Hearts!-UPDATED

Most Humble Apologies! I realized I loaded the picture from the last session not Thursday work. I was reading comments and went, "Hey! You reposted the same picture from the last time!" I keep them all in an album on my desktop as I do them, and I grabbed the wrong one! That is a big DUH for me! Now, the verbage matches the picture.
I finished the left side of the ribbon band with the white, blue, and gold.. Then I worked the white hearts in Petite Sparkle Rays, the gold hearts in Kreinik 102 C. I used white Flair 02 and blue Splendor 561 and then surrounded another heart with Magnifica beads in 10091. The right gold heart is done in 017HL.

Linen Fold Variation

This is the Monet's Garden box base by Terry Dryden. Tonight I did the Linen Fold Variation on the left side in the photo. This is worked using two shades of Splendor with six strands. First there are the horizontal stitches and then the half crosses are laid in. There are several sections of the Linen Fold variation in this piece so you will see more of this.

The last rose

I finished the last rose....the one on the bottom left! Woohoo! I also did more background on the left side working down towards the bottom. Background and the tassel....that is all there is left to work on this one! Major progress! Hmmmm.....do I just go ahead and get it done or stick with the rotation????

Herringbone Squares

Herringbone squares were worked around the perimeter of the piece. Each one is done in one of the previously used fibers. Kreinik, Patina, Snow, Silk Lame Braid, Neon rays, YLI Ribbon Floss, Vineyard Silk and the Cresta d'Oro. Then on the very left at the bottom, you will see that I started the Bargello pattern that will fill the design out to the square. I started with the Frosty Rays, but only got a small section done.

Roses for Lady Carolyn

I worked on the Wild roses in the next two segments of the fan. First white Splendor is put in with Long and Short stitches. Then Ambrosia Waterlilies for the centers. I also started the leaves with more of the Spruce Waterlilies in the left segment. All of these are done using two strands of each fiber. Coming right along and quickly makes me wonder why I haven't finished this before now? LOL

First four, then five!

I went around the inside one more row with four light and two dark strands. Then I started at the eye and worked around to the top of his eye on the left with five light and one dark strand. Just lots more french knots, but it is starting to fill in.

Adding on And WOW!

I finished beading the center of the bow using the Petite crystal and gold beads from Mill Hill and a single strand of Anchor Marlitt. I then completed the top loop of the bow also using a single strand of the Marlitt in blue 059 and off white 036. The gold edging on the bow and the ribbon is Kreinik #4 002, and the two little gold hearts worked at the top left are #4 Kreinik 102C.

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Floral Stitch is done

Back over to Monet's Garden by Terry Dryden tonight. I used six strands of blue Splendor to compete the vertical and horizontal Gebelin stitches creating the outside of the Flower in both panels. I then started with six strands of yellow Splendor and started the Linen Fold band on the very left panel.

One more rosey

The rose on the bottom right is finished including the upturned petal on the right. The only rose that is left to do is the bottom left one. The background is more than half done and the tassel is yet to do. A few more weeks for this one!

Many Sprat's head triangles

I finished all of the Sprat's head triangles.....eight sets of two facing each other triangles. I used Patina, Silk Lame Braid, #12 Braid, Vineyard silk, Cresta d'Oro, and Snow all per the instructions and they are very quick to work. After the first couple, it is easy to develop a rhythm and move right along. It is almost out to square.

Up to speed

Lady Carolyn's Fan tonight: As you can see, I spent time tonight working on the violets in the center segment of the fan. The flower petals are worked with two strands of Waterlilies Hyacinth using long stitches to create the petals and then adding three single strand stitches in the center of each middle petal for highlights. The stems are backstitched and then whipped stitched using either Waterlilies Spruce or Medici Wool in Moss Green. The leaves are just straight stitches.



Lady Carolyn's Fan before (don't ask, it was a really loooonnnnng time ago): Each of the five segments of the fan were outlined in Double Chain Stitch and then wrapped giving the appearance of a raised cord using #8 Kreinik. Then each of the oval areas for the flowers was stitched in the same way leaving space for each bouquet of flowers that are being added. The half moon shapes were then stitched the same way. The Pavillion stitch fills the "foot print "and gives the appearance of the pierced paper using 6 strands of floss. Beads will added later. The little "foot print" and the half moon shapes are filled in with Alisha Lace to give the appearance of pierced paper and is worked with Anchor pearl #12 and DMC metallic thread. The background surrounding the fan is worked in Cresto DOro for the first step of the Back Stitch Diagonal weave, and the second step of the fill was worked in white #8 pearl cotton.

It's the masked bandit

Okay, so it is really just Otto, but he does have quite the mask on tonight. I did a few hundred more french knots using the four/two blend with the 414 and 413 again tonight. He is starting to develop a bit of an sense of humor don't you think?

Beading a bow

I started beading the center of the bow using clear beads and gold, both Petite Mill Hills using the Marlitt to match the cream color. I also slipped in one blue heart done in Treasure Braid in a Rhodes Heart Stitch.

Fowers in the Florals

Tonight I started working on the two panels called Floral stitches. I first put in yellow cross stitches in Splendor, 3 over 3's. Then I did 4 over 4's using Gloriana Silk Monet's Pond. That is the variegation you see in each panel. Both are stitched using four strands of fiber. There is yet another step to do to finish these panels, but that is for next week.

