Santa Baby and the holidays...

Thought I'd share some of my holiday decorations up.  I love Christmas and decorating for it!  We wait until early December to decorate.

I just finished up this Quilt; it is called "Santa Baby" and is by Buggy Barn.  It is from the Positively Crazy book.

It measures 84" square.  I backed it with Minky in a chevron pattern.  I quilted in the ditch using a walking foot on my sewing machine.  No batting - I love the weight on this and it looks great in the living room!

This is our upstairs living room - the tree has about half of my stitched ornaments on it, red glass balls, and our Lenox collection (we buy one a year).  My two Amanda Lawford Santas are to the side.  Hanging is the Cricket Collection bellpull, and on the table are my Melissa Shirley Nutcracker Pops.  The couch has the sweater pillow.

Downstairs on the fireplace I have our family stockings hung.  On the mantel are some of the odds and ends I've stitched over the years.  

Happy Christmas!

Amanda Lawford Royal Santa FINISHED

I can't believe I finished him yesterday - I am thrilled!

(Me thrilled!)

I started this piece in April 2008.  I did take lots of small breaks throughout, most especially when working on the yards and yards of cream background.  

I was working away on Bullion Knots all this last week.  These are worked in two strands of Trio, a silk and merino wool blend.  After I did the entire edge I went back over it an did French Knots for additional shading.  

The edging around the bag was next.  It is stitched in horizontal oblong cross-stitch with one strand Kreinik cord.  It's muted and I think it helps add sparkly without being over powering.

Now for all the fun embellishments!  I rolled the canvas down to the very bottom and started working my way up.  I couched down the gold trim on the cloak front (see overall picture, also shown a little bit in the above picture.  It was couched with silk thread and I plunged the ends into the canvas back with my laying tool.

The stars are stitched in Kreinik 1/16" braid, laid flat with each stitch.  The sterling silver chain was couched on the surface.  

Two more trims for the sleeve - both couched on the surface with the same gold silk I used in the crown.  Also I attached the oval gems.  I realized that the light blue on the sleeves was unstitched so I used a blue Kreinik and did basketweave to fill them in.  

The ribbons from the staff were couched on - the green ribbon, then the gold metallic ribbon, then the hand-dyed red silk ribbon.  

While watching Victoria swim last night I attached the Fleur-de-lis for the staff topper.  There is felt underneath for padding, then the gold, then I couched Gilt Medium Grecian Twist around the design.  

Very last was the jewel.  GeorgiaDee had already glued the shell to Stiff-Stuff.  I used petite gold seed beads and worked peyote stitch around the shell to create the frame.  The stiff stuff is then trimmed back and I couched it to the hat.  There was empty paint around the edging so I filled that in with purple, then added a looped beaded run around the shell at the base.  I love it!

Thanks for sharing this journey with me!  I am probably going to finish him as a stand-up then give him a designated storage box under my bed.  I thought about a wall hanging but Madeline (my 8 year old) pointed out we don't have a good spot to hang him on the wall where he would be displayed at Christmas.  

Royal Santa by Amanda Lawford #12

In which I learn I shouldn't always follow the stitch guide.

I must first note, I have loved this stitch guide.  So many fun stitches and threads and it is turning out beautifully.

The feathers are worked in basketweave with three strands of Anchor cotton floss.  I blended the colors a bit, being cognizant that they are going to get stitched over with a long fiber.  The stitch guide said to stitch the Bernat Boa in the last bit... a long fiber couched diagonally.  Well, when I needed to basketweave the edges of the feather I needed to pin back the Boa fiber.  Poor planning on my part, although it turned out well in the end.  The edges of the feather were then worked in wrapped stem stitch, which I find easier to curve than wrapped backstitch.

The white fiber is was then couched along the center of each feather vein.  Love it!

My thread minder.  

Plume on the cap was done the same as the green.

I'm now working on the purple cap.  I couldn't actually find *anything* about that in the stitch guide so I'm working it in the same nobuko variation as the sleeve caps on the robe.  Next up are the eyes and then the cap brim.

Royal Santa by Amanda Lawford #11

Today I finished up the "fur" on the robe cuff and color.  It is stitched by couching Bernat Boa knitting fiber (color 81013) onto the canvas in long diagonal rows using cotton floss.  I used about 35 yards of the Boa fiber.  I've given the rows a little brushing and after all of the canvas is stitched and finished I will probably trim it up a bit, particularly around the fleur-de-lis.  

I don't know why, but the canvas has a long vertical crease in it.  It's always been kept on long stretcher bars but perhaps it was folded before it came to me?  When it's completed I will try hitting it with some steam during the blocking and hope that makes it come out.  

He's certainly more fun to work on now that I'm not stitching all white background all the time.

Royal Santa by Amanda Lawford #10

This background took me a long, long, loooooooooooong time.  It is stitched in one strand of Caron Impressions in cream.  It got to the point where I would just make myself do one length of thread a day.

