Filed under: Brandywine Chapter, Embroidery Guild of America, Petite Flower
Thanks to Brenda C and Linda P for confirming that a trellis would be good for the petite flower that I stitched with my EGA Brandywine Chapter. I woke up thinking a trellis would be the way to go.
The one thing about a trellis that had me worried is that I wanted straight lines and if this fabric is an evenweave, it’s too small for me to count! So, I went to my scraps of monocanvas and found a piece of 10 count monocanvas giving me an easy grid to stitch. Way easier to count than 18 count canvas. I stitched an edge the same size that it would be finished (4″ square) so I could cut right up to the edge. The monocanvas also adds some stability to the fabric. But, I could see through the fabric and I didn’t like that. So, I cut a 4″ square piece from the white fabric that Ann H had supplied to make the stumpwork petal to place between the monocanvas and the yellow design fabric. Seemed perfect so far. I never tried this before. Fingers crossed.
Now I had a reasonable expectation of correct, straight lines but don’t normally count on the back! I looked up trellis photos online and some are gorgeous! But, a simple flower needs a simple trellis.
I tried one strand of Kreinik Silk Mori #8050 Black but that was shedding after 4 long stitches. So, off to my thread stash where I found Bijoux MMT424 Renaissance Gold (which is half black).
But, the number of canvas threads was not the same on both sides (differs by one). And, once I had 5 lines going across a corner the 4th and 5th lines were crooked with careful counting (forgot to get a photo). At this point I abandoned the criss-crossed trellis look. I needed an even simpler finish.
The inner 2 lines looked good but I wanted a third line. Placing it further into the corner made sense to me. But I thought there was something wrong with my eyes because the lines seemed ok until they weren’t.
It took several attempts to get all the lines straight by simply measuring the width of each end of the band. For what this is and where it’ll be displayed, I think it looks fine.
But rather bland. I decided to see what AI could think up. I use Google Lens and asked for suggestions for the corners. I got complicated suggestions as well as these that appealed to me.
AI offered to pick to the best solution for me and I asked it to pick the best one from only the three suggestions above and generate a photo. This was what I got:
I asked it to replace them with a cluster of 3 Colonial Knots in the corners. This is what I got:
I don’t know about you but I am impressed! It drew on the best embroidery site (in my opinion, Mary Corbet’s) and came up with great suggestions.
Until I saw one of the above options, I was willing to live with my bland finish. However, one of them was so much better that I have to redo it! What would you do? Which one did I choose. Wait and see. That’ll be the final post for this piece. Hopefully, sometime tomorrow.
Filed under: Brandywine Chapter, Embroidery Guild of America, Petite Flower
Today, Ann H led us in working a small (2″ tall) flower in shaded threads with stumpwork. She provided the muslin fabric (yellow/white) with the outline of the flower already in place, overdyed green Valdani pearl cotton #8 for the leaves and stem, wire for the stumpwork, and instructions.
I brought my own silk threads for the flower in three shades of one color, hoops, and needles.
We met for 4 hours and took a long lunch break in the Country House’s Bistro. It’s a lovely retirement/continuing care facility where one of our members reside. This is all that I got done while there.
But, it went quickly once I sat down at home.
Ann changes threads when stitching the buttonhole stitch to hold the wire in place. This allows the shading inside the petal match the outer edge. I think it’s a great idea. That is different from what Celeste Chalasani taught. Celeste had us stitch the wire in place in the lightest color all the way around.
Being only 2″ tall, I want to add something. Then finish as a flat and add to my yellow tissue box. The other two pieces on that tissue box are also EGA Brandywine Chapter projects, Casalguidi and Chicken Scratch.
Should I add butterflies? A trellis stitch background? Thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions?
Filed under: ANG Main Line Stitchers Chapter, Razzle Dazzle by Ann Strite-Kurz
Here’s the list of threads that I used for my fall colorway stitched on an 18 count Sandstone canvas:
- DMC #8 Pearl 435
- Watercolours 123 Spice
- Kreinik #8 127
- Kreinik #8 205C
- DMC #5 Pearl 830
- DMC Floss 830
- Petite Very Velvet V644
Here’s the list of threads that I used for my teal colorway stitched on an 18 count Aquamarine canvas:
- Elegance E880
- Watercolours 068 Mediterranean (more color variation than what Ann suggests)
- Kreinik #8 044
- Kreinik #8 033
- DMC #5 517
- Splendor S854
- Trebizond TRA701
- Petite Very Velvet V662 wrapped with stranded Trebizond TRA706 (which I don’t recommend you trying)
I didn’t get a good picture of these threads.
The darker canvases are probably better for this design since so much canvas shows.
It’s one of the more challenging counted pieces that I have worked on but also interesting and lovely. It’s fascinating that so few threads are used yet the patterns look so different. Looking forward to seeing the last ribbon!
