Filed under: ANG Main Line Stitchers Chapter, Laurel Burch Rainbow Butterfly by Danji
Next up was the fuchsia-purple area. This is another area with a lovely color shift from fuchsia to purple. I found Waterlilies 084 African Sunset in my stash and got Waterlilies 286 Aubergine (means eggplant).
Top left.
Top right.
I started with 4 strands of fuchia, then thread blended with purple in 3 steps (3+1, 2+2, 1+3), and finished with 4 strands of purple using a knitting stitch variation from Desert Island Stitches, Volume 1, pg 46.
Again, relying on my photos, I couched black Velour Yarn Fine Mesh by Fleur de Paris with one strand of DMC Floss 310 black. Instead of the 8 swirls, I only made 7 of them because of the odd number rule. Although, looking at the painted canvas, I see them grouped as 5 and 3, which looks fine too.
I couldn’t pass up the butterfly magnet by Accoutrements. They are pretty and strong.
Kristen used a fuchsia-purple overdyed and let the colors fall as they came. It was an excellent and less complicated option.
Filed under: ANG Main Line Stitchers Chapter, Laurel Burch Rainbow Butterfly by Danji
Back in August, I posted about the padded raised stem stitch that I used for the body (https://melitastitches4fun.com/2024/08/16/raised-stem-stitch-for-rainbiw-butterfly/).
I’ve been working on it while Kristen from my ANG Main Line Stitchers chapter has been working on hers. We each selected our own stitches and threads without sharing ideas. We both got done for this month’s chapter meeting. So, we revealed the progress photos and discussed choices as the program topic. I’ll post by area over the next few days.
For the top part of the wing on my Rainbow Butterfly by Danji, I found Waterlilies 280 Casabasa that has a color change from yellow to orange that very closely matches the colors on the canvas.
Left wing.
Right wing.
I decided to basketweave, which meant I would cover the red lines. I’ve never tried covering an area so completely to stitch on top of before, so I took close-up photos.
There was about 24″ left of the Waterlilies left because I had to cut lengths that moved from yellow to orange.
Kristen did basketweave, too, with an overdyed that created repeats of the yellow to orange color changes for a more banded effect. I’m sure hers was easier and looked great, especially since the red lines covered some of the area.
By carefully following the photos, I was able to place lines of Sparkle Rays (SR29) where they were meant to go. It’s probably not going to be something I do too often, but these were straight lines in a small enough area to give it a try. I just love that sparkle in Sparkle Rays. Kristen used a Kreinik Braid very effectively.
I decided to match the right side to that of the left partly because Sparkle Rays is a flat ribbon slightly wider than the painted lines. The inter wrapping triangle on the right wing had bothered me anyway. So, I followed the left side mostly. It’s not painted as widely as the left side, and so it does differ slightly.
Filed under: ANG Main Line Stitchers Chapter, Fibonacci Swirls by Olivia Hartshorn
Linda went through all 4 of the Area Ds on Fibonacci Swirls by Olivia Hartshorn (from Needle Pointers Mar/Apr 2022) at our October meeting for our ANG Main Line Stitchers chapter.
The stitch that caused the most issues was for Area D1 (upper right). The Alternating Scotch stitches are over 3, and compensation is required. Not all of the compensation will be hidden by the swirls. The bigger issue for me is that the stitch is all overdyed thread, while the other 3 areas combine it with a solid color. So, I grabbed the nearest stitch book (Painted Canvas Embellishment: An Idea Book by Carole Lake and Michael Boren) and opened it from the back end (which is how my husband reads magazines for some strange reason). On page 96, I found the Hesitation Stitch. It’s a solid and overdyed combination stitch in diagonal, offset Scotch stitches over 3. Perfect!
The Hesitation Stitch really works best by keeping 2 needles working. Two needles were needed for Area D2’s Milanese stitch (bottom right). I don’t know which I find more challenging – working with 2 needles or compensation of these stitches. Olivia didn’t compensate correctly but Linda pointed out the areas we needed to be careful. I am 99.9% sure I got it right. And, if I messed up, I hope it’s on an edge getting covered by the swirls which will be next month’s lesson.
Here’s the colorway on Congress Cloth. This uses the same overdyed thread but cut and stitched to create color movements.
And, on canvas. I worked on this a couple of days before our October Stitch-in Saturday, at our Stitch-in, and a few days afterward during the World Series Games 1-5. Only the upper left area worked up easily and quickly. Bottom left were small stitches that were easy but not quick. I let the color flow as it wanted only in the top right area.
I’m all ready for the final installment, the swirls, at our meeting tomorrow night.
Filed under: ANG Main Line Stitchers Chapter, Fibonacci Swirls by Olivia Hartshorn
Linda is leading our ANG Main Line Stitchers chapter on Fibonacci Swirls by Olivia Hartshorn (from Needle Pointers Mar/Apr 2022).
I have finished the C Areas on canvas (top) and Congress Cloth (bottom). I am controlling the flow of the overdyed threads trying to get a flow of color that will accompany the swirls that are stitched last. We’ll see what happens.
I am ready for our next meeting this coming Monday.
Filed under: All That Simmers by Sundance Beads, ANG Main Line Stitchers Chapter
I’m glad I worked on All That Shimmers at my ANG Main Line Stitchers Saturday Stitch-in because Kristen was there. She’s already stitched it.