Doesn't it look fabulous though?

The tiger is stitched in Au Ver a Soie silk thread from Access Commodities.  It is done in long and short stitch, stem stitch, back stitch... basically a lot of little stitches.  Also, the nose is done in basketweave.

Royal Santa by Amanda Lawford #9

The crown is just about completed; there are two larger jewels that will be added later in the process. The gold outline is fill cross-stitch in Kreinik 1/16" ribbon. The gold silk is Trebizond. Beads are fire-polished jewels.

I've also started on the background. I'm using Woven Stitch and one strand of cream Impressions. Lots of background to stitch - I'm making myself switch back and forth with 45 minutes of background, then 45 of other stitching, then 45 minutes of background... It's a big background. :)

Royal Santa by Amanda Lawford #8

"Santa has a brand new bag..."



This is stitched in Medici wool, Caron Snow (in gold curls), Rainbow Gallery Fyre Werks (the mosaic variation in the center goldwork). The Scotch stitches on the stripe are done in two colors of Medici wool, then instead of tenting gold around them I worked long Satin Stitches with tacking stitches at each intersection. Think Trellis Stitch.

He also has a snow globe!



The silver underneath is tented in Kreinik 1/16" ribbon. Stitched over that is Rainbow Gallery Water 'N Ice. The flash makes it appear more translucent but in person it looks solid. Weird camera.

Royal Santa by Amanda Lawford #7

The top right corner is completed. This includes "The List", the gift box, and the frog.

The stitches used in these areas were tent stitch (basketweave where I could), Diagonal Victorian Step on the package top, and Brick Stitch on the background of the paper. Threads used include Soie d'Alger, DMC Floche blended with Accentuate, Kreinik #12, Rainbow Linen, Rainbow Gallery Fyrewerks for the package top, DMC floss for the green package, Trebizond gold for the frog's belly, and Rainbow Gallery Flair for the frog itself. Flair is a tubular mesh thread that is sparkley and transluscent.

I've been working on Santa's man-bag. The red so far is Medici wool. The squares are Scotch Stitch, and the red on the bag is basketweave. There are two strands used, so it is easy to blend them. Stitch all the darker areas with two strands of dark wool. Stitch all the lighter areas with two strands of red wool. Fill in and stitch all the areas in between with one strand of each.

A note about the stitch guide: I've received a few e-mails about the stitch guide. I did give credit before so I'll do it again. :) This stitch guide is by GeorgaDee MacLeod. She designed our ANG chapter nametags. GeorgaDee works at The Needlepointer, a shop up in downtown Everett, Washington. She is a neat lady and has a great sense of style for canvases. GeorgaDee is actually the person who taught me how to use a laying tool!

I don't know if this stitch guide is purchaseable without taking the class, but I do know that she's done quite a few stitch guides for other canvases and every one I've seen has been fantastic. The stitch guide I have for Royal Santa includes what thread, the amounts, and what stitch should (could) be used in each section. She also has stitch diagrams for unusual stitches. It makes it very easy to break down a large piece into maneagable suggestions. I will confess I skipped the line where it said "Stitch Background" and gave stitch and thread suggestions. I need to buy thread for that and will do that when I can. My kit came with a cream silk n ivory and I'm not sure if I want to do white or a light green.

I am really enjoying stitching on this piece - I have a small Melissa Shirley easter egg I've been stitching on and it is much slower than this large design. Funny how that works.

Snow, again...

I am really disliking snow the older I get.

Last night I picked up the Royal Santa again. I am working on the present box at the top of the design. Another stitcher e-mailed me this link to the Nutcracker Santa and he is just wonderful. So now I don't know which one I want more, the Nutcracker or the Wreath Santa. I would be thrilled with either.

Of course, I'm not getting either. For about the same price, a little less actually, Brad and I are getting new interior doors for the house. Yay! What great Valentine's presents for each other! :) We're buying white 6 panel doors and getting them milled so the bevel and the cutouts for the hardware will all be completed. I am truly excited. Of course, I'll have to paint them and Brad will hang them but it's still great.

Madeline and Travis were playing hide and go seek yesterday. We have a small house and there are not many places to hide, especially when your sibling counts to ten as fast as they can and are running after you before you've had a chance to climb onto the washer [again]. Victoria, dear Victoria, slammed her door on her brothers hand this time. Brad took the door off the hinges and it will stay off until the new ones come. Her new handle will lock so she can read in peace without the smaller ones coming in to bother her. It's just going to be a button lock - she does need some quiet time without people underfoot and if that means a lock it's fine. I'd rather she was in her room hiding out reading than in the only other rooms that lock, the bathrooms.

This snow is going to kill my new bulbs.

