I went to Rittenhouse Needlepoint to get more Arctic Rays (AR2) & Fuzzy Stuff (FZ15) but they were out of FZ15, a very bleached white. It was fortuitous because I prefer the more natural FZ26. And, they had an antique white (FZ27) with Fuzzy Stuff (AR3) that I think will be nice as the 2 background trees keeping the whitest one in the front center.
Here’s the first tree (center whiter one) from different angles so you can see the fluffy effect of the thread.
I like the pattern because it resembles branches going in different directions cathing the snow – it is Tree 16 from Stitch Landscape.
I got the blackwork finished & the bottom. I really had to focus doing the blackwork (Area 7 – top photo). I enjoyed it because it was a challenge but I wouldn’t choose to do a lot of it!
On the bottom square, I wish the overdyed thread on the one diagonal had some red & white in it. But, I didn’t notice that as I was stitching. I didn’t even notice it until I looked at the picture!
Now, I can remove the canvas from the frame, cut the squares apart, & stitch the edges down!
Last weekend, I found a SharonG canvas that will go perfectly as an insert to a black purse to carry with one of my winter coats which has 2 snapdragon pins. But, Karen at Nimble Needle offered me a discount on a returned stitch guide/threads packet for that canvas (subject of another blog another time!). So, I had to find another canvas that didn’t have a stitch guide to take to the canvas enhancement class today! That wasn’t too hard with so many pretty canvases!
Today (actually took me longer to write this up & it is technically now Sunday), I worked on a green/gold Dragon Fly canvas by Kathyrn Molineux for a Sudberry House wooden tea-tray. The pictures are showing the canvas more blue – I wish I could adjust that aspect. It is a 5×7 design area on 18 count. But, I’ll need to expand past that for the 5&3/4 x 9&3/4 area of the tea-tray. SharonG recommended a bamboo border to fill in which I won’t get to until last. Also, she recommended a gold Mylar or Lurex underneath to be reflective which I’ve never heard of that before-sounds facinating.
I met a nice bunch of fellow stitchers from all over NJ, PA, & MD. We talked Seminar classes – everyone is excited! And, we had a lovely lunch at The Bistro which was a short walk on a beautiful day. Quite a pleasure to finally meet SharonG! Hopefully, I’ll get her class, Anatomy of a Stitch Guide, at Seminar.
When I got home & looked at SharonG’s book Needlepoint SENSE (Simply Essential Needlepoint Stitch Explanations), I realized that the Alicia’s Lace that Sharon recommended for the gold wings on the Dragon Fly would let the gold of the canvas show more & allow the reflective layer to be effective. So, I ripped out the Alicia’s Lace Variation that I’d started on the wing because it covered too much canvas. I hadn’t done much & didn’t realize that they’d be so different. The hardest part about the Alicia’s Lace is starting and ending your thread so that it doesn’t cover the holes from the bottom. Here’s a picture but if you click on it you’ll see the white underneath the holes.
And, with the flash off, you can really see through the canvas. You can see where I am finishing off the threads on the left. I have to run a border thread around the wing & couch it anyway – so, it’ll be fine.
Back to front with flash for close-up. There is only one hole in upper left corner that is covered by a thread from the back in this picture.
The single gold rows are a Van Dyke stitch over 1 and 4 threads using Kreinik #4 braid 3228, a yellow gold with a hint of green. In between those rows are Alternating Mosaic using 2 strands of Gloriana #192, Peacock Blue (again that looks more green than here), a 12 strand hand-dyed silk. I was going to use Watercoulors or Waterlilies but Sharon likes open stitches to allow the painted canvas to show through. I never used Gloriana before-it’s nice.
I caught up to where I was at the end of class. You can sort of see the green along the bottom row in this picture.
The last set of handkerchiefs are monogrammed M for my grandmother, Mae. Since my middle name is Mae & my first name begins with an M, I had the 2nd one bunched up in the center as shown & inserted into my bouquet when I got married. It’s at my wrist in the picture. Something old & a way to have her with us on our wedding day!
The first 2 have tatted borders. Isn’t the first so dainty to have such a small plain area surrounded by a large delicate edging. Beautiful. The 2nd is interesting to me because they used 2 colors. The 3rd is probably crochet. If I’m wrong, do let me know!
These make a lovely set as well. Each has some petite point work. And, a couple of shades of each color make a simple but effective flower.
Well, I did have to go to the store for more threads because I’d already cut most of my DMC skeins in shorter pieces. Oh well – so much for using up stash.
