Though it has been quite some time since I updated my blog, I thought I should at least acknowledge the fact that I am stitching!!! lol I have been diligently working on Lavender & Lace's "Angel of Dreams". It is coming along quite nicely but I sorely under estimated the intricacy of her gown and the tweeding involved. As with all good things, it just takes time and persistence. The blue linen that I am working her on is quite lovely and really adds a dramatic backdrop to the subdued colors of this particular piece.
Well, jabbering here isn't going to get it finished. She's still many long hours away from completion, so a WIP picture here might help keep me encouraged.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Monday, March 26, 2007
My First Time in Gitta's Needlework Shop
Discovered I was short some floss colours for one of my projects.....now how this can happen with all the floss I have is beyond me! lol Well, my friend Chris has been expounding the virtues of Gitta's Needlework store for a long time. Frankly, my curiosity was getting the better of me. Now I have been quite content to order most of my supplies on-line. But there are times when you need to actually 'see' overdyed flosses in order to choose the right ones. DH was in a generous mood, so he offered to take me to Gitta's.
With my introduction to hardanger, I have started a life-long love affair with Caron fibres. The Waterlillies, Wildflowers and Watercolors are perfect for hardanger and the colors on my monitor just make me drool. Twice I have ordered and been satisfied, but there is much discrepancy between monitors and with the price of the stuff, you really don't want to get caught ordering too much only to be disappointed. Well, let me tell you.........as soon as I walked in that store I saw the Caron collections immediately. Like a moth to the flame! lol Sumptuous does not even begin to describe the effect, I could have stood there for hours just gazing in wonderment and lust. Good thing my 5 year old daughter was with me, or DH would have been calling out the RCMP 'cause there would have been no way I could have left that store under my own willpower. But a whining child can bring you back to reality post haste! rofl
The staff were very nice, and let me browse to my (almost) heart's content and offered their services very inobtrusively. I even found a little kit from Sweetheart Tree that will make a lovely gift, that up until now, I had no clue as to what I would do for this person. There are little pockets of interest all over the store which just invites the consumer to linger and relish with glee each little discovery! With my treasures in hand, I went to the check out and had a delightful conversation with Gitta about the colours I had chosen and what I planned on doing with them. She was very encouraging about exploring and experimenting with different mediums for needlecraft work. I can honestly say, this will be a place that will remain front and centre of all my purchasing needs. They even do framing, and I know of at least one angel that is in need of her services! I can't wait to tell my friend Chris about my experience....she will be thrilled!
With my introduction to hardanger, I have started a life-long love affair with Caron fibres. The Waterlillies, Wildflowers and Watercolors are perfect for hardanger and the colors on my monitor just make me drool. Twice I have ordered and been satisfied, but there is much discrepancy between monitors and with the price of the stuff, you really don't want to get caught ordering too much only to be disappointed. Well, let me tell you.........as soon as I walked in that store I saw the Caron collections immediately. Like a moth to the flame! lol Sumptuous does not even begin to describe the effect, I could have stood there for hours just gazing in wonderment and lust. Good thing my 5 year old daughter was with me, or DH would have been calling out the RCMP 'cause there would have been no way I could have left that store under my own willpower. But a whining child can bring you back to reality post haste! rofl
The staff were very nice, and let me browse to my (almost) heart's content and offered their services very inobtrusively. I even found a little kit from Sweetheart Tree that will make a lovely gift, that up until now, I had no clue as to what I would do for this person. There are little pockets of interest all over the store which just invites the consumer to linger and relish with glee each little discovery! With my treasures in hand, I went to the check out and had a delightful conversation with Gitta about the colours I had chosen and what I planned on doing with them. She was very encouraging about exploring and experimenting with different mediums for needlecraft work. I can honestly say, this will be a place that will remain front and centre of all my purchasing needs. They even do framing, and I know of at least one angel that is in need of her services! I can't wait to tell my friend Chris about my experience....she will be thrilled!
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Woohoo I get to Happy Dance Today!!!
Just put the final stitches into Angelic Greetings!!! This was a wonderful happy dance for me, I really enjoyed this piece and it went fairly quickly. I started it January 23, so this is like warp speed stitching for me!!! LOL
The pattern was from Artecy Cross Stitching and I decided to do it on 32 count lugana from Silkweavers in a color called "Elegance". It really gives a lovely late evening sky effect. All the stitching was done using DMC 3740 and the design 'laid' just right in and around the white and lavender. I am very pleased with the results. This piece will be made into a quilt for a preemie to be distributed by The Angel Quilt Project division here in Canada. I really need to do more for this organization because it feels great!!!!
The dimensions on this piece are 183 stitches wide by 199 stitches high.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Angel Fever
Having just completed one huge angel you think I'd want to do something different......me too! But I didn't LOL My new start (and isn't there always a new one) is Lavender & Lace's Angel of Dreams. Actually she should qualify as a UFO because she has been sitting on the back burner for quite some time with only 3 little stitches in her. She doesn't feel like a UFO, so I'm keeping her on the WIP list.
Some stitchers from other boards were talking about this one when it was first released. Their concerns were over the colours used as being too muddy or 'dirty'. As I pulled the floss colours for this piece, I will admit to seeing that grayish/green and becoming a bit hesitant. Yet, from working with Heaven & Earth designs, I've learned how colours can play on one another and totally transform themselves when sitting next to different colours. Putting in those first stitches of 644, I began to see them 'change' against the dark blue linen. Continuing on in the concentration of stitches has not altered my opinion.....this is going to be quite an interesting stitch!!
