contributed to the piece. You can sit down and stitch a small section that will make its way onto the larger piece. It had a nice write up in the EGA magazine.
I’ll share more about my 2 pieces after I get home so I can include comments from the judge’s critique. I did get 3rd place for Crescent Journey and 2 people have made it a point to say how interesting Purples Mountain Majesty is.
One of the pieces I loved from Woodlawn this year was 2 large coy fish with 32,000 beads stitched by Katherine Ludlow Callahan which got a 2nd place ribbon. Well, she got the State Award and Honorable Mention in the Painted Canvas without stitch guide category. Congratulations! And, what are the odds that the identical design would appear under Painted Canvas with stitch guide. That won a 1st place ribbon.
So many pretty pieces that I’m glad I’m not a judge.
Well, I’ve done some stitching wrong again. Everything outside the darker crescents on the upper right and lower left corners is wrong because I rotated the canvas 90 degrees. The upper left and bottom right are correct. So, do I rip out the upper right and lower left, continue to rotate 90 degrees and see what happens, or finish it at this point by just adding beads and sequins and add more Kreinik around the whole irregular edge?
If I continue, I have to buy more Trebizond threads in several colors anyway. If I rip, I may run out of the Watercolours. Do I want to invest more time and money in this design? I’m happy with how it looks at this point especially after adding beads and sequins. I’ve learned from it but other projects may be time and money better spent.
At this point, I welcome your thoughts on what to do. So far, I have 3 rip and restitch. This was very valid advice, “Depends what you will do with it. If you love it enough to get it done by a finisher and display it, then fix it to be correct. If not, then move on.”
I’m going to see if additional threads match what I’ve used so far and continue to ponder my options.
Filed under: Uncategorized
Linda showed me how to hand sew a lining onto a stitch n zip eyeglass. The fabric for the lining came from one of her favorite quilt stores. It’s a perfect match.
I got the hang of it pretty good even though the corners and top edge were tricky. Many thanks to Linda who was a good teacher and helped me through it. I’m very happy!
One of the items in a past member’s stash that continues to provide some interesting programs includes “Fun With Fur” which explores some threads and their uses. I did the first 3 exercises to share with my ANG Main Line Chapter tomorrow. We are going to continue to explore different threads as an ongoing project throughout the year.
Since stitch samples like these are not very exciting, we have a heart that we’ll break into smaller sections to stitch on with 2 different threads showcased each month.
Stop by Starbucks at 218 Lancaster Ave at 7 PM for our August 13th meeting. Here all about our plans to celebrate our 35th Anniversary as an ANG Chapter.
Filed under: Celtic Knot, Dare to Design With Orna Willis, General comments, Threads
Have you ever had threads get twisted when you stitch? Who hasn’t? Well, I heard people try and explain z twist and s twist. While I understand it, I can’t see it. Until I can see the different twists, I will use the simple tip I heard from Cleo at my EGA Brandywine Chapter meeting which is to use the thread as it comes off the skein. This means that the beginning of the thread goes in the eye of the needle. Then, cut the other end and finish with that end. I was seeing issues with Trebizond and now I’m not.
This is the beginning of the second design that has come out of my design class with Orna Willis. My paintings reminded Patrick from my ANG Chapter of a Celtic Knot. I don’t know if the stitched piece in my colors will still remind him of a Celtic Knot but that’s what I’ve called this design.
Here are the paintings.
I tried to paint in my stitched colorway but didn’t do great.
Here’s the inner area stitched (sequins and beads will be added last). I’m using Trebizond TRA 381 Orange Sherbet, 3586 Birds of Paradise, 343 Peach Sorbet, Bijout MMT 429 Jasper, Kreinik 1/16″ ribbon 2122, and Watercolours 144 Pomegranate in this inner area.
A different color of Trebizond, Bittersweet TRA 376, replaced the Orange Sherbet TRA 381 into the next surrounding area.
I love how it’s looking but it certainly isnt easy to stitch due to the nonsymmetrical features and the weaving. I could stop here and add beads and it’d be a pretty little thing but I am going to keep on going!! All these threads are from the kit that came with Orna’s class. Even after I finish this piece, I’ll have threads enough to stitch at least a third piece!
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