I finished the counted project begun with my ANG Main Line Stitchers Chapter. It is ANG’s Stitch of the Month (SOTM) from 1999, Barbara’s Patchwork. We decided to hand out the remaining 3 sections last month since people had time to stitch. Several of us have finished now and we enjoyed seeing the various colorways.
The final stitched area is 5″ x 5″.
Filed under: ANG Main Line Stitchers Chapter, Vases with Curly Bamboo by Sharon G
This is a Sharon G painted canvas, Vases with Curly Bamboo.
Using single strands of Gloriana Silk Floss 018 Teal Twilight allowed the canvas to show through a lot. The overdyed effect of the thread is very subtle and you almost don’t see it. The Bijoux 480 Regalia is more evident in the Hungarian Variation (over 2, 4, 2).
I especially liked her suggestion to stitch right over the dragonfly so that the vase would show through the sheer wings. The wings are long stitches raying out from the body using Kreinik Cord 034C Confetti. Sharon recommended a black vein down the center of each wing but I prefer the iridescent effect. The black Kreinik Japan thread 110J was very nice to work with and was couched with Kreinik Cord 005C. Both are smooth and reflect a little light but are not sparkly like most Kreinik threads.
She gave us #5 gold beads that I thought were just too big and too gold. So, I went into my stash and found a more muted yellow-gold semi translucent bead in 2 sizes with the larger one used on the head and smaller ones along the body (probably 8/0 and 11/0 round beads). And, two Sundance 455 beads are the eyes.
These vases are working up quite nicely. I’m very happy that the shading on the vases are not entirely covered up. This vase has a more open effect than the past 2 vases and Amy Bunger’s third vase has the most coverage of her 3 vases. And, Tony Minieri’s stitches are covering most of the canvas as they did the first 2 vases.
Our ANG Main Line chapter members are enjoying the opportunity to see the approach to the canvas from the different stitch guide writers even though they are not stitching the piece.
Last month’s meeting went well via Zoom. Everyone enjoyed getting together. So, we’re going to keep going on Zoom until we can meet in person. To see the needlepoint best for Show and Tell, people sent me their photos and then I shared my screen. And, at this month’s meeting tonight on June 8, we’ll be looking at the 4th vase, the gold one.
Filed under: ANG Cyberworshop, Making Stitches Work For You with Carolyn Mitchell
I continue to make progress and have added 6 more bands 5-6-7 on top and 19-20-21 on bottom. This is an update on my symmetrical band sampler from the Making Stitches Work For You class with Carolyn Mitchell that has ended now.
Bands 7 and 19 are both over 6 canvas threads using the key thread, an overdyed purple thread (Waterlilies 006 Amethyst). In order to see the pattern of the stitch, I used just 2 stands. These are both cross stitch patterns from The Encyclopedia of Canvas Embroidery Stitch Patterns by Katharine Ireys. Band 7 is Triple Cross Variation over 6 and Band 19 is Brazilian Variation over 6.
Bands 6 and 20 are both padded with an oblong cross using 2 strands of Planet Earth Silk 6-ply Palm Beach 1126. There are straight stitches over top on Band 6 and oblong crosses over top on Band 20 using Bijoux MMT423 (from Sherlee Lantz/Maggie Lane A Pageant of Pattern for Needlepoint Canvas and Sandy Arthur Shapes of Needlepoint Series 1, respectively). Little oblong crosses are in between each padded oblong cross using Splendor S864.
I came across two different but related stitches in two resources. Band 5 came from Lone Star’s Grab -n- Go Stitches which are unnamed but I am calling a Reverse Leviathan because Band 21 is called Leviathan in The Encyclopedia of Canvas Embroidery Stitch Patterns by Katharine Ireys. The rays either go toward the center or towards the corners. I used the same threads as in Bands 6 and 20.
I like how the diamond shapes are carrying throughout the bands.
Creating the Klimt Kimono is continuing with two challenges for me.
Couching Gimp from Painters Thread Collection with one stand of Soie d’ alger is difficult because there isn’t anything to anchor to when starting or ending the couching thread. Toni suggested a few pin stitches in “a straight area within the line you will cover” – that would help. I was only thinking about right where I was starting. Hiding the tails are not easy either.
