Filed under: ANG Main Line Stitchers Chapter, From Dawn to Dusk by Textured Treasures
I got the 3 designs from Dawn, a portion of a larger From Dawn to Dusk done on Cashel linen or Lugana, framed by Jim at Repenning Fine Arts in Audubon, NJ. It needed a custom cut mat, which he said wasn’t easy, but he did a fine job. I need more wall space!
Filed under: ANG Main Line Stitchers Chapter, From Dawn to Dusk by Textured Treasures
When we introduced the project, From Dawn to Dusk by Textured Treasures, to my ANG Main Line Stitchers chapter this past fall, I stitched one of the motifs on 18 count in Christmas colors as a single motif for an ornament.
I decided to do 2 more ornaments in Christmas colors because I like 3s and because I wanted to try an Interlaced Maltese Cross. If you don’t lay the foundation correctly in Step 1, then the interlacing in Step 2 won’t work. I got it right on my second attempt.
This was the third motif in Twilight Too. All three had the same instructions as From Dawn to Dusk but written for 28 count ground. So, I used the same threads as the first ornament. Just needed to figure out where to use the threads and how many strands.
Nothing difficult in the second motif in Twilight Too except color matching the Anchored Vandyke. I think I’m using a discontinued Needle Necessities 153 (overdyed red thread). It’s 6 stranded. So, I used 3 strands on the North-South areas from one length and 3 strands on the East-West areas from the second length. It turned out good.
To start the finishing, I used newly purchased fusible web and just to be 100% sure nothing would ever happen to the iron again, I used a pressing cloth! All went well.
At some point I am hoping finishing will come more naturally. If I don’t do it regularly, it takes me time to get the swing of it again. But, I am happy with how it turned out.
In October, I’ll be taking an irregular shaped ornament finishing class from Kelly Starke. So, I think my third ornament will be good for that class.
Filed under: ANG Main Line Stitchers Chapter, From Dawn to Dusk by Textured Treasures
The third motif required needleweaving which was easier and faster than I expected and fun. The color matching is with N-S and E-W because one length could do two of the four legs.
There are 4 Spider Webs. I enjoy making these but I couldn’t tolerate the spokes being uneven as they had diagrammed. So, out it came. This is the same 12 x 12 space but has 9 spokes evenly distributed. Plus, I prefer the center to be an eyelet rather than crossing side to side with an extra spoke added in. It’s so much easier to keep the center centered. So, here’s my diagram.
The other odd thing is that they say go over one and under one spoke where you should under two, back over one, and under two again. Here are my Spider Webs. Very happy!
The rest of the background went along smoothly except that working on 28 count is tougher on my eyes than even 24 count. I found a tube of Autumn Seed Beads (probably 11/0; manufacturer unknown although they are marked Made in Japan). They are a lovely mix of yellow, green, and amber. The amber was perfect. I needed 37 beads and had way more than enough. They added a lovely final touch.
Filed under: ANG Main Line Stitchers Chapter, From Dawn to Dusk by Textured Treasures
Back in October, my ANG Main Line Stitchers chapter started From Dawn to Dusk by Textured Treasures (you can find them on Facebook). The full design is 12 motifs done on 18 count canvas. But, they also sell the instructions in batches of three done on 28-count on Lugana and four motifs individually (count unknown). I think I am working on 28-count Cashel linen or Lugana.
In December, I added the outer border but didn’t feel it was blog worthy!
Well, I decided to get back to it for my Saturday Stitch-in project today. So, I had to stitch some difficult areas over the last couple of days. Kristen has given us some good tips for the motifs. The Mexican Stitch in the corners of the center motif and the raised Chevron Stitch were very challenging stitches. The Mexican Stitch would make a good background.
I color matched my overdyed thread in the first two motifs so, I will have to color match in the third! I still have a few beads to add. In the left motif, I used the largest yellow section of the overdyed thread for the diamond Rhodes and the darker colors for the Algerian Star eyelets.
I’m going to focus on this piece until it’s done!
Filed under: ANG Main Line Stitchers Chapter, Expressions in NeedleArt, Fiber on a Whim, From Dawn to Dusk by Textured Treasures, General comments, Needlepoint Shops, Threads
Last Saturday I went to Expressions in Needle Art in Canandaigua, NY. Lori has a wonderful collection of threads and yarns for stitchers and knitters. Lots of counted instructions and painted canvases.
First, I got talking with the 5 ladies from Endicott/Endwell, NY who had arrived almost the same time as I did. They were with the EGA B.C. Stitchers chapter. And, they will be stitching my Overdyed Spools in January! That was fun to find out. We exchanged information and I look forward to hearing from them next year.