When we first moved in the pine trees were big, but not THAT big. They've all really grown. Some of my full-sun areas are now part shade. I'm planning on expanding out the back beds again this spring as well as laying down some pavers on the side of the house. I also need to either replace the side fence or add taller posts so I can have a trellis at the top for the expanding clematis.

My parents are coming up for a quick visit over the weekend. In the meantime we have a visit to the childrens museum planned, parent homeschool meeting tonight, homeschool Valentine's party tomorrow, ballet, swimming, nothing on Thursday for the kids but I have guild that evening, and Friday we're to go ice skating with the homeschool group. Whoo! At some point in there (probably Thursday) I have a couple things for finishing and then I have to make some fabric car-headrest/DVD player covers for my dad so he can take them home with them. Very exciting.

Royal Santa by Amanda Lawford #6

Just a quick update... it's coming along. Brad is trying to make a bet that I'll finish it by the end of March but I'm pretty sure that won't happen. There is lots done but LOTS of background. :)

The quiver is stitched in Diagonal Mosaic in Impressions with the scrolls stitched in tent stitch with floss and Kreinik metallic. The top border is Rainbow Gallery Soft Sheen Fyre Werks in a diagonal Gobelin. The arrow feathers are stitched in long straight stitches of Caron Watercolors. The bow is stitched in Caron Snow in a random stem stitch. The string is couched Snow.



The jester is finished - lots of fun stitches on this guy.



Want to see what four hours of french knots looks like? These are stitched in #12 Kreinik metallic.

Royal Santa by Amanda Lawford #5

Quite a bit of stitching has been going on with this beautiful piece!

Right now I'm working on the jester. He's primarily in basketweave.



I finished the knight to the left of Santa's shoulder. All I could think while stitching him was various Monty Python songs. The plume is in Rainbow Gallery Very Velvet and Medici Wool. The feather is Medici Wool. The knight's armor is stitched in Kreinik metallic threads.



The belt buckle is comprised entirely of size 14 seed beads in six different colors. It is framed in gold metallic thread. The belt is long stitches laid in lighter Anchor threads.



The bottom of the coat is stitched in oh, goodness, what's that stitch called... Cashmere stitch.


The opening of the cloak is stitched in the same way. Note how blending the colors in the needle gives a completely different look in shading.



Right mitten - stitched in Silk N Ivory with Encroaching Gobelin.

Left mitten, same stitch reversed, same thread.

Another Amanda Lawford Santa...

I so want him. He would be SO MUCH FUN to stitch. Look at the cute snowman! And the gingerbread cookie! And the lovely wreath! The scrollwork on the cloak! 18 mesh means he would take a good long while to stitch, too. :-)

http://www.needlenookoflajolla.com/storedir/proddetail.php?prod=7023

Even with their Christmas sale he still would come in at over $300. *sigh*

I'm making progress on my Royal Santa, which is why I've been eyeing the others in the series. I stitched the staff pole yesterday and worked on some of the red opening in the cloak. It's lovely!

Royal Santa by Amanda Lawford #4

Stitching update:

Yesterday I finished stitching the blue cloak. Whew! I've been working with this Appleton wool for what seems like weeks.

Last night I went ahead and stitched the gold on one cuff. It is a combination of tent and Blanket (buttonhole stitch) with three plies of gold Soie d'Alger silk thread. The gold is #16 Kreinik in 002. This has great texture on the curves.

Royal Santa by Amanda Lawford #3

More stitching on the coat - this is in 1 strand of Appleton's Wool.

Royal Santa by Amanda Lawford #2

The trunk is completed:

I've started on the cloak. It is stitched in one strand of Appleton Wool in a Diagonal Beaty Variation. One day progress:

Two day progress (canvas is dipping as I didn't remove from sidebars):

Royal Santa by Amanda Lawford #1

I can't remember if I've already discussed this needlepoint design. This piece is called "Royal Santa" and he is painted and designed by Amanda Lawford. The design is about 30" tall. He is so gorgeous and I love him!

Anyway, Royal Santa came to me in April of this year. Out of all the beautiful canvases I've sold for Denise the Wonder Organizer on eBay this is the only one I bought for myself. :-) The lady who owned him originally took him as a class so there were little itty bits of the piece started. There is a binder stitch guide and a huge bag of threads, all beautifully organized. I love it when it's ready to just jump in!

He is so large that I'm working on a lap stand. This is my first piece on a lap stand and it's working out well. The piece is so heavy there is no way I could hold it up.

The first thing I stitched was his skin on his face. This is Soie d'Alger silk floss.

Then back down to the bottom to work on the treasure chest. The gold scrolls and silver and completed with Kreinik metallic. The black is Trebizond Silk or Caron Impressions. The wood slats are Caron Watercolours. Right now I'm working on the wood of the chest. It is in four different colors of floss.

Last night's update of the wood treasure chest:



I have no idea when he'll be done. No goal setting for me on this one! Maybe next year? :)