I am using Stardust from brown paper packages for the first time. The thread which is a blend of silk, Merino wool, polyester, and nylon has a feel that I don’t care for. It feels artificial somehow. It’s also thick making its use in an eyelet tough. And, it’s a “Z” twist and I have a tough enough time getting the twist on the more common “S” threads. Toni was proactive in addressing the second two issues. She said that you can remove one of the silk threads, twist counterclockwise, and use shorter lengths which helped me alot wherever I need to use it. But, it’ll never be a favorite thread for me.
My only slight modifications are in the bottom left corner, the white diagonal gobelin is outlined with a long black thread of Silk Lame Braid for 18 count. I separated out one of the silk strands and used it to couch down the center of the thread every couple of canvas threads. And, the Smyrnas seemed too thick using Silk Lame Braid for 18 count. So, I pulled out one silk strand.
Areas 60-94 from Lesson 2 are done. I do love counted work and how this is looking. I’ve used all the threads now at least once.
I’m going to have to couch some swirls in between stitching Areas 95-130 from Lesson 3 or else I’ll be left with too much couching at the end. I hope that the more I do, the easier it gets.
I signed up for Klimt Kimono by Toni Gerdes through ANG’s Cyberpointers chapter before knowing that we’d be in a coronavirus pandemic. I got the option that included the instructions, line drawn canvas, and threads. In other words, everything was supplied! Luckily, I had the proper sizes of Evertite bars and enough tacks.
The instructions are supplemented by a weekly release of notes from Toni. And, she answers questions via a private email group. All I did was stitch the tree so far because I was working on the other band sampler.
However, I didn’t realize this workshop only runs a month. I have been reading the lesson notes. Toni’s instructions are great, as usual. So, I should be fine. But, I am going to switch projects until the end of May to see if I have any questions.
I loved playing with the color shift on the overdyed thread. I made some vary by 1″ and 2″ increments for all 4 threads, for 2 threads, reversed some threads. After cutting ends even, I ended up with about 24″ length threads. That’s a great option for use of overdyed threads.
The markings you see are from a Copic marker that came with the supplies. Coloring in other areas with be optional.
Filed under: ANG Cyberworshop, Making Stitches Work For You with Carolyn Mitchell
One of the elements I applied from Carolyn’s sampler is that while different stitches are used, they appear related.
I do have another skein of Waterlilies in a different lot number. It is very close but closer to the blueish purples. The next two medium Bands 10 and 16 are Sprats Head with a diagonal base and Waffle, respectively. They used almost a whole skein of Waterlilies 006 Amethyst.
For two other larger bands, Bands 8 and 18, also serving as focal points and related to the center band, I selected two other composite stitches from Kathy Rees’ diagrams modified as needed for my space. I had one full card of Silk Lame Braid For 18 count SL110 and 144″ on a second card in my stash. I did the math to make sure I had enough for both bands. So, I was surprised to have 12″ left!
In between Bands 8 and 10 is Band 9 which is 3 canvas threads, I used another couching stitch, Diagonal Weave Couching. And, for Band 17 another row of 3 canvas threads between Bands 16 and 18 is a staggered cross stitch over a laid thread. For both Bands 9 and 17, the laid thread is Neon Ray’s N127 and couched by Splendor S812.
We are more than half done on one of the counted projects with my ANG Main Line Stitchers Chapter which is ANG’s Stitch of the Month (SOTM) from 1999, Barbara’s Patchwork.
The Byzantine stitch over 2 threads is the main pattern but there is an Eyelet added for interest. I chose Kreinik #12 Braid 421 for some sparkle.
I decided to remove the light Color A floss on the top and bottom edges of Areas B and D. Instead, I used the same Kreinik just used in Area G.
Due to the coronavirus, our chapter will meet via Zoom at our normal day and time. It’s nice that the ANG Area representative wants to join us and introduce herself in person as it were.
