You may have thought I got lost on the Tar River Trail by Gail Stafford since it’s been a month since I posted on this.
It took a lot of sessions because the trees have about a dozen different colors spread throughout done in French Knots except for the leaves on the right side. Gail’s two maps were fantastic by indicating where to focus the different threads. I used all of several skeins. The finishing touches added even more to the depth in the scene.
I thought I was done until I set it across the room and realized that Gail’s stitched piece definitely had less sky showing than mine.
Although it looked good to me at this point, I added more threads concentrating them in the center.
Then, more along the top.
That led me to add more on the left until it was almost as full as Gail’s. This is now one of my husband’s favorite pieces. Mine, too. We do love the fall season. I also love that it’s done! I started it 12 years ago at Seminar. It was my second seminar, and it was tough for me then. Now, I have more experience, and with Gail’s Landscape class earlier this summer, I had no problems except deciding when to stop!
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: Books in My Library, Embroidered Landscapes by Helen M Stevens, Embroidery Books
I’ve been asked by my Needlework and Fiber Guild of Media to talk about selecting stitches for needlepoint next month in 30 minutes or less!
Having worked on landscape stitches for Gail Stafford’s class and now her Tar River Trail, I will share them and several canvas books that list stitches by effect rendered (fur, buildings, flowers, etc).
I also have this book, Embroidered Landscapes by Helen M Stevens who shares her masterclass in landscape through 5 major projects with templates, color charts, and detailed explanations of design elements.
These designs employ mostly linear stitches, including stem and straight stitches. The filling stitches look linear to me but are called opus plumarium or feather work.
For these designs, it’s less about the stitches and more about perspective. In the photo on the cover, you can see elements in the close, middle, and far distances.
Shading plays a big part with each design using between 19 and 26 threads. In 3 of the designs, between one-third and half the threads are in the yellow and green family.
The use of contrasting threads is employed by using shiny threads to add vibracy up close and threads with duller texture to recede.
Stranded cottons, stranded and twisted silks, Japanese floss silk, fine floss silk, and spun (fine twisted) silk threads are suggested.
An example of varying thread types was using twisted cotton for grass, a plied silk for a glossy river, and a very fine untwisted silk floss for the sky.
I am disappointed that actual threads used in the designs are not provided. Only the colors are suggested in the color coded design map. It would have been helpful.
These are best worked on a smooth, evenweave fabric that does not stretch. Suitable fabrics include cotton, polyester cotton (Percale), and linen. Although she suggests evenweave, she says, “As a general rule, if the weave is open enough to be used for counted thread embroidery, it will be too wide for us!”
One of the scenes resembles the perspective that I have designed for the second design from Debbie Rowley’s class. I did so want to get started on that, but I do really want to finish Tar River Trail before the seminar. Then, I’ll want to finish those pieces (3 classes)! Oh my. Got to get my head out of this book and back to stitching!
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: Brandywine Chapter, Embroidery Guild of America, Roman Ruins by Joan Rinehart
My EGA Brandywine Chapter decided to try Casalguidoli embroidery, which turned out to be easy enough thanks to Joan Rinehart’s design, Roman Ruins, an EGA Petite Project. There is a Group Correspondence Course of a dragon that would be tougher because the width varies from head to tail.
Roman Ruins is good for beginners in this technique but takes more than “a few” hours to complete. I worked on it 3 nights for quite a few hours each night. But it’s not a difficult project (5″ x 7″). It’s diagrammed like a cross stitch pattern, which now that I’ve been away from large cross stitch pieces for some time, I got off count slightly but not significantly.
Then, it was decided to teach it on linen because one of the board members found this project, Casalguidi Flower by Becky Quine, on Etsy. So, I found a piece of Lugana 28 count (yellow) in my stash (the model was on blue), purchased the piece, and stitched it. One of the challenges was the padding under the column, but the rest of the embroidery stitches were even more challenging. I learned the curl stitch for stems and woven picot (attached and detached). For a first attempt with these types of stitches, it’s good.
I am glad the board agreed I could teach it on canvas because it’s so much easier on 18 count canvas. Then, people can stitch a project on canvas, linen, or just store the stitch away for reference. These stitches could all be done on canvas. We just did a 2″ sample to get the hang of it.
Roman Ruins uses a running stitch along the sides that isn’t used in Casalguidi Flower, doesn’t incorporate the typical four sided stitch seen in the background of Casalguidi Flower, and the columns in Roman Ruins are not padded but it is padded in Casalguidi Flower.
Further investigation on the technique from Mary Corbet’s website reveals that Roman Ruins is probably more accurately called a raised stem stitch. See needlenthread.com/raised-stem-stitch and needlenthread.com/casalguidi-stitch. Mary has great photos and instructions. Give it a go!
Since there were so many threads in the kit, the second thing I did (first was place on Evertites) was divide threads by area. Gail Stafford does a great write-up for placement. Besides the finished photo, she also provides 2 different color coded maps for general thread placement.
The third thing was to clean up the spaghetti threads that had been left on there since class. I had a clump of away waste knots that I thought were badly done French Knots!
Then, I wandered between the background areas and along the path. Once that was done, I was able to add the trees on the left side during the Central Jersey Chapter Meeting and Stitch-in on Saturday and the rest were done mostly during the British Open (golf) the following day. A few more very thin tree limbs get added as part of the finishing touches.
Filed under: 2024 Summer Stitch Camp, Serendipity - Stitching Club with Ellen Johnson
This yellow picture frame (4 and 3/4″ x 3 and 3/4″) has been in a drawer for years, along with 3 more. I’m glad I remembered them and could find them. It’s a Happeez product from Mayfair Lane. The back has a large sticky surface (after you remove the protective liner) that adheres to refrigerators, mirrors, glass, and more that apparently can be revived if needed.
These last 4 stitches complete the last 2 badges from Ellen Johnson’s Summer Stitch Camp. I knew these stitches wouldn’t be great for coasters, thus the frame. I just cut the canvas larger than the opening (no finishing edge) and layed it on top of the removable insert (intended to hold a photo). It slipped in easily, and I nudged it into place. It should stay put. I used Planet Earth Silk (Lettuce V052, a lovely variegated thread), DMC Perle #8, and Impressions.
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.
Filed under: 2024 Summer Stitch Camp, Serendipity - Stitching Club with Ellen Johnson
Here’s a second coaster that is square to eliminate compensation using 6 stitches from Ellen Johnson’s Summer Stitch Camp. With this, I have completed 4 of the 6 badges!
I used Rainbow Gallery’s Persian, Silk & Cream (2 colors), and Vineyard Silk Shimmer.
Melitastitches4fun's Blog 