Instead of...

It is that time of year, veggies and fruit abound!  Instead of stitching....like I planned.....I canned tomatoes.  Do your fingers turn red after peeling and stuffing those devils in the jars?  Mine do!  Then, the Red Haven peaches are in so, of course, I had to make peach jam.  Adding insult to the injury of the time spent doing this, that darn maid never shows up, so, while the tomatoes were processing in the canner, I cleaned up the kitchen mess. And wash my arms clear to the elbow!   Not nearly as much fun as stitching, but I know we will enjoy the goodies this winter.  Oh, and one more thing.....I am not going to the farmer's market again for at least two weeks!  And, now, I think I will go and read the paper and put my feet up and contemplate stitching a lot tomorrow.

You can see it

You can see the end of the background Brick Stitching to be done!  Next round on this one will finish all the Brick stitches and I will be able to work snow flakes.....good thing, since it is going  to get warmer here!

Fours

I did all four of the  #4 patches.  This was worked with two needles.  One had two strands of Soie D Alger and the other a strand of Kreinik.  In the closeup photo there are two sections, one under the purple and one on top of the purple.  In the top overall photo, you can also see the new blue on the top left that I have started patches #5.

Just over 2

Actually the Brick stitch is worked over two threads, but I was referring to the fact that I worked on this just over 2 hours and this is where I am at.  I think some evil demon snuck in here yesterday and took out what I had done.  I thought that two more sessions would have finished the gray, but I am rethinking it will be two more.....and, just in case, I marked the back side to make sure no one is ripping out what I am putting in while I am not looking!

Patches #3

All five of the Purple Patches, or number 3, are done.  I finished all the background tent stitches with the stripped strand of Trebizond to complete each one.  Reminds me of the Dolly Parton song, "Coat of many colors".  (Not that I am that old, but someone told me about it!  LOL)

Will you look at that?

I stitched almost two inches of Brick stitch and can see the bottom of the background!  Stitching at this pace, I should have the background finished in two more sessions.  Woohoo!

Two shots

 

 

 

 

Here is the full photo of the progress for today.  I worked on Patches number 3.  I had already put in the diagonal Kreinik.  I then used two strands of Soie D'Alger and laid in the diagonal patterns in all the areas.

 

Last, I started filling in the open thread around each area with an unplied single strand from Trebizond to do the tent stitching in between.  Trebizond is a triple twist which I undid and then used single strands to do this
stitch.  Cool!  I only just started this one so I will finish all the others on the next visit.

Down the sides

I completed the Brick stitch down both sides to the snow!  A few more sessions and the background will be done.

As a side note:  we took Bernadette to the framer today and she will be ready in a couple of weeks!

Patch 2, Step 3 & 4

Working on the six patches number two, I added half cross stitches in the open area with more of the Soie D'Alger and then a single strand of Kreinik for a bit of sparkle.  That finished patch number two.  I then started Patches number 3 by long stitching in Kreinik across the open areas.

Inching along

I worked on the Cool Cardinal background today and managed to get down past the snow on both sides...you will have to enlarge the picture (by clicking on it) to tell....And, that is not a shoe print on the right.  It was gorgeous outside today, so I took him outside for a breath of fresh air and set him on the patio table to take the photo.  Note to self:  don't do this again without a cloth to lay the canvas on.  Duh!

Layering

Patch 2 is a series of stitches.  I have finished all the long stitches with the single strand of Trebizond.  I then added diagonal stitches on top of the Trebizond with two strands of Soie D"Alger in all six of the patches.  There are two more steps yet to do in the patch and I will start that on the next stitching day for this piece.

It is Bernadette

Yes, she is all done but the framing.  I finished her hair with the Estaz first.  I then added all the Mill Hill embellishments she called for.  She has a black star at the end of her hat, the half moon on the hat, two red star cheeks, a pumpkin at her throat, bicones for buttons on her cape, two green leaves on the pumpkins, and more stars, iridescent ones, on her shoes.  I lastly added a strand of purple Estaz at the bottom of her cape and couched it down with a single strand of Balger blending filament.  Her name was then stitched with purple ribbon!  She is a happy witch ready for fun!

Shoes plus

I admit it.  I could not stand it.....it is so close to being stitched and all the fun stuff is coming up!  LOL   So,
I stitched the shoes in basketweave with the ribbon floss.Then, I added the stem on the pumpkin.  And on to the fun stuff--her hair is stitched with orange Estaz!  I love this part!  I hope to finish her stitching tomorrow!

Two areas

Today I did the underskirt first.  It is worked with six strands of black floss and a strand of Kreinik purple blending filament in a diagonal stitch.  Next, I also did another diagonal stitch over two for the rust and over three for the green Kreinik ribbons to create her socks.  She is quite proud of her socks!

Boring, you say?

Yes, a tad, but I think I actually got more done today than last time!  I set the T pin there in case you have trouble telling where I am at!  LOL  DH eveb said it is going to take a long time to get that gray part done!  At least he did not call it sewing today!

Patch 1

All of the #1 Patches are done.  After doing the first step with the Sparkle Rays, I went back and finished the design by adding two strands of Soie D Alger aroun the Sparkle Rays.  I then started Patch #2 by laying in lines of pale green Trebizond and then the design will be worked on top of that.....see the one on the far left?  I barely started it but you can see a bit.
Arlene, send me an email if you need more info on the brick stitch.....I responded to the post but not sure if I answered your question....

The 3rd cardinal

Here is the third cardinal from Charley Harper designs, painted by Susan Treglown.  This is the last one in the grouping of three that I will be doing.  This one is 10 x 12 on 13 count.  Notice it does not have the same gray background as the other two but is a happy little thing, isn't he?

Pumpkin

I stitched Bernadette's pumpkin!  It is done with six strands of DMC floss with three strands of two different colors blended along with q/16 ribbon in Kreinik 027 using alternating rows for the Byzantine stitch.  I ran out of time to get the stem done, but all of the pumpkin is done.

More than half

I worked on the background again today on Cool Cardinal.  I figure I am more than half way to the cardinal!

The hood

I apologize for the picture....I forgot to put the white behind the canvas so it would show up better!  I stitched the hood by first laying six strands of floss horizontally on the right side.....I came back vertically with three stands of Soie D Alger, also carefully laying it in.  Next I started the "patches of her cape by using Sparkle Rays for fill in the three areas by the hood.

Almost dressed

I finished working the dress with the rest of the Scotch sitches in black floss.  Next I filled in all the rest of the dress with black Ribbon floss, in short and long gobelin stitches.  The green ribbon floss collar is worked in diagonal satin stitches!  Next up is the underskirt!

Snow

First I did several more rows of the Brick stitch for the background using two strands of Splendor 976.  Then, I decided to start on the snow flakes.  I wanted these a bit different from the first piece flakes, so I chose to work them in Caron Snow in white...how appropo?!  Anyway, I first did a rice stitch and then am alternating additional diagonals....some are // and some are going in the opposite direction so they don't all look alike.

Four way tent

I started with the lining of the hood, sleeves, and cape.  It is all worked in the4 way stitch with one strand of Soie D'Alger.  There are five areas but I did a close up so you could see all but the one at the hem of the robe.

The cape is finished.

I added a purple cross stitch in Kreinik on top of the green to finalize the layered stitches in the cape.  Next I picked up six strands of black floss and am laying them in scotch stitches on the dress.  Looks like a checkerboard at this point.