A back petal

I added the back petal to the Iris canvas. I used three strands of the Anchor 111 in the Byzantine stitch per the instructions. This really does look like an iris! Next up I will be working the leaves on this piece and I am sure I will have all my work done before the July meeting!

It is going to be a cupcake!

I have two shades of pink Flair and a white Frosty Rays along side the two shades of Goldrush 18 to create the cupcake!
Here you can see I drew the outline of the cupcake on offwhite 18 count canvas flecked with gold and have started alternating rows of slanted Gobelin with a single strand of the Goldrush. I am alternating the colors so it looks like the scallops that the cupcake paper would have.
This is going to be for a bridal shower at the end of July. The bride to be is a cake decorator and loves cupcakes. Her mother made the suggestion to stitch her a cupcake after I did the shaving brush, number two, for her husband. I think it is a great idea.
This is going to be a lot of fun and a quick stitch too!

This one is finished!

The final steps on this piece were to complete the open areas in the north south sections. I used the DMC Perle 12 and did a Plaited Rays stitch in each corner of the section. The final touch was to use seed beads and put it on the top of all four points in each section. Last weekend, I painted the box inside and out, with Sky Blue paint. It is all ready for me to finish this piece and attach it to the top!
I will post a photo when I have it done. This completes the first one of the four that are in the rotation. I have the next one ready to replace it and will post it tomorrow for you to see!

The Octagon

Tonight I filled in the spaces left in the + to create an octagon. I used 205C cord to create four more Sprat's heads patterns. I did darken this a little so you could see a better photo.
I really like how this is developing. Just as a reminder this is still all part of Lesson one!

Your questions, comments: Yes, I do like doing the rotation stitching, although not because it was boring to work on any one piece. These are all interesting pieces. I find I can pick up where I left off very quickly. The Kick Back and Stitch piece will be finished tomorrow night and I will be adding a new piece into the rotation. More info tomorrow.

More couching

I return to the Kimono, the cuffs and the collar. I started down the right side of the collar after completing the right hand side cuff. I find that I am getting a little faster at this, but not much! LOL. This is a single strand of Kreinik #12 couched in place with three strands of the Soie Cristale. I doubt that this will be finished anytime soon, and the June stitch will be out in a couple of days!

Another petal

This is the final petal that uses all five of the Anchor floss colors in the Burden stitch. There is still one more petal, the back one you can see outlined.
This is stitching fairly quickly. Before the July meeting, we need to have the flower all done, as well as the leaves. Stay tuned, I am sure we will make it!

Kick Back, Day Three

I worked the North and South patterns today. I started by using the Tiara to do an oversize Smyrna Cross type stitch in the center. Next two over sized cross stitches overlaid with a diamond stitch on top of each of those, and then I repeated this all the way around the Smyrna. In between those, I added r strand long stitches in the blue floss, going into the center of the +. Last I used DMC rayon floss to overlay those with more long stitches.
For the background, I used two strands of floss and worked a blackwork type pattern to fill in each area.
This piece will be finished the next time it is in the rotation!

Sprats Galore!

Tonight I did all the Sprats Head stitches around the outside of the diamond....lots of them! This stitch is worked with a single strand of DMC Ecru Perle, size 12. It is growing pretty quickly now. The back of the Sprats Heads look like Jessica variations so even the back looks pretty good!

Be sure to click the picture to get a look at the shine!

Kimono cuff-UPDATED PHOTO

In the last Kimono session, I had barely started the cuff on the left side. The pattern for this is to lay a piece of Kreinik and then couch a design on top of it. Each row is couched as it is laid. This is very slow go, but I managed to complete the left side cuff tonight. This is repeated on the right side and then a double row of this is worked down the center front. Can you say "this is gonna take forever"?
If you are too impatient to wait and see, skip over to Jan's and take a look at her piece!
http://stitchlady.wordpress.com/2009/05/

Another Iris Petal

I apologize for the fuzzy picture! It looked clear in the camera downstairs, but when I got upstairs and moved it from the disc......oooppppsss! At least you get the general idea that I did finish the second petal. Jane asked how this burden stitch is worked. This particular piece is worked from the top down. First the Kreinik braid is laid in every third row, working from the top down. Then the stitches are worked in the alternate pattern rows, changing threads to shade as appropriate. This leaf is worked in double stitches instead of the single stitch on the first petal. The next update will have a better picture for you to see.
Working the rotation is a lot easier than I thought it would be. I was concerned that I would spend a lot of time refocusing on where I was and what I was doing, but I am enjoying doing a little bit on each one for now!