As with my last angel, this one is a dedication to my later sister, Heather. Heather was a gentle soul......kind, caring, warm, loving, intelligent and funny. I have a picture of her holding my firstborn and the look on her face is very reminiscent of this angel's countenance. Heather was a dreamer so the two just go together in my heart. She is more subdued than the last angel, but no less impressive.....her quality is calming and gentle, just as my sister was and a fitting tribute to her as a person as well as a sorely missed sibling.
Funny thing though, as I finished the last angel, it was not a happy occasion as some might expect. As much as I am pleased with the results, my heart is saddened nonetheless, like the grief of these 3 short years has returned. Not really returned, as it never leaves your heart in the first place. It's a weird feeling.....a physical reminder that we are separated by a distance that cannot be breached. And I don't like it, not one single bit, but life goes on.....
Some stitchers from other boards were talking about this one when it was first released. Their concerns were over the colours used as being too muddy or 'dirty'. As I pulled the floss colours for this piece, I will admit to seeing that grayish/green and becoming a bit hesitant. Yet, from working with Heaven & Earth designs, I've learned how colours can play on one another and totally transform themselves when sitting next to different colours. Putting in those first stitches of 644, I began to see them 'change' against the dark blue linen. Continuing on in the concentration of stitches has not altered my opinion.....this is going to be quite an interesting stitch!!
As with my last angel, this one is a dedication to my later sister, Heather. Heather was a gentle soul......kind, caring, warm, loving, intelligent and funny. I have a picture of her holding my firstborn and the look on her face is very reminiscent of this angel's countenance. Heather was a dreamer so the two just go together in my heart. She is more subdued than the last angel, but no less impressive.....her quality is calming and gentle, just as my sister was and a fitting tribute to her as a person as well as a sorely missed sibling.
Funny thing though, as I finished the last angel, it was not a happy occasion as some might expect. As much as I am pleased with the results, my heart is saddened nonetheless, like the grief of these 3 short years has returned. Not really returned, as it never leaves your heart in the first place. It's a weird feeling.....a physical reminder that we are separated by a distance that cannot be breached. And I don't like it, not one single bit, but life goes on.....
Saturday, March 03, 2007
It's FINISHED !!!!
Started October 20th, 2004, Angel of Healing is now completed as of 11:10 p.m. tonight. She's stitched on 28 count Silkweaver's Expression in Blue Dynasty, the face is stitched over 1 and the rest is 2 over 2. Some folks think they are slow stitchers......this took me 245 hours of stitching time to complete. And here's the lady of the hour now..........
If I remember correctly, this makes the 9th finish for The Challenge.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
This too shall end................
Just don't ask me when! lol I've been pretty quiet on the stitching boards of late, but it's just because I'm working to get Angel of Healing done. Though I have been putting in some solid hours, the progress is less than encouraging. I'm at the bottom part of the dress where a ribbon hangs down....it's a beautiful effect but quite the amount of confetti stitching. Not sure if it is the confetti stitching that is getting me down, or just that I'm so close to the finish line.
I know it's silly, but it is really depressing for me to finish a project. Quick ones don't seem to have any effect; but the ones where you have spent so many long hours on.....they are the ones that I struggle with myself.
You should see the rainbow beads on this piece.....WOW, what an impact. That alone nearly took 2 steady days to get done.....I was being particularly persnickety that they follow a specific order I had in my mind. Took some finangling, but I am pleased with the effect once I got it to where I wanted it.
Okay, now back to the task at hand.....getting her finished.
I know it's silly, but it is really depressing for me to finish a project. Quick ones don't seem to have any effect; but the ones where you have spent so many long hours on.....they are the ones that I struggle with myself.
You should see the rainbow beads on this piece.....WOW, what an impact. That alone nearly took 2 steady days to get done.....I was being particularly persnickety that they follow a specific order I had in my mind. Took some finangling, but I am pleased with the effect once I got it to where I wanted it.
Okay, now back to the task at hand.....getting her finished.
Friday, February 23, 2007
The sounds of beads dropping all over the floor
herald the fact that I am once again working on my Angel of Healing. Today I managed to get about 6 hours work done on it. Now I have completed the backstitching on the wings.....the pattern doesn't call for it, but the contrast between the light fabric and the white/cream of the wings was not substantive, so a little DMC 932 seems to have worked in that regard.
I just love the rainbow beads on this piece, though it does get a bit tricky on keeping identical colours from being clumped together as I work around those lovely swirls. I still ha
ven't decided if I am going to stitch her hands over 1 or just go with the pattern's over 2. Tomorrow I'll make that decision.....right now I just feel too lazy to chart it. Amazingly, there is not as much left to do as I had remembered ~ must be another senior's moment!! The day dawns early, so I best be off to bed, but it was a good stitching day and I feel quite happy about getting back to my ufo's.
ven't decided if I am going to stitch her hands over 1 or just go with the pattern's over 2. Tomorrow I'll make that decision.....right now I just feel too lazy to chart it. Amazingly, there is not as much left to do as I had remembered ~ must be another senior's moment!! The day dawns early, so I best be off to bed, but it was a good stitching day and I feel quite happy about getting back to my ufo's.
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