I found I needed 40″ to complete the row of double upright crosses for Area 3 (blue Kreinik #8 051HL), 40″ for each set of 3 Rhodes stitches for Area 4 (blue DMC 825) & 40″ (folded in half) for each V of upright gobelin stitches for Area 5. On 14 count, doubling the DMC #5 provided excellent coverage. And, it seemed easier to do each V separate rather than turning 90 degrees to work the second. Area 6 are Sprats Heads worked with 54″ folded in half to make a 2 ply coverage as well in white DMC #5. This is still working up quickly & as our monthly meeting approaches, I hope to complete the blackwork as well.
Filed under: Needlework Documentation Project
Special event! And, an opportunity that I won’t miss . . .
IN STITCHES: Unraveling Their Stories
December 2, 2011 – September 7, 2012
Chester County Historical Society
225 N. High Street
West Chester, PA 19380
The exhibit is a rare opportunity to see large portions of the needlework collections of Westtown School and Chester County Historical Society (50 minute drive due west of Philadelphia). Enjoy select samplers and other embroidery made by girls from Chester County and the surrounding area 200 years ago.
For further information visit www.chestercohistorical.org or call 610.692.4800
Volunteers are needed to help facilitate the documentation process by assisting with registration, writing descriptions of incoming embroidered pieces, and interviewing participants. There is a 1-hour training session (either Mar 28 or Mar 31). And, then the volunteer day is Sat Apr 14. Volunteers are requested to participate for at least one shift of 4 hours, 8:30 to 12:30 or 12 noon to 4:00. Anyone interested in participating the whole day will be offered a sandwich lunch. Read more at http://www.chestercohistorical.org/pdf/Needlework-Documentation-Volunteers-press-release.pdf
I found out about this from a friend who read about it a newspaper. I’ve passed it on to my ANG chapter members & now reaching out to others in the area. Sounds like a wonderful, different experience. Maybe I’ll see you there!
We are off and running with the Ort Box. Directions were graciously provided directly from Marilyn Owen. And, Karen Milano at Nimble Needle gave us a very nice discount for INTERLOCKING canvas by the yard (of plain white 14 count, metallic silver and metallic gold 14 count, and plain white 18 count). Thanks to both!! Then, I cut it up & taped the edges for everyone in advance.
However, I didn’t fully read the directions (there is a lot to make such a small box) & didn’t see that the metallic interlocking canvas will be harder to put together. But, a couple of us are electing to give it the old college try, including myself. Some pros & cons of 14 count vs 18 count: the 14 count will be a slightly larger box & require thicker threads such as DMC #5 Perle Cotton as opposed to the smaller 18 count box that calls for DMC #8 Perle Cotton & Floss.
The directions for the blackwork go up to row 3 then you are to repeat directions for rows 1 & 2 alternating. So, diagrams 8A & 9A are key. I used the grayed out stitches as reference for stitches just completed. Because I’ve never done blackwork before, I practiced first. And, I finally saw the pattern. If others struggle to get it, these are my tips:
Row 1 stops at stitch 25 (as pictured in 8A)
Row 3 stops at stitch 19 (as pictured in 10 but also 8A)
Row 5 stops at stitch 13 (as pictured in 8A – stopping for shorter row)
Row 7 stops at stitch 7 (as pictured in 8A – stopping for shorter row)
Row 9 is only stitch 1
The odd rows all stop with the stitch going down and to the right.
Row 2 stops at stitch 22 (as pictured in 9A)
Row 4 stops at stitch 16 (as pictured in 9A – stopping for shorter row)
Row 6 stops at stitch 10 (as pictured in 9A – stopping for shorter row)
Row 8 stops at stitch 4 (as pictured in 9A – stopping for shorter row)
The even rows all stop with the stitch going straight down.
I also put the rest of the rows into a diagram for my chapter members & photographed it row by row.
I used a red, white, & blue over dyed thread for Area 1 & Area 2 (on silver metallic canvas). I don’t have enough of the over dyed to do it for the blackwork. You really do need at least 7 feet for 14 count. So, I am weighing options! One way or another, I’m using my stash.
I got Bill’s key chain finished just in time for us to take a tour of the ballpark yesterday! Turned out nice – I lined it & instead of gluing as suggested, I did a blanket stitch to connect the backing to make it more durable.
As we watched the introduction video shown to tour groups, we saw Bill hanging the sign that I made in 2004 that read, “From The Vet to The Vault”. Veteran’s Stadium was the Vet where they had played for many years & 2004 was the inaugural season for the new Citizen’s Bank Park. We had hoped that the new nickname would become “The Vault” & we could say we started it. One of our announcers, Larry Anderson, said on air that he liked the name but it never caught on. It was quite fun seeing Bill & our sign yesterday in the Phillies video!
With the key chain done, now I’m moving to the Ort Box, the spring project at our ANG chapter – until the hundred bears arrive so we can stuff them for seminar.
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