Well, after a lovely evening last night at the Needlepoint Fiesta dinner, I didn’t want to stitch. But, I did read the instructions and really like the “Technique” sheets that Kay Stanis includes with the instructions for A Toast to Tiffany. They cover “Framing Up Canvas on Stretcher Bars” (well written so I could do this again if desired), “Beginning and Ending Stitchable Threads on Canvas” (learned an interesting French Method Adaptation and about a U stitch which seems better than L stitch), “Beginning and Ending Non-stitchable Threads” (all new for me having not done much goldwork), “Design Transfer” (very understandable and doable but tedious), “Diagonal Holding/Blending” (a very cool technique), and “Braids” (new, for me, info about beginning, ending, and couching braids).
We spent this morning doing the crescents of which I got 4 done. Kay suggested that instead of all S crescents on left and we alternate crescent directions and I like the pattern she shows as Z-S-Z-Z-S-Z (from top to bottom).
I spent about 35 minutes of lunch basting on top of tissue paper the bottom motifs. The tissue paper didn’t bother me as much maybe because I really had it solidly in place using several needles. Then, I used the afternoon to pad and satin stitch the petals followed by couching the gold around the petals.
We also discussed how to place the sequins on the borders but I don’t have the borders all basted and will put them on last anyway. The day was over fast. Tomorrow is the stitch for the trees and probably the borders.
The only pre-work required was to make a bead-cutting tray to keep the purls and beads under control.
My classmate, Linda, made mine! It’s a piece of foam core about 6” x 6” with a piece of felt and a matching cord! Lovely. Thanks again Linda!!
The instructions say we are getting a 13˝ X 16˝ congress cloth but that we should bring 14˝ X 16˝ bars. I asked about that thinking there was an error. But, no, we are lacing (2 sides with regular bars or 1 side with Evertites)! Nice to learn how to lace but prefer Evertites.
Also, nice to learn about transferring a design using tissue paper but prefer line drawings! Basting through the tissue paper is tedious and I didn’t get much done. Maybe homework tonight if I have the energy and eyes for it. But, I’d also like to find a different sky thread(s) and am not happy with my laying of the sky so far. We are thread blending 3 overdyed threads. I didn’t want streaks. So, I left areas to go back with a different thread. I may have to start all over at home.
The water went very well as did the tacking of the felt. My tacking stitch got cut accidentally when I was removing the tissue paper. Not a fan of the tissue paper!
Looking forward to the counted work we’ll be doing tomorrow!
This is what it’s like to do a run with me. I’m a planner!
Bill and I will pick up the car at 10:30 am, go out for breakfast, and see the Beer Can House when it opens at noon. Yes, a house made out of beer cans (google it)!
Back to the hotel at by 1 pm, leaving Linda, Kristen, and I four hours for “The Texas Run” driving from one store to the next:
We had such great luck finding what we needed and what we didn’t know we needed that we were back by 4 pm. No problems driving. And, I was able to register for Seminar!
I was going to put photos of each store here but I took videos instead of photos. Oops! Too many shoppers made photos difficult and weren’t doing each store justice anyway. Each had there own style. From one room with merchandise and even a table for stitchers (Stitches in Time) to a long skinny building with thread rooms off both sides, canvases everywhere, and a classroom at the back (Needle House where I bought the Texas magnet). These two are across the street from each other!
Chaparral had a U design within a square shaped area. Canvases everywhere, plenty of threads, and various supplies. I knew I needed a project bag for A Toast to Tiffany and found one there.
And, Chandail was in a large rectangular shaped space with plenty of canvases, lots of threads, supplies, and a large table with a good number of stitchers in for an afternoon. Linda pointed out the stitching station for my armchair as we walked in the door. A local woman makes them and other amazing project bags. I had to get it!
Linda and Kristen did well too! Good day. Houston is lucky to have such good stores to go to. And, I was lucky to have two wonderful women to shop with!
Filed under: A Dusting of Snow by Gail Stafford, ANG Keystone Garden Chapter
Appropriately enough, the dusting of snow was the last of the threads to go on the piece.
The narrow area of the sky around the leaves and between trees 1 and 2 for example was quite challenging to compensate. But, the small diagram of the partial Nobuko stitch really helped orient me in those small areas.
Many thanks to Gail Stafford for coming to PA and to the Keystone Garden chapter for bringing her to teach. It was a great class and fun piece to stitch.
None of these diagrams have given the numbered stitch order. So, I made stitching the Milanese Variation (Block 16, 5th blue block from the right) more difficult than it needed to be by stitching along the lower edge left to right rather than stitching on the diagonal from lower right to upper left. But, I learned my lesson and stitched the Mixed Milanese (Block 19, blue block on the far left) on the diagonal from lower right to upper left.
Starting with the blue block on the right (#12) moving to the left (#19), I used the following threads (1 strand unless noted):
12 – Splendor S1002 (2 strands) and Bella Lusso 540
13 – Entice E255 (2 rayon and 1 polyester filaments removed)
14 – Entice E212 (2 rayon and 1 polyester filaments removed) and Wildflowers 0076 (2 strands)
15 – Planet Earth 6 ply Silk 1105 (2 strands) and Au Ver A Soie 100/3 SMS510 (2 strands)
16 – Merino Wool 98L/45622 and Splendor S965 (2 strands)
17 – Kreinik #12 Braid 051HL and Planet Earth 6 ply Silk 1106
18 – Soie Crystale 7041 (2 strands)
19 – Elegance E862 and Splendor S858 (2 strands)
The Kalem stitch (Block 14, 3rd blue block from the right) creates a wonderful pattern that looks like knitting.