I think Show and Tell will take awhile because we’ve all been stitching so much. Then, we’ll be discussing the rest of the sections of Barbara’s Patchwork and see where everyone is with Crescent Journey. If time allows, I have a discussion planned about thread and stitch selections for a canvas other than the Vases canvas to see how it translates online. In case Zoom is our only option for a while, I better figure out how best to use it.
Filed under: ANG Cyberworshop, Making Stitches Work For You with Carolyn Mitchell
Making Stitches Work For You with Carolyn Mitchell is an ANG Cyberworshop that began January 2020. It’s 4 lessons over 4 months. So, this is the last month. However, Carolyn extended our class through May 15. Now that I finished Fiona’s piece, I can focus on this piece.
During these past few months, I tried mapping out stitches from a couple of books on my computer but it wasn’t working. It seemed that the symmetry on either end was always off. Making 25 different bands seemed daunting.
Finally, I remembered the main lesson I learned from Kathy Rees’ design class which was to select stitches that would be divisible for your area. In this case, I wanted 12″ square. Since 216 can be divided evenly by 18 and 24, then I could look at stitches with heights/widths of 2, 3, 6, 9 and 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, respectively. Once I combined the lessons learned from both teachers, I began to create this symmetrical band sampler. Except for the center band of 30 threads (not mathematically divisible with 216), the rest of the band heights/widths will include: 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 12, 18, and 24.
I started on the center band with a decorative Jean Hilton plaited ray stitch (from Jean Hilton’s Stimulating Stitches, Plaited Rays, pg 28). However, 7 units of my center Band 13 motif was slightly smaller than the 216 thread width but compensation with three threads on each side worked out fine. This is also part of one focal point Kathy Rees provided in her class diagrams.
I have no idea how much thread I will need. And, am going to work out of my stash. So, I pulled purples and blueish purple and am going to contrast with off white/beige which I have plenty of and goes with almost every. Now, I may have too many threads!
As I said, I started with the center focal point and wanted to introduce the key thread, an overdyed purple thread (Waterlilies 006 Amethyst), purple (Splendor S809), beige (Soie Perlee SPS #694), and sparkle (Bijoux MMT 412 Amethyst and 411 Cape Amethyst). I was really surprised that just the one band took so much of the Waterlilies, Splendor, and Soie Perlee.
For the bands adjacent to the center Band 13, Bands 12 and 14, I selected a sparkling beige Silk Lame Braid Petite SP100 for two cross stitches, an overlapping cross stitch and Greek stitch.
In Painted Canvas Embellishment: An Idea Book by Carole Lake and Michael Boren (pg 89), I saw that they diagrammed a variation of the overlapping cross stitch by laying a single laid thread first. So, I did that for the next lower band, Band 15, which is over 2 threads. The laid thread is a light, shiny purple Panache PN11 and the cross stitch is a single strand of Splendor S918. For the upper band, Band 11, I laid a single strand of Panache and used the Greek stitch with a single strand of Splendor.
I’m very happy with my beginning bands.
As you can see, Fiona joined us in January 2020 and I finished it shortly after her third month birthday! So many cute pictures of her but I finished her piece on Easter Sunday. So, this one seems appropriate.
The crayon lettering for “January” is from chart 95 on page 34 in Alphabets Galore 136 Alphabets Leaflet 3071. I made up the numbers and lower case letters. ‘Welcome to our world’ lettering is from chart 79 on page 28 in the same leaflet.
It may be a while until I can get it framed and delivered but I am happy that it is ready whenever I can go somewhere.
Happy Easter or Passover to all!
Filed under: Coronavirus Masks
The material for the masks is a reusable grocery bag. Since I don’t own a sewing machine, these are sewn by hand. I used a plastic covered paper clip for the nose piece. I sewed it tightly into the top center secured on both ends so it stays in place.
I tried multiple layers on my first mask (on the bottom in the photo) and it works but it feels too warm to wear for any length of time. Even without the second tie, it is secure under my chin.
The second mask (on the top) is a single layer and much better. Instead of attaching another piece of cloth to tie, I angled a connector to the top long piece of cloth.
These will do until we can find real masks.
Melitastitches4fun's Blog 