According to Sharon G, the background is supposed to look like rain but the notes I took during class didn’t have enough details especially considering that I waited years & not days to get back to stitching this piece. Ideally, I should have stitched some in each area or at least taken better notes!
Now, I realize that the note about the Damask stitch pattern on page 48 referred her book, Simply Essential Needlepoint Stitch Explanations, that I must have bought that day. I just found it while looking for another book. And, I realize that I stitched the whole background differently than Sharon had intended. This stitch pattern would have been on the green background but you can see it is more open & looks like rain.
Initially, I stitched the top row gold (using 2 strands of Accentuate) and thought it was too heavy. So, I tried 1 strand (bottom row).
And, I decided the 1 strand of the Accentuate was better! The green rows are the same thread, 2 strands of Peacock Blue (192) Gloriana. To prevent streaking, Sharon suggested alternating between 5 x 18″ lengths and reversing the direction of the threads. I have delayed posting this as I contemplated my options: (1) rip it all out & start over – I have enough thread, (2) cover some of the gold with or without adding some gold on top of the green, and (3) do nothing. Oh well, it doesn’t look like rain but I can live with this!! What would you have done?
Take 2 for the bamboo. I knew I had to redo it after Bill asked me what the other version was (after I told him 3 times). So, I studied images of bamboo & realized my color was way off & had to figure out how to make it more realistic. Hopefully, you’ll agree as does Bill, “It looks like bamboo. ” What will clue 2 be?
I mentioned in my “Plans for 2015” post, that I had a Dragon Fly painted canvas. I knew it was from a Sharon G class I had taken at Nimble Needle but had forgotten it was a Kathryn Molineux painted canvas. Sharon provided the stitch guide.
Since that was the most completed of the works in progress, I decided to start stitching that piece & have been working on it for the past few days. And, I was shocked to read today that Kathryn passed away Dec 26, 2014. So, I am really glad to share my progress as a tribute to her memory.
The first clue in the Stitching Games 2015 run by stitcherie is “pickle”.
I had an idea of a tea tray getting a Chinese motif of either a bonsai tree or bamboos. And, with pickle being green either would work. As you can, I hope, I selected bamboos.
Is there any chance you can see this? I can redraw the design & redo it – I have the whole month. Thoughts?
Ok, I have a serious problem. After just making up a list of all the pending needlepoint projects I have, what do I do? Get started on something new. Why? It sounds interesting. Although I’ve read the rules, I am not quite sure what will happen in the Stitching Games 2015! on stitcherie!
My design is 6″x9″ (minimum 6″x6″) & we’ll get a one word clue or image every month (for 10 months) & use that to inspire us. In Nov, you can finish any other areas. Declare any “background” areas & stitch all year long. Since I have so many projects, I decided just to make a design with 10 areas. After finding out what complicated canvases others are doing & that I am only one not using a painted canvas, I’m not sure if this will work but hopefully it will!
The only finishing item in my stash at least 6″ is the tea tray. So, that’s how I determined the size & here’s my line drawn canvas.
Although I have been a member of the ANG Main Line Stitchers for years (since about 2003), I just finished our chapter name tag.
I was told since we meet near a suburban train line that runs into Philadelphia, that’s how they came up with the design.
I’ll be “finishing” this one myself. When I cleaned up, I found the necessary instructions & supplies except for ultrasuede which I just ordered from eBay.
Filed under: General comments
It took hours but I went through my stash that has been accumulating in several piles around the house. I found a lot of projects & finishing items (frame, purse, tea tray, eyeglass case, tote bag, ornaments, wood box & lacquered box). The 2 dozen projects included painted canvas with and without stitch guides and charted designs (some kitted). There are 6 projects actually started to some degree & 6 projects that are stitched but not “finished” yet.
So, as I move into 2015, I am going to work on a variety of types of projects including my 2 oldest WIP (Dragonfly-Sharon G-a painted canvas with stitch guide, Stitches in Sterling-Nancy Cucci-a counted canvas with stitch guide, 3 ornament-sized painted canvas pieces from our latest trips to Phoenix & Chicago, a name tag for my ANG chapter, and 2 of my own designs. Hopefully, I do not see more fantastic projects because I’ve got charted designs that I picked up recently that I would like to stitch too. But, I am optimistic that I’ll get to several of them! Somehow.
The bag on the right goes to the basement to remain WIPs (along with countless charts & kits sitting/waiting in a cabinet) & the two on the left stay upstairs to be worked on in 2015! Another thought about VISION in 2015 will be to reconsider how much of what I have stored in the basement now might or might not be of interest in future years.
Thanks for visiting my blog throughout the year & hope you have a Healthy & Happy New Year!
Filed under: Uncategorized
Looking back on 2014, I did FOCUS & finished 18 projects including 2 of my own designs, 2 ANG Correspondence Courses but done as 4 projects, 1 ANG seminar class project, 3 painted canvases, & 6 charted designs. There were also the gift tags & Lenox ornaments. That’s more pieces than I realized I had done!
In 2015, I must use more VISION. I have enough accumulated now that I need to use what I have. For example, the Lee leather purse allows for a 5&1/2″ X 5&1/8″ opening. And, I have several 5″ X 5″ designs that could work by adding an extra border. So, I’ll plan some projects so I can use what I already have on hand.
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2014 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 19,000 times in 2014. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 7 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.
Click here to see the complete report.
Filed under: Queen's Silhouette
I finally blocked out time & applied the beads. The background just needed the small cross stitches in the Criss-Cross Hungarian pattern. I used 2 silk threads of Au Ver A Soie in a slightly darker blue (510). I just finished the last of that (there were a lot of them) & we are heading to The Artful Framer in Paoli today – one of the women in my ANG chapter uses them.
Filed under: Gentle Waves
The background of the waves didn’t blend as I expected. Maybe I used too many blues. And, I think the waves are too symmetrical.
In the positives, I like the surf and sand stitch. I’ll round out the heart next time.
Yes, this will be redone with lessons learned. But, I’m finishing another project as I think about what all to do to improve this design. Thoughts?
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