Melitastitches4fun's Blog


Color Inspirations

I think I should explain that we had 2 photos to select from.  I selected 1 of the 2 most difficult pictures of the 15!  The combo of different greens is challenging for me to do. But, going out of my comfort zone was intentional. And, I think I included all the colors. I found the overdyed green Edmar thread in my stash that I loved for the wallpaper after I had stitched the top portion or else I probably would have placed the Edmar under the 2 rows of Rhodes. By the way, the Edmar was in a thread package I had purchased from Orna’s Etsy site! She is an excellent teacher and I learned a lot from her demonstrations of French Knots, Jessicas, and laying threads!

Here’s the final piece (photo on the left & stitched piece on the right).

Color photo     Color Inspirations

 



Color Inspirations, Day 2 progress

A very productive day!

Day 2 progress

I stitched a little more after class.

Day 2



Color Inspirations by Orna Willis

What a great class at Orna’s studio today. All those threads right in her own home! All you need to do is google her name to find her blog, Adorn, to see pictures of her studio & our class set up. Here’s my picture & my interpretation of the picture in materials I had around the house.

Photo materials

My stitching in the afternoon after selecting threads:
Day 1 class stitching

And, what I did after dinner! Looking forward to day 2.

After class progress



Stitching with Jean
June 7, 2015, 12:04 pm
Filed under: Uncategorized

Recently, I have playing with Jean Hilton stitches to understand them. How they work so I can adapt to pieces I’m working on. These came from Jean Hilton’s Stimulating Stitches (infinity symbol, raccoon eyes, leaf, curved leaf, nautilus) (page 13).

Jean Hilton Exotic Crescents

The double fan doubled also from the same book (page 37). However, there is no explanation of how to make the opening in the middle. So, if anyone can share any insights, I’d appreciate it!
Double Fan Doubled



ANG Main Line Stitchers Class for Or Nué Star Lily with Brenda Kocher

A little over 2 years since I’ve finished the class & I finally found the right frame! It’s such a cute design & it was an interesting class. So glad Brenda was able to join us that day! It makes me want to find the other design she gave me for organizing the class – that was such a wonderful surprise!

Star Lily



Bamboo Tea Tray, Clue 5
May 30, 2015, 9:23 am
Filed under: Bamboo Tea Tray, Melita's Designs

The fifth clue in the Stitching Games 2015 run by stitcherie is “topsy-turvy”.

I actually found a motif called “Topsy-Turvy” in Jean Hilton’s Stimulating Stitches which is a crescent that “wraps around on itself and then keeps on going into a tail”. However, I couldn’t use it exactly as she designed it on this piece. So, I took the crescent concept & with some creative thinking, which she encourages on practically every page, I created my own exotic crescent. It took me several attempts to get the coverage and roundness that I wanted.

Exotic Crescents

And, one way or another, a future clue will tie into the Sprats Head, Chicago Variation (also from in Jean Hilton’s Stimulating Stitches) – in the form of a cross between example C & D to make a circle & balance this pattern on the right!

Exotic Crescent stitched



The Stitching Studio in Richmond, VA
May 27, 2015, 6:40 pm
Filed under: General comments

The colors of all the threads just popped as you walked into the shop. And, Kathryn & Jennifer were very helpful about local Richmond, VA sites that we could enjoy in the rain that was determined to stay around all day. What a bright place to be on a dusmal day!

Stitching Studio

I really wasn’t going to buy anything until the a. bradley trunk show called to me. There, among some very cute designs, was “A Christmas Story” Leg Lamp canvas (one of my husband’s favorite Christmas movies) and a Rolling Stone’s T-shirt. We already have a “A Christmas Story” Leg nightlight and I knew I could live without 9″ x 13″ pillow to go with it. So, I selected the Rolling Stones T-shirt (my husband loves his T-shirts and the Rolling Stones) – it is perfect for him. Finally, a non-golf related canvas for him. It won’t get done by his July birthday but I could try for Christmas!

Rolling Stones T-shirt

 

No more road trips! Who am I kidding?  At least none are scheduled at this time.



Golf Tee, Teed Off
May 26, 2015, 7:17 pm
Filed under: Golf

I finished it while on vacation but wanted to be home before putting it in the leather holder. I was worried about cutting so close to the stitched border. And, the shape doesn’t look right for the opening but it must be!

Golf Tee Keychain

 

It was the right size & a little tricky but I managed ok. And, Bill loves it!

Leather Golf Tee Keychain



Village Stitchery in Newport News, VA
May 25, 2015, 7:44 pm
Filed under: General comments

Newport News, VA has the Village Stitchery. I had a nice chat with Sheila and her husband as I browsed the store. Sheila has had the store for many years now, helped form an ANG chapter in the area, and had Jean Hilton in her shop teaching classes. She has several Hilton designs for sale & some lovely stitched samples including the Sampler and Puzzle. I have the instructions for the Sampler & am more intimidated having seen it in person. It is huge – seems overwhelming – but very pretty.

Hilton Sampler

Hilton Puzzle

The red, white, and black Mindy canvas called Asian Circles (2220) jumped out of the window at me!

Village Stitchery Window

Village Stitchery Window

I’ll have to remember to send her a picture of it once I stitch it.

Asian Circles

And, it really is nice to see a stitched sample – the conch shell is my favorite. So, I had to get this too.

Conch Shell



Vintage Needlepoint
May 21, 2015, 5:42 pm
Filed under: Uncategorized

I feel like I was at a needlepoint exhibit even though it was the Williamsburg Antique Mall. My favorite is what is described as “bungo” embroidery.  I never heard of it & can’t find anything on google. It looks like boucle thread in long/short stitches.

Volcano

Volcano closeup

This is ribbon embroidery.

Parrot

Parrot closeup

More (of the better pieces) . . .

Prayer Plant

Olde Williamsburg

Seafarer

Flowers

Lampshade

Fruit

Flower Basket

Cross stitch

Needlepiont & petit point, wool-1

Butterfly

Pulled work

Sampler