A Feathered Fatima!

Here she is! LOL!
First, I finished the back with some of the gold lame--she needs the glitz, don't ya know?--over some of the craft foam. I centered a piece of gold cording for the hanger and tucked in to the inside. Next, I got out the old Singer and sewed around all the sides, leaving the bottom open. I then turned it inside out and stitched the bottom shut. This apparently was the easy part! Sewing fluffy feathers on the sides was total fun--little fluffs of pink feathers float in the air, while I stab myself with a very sharp needle! But, we think she is beautiful and I know she is going to be welcomed in her new home.

As Jane says, thank goodness there wasn't glue and glitter involved!


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She is stitched!

Here she is, in all her glory! Next I will turn her into an ornament and you will see the finished photo of that in a few days. Thanks, again to Janet Burnett of A Collection of Designs for her permission to blog stitch this piece.
I have another one of the Collection of Designs canvas in my stash, and you will see that in the future.
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The Tulip Study is framed! And, Fatima .....

I finally picked up the Tulip Study from the framer! It is a wooden shadow box, with a gold mat to accent the gold in the border. I also put museum quality glass on the front of this one. Notice I did not get a reflection from the camera!

I also have been stitching away on the background for Fatima the Flamingo! She is really getting close to be done!

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More about birds and attaching canvas

You can pick on me later, but I read the Martha Stewart blog every few days. She takes great trips, has a great flower garden, and photos to go along with them. This morning she has great pictures of barn swallow babies! Take a look!



http://blogs1.marthastewart.com/martha/2008/06/a-sneak-peek-at.html#more



Madonna noticed that I don't tape the edges of my canvas from yesterday's post! Good eye! She asked that I explain. I started using Evertites a while back and now have a sets of 2-10", 2- 12", 2- 14", and 2- 16". Thank heavens for birthdays, etc. Anyway, due to the ability for tightening works in progress, I won't use anything else now. I have found that my stitching is less distorted. So to accomodate my different canvas pieces, I zigzag strips of muslin to canvas pieces so they will "fit" in the Evertites! If the canvas is a 10 x 10, I simply staple it right to the frame, and do not tape the edges at all. I rarely use tape on a canvas. This is just my preference and I am not preaching to anyone on how to attach a canvas. I hope that answers the questions, Madonna, and if not, please leave me a note.

Beginning the Background

I am back to stitching and the background is worked in the Hungarian stitch using 6 strands of Splendor 879. The Hungarian stitch makes a very nice diamond pattern, adding some texture, but not so much as to detract from the design. Nice choice of stitches by Janet Burnett, the designer, don't you think?
I hope to finish the background by the weekend. I hope you are enjoying this fun, quick stitch!

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I will be right back...

We have some company for a few days, so my stitching has had to sit on the side, and wait for me for a little while longer. Be back soon with the background on Fatima.

mirror blog: http://360.yahoo.com/needleartnut

Leaves and a bow

Tonight I filled in the holly leaves and the bow. Janet called for using J.L. Walsh silk for the holly and Flair for the bow. I did not have any of the colors called for and so I substituted from my stash. I used Vineyard Silks for the leaves and Neon Rays Plus for the bow. I also changed the stitches she called for. I did a stem stitch for the vein and tent stitched the rest of the leaves. The bow is also done in a tent stitch, and then I did put the X on the center for the knot.

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She's got legs!

Tonight I finished the underbelly with four strands of the Splendor 898, outlined the wing with the 819, and did some Random Split stitches to finish off the tail. Then, using Splendor 877, again in four ply, I worked the Split of Encroaching Gobelin over two for the nose, and legs. I added an eye, and although Janet did not say to, I gave Fatima a couple of eyelashes! Girls just gotta have fun!

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Getting fuzzy

Tonight I took four more strands of Splendor 898 and added a strand of Wisper and did the Nobuku stitch across his back and wing. You will also see a few of the stitches are done with the Splendor 819 and a strand of Wisper. You will notice there are a few compensating stitches to fit the body shape, and that there is the aura of fuzzy! LOL

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Let the stitching begin...

Following my instructions, I first started stitching at the top with 4 ply of Splendor 898. When I got to the eye, I added my own light around it with Splendor 897, and the did the black cross with 4 ply of black DMC. It was painted a lot lighter around the eye, and I decided to make that small change. Continuing down, I added the shading with Splendor 819 under the chin and down the side of the neck. All the stitches so far are Interlocking Gobelin, worked over two. This is great fun and going to stitch pretty quick!

This is Fatima, the Flamingo by Janet Burnett of A Collection of Designs. The website for other great designs is: http://www.acollectionofdesigns.com/

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