Then, we got to exploring the store. I found an overdyed cotton thread by Fiber on a Whim. Pretty but I did resist them.
I don’t consider the 2 booklets that I picked up as “Books in My Library” because they are more project oriented. That is especially true for Vienna Hearts by Sue Lentz Needlework (1998/1999). I have a piece of interconnected hearts that I need to redo and write up. These are much larger than mine and I liked the patterns Sue choose.
The other booklet, That’s Not Needlepoint (It’s Inspired Art Created with Your Needle) is by dede Ogden (2011) which are now represented by Fleur de Paris, Inc. It’s not intended to be complete charts or diagrams to finish various painted canvases but to offer suggestions for types of elements found in seascapes. The first canvas discussed is Seahorse Spyglass 18073 and is still available (and so is a stitch guide by Tony Minieri). Other canvases discussed are still available from a variety of sources including Undersea Fish 1373, Glass Aquarium Tropicals Green Fish 18015, Glass Aquarium Tropicals Blue Fish 18034, Undersea Garden 1378, Seahorse Pillow 18056, and Enchanted Mermaid Dream 18050. The Casalgudi stitch is a new one and quite interesting. I’ve read the section several times in the past week to understand it. The center of the Orchid (which I have been putting off because I haven’t found the right stitch) may be why this stitch is calling to me. I’ll give it a try. The Railway Stitch makes a good background stitch. Sue has an interesting Bead Cup Stitch and shows how to expand an overlapping cross stitch to fit fluctuations in the width of seaweed.
The store walls had a bunch of stitched samples. I spotted the Textured Treasures design, From Dusk to Dawn, that we are stitching at ANG Main Line Stitchers chapter. I’m doing a group of three too but it will be a different three designs and in a different colorway than displayed.
In fact, that was the piece I had taken on the road to stitch. The outer boders of straight Gobelin stitches were easy.
Filed under: ANG Main Line Stitchers Chapter, From Dawn to Dusk by Textured Treasures
The other piece that my ANG Main Line Stitchers chapter is starting is From Dawn to Dusk by Textured Treasures (you can find them on Facebook). The full design is 12 motifs done on 18 count canvas. But, they also sell the instructions in batches of three done on 28-count on Quaker Cloth and four motifs individually (count unknown). I’m working on some sort of linen.
I bought them in batches of three because I have too much to do to commit to the larger design. I’ve selected my own colors – fall colors – my favorite season!
I’ll wait to stitch the centers until the others get to the motifs that I want to stitch. In the meantime, I will stitch the outer areas.
What happens when Christmas meets From Dawn to Dusk by Karen E. Dudzinski from Textured Treasures? This cute ornament! It is Motif 1-1 which I agreed to stitch to show how the various motifs would look if stitched individually for ornaments. This is one of three projects that ANG Main Line Stitchers will be stitching over the 2022-2023 year.
I had Needle Necessities 153 Razzle Dazzle Red for the Satin Stitch Leaf and a roll of 1/16 silver metallic ribbon for the Plaited Upright Cross and center leaf vein in my stash. The red flosses from dark to light are 814, 816, and 321.
Instead of the 11/0 beads, I used 15/0 Miyuki beads and Sundance silver sequins BDS-SQ214 which I have plenty to share if anyone is interested. I think they will sparkle better.
Other threads were DMC Floss Blanc, DMC #8 Perle white, DMC #5 Perle 321 red, and Kreinik #8 Braid 001 silver.
It took me about 6 hours to stitch this (spread over several days). I kept track to get a sense for how long it would take members to stitch a motif if we do one a month.
I stitched Access Commodities Metallic Soft Twist Trim Cord (Size 16) on with Sulky Invisible thread (fine 0.004) which was quite a challenge to see! But, it worked better than a matching silver thread because I had to go into the Ultrasuede backing & kind of deeper into the front to cinch the two sides tight. The cording Size 32 might be better although this is fine. It was way easier and quicker than using the Palestrina stitch for the edging. For this ornament, I used one layer of Skirtex, a stiff interfacing, that I had left over from a name tag kit obtained from Marilyn when we volunteered for ANG Distance Learning together. We made coordinating name tags for the 2014 ANG Seminar in Chicago. I had forgotten where I’d gotten Skirtex from, searched on my blog, and found out where I’d gotten from. I keep following Marilyn around ANG! She is excellent to work with and very knowledgeable.
My finishing is not perfect but looks very good. The first photo revealed a piece of invisible thread that had gotten caught on an edge but I was able to bury it. So, it was all done & ready for our August ANG Main Line Stitchers meeting this past Monday.
Melitastitches4fun's Blog 