Jessicas and Beads

Using DMC Perle, color 3753, I put in the partial Jessicas in all the corners to fill in the area outside the gold X's. This stitch was done using a single strand of the size 12. Then, again using the DMC Perle, I attached a Mill Hill Bugle Bead, 72009, going through each one twice to secure in the center of the Jessica.
I think the stitching rotation is going along fairly well. I can see progress in each piece, and, I haven't gotten confused yet! LOL

The diamond grows

On day three of Ecrusheen, I finished the Modified Scotch stitches all around in the single strand of Floche. I also did another diamond on square in the Kreinik with more Upright Cross Stitches and a single cross stitch on top of those. We are still in lesson one on this piece, with lots more mystery to be revealed!

March SOTM-Kimono

I completed the Kimi Stitch on the Kimono today. If you recall, I did the offset Cashmere stitches with three strands of Splendor 899. Then I did the Back and Run tracking for the second half of the stitch, I used Kreinik #12 in color 3202. I then moved down to the cuff on the lower left and started working this pattern. It is a Nobuku Variant Stitch and the gold is Kreinik #12, in 002 HL, and the couching is being done with three strands of 000 Soie Cristale.

I stitch here...(photo heavy)

When we bought our house, the sewing room and the workshop were both major decisions as to why we chose this one. We also really liked the rest of the house and location, LOL!

The first picture is the closet under the stairs, where I have a bookcase with baskets of stash! This is the chair where DH sits, (next to the antique thread cabinet that holds my beads) with the cat laying on the pillows.

There is also another thread cabinet on the old ice box. It holds the DMC perle cottons in 3,5, and 12's. The icebox holds fabrics and wool threads. The bookcase next to it holds books and the tall cabinet at the end holds magazines. The small case at the very end holds some of my antique sewing collectibles.

This is one end of the countertop, with thread boxes above.

This is the other end of the countertop and the four rotation projects sit next to TV. In the cabinets and drawers below, I keep such things as stretcher bars, light box, UFO's, paints, and such.

This is the my actual stitching table, frame, and another cabinet for needles, magnets, etc. Some of the extra scissors, fobs, etc, hang from the old coat rack which also has some of the hatpin collection.

This is a shot of the shelves where the thread boxes are stored. I picked up the boxes on ebay on two different auctions a long time ago! The plastic ones are from Target.

If all the housework is done, this is where I can be found!

Thanks, Barbara for asking where we stitch!

One full iris petal

Tonight, I finished all the rest of petal one of The Iris. There are five shades of floss in the petal, all done using four strands. I am pleased with how the shading worked out and how quickly I remembered how to do the burden stitch! This is definitely one of the "work it with your laying tools" if you are just starting this. The sparkle of the Kreinik braid is very pretty, so I hope you click the picture to enlarge it!

Octagon 11, day two

I finished the Cotton Candy Watercolors border. It really does have the colors of cotton candy, doesn't it? Next, I took the Tiara and did large V shapes to form the gold X's. Last, I took four strands of DMC floss and did the little V's around the outside of the X's. I am thinking powder blue box for this right now.

Ecrusheen, Day Two.

Working on Lesson one, step 3, I added a row of Upright Cross stitches, with a Cross Stitch on top of each one, all around the outside of the diamond area. This was done using one strand of #4 Kreinik braid. I then started step 4, using a single strand of Ecru Floche, and am working Modified Scotch Stitches. These will also be worked all around the outside of the diamond shape. While this picture does not show it well, there is already a great deal of shine and sparkle going on in this design.

It's a Kimono, trust me!

This is the start of the ANG Stitch of the Month project. Each month a new stitch is posted. In January, the outline was posted and we were to trace or baste the outline in. February's stitch is way down at the bottom in the right corner. Since I did not want to drag my hand, threads, etc, across the stitches while I worked all the others, I waited until the March stitch came out. I also chose not to work the colors or canvas that Tony Minieri had recommended. His colors were red, green and gold. I am doing mine in white, ecru and metallics, and on the black canvas. The March stitch starts out with an offset Cashmere stitch. I used three strands of Splendor in color 899. Tonight I redid the line along the sash--ripit and restitch it--and then filled in the rest of this pattern on the left side. The open area will be filled in also. This pattern is also on the right side of the piece. Follow the angle across to the other side to see the area where it will be.

The Diamond Iris

This is the outline of The Diamond Iris by Dorothy Lescher. This design was created to teach the Burden Stitch, padding and a few other stitches. This is an offering by the Cyberpointers chapter that we will be stitching over the next several months, during the online meetings. My instructions for this meeting start with tracing the pattern. I used my Pigma pens in lavender and green to trace mine.

Next I laid in four rows of #16 Kreinik braid, anchoring the starting thread with the "L" stitch. You notice the thread is still attached at the bottom left of the photo for creating future laid rows. Then, using four strands of floss, I filled in the lightest of five shades of purple at the very tip of the first petal. I followed this by starting the next value, but have not completed it. I am following the suggested layout of color changes in the pattern. The bottom little "L" stitches that I used to start both of these threads, and they will be covered by future rows of stitching. The anchoring stitches will be worked under the design area stitches due to the pattern that will be created immediately around the outside of the design. Parking threads in this area now would leave enlarged holes in the canvas that would distort the future pattern design.