In the center

The center right rose is finished as I completed the left bottom petal along with the left top petal on the bottom right rose. I then worked background down to a level with the bottom most petal. At the next rotation I will finish (hopefully) the bottom right rose, which will leave only the bottom left rose on the bunch of flowers.

Out to the corners

The four "legs" are the bargello stitches out to what will be the corners of the piece done in Fyre Werks and Gold Rush 18. Then, the four upright Waffle Stitches are stitched in t he deep vees using Neon Rays and Gold Rush 13. Last, I did one of the double Sprats Heads in Patina in the top right quadrant.

Final addition

This is Lady Carolyn's fan and was designed and taught by a friend of mine. I stitched the piece along with helping her with the class she was teaching at the time. It is a gorgeous fan and I do have quite a bit done, but never finished it. So, it was it's turn. I am working on finishing the ovals and as you can see they will contain flowers. I will go back and give you all the stitches and threads next Monday, but tonight I just felt like doing the stitching. I have the two outside ovals to finish but this goes quickly.

Otto's baaaaaccccckkkk

Sorry, I could not resist that one! LOL! Anyway, Otto is back in the 7 day rotation and tonite I worked from his eye down to his mouth. I am working six strand 2 wrap French knots for his head. This section has four strands of the light and two strands of the darker gray. This is 13 count canvas so it takes a bit of fiber to cover.

Springtime in the Mountains

It is seventy something today, the sun is out, very little breeze, and all the posies are starting to pop! If you move your cursor over the photo, they are labeled~

Gift of Love

The above is the canvas by Sharon G called Gift of Love. I took two different photos. The above one is the truer color of the canvas, but it was difficult to see what I had done, so I took a second one, added more light and enhancements so you can see.
I worked a tent stitch on the top center ribbon using Anchor Marlitt in off white and powder blue. I did the powder blue in the left hand top loop of the bow and the back shadow for it. I am using a single strand of both colors of Marlitt. Then on the left side, around the top loop, and across the left hand pieces of ribbon I used a single strand of Kreinik #4 002 gold and did more of the tent stitch.

Now, go back up to the top picture and look at it again. It is beautifully hand painted and I don't intend to cover all that wonderful work with heavy threads. This will be worked so that more of the canvas shows not less.

Next up....

Terry Dryden's Monet's Garden Oval Box! This is a Christmas gift from DH and I am thrilled to start this piece! The kit contains: Two full color photos, the one above, and one showing the piece stitched laid flat out, excellent instructions, line drawn canvas, all the fibers, and a DVD on finishing instructions for the box. Although the hinged lid did not come with it, Ms. Dryden graciously supplied the info and I have the lid as well.
To begin, using J. L. Walsh Silk Perle in a soft medium green, I completed the bottom in an alternating Scotch Stitch. The instructions include a couple of options and I chose to use the deeper V option. The box bottom width is 10 1/2" wide and 2 1/2 inches high.

Tomorrow, I add yet another piece into the rotation!

Almost a rose

It was time to start another rose, so I worked on the right middle rose and completed the left and right hand petals and the bottom ridge of the center petal. I also put in a few more rows of the background on the right side. Once again, I am using all Silk & Ivory fibers on the roses, but the background has Splendor as well.

Is that a Rorschach?

It really does look a lot better in person! When I photographed it, it looked fine, but when I post it, it does look pretty strange. I put in the black around the silver points tonight as well as Neon Rays extending the bargello rows. A good bit done for the Tuesday group meeting!

Thanks to Jane for mentioning the Hummingbird on her blog as well as all of your favorable comments! It is so gorgeous! I am going to loan it to the framer for them to display in the store for a couple of weeks!

Number two is finished.

This is the second Biscornu for the SAS Gathering Pearls. I did the entire piece in Waterlilies thread on blue linen. I can now get these in the mail to Rissa for her collection!

Happy Easter!

It is already in the 70's here in the mountains. Time to plant some annuals, trim some roses, pick leaves out of the Hydrangeas that are budding big time! Have a great day!

Glorious Framing!

I went by the framer and picked this up today! Bob and Maggie do such a great job! The gold fillet surrounds the piece with a red linen mat and then the gold shadowbox frame with the museum glass. The piece measures 15 x 15 inches. I love it! I took the picture from the side so you don't see my reflection.

Finishing this one

First, I stitched a bead in each of the four corners. then I trimmed the front and back a few threads beyond the back stitching. I apologize for the blurry photos. I grabbed the little camera instead of running back upstairs to get the Nikon, so bear with me.
Then, starting in the center, I pinned a corner of the back, and whipped stitched both sets of back stitching together. This is what creates the unusual shape, in case you have not made one.
I stitched all the way around, leaving the fourth side open and then stuffed it with quilt batting--which I always have on hard for ornaments--packing it really tight.

This is what it looks like from the top after I stitched the button on really tight to a button on the bottom and pulling the thread through both. Below is what it looks like from the side.Cute, huh?

And the back

I did the border around the front with back stitch, and did the border for the back and stitched in the wording required. The wording is only stitched with one strand of the Waterlilies so it is very faint. Sorry about that. Tomorrow, I will start stitching this one together.