Hate to admit it but I stitched some adjacent to the previous row again. At least this time, it was only a partial of the first block. I wrote a note on row 10 instructions to skip a row to remind me when I pick it up again.
Even though there were more blocks in this row, it seemed to stitch up quicker.
Starting with the block on the right (#1) moving to the left (#19), I used the following threads (1 strand unless noted):
1 – Elegance E800 and Au Ver A Soie 100/3 (2 strands)
2 – Gloriana 261 (2 strands) and Burmillana 3845
3 – Designer’s Dream 002 and DMC #12 Ecru
4 – Wildflowers 000 and Pashmina 261
5 – Soie Cristale 0057 (2 strands) and Treasure Braid Petite PB10
6 – DMC #8 B5200, DMC #12 B5200, and DMC Floche Blanc
7 – Wildflowers 118 and DMC #12 Ecru
8 – Pashmina 000, DMC Floche Blanc, and Soie Cristale 0057 (2 strands)
9 – Wildflowers 100 and Kreinik #4 032C
10 – Wildflowers 000
11 – Soie Cristale 0057 (2 strands) and Designer’s Dream D02
12 – Bella Lusso 001 and DMC Floche Blanc
13 – Wildflowers 000
14 – Silk Lame Braid Petite SP100 and Pashmina 000
15 – Elegance E800 and Wildflowers 118
16 – DMC #8 B5200 and Au Ver A Soie Blanc
17 – Burmilana 3845 and Subtlety Y899
18 – Bella Lusso 001
19 – DMC Floche Blanc and Treasure Braid Petite PB10
A few of my ANG Main Line Stitchers Chapter members are stitching this Alice Peterson canvas, Winter Scene Sleigh. We’re using the painted canvas as a learning experience as we’ve been doing with other painted canvas. We discuss the differences between two stitch guides.
We all agreed that a non-directional stitch for the sky would be good. So, I went with Parisian. Even though the stitches are placed vertically on the canvas, it is non directional because of staggered placement. A couple of others are going to use alternating continental with 2 threads which will allow some canvas to show through.
The trees are stitched with Trio (T02-white) in Double Stitch which was a stitch recommended for tree trunks in Stitches For Effect by Suzanne Howren and Beth Robertson.
For the sky, I used Caron Waterlilies 74 Storm Clouds which is an overdyed thread with blue-green/grey portions. And, I used the greener area in the center and then reversed the direction of the threads in the outer areas to get a little more blue. Using 2 plies allowed the color of the canvas to show through a little. It’s subtle but I can see the difference.
I’ll have fun going through my stash looking for threads for the packages.
Here’s another heart that I will call Broken Heart for two reasons. At this time of year, I always remember the wonderful people, family and friends, that are no longer here to share in the holidays. So many good times bringing bittersweet emotions.
I made up stitches as I went along. There are 2 halves of a heart on each side pointing outward which is why I named it, Broken Heart. I’m still using Planet Earth Silk threads from Coffee Cups included here are Midnight 102, Port V171, Burgundy 170, and Lettuce V052.
Best wishes to all of you this holiday season as you go about visiting folks and making new memories!
I was trying to stitch a block a day. But, I ran into a snag. You may be able to see where I had to remove blocks 1 through 9 in between the 2 white rows. Yes, it took me 9 blocks to realize that I didn’t skip a row for the red stripe. At least I didn’t finish the row and the blocks restitched faster the second time around.
Starting with the block on the right (#1) moving to the left (#11), I used the following threads (1 strand unless noted):
1 – Wikdflowers 000 and 118
2 – DMC #8 B5200, DMC Floche Blanc, and Kreinik 032C
3 – Wildflowers 000 and Soie Perlee 694
4 – Gloriana 0057 and Silk Lame Braid Petite SP100
5 – Pashmina 000 and Elegance E800
6 – Bella Lusso 001 and DMC Floche Blanc
7 – Pashmina 261 and DMC #8 Ecru
8 – Trebizond 125
9 – Burmillana 3845 and Au Ver A Soie
10 – Wildflowers 118 and Elegance E800
11 – Wildflowers 000 and Gloriana 261
I thought I’d try to stitch a block a day. At this rate, I’ll be done July 26, 2019. But, finishing on July 4 would be nice. Or, September 2, 2019 for Labor Day. I think Memorial Day would be overly optimistic. We’ll see how it goes.
Starting with the block on the right (#1) moving to the left (#11), I used the following threads (1 strand unless noted):
1 – DMC #8 Ecru and DMC Floche Blanc
2 – Soie Cristale 0057 and Renaissance Delight Shimmerlite 01
3 – DMC Floche Blanc and DMC #8 B5200
4 – Designers Dream D02 and Treasure Braid Petite PB10
5 – Wikdflowers 000 and Silk Lame Braid Petite SP100
6 – Trebizond 125, Pashmina 000, and Pashmina 261
7 – Renaissance Delight Shimmerlite 01, Bella Lusso 001, and Burmilana 3845
8 – Soie Cristale 0057 and Treasure Braid Petite PB10
9 – Subtlety 4899
10 – DMC Floche Blanc and Sparkle Braid SK06
11 – Gloriana 261 and Wildflowers 000
Most of the time, when I stitch over one canvas thread, I repeat the stitch for better coverage.
Very easy to follow the instructions from the supplements (Connie sells them at Nashville Needleworks) and a fun way to try different stitches.
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.
Melitastitches4fun's Blog 
Filed under: ANG Main Line Stitchers Chapter, Crescent Journey, General comments, Melita's Designs, Organization
I finally recovered from a month long viral head cold to visit people this past weekend. We made up for lost time. I took multiple pieces to our monthly ANG Stitch-In Time sessions (please join us at Starbucks on Lancaster Ave in Wayne, PA on the 4th Saturday 10-2 through April). We had another great turnout. From there Bill & I headed to Delaware for a birthday party where I shared my needlepoint exploits (one is also a stitcher) and on Sunday got together with Linda, my stitching buddy.
Linda and I exchanged gifts belatedly. I am fortunate to be the recipient of her first attempts at new patterns. You’d never guess that by looking at anything I’ve gotten so far. And, these 2 project bags are no exception. The bags have beautifully coordinating colors, a zipper closure, a see through plastic front, and a handle! The backs are quilted. Stunning.
I just put one of my current projects, another colorway of Crescent Journey. The threads fit perfectly in the small bag. This colorway looks fantastic in these bags! Thanks again Linda. This is also the project that Linda is proofreading my instructions as she stitches a third colorway.