Starting Number Two

Tonight I started the Kick Back and Stitch Octagon #11. Each of these patterns contain thread combinations for several different colors. The cover picture on this design was worked in greens, and it gave variations for blues, red, and others, but I need a pastel. So I am using all of the recommended fibers, but definitely pulling my own colors to get the pastel. I first put in the X shape with Smyrna Crosses using Rainbow Gallery Tiara in gold. Then, I did the Half Crosses in DMC floss in color 3743, with six strands. I filled in next to the Smyrna Crosses and made the large square with this. Lastly, I used Watercolours in Cotton Candy to start stitching Gobelins around the outside edge.

By the way, ladies, go wash the butter off your fingers before you stitch....after eating all that popcorn!

Starting Ecrusheen

You knew it would happen.....you knew I could not resist.....especially if it is done in Ecru.....I have no willpower......I am very weak!
I had to start the Loretta Spears piece!! Ecrusheen (Mystery #12) was sitting there with all the fibers ready to go just yelling my name!
So, here we go. The South Cross Stitch is worked with Kreinik #4 in 205C. The recipe calls for three spools of this so we are going to be seeing it a lot! It is also worked with DMC Perle Cotton #12 in Ecru. This is a very interesting stitch, not hard to work, but you need to pay serious attention to your counting and the diagram.
After that, I used a single strand of Marlitt and did four straight base Sprats Heads on each of the sides.
Not bad for the first night's work!

Happy Mother's Day everyone!!

Decisions, Decisions

This is a Kick Back and Stitch design that I need to stitch to go on the top of yet another box for a birthday gift. Maybe I should get this started.......

But then I have this Loretta Spears design call Ecru Sheen and I have all of the fibers for this one too. And....they are so much fun to work!

And this is the Iris design the Cyberpointers are starting during the meeting, so, maybe I should get this one traced on. At least that much?

And, this one? Tony Minieri's Kimono which is the ANG stitch of the month, which I am doing on black canvas and using all white and gold threads???

M is the end.

Yes, that is all I had to do! I put the "M" in with some fiber from my Japanese gold stash. In the first one, I used a piece of Jaceron that I stretched. Unfortunately, the label was missing from this package, but it is similar to Jaceron. I did the same thing by stretching it out. I then couched it in place using a single strand of Kreinik Cable in gold. Our friend's last name also starts with the letter M so they are pretty close in appearance.
This stitched up fairly quickly. Thanks again to Sharon G for such a great canvas design and she also gets the credit for the idea to use the Japanese gold in the center for the initial.
Tomorrow, I start the "lottery" to determine what is up next!

The last line

Yes, tonight I stitched the last line of the Shave Shave Shave! Yippee! This type of background goes fairly quickly. Using the Perle Cotton gives it some shine. If I use this type of background again, I could use an overdyed thread if it was pale enough not to overpower the main focus of the piece. A metallic, such as Kreinik, might also be interesting as would just adding a single thread of blending filament or Accentuate.
I only have the center of the emblem to finish, but, that has to wait until tomorrow night!

Soaring with angels.

It is with great sadness that I pass along news that Jean Hilton passed away in her home in Arizona. Jean is one of my favorite designers and has created many beautiful stitches that we all use in our stitching. She very graciously gave her permission for me to use her Chilly Hollow Stitch in a design I created a while ago. I have many of her projects waiting in the wings. I know she now has her own wings.
I hope you all take a moment in her memory.

That is better

I am back on track and recovered from the single thread error! I almost made it to the top of the bristles tonight! I certainly counted veeerrrry carefully tonight!
This one is very nearly finished and I am pondering the next project even while I am completing the final rows!

Why is it?

I spent a lot of time working on the Shave today. Tonight when I sat down, I realized I had made a mistake 16 rows back. I practiced my least favorite rip it stitch tonight and kept kicking myself for that one thread error!

A couple more patterns

Even though I did work outside in the yard some more today, I also got to sit down and stitch for a little while today. I am hoping for more stitching time tomorrow as it is supposed to rain most of the day. If that is the case, I hope to get lots done!

Instead of Shave Shave Shave

Instead of stitching Shave Shave tonight, I planted posies outside! It was really nice and it is supposed to rain tonight, so I wanted to move some things around and put a couple of new things in the ground. I moved a lot of lamb's ears from the small side garden over by the trees along the side of the yard. I then put in some of the new small low growing sedum varieties. I also put a new pot of Phlox in the old well pump planter. I moved some of the pink ice plant around as it grows towards the lawn and the middle looks empty. Last, I planted a Habenero pepper for DH in the veggie section. It looks pretty good and there are still some other things to do, but that will be another day.
Tomorrow, more Shave, Shave, Shave!