Underneath the purple flowers, I just couldn’t use the magenta overdyed thread. Kristen helped me pick DMC floss 327 to be the shadow underneath the flowers. Much better.
Once home, I pulled out the raffia and thought it was plastic! But Kristen used it on hers, and it looked nice. I also googled it and found out it is from the leaves of a raffia palm tree. Luckily, as I threaded the needle, it ripped down the center, which thinned it, and I like. It’s a very stiff thread, but I was able to anchor it in the stitching underneath the flower.
The raffia opens up to 1.25 inches wide and is very thin. So, I actually only ripped off 0.25 inches.
I’ll throw it into my stash, but I can’t say I’ll be seeking out more of it.
In order to get the 15 mm wide ribbon (BE Ribbon-Retro Avocado) threaded for the leaves, I needed an 18 Tapestry needle. I enlarged the hole and still had to work to pull it through (left long ends). I didn’t want to rip the canvas. I only ran it under the yellow Frosty Rays. Then, I did the veins and secured the ends of the ribbon with that thread.
Lastly, I tent stitched the red in the center and covered the gold ends.
We’re letting folks catch up, and the red center flower will be discussed at our November meeting. It’s looking good!
We’re using a stitch guide by Sundance Beads.
Filed under: All That Simmers by Sundance Beads, ANG Main Line Stitchers Chapter
The metallic leaves are reversible, so you could vary the bend in the stems. I stitched through the round ends with 2 strands of invisible Sulky thread and then went through them again.
The yellow Frosty Rays was too thick to go through the round ends more than once or twice. So, the other 2 stitches covered the round ends. They are probably a little bigger than what was painted, but I wanted to see them when viewed from a distance.
For the stamen, I used French Knots (anther) on a Stick (filament) and am relearning flower anatomy in the process!
The inner round ends will get covered by the red flower. I am ready for tonight’s ANG Main Line Stitchers chapter meeting. We’re using a stitch guide by Sundance Beads.
Filed under: ANG Main Line Stitchers Chapter, Laurel Burch Rainbow Butterfly by Danji
Based on what I learned about Calalguidi embroidery and/or a padded, raised stem stitch, I decided it would be perfect for the body in my Rainbow Butterfly by Danji, Laurel Burch Artwork.
Cross stitches in the center to raise the middle.
Long stitches along the length of the body to make it more raised and to be perpendicular to the bars needed to make the wraps.
Straight stitches for the horizontal bars every 3rd canvas thread.
Rows of the raised stem stem stitch, squishing them close together on one side. I’m very happy with how it turned out.
Filed under: All That Simmers by Sundance Beads, ANG Main Line Stitchers Chapter
Last month at our ANG Main Line Stitchers chapter meeting, Kristen asked us to do the center white background next by stitching over the 4 stems and the yellow flowers. She said we’d still be able to see the stems and flowers, and she was correct. Between what we’re able to see through the stitching and a photo of the unstitched canvas, we’ll be able to stitch them later with no trouble.
I covered the edges of the purple flowers because the purple flower embellishments won’t cover the area entirely. We’re using a stitch guide by Sundance Beads.
Filed under: ANG Main Line Stitchers Chapter, Fibonacci Swirls by Olivia Hartshorn
Last month, Linda got our ANG Main Line Stitchers chapter started on Fibonacci Swirls by Olivia Hartshorn (from Needle Pointers Mar/Apr 2022).
I’m doing one on Congress Cloth with a single overdyed thread, Sheep’s Silk Autumn Bouquet, that has 4 different colors (mauve, golden, green, and khaki starting at north, east, south, and west, respectively). I decided tent stitches with Perle #8 were plenty on Congress Cloth (rather than cross stitches over 1 canvas thread).
Once I got to the 18 count canvas, I changed my mind on the Watercolours for a third time. These look more different from each other than the last 3 skeins (especially after they are unwound). I kept 605 Sunset and the other threads.
I was almost done with all the borders when I realized that I had a whole card and a lot of the green Elegance leftover. Then, it dawned on me that I hadn’t done the border in over 1 cross stitches, and being on 18 count, that would be better than tent stitches. Elegance is comparable to #8 Perle. So, I went all around the inside border (Area Cs) again with reverse tent stitches to make the cross stitches. You can see the outer edges are not crosses yet. I cut the thread 605 Sunset so the rose/peach color is on the right and the rose/blue on the left.
This is ready for our meeting in 2 weeks.
Filed under: All That Simmers by Sundance Beads, ANG Main Line Stitchers Chapter
Once again, I used my ANG Main Line Stitchers chapter Stitch-in (last month) to work on All That Shimmers. I finished the beads for ribbon 4, which is the green one with orange beads. I’m behind on posting this!
The way the stitch guide is written, the metallic bicone would be anchored into place right on top of a strand of Silk Lame Braid and wobbled unless you pierced a canvas thread and returned through the bicone and pierced into same place. The single beads are right on top of a thread, too. So, I used 2 strands, stitched a 2×1 stitch catching a bead, came back up, and lassoed the bead (place strands around each side of the bead and under the bead). So, no wobbling at all.
Ribbon 3 is the orange one with magenta beads. I shifted the squares to create a symmetrical arrangement. Top is how the stitch guide had it. My diagram and my stitched piece is pictured below.
You can see now the color of the beads used in one ribbon are adjacent to the color of a ribbon of the same color. It adds interest in my opinion.
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