Even though the Slanted Victorian Step stitch (Block 17, 6th blue block from the right) is stitched on a true diagonal, the pattern creates a more slanted appearance. Stitching on the diagonal is easier to stitch than an oblique stitch and it creates a similar effect.
The Nabuko stitch (Block 19, blue block on the far left) is also stitched on the true diagonal and creates even a more slanted appearance. I used threads quite close in color making the pattern less evident than the block with the Slanted Victorian Step.
Starting with the blue block on the right (#12) moving to the left (#19), I used the following threads (1 strand unless noted):
12 – Splendor S965 (2 strands) and Planet Earth 6 ply Silk 1105 (2 strands)
13 – Bijoux MMT427 (4 strands) and Wildflowers 0076
14 – Bella Lusso 540
15 – Merino Wool 98L/45622 and Kreinik #12 Braid 051HL
16 – Splendor S965 (2 strands) and Entice E255 (2 rayon and 1 polyester filaments removed)
17 – Elegance E862 and Splendor S858 (2 strands)
18 – Pebbly Perle P07 (2 strands)
19 – Soie Crystale 7041 (2 strands) and Planet Earth 6 ply Silk 1105 (2 strands)
Two more rows of blue and then the border! Labor Day is just about 4 weeks away.
Edward Scissorfish ran into a snag. Before I realized it, he had 7 belly scales on one side and 8 on the other. I slept on it for 2 nights and finally decided that Linda’s birthday gifts arrived to help me just when I needed them! The tiny little scissors, Rainbow Thread Cutters, helped me snip in the tiniest of spaces around the beads. And, the tweezers, Uncle Bill’s, helped me clean up the loose threads and pull off the beads. It took some work but am happy to say that Edward is once again symmetrical. Thanks again Linda!
Edward is ready for tomorrow, our second class with Cleo. A good number of my EGA Brandywine chapter members are working on this too.
The leaves are done on A Dusting of Snow from class with Gail Stafford. I couldn’t put it down until I stitched most of the brown leaves at my ANG Main Line Stitchers chapter Stitch-in yesterday and finished them off today.
Now for the challenging sky!
Filed under: General comments, Other People's Designs, Stitch N' Zip, Threads
Having a small, easy piece to stitch and carry with me is great for trips. And, Stitch & Zip pieces fulfill both requirements. I found this eyeglass case in a corner of a gift store called Wonderful Things in Great Barrington, MA in May 2018. The only needlepoint in the store was a few of these. So, I had to pick it up! It’s called Watercolor Poppies.
I found a few threads appropriate for 14 count canvas in my stash including Vineyard Merino a violet M-1042 Dark Earth, 2 greens M-1065 Martini and M-1067 Foliage and 2 roses Silk & Ivory 161 Lida Rose, 162 Rosie O’Grady.
But, I still needed lots of colors so I found more Silk & Ivory in August 2018 while stopping at Point of It All (before ANG Seminar) including yellow 241 Maize, 2 shades of orange 213 Banana and 215 Clementine, 2 shades of pink 185 Cosmopolitan and 119 Grenadine, a red 199 Tamale, and 3 blues 198 ahoy, 36 Admiral Blue, and 69 Forgot-Me-Not.
Apparently, Silk & Ivory pills more depending on which end is threaded! If you thread Silk & Ivory one way, it pills. If you thread it the other way, it doesn’t. So, if you find which end splays more, you should always thread that end into the needle’s eye. I didn’t find any pilling issues but these are small areas and the canvas is 14 count. Good tip!
I found this tip in an earlier blog posting and it’s worth repeating: In order to get the top edge to angle like the rest, turn the canvas upside down and stitch left to right with the needle moving straight up, the thread ends up angled correctly (like basketweave).
I was surprised to see how the colors in the photo of the stitched example differ from the canvas colors.
I stitched more closely to the canvas colors.
While driving from Lake Lure to Pusgah Inn along the Blue Ridge Parkway, we stopped at Sandy’s X-Stitch On The Go in Hendersonville, NC. It’s so much more than a cross stitch store!
What a lovely lady and lucky one to have a needlepoint store connected to her home. She focuses on counted projects and has great designers such as Kathy Rees, DebBee’s Designs, Brenda Kocher, Laura Perin, and lots more. Several are kitted and ready to go. And, she’s got a nice selection of threads in various rooms. Her classroom has great light and plenty of room. She has several classes a week! A finishing class has 17 people. I’d love to take that class.
I wouldn’t mind being adopted and moving in with her!! There really wasn’t anything I needed except a very small travel piece. Buying more right now than I can’t find time to stitch would only cause me anxiety. So, I got a Stitch & Zip small purse for the plane flight to Houston for ANG’s Seminar in August. I’m so glad I didn’t miss meeting Sandy and seeing her store – all because I didn’t judge the store by its name.
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