I picked up the original book by Mary Clark Donegan and the supplements by Connie Camp a while ago. Now, Buff, one of my ANG Main Line Stitchers chapter members decided to do it too. So, I got energized to start mine!
The original book is great mostly because it is like Stitches for Effect by Suzanne Howren and Beth Robertson giving suggestions about how else to use a stitch. But, Connie’s is better for stitching the flag because diagrams are fully compensated and have been adjusted occasionally to fit next to each other better.
Each block is 16 x 16 threads. And, the design is 304 x 208 threads which is either 17″ x 11.5″ on 18 count or 12&3/4″ x 8&3/4″ on 24 count Congress Cloth.
However, working on larger projects isn’t as fun for me (add 2 inches on all 4 sides and it’s big). So, I decided to work on Congress Cloth which I’ve used a couple of times and isn’t as difficult to stitch on as I expected.
I found plenty of white threads in my stash (which I split into bright white and white) but almost no ecru! So, I headed to Nimble Needle in NJ and got ecru Congress Cloth and had fun with Karen picking up a variety of threads including some interesting ones that I use infrequently or never before (Pashmina, Subtlety, and Soie Perlee).
I think the ecru Congress Cloth will show the white threads better and will not be as visible under the red and blue threads as white Congress Cloth.
Instead of having the blue area of the flag be 7 blocks square, I’m going to make it 8 x 7 to more closely resemble the actual flag. I’d seen David L in the private Facebook group for this design expand the blue and really liked it better. I’m not painting the Congress Cloth with stripes of red or blue. I basted the center column to get me started correctly. Didn’t want to use pencil to grid it because of the white threads. And, didn’t want to waste time basting more of the squares.
One block of the 90 white ones is done (in the upper center area). There are a total of 247 blocks and a border. I won’t get too far ahead of you Buff (I do have other projects started) but you got me motivated!
Our Main Line Stitchers chapter meets this Saturday November 24th from 10 am to 2 pm for a casual Stitch-in Time at Starbucks (218 Lancaster Avenue) in Wayne, PA. Stop by if you’re in the area!
Filed under: ANG Main Line Stitchers Chapter, General comments, Threads, Winter Scene Sleigh
As part of an ongoing thread project for my ANG Main Line Stitchers Chapter, I researched the following chainette threads: 24 Karats, Alabaster, Cresta d Oro, Gold Rush, Nordic Gold, Snow, and Winter. A chainette is like a chain of crocheting. Because each chain is tucked into the one before it, it can unravel. I didn’t experience that while stitching with either Snow, Alabaster, or Winter. However, I was able to pull on all 5 chainettes that I had samples of and make them unravel. If you experience unraveling, there are several options: cut off the raveled part and rethread your needle; use a larger needle to open the hole and pull straight through the canvas to create less friction; use Fray Check; or, apply heat to the frayed end with a thread burner tool.
- 24 Karats – Rainbow Gallery: A high luster chainette metallic thread (79% Metallized Polyester, 21% Nylon). It is recommended for use on 12 to 18 count canvas. Available in 13 colors on 10 yard cards.
- Alabaster – Rainbow Gallery: An iridescent metallic chainette with an opalescent sparkle (58% Metallized Polyester, 42% Nylon). It is recommended for use on 13 to 18 count canvas. Available in white only on 20 yard cards.
- Antica – Caron Collections: A chainette thread between a #3 and a #5 perle cotton with more of a soft glow than a shiny sparkle. Available in 9 antique shades on 20 yard cards.
- Cresta d’Oro – Rainbow Gallery: A chainette (67% Viscose, 33% Metallized Polyester). It is recommended for use on 12 to 18 count canvas. Available in 23 different colors on 15 yard cards.
- Gold Rush 12, 14, 18, or XS – Rainbow Gallery: A chainette (80% Viscose, 20% Metallized Polyester). Available in different colors in 3 sizes on 10 yard cards: 12 for use on 10 to 12 count, 14 for use on 13 to 16 count, 18 for use on 18 to 22 count. XS is very fine available in different colors on 20 yard cards.
- Nordic Gold – Rainbow Gallery: A very fine metallic chainette (52% Metallized Polyester, 48% Nylon). About the size 2 or 3 strands of blending filaments. Available in different colors in 25 yard cards.
- Snow – Caron Collections: A soft metallic chainette with an opalescent sparkle (58% Metallized Polyester, 42% Nylon). Available in different colors in 10 yard skeins.
- Winter – Rainbow Gallery: An iridescent metallic chainette with an opalescent sparkle (66% Metallized Polyester, 34% Polyester). Available in white only on 10 or 40 yards per card.
These stitched samples are Snow (left), Alabaster (center), and Winter (right). All 3 threads are similar in size to a #5 perle cotton and worked well with good coverage on 18 count canvas.
Snow feels the softest, is the whitest, is the least iridescent, and looks the least like a chainette.
Alabaster has the most visible chainette effect even when stitched.
Winter covered the best, has a good blend of being white and iridescent, and doesn’t look like a chainette when stitched. It photographs best too! So, Winter will probably be what I use for the snow in the Winter Sleigh canvas that our ANG Main Line Stitchers Chapter are discussing and some of us are stitching.
Speaking of our chapter, I’m so excited that we have 5 new members since September! Oddly enough, each have arrived via a different path including being an invited guest to speak about her work on ecclesiastical needlepoint, a friend of a member, one met a member at Seminar, another heard of us through a local frame store, and the last through a Google search. And, that means 4 new ANG members as well!
For this heart, I used all Planet Earth Silk left over from the Cups canvas that our chapter, ANG Main Line Stitchers, recently finished. One strand covers great on the Bargello pattern. Colors used include: Pyrenees 121, Embers 011, Citron 067, Bok Choy 051, Persimmon 157, Sizzle 008, Burgundy 170, Sunburst V302, Port V171, and Lettuce V052. V is for variegated and would be more evident in larger areas.
The Outline stitch and diamonds are all done in Planet Earth Silk Midnight 102.
I got the idea for this heart from Nan’s Afghan Scrap Bag Needlepoint on Nuts about Needlepoint’s blog.
I had to alter the diamonds to fit this heart but the idea was to fill the centers with the last of the threads from the other 2 red hearts including Rainbow Tweed RT53, Splendor S994 and S953, ThreadworX Expressions 234, and The Thread Gatherer Sheep’s Silk English Meadow SPS 084. But, I needed another thread with some contrast and added Gloriana Lorikeet Slate Green 051W3.
The outline was stitched with DMC Perle #5 902 for back stitches and for the whipped stitching. The diamonds are stitched with 2 strands of Felicity’s Garden 034 Dubbonet Cocktail.
This is a great stash buster and wonderful way to use up smaller amounts of threads.
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