Filed under: ANG Main Line Stitchers Chapter, Razzle Dazzle by Ann Strite-Kurz
It took a little longer for me to finish Ribbon 3 of Razzle Dazzle by Ann Strite-Kurz. This ribbon is one of the tallest and has 5 steps.
My ANG Main Line Stitchers chapter isn’t starting our next counted piece until March to give people time to catch up on this project and others. Spoiler alert: We’ll be doing Cherith by Textured Treasures.
There certainly were some challenging stitches in Heart of the Matter by Wendy Moore, Area 3.
The eyelets to the upper-left of the lovely tri-color heart were the toughest because there are 4 spokes using Petite Very Velvet (PPV) and 12 fill in stitches using Watercolours all going into one hole. I think Wildflowers would have worked up easier than Watercolours. And, you can barely see the PPV after filling in with Watercolours. I opened up the center hole but it gets really tight with all that going into one hole.
Heading back to Razzle Dazzle before our next meeting on Monday November 9 in order to finish Ribbon 3 on both pieces. At least one person besides Linda M finished hers. I’ll be completing Ribbon 4 in both of the coloways for December’s meeting.
That reminds me that there are 2 months left in 2026. What else can I complete before January? I think Heart of the Matter and Spring Lollipop Garden by Tamara Abdee are top on the list and doable.
It’s been a month since picking up Heart of the Matter by Wendy Moore.
As in Area 1 (and as Wendy suggested), I finished all except for the largest two outer crescents in Area 2 because they might get distrupted while working on the rest of the canvas. The crescents will cover those irregularities in the upper left and lower right areas.
It’s beginning to take on the shape of a heart now.
Moving on to Area 3 (lower left corner) including the Chotties Plaid (in the center). It’s the largest portion and has alot going on.
Filed under: ANG Main Line Stitchers Chapter, Other People's Designs, Susan Portra, The Cabochons, Passion
Another ANG Main Line Stitchers Stitch-in. Can you believe it’s already the 4th Saturday of the month (yesterday) again (does anyone get the Jimmy Kimmel reference?). Back to working on Passion from the Cabochon Series by Susan Portra.
My stitching time was shorter than usual because I stopped at Linda M’s Valley Forge Quilt Guild Show. They do beautiful work. So much effort goes into the show (every other year) and it’s well worth the visit. My find for the day (besides the bake shop) is a kitchen towel (not quilted but I can always use them) and this little thread bag (love the fabric-perhaps a Frank Lloyd Wright pattern).
Very clever zip lock bags inside.
Today, I stitched the top teal over 4 straight stitches, placed the long laid Neon Rays for the background, and began the couching in one quadrant with cross stitches.
The remaining cross stitches will wait until next month.
Filed under: National Academy of Needlearts (NAN)
While I would like to attend everything, I feel like 2027 will be catch up time on what I already have. So, while I would love to take Star Dance with Margaret Bendig, at the 2027 National Academy of Needlearts Assembly (https://share.google/PssnFHgqkmWKlpY84), I am going to pass.
It’s smaller than the ANG or EGA Seminars but it’s just as well run, is a lovely hotel, and I have nothing but excellent memories including winning Best in Show last year!
If you’ve thought about attending and see a class or two calling to you, registration opened October 1. So, don’t delay.
Filed under: Brandywine Chapter, Embroidery Guild of America, Huck Embroidery Towel
Huck Embroidery towels seemed the easiest to travel with and I would have gotten both done except for our last night’s baseball game not being shown on a “normal” channel. We had to go to the hotel sports bar to watch it and the light wasn’t conducive for stitching. Last night, I finished it during the rain delay and before it was postponed. The patterns had to fit within the band, be pretty, and not too difficult.
I counted the width and figured out how to get 5 full motifs centered. These patterns are called Crest and Meadow. Both use DMC Pearl #5 in greens: 3345, 3347, and 3348. Meadow added DMC Pearl #5 variegated 4215. Of course, I cut the variegated thread so the 4 strands would match and would place the light purple portion in the center.
I entered three pieces into the 2026 EGA exhibit: A Spring Sampler, Flowers Along a Rhode, and Shelly the Turtle. And, Flowers Along a Rhode got a Third Place Ribbon. I’ve blogged about these previously:
- A Spring Sampler in original purple
- A Spring Sampler in fall colors
- Flowers Along a Rhode
- Shelly the Turtle
There were some incredible pieces on display including one from a member of my ANG Main Line Stitchers chapter, Heather G. She won the Bobbie Pilling Memorial Award for a mixed media 9 part accordion piece depicting a favorite childhood poem. Really amazing! She began her project in a Laura Smith class.
There was a few pop-up shops open all week. I forgot to go there Monday but stopped in the other days. Again, 3D printed items caught my eye. So, I got 3 heart 18 count ornaments although the holes are much smaller than they would be on monocanvas.
