Three and a quarter?

I am calling it 3 and a quarter of the corners done!  LOL  The corners are a nice
lacey effect to the summer garden.  After I finish the last corner tomorrow I have one
lesson left to go!
Anna:  I stitch on Evertite frames and stitch in the well as I am using a laying tool
and can set it down while ending threads.

Two and starting three

Corner two is finished and I have started corner number three!  Progress for sure!

One done!

I finished the first corner!  After the diagonal stitches are done, a row of reverse tent stitches are done on each side of those stitches and as you can see, the corner on the left is done.  I started corner two and instead of doing all the diagonal stitches and then the reverse tent stitches, I am doing each as I move from the left to the right.

Three and Four

The rest of lesson three consisted of filling in the center diamond area by doing a rose stitch in the 2941.  Then using the 192 braid partial rose stitches were created in the four corners.  Lastly, using the yellow floss, double wrapped cross stitches are used to fill in between the partial roses.  Next, I moved on to Lesson 4 and have started the Open diagonal Scotch Pattern using 2 strands of the Waterlilies which is called Opal and it is a very pale yellow to white overdyed.  This pattern will be worked on all four of the corners to form the rectangle.

Summer Reflections

Starting Lesson 3 begins with flat filler stitches in the triangle area on the top and bottom and then using the Kreinik 182 to fill in the upright crosses.  This is the beginning of turning the design into a rectangle.  This would be pretty even without the rest of the fill in! 
Beth:  I am rotating projects and the Eyes will be back

Lower Right Corner

The lower right corner is done!  This is first worked by setting up the pattern with the 005 black Kreinik.  then the detail pattern is filled in with 215 in #8.  Just the lower left pattern left to go!  This is moving fairly quickly!

The Border is done!

I finished the rest of the diagonal stitches with the copper cord and finished the border.  The original design did call for all of these stitches to be done in the black Kreinik but I felt it was overpowering and want the center of the design to be the first thing to catch your eye so I changed it--you are not surprised?!

Up close

I did a really closeup so you can see what I did today.  Finally, I finished the last pair of silver Jap around the
outside.  Next I moved back to the copper and gold.  I extended the copper cross stitches done on the  right by adding diagonal stitches to each leg using the copper cord.  Then I am coming back and adding two diagonal and one straight stitch over the top of the gold pairs.  Hope that makes sense!  Very slow going and doesn't look like I got much done, however, each of the stitches has to go under the gold pairs.

Upper Left Background

Getting back to Ocean Waves, I worked another round of the outside border with the Japanese silver and tying it down with the black Kreinik.  I then worked the upper left background.  It consisted of laying in a grid with #8 215 Kreinik and then coming back and filling in first with Kreinik 021 in #8 in the back and run technique.  Last, using Kreinik #4 in 032 I stitched the box designs in each row.

Growing Octagons

I finished step 15 by doing eight point stars and stitched one in each of three colors on each side, then repeated the thread changes with Rhodes stitches.  The Rhodes stitches are done over three and four for variations.  The threads used are all Bijoux in two strands of 438, 439, and 465.  Again, there will be bling added later in the center octagon.  I then moved out and started step 16 which is more Smyrna Crosses with the 3 ply of Gloriana 066A.

10 to 14

This is steps 10 through 14 completed.  Step 10 is using two strands of Bijoux 465 and I did small star Jessicas, two on each side near the inner circle in turquoise.  Step 11 is the Rhodes stitches done in the lavender Sparkle braid under and next to the the large Crescents.  Step 12 is more Jessicas done inside the Neon Rays squares. Step 13 is small ray stitches between the Large Crescents in the lavender again.  This completed the inside circle except for the beads and crystals which will be put in later.  Step 14 is the start of the small border section and 2 strands of Bijoux are used to create 3 x 3 Jessicas all around.  I am now on page 9 of the 30 pages!

Steps 6-9

Step six called for using Neon Rays 120 to create the Large Star Jessicas below the crescents from yesterday.
In step 7  using Pebbly Perle 86, the dark purple, Plaited Rays are stitched and then filled in with Fyre Werks 38.  The pattern called for Holo Fyre Werks FH9 which has been discontinued, so my shop owner contacted Rainbow Gallery and they said to substitute this as it was the closest in color. Step 8 is Loop Crescents inside the Large aqua crescents and is worked with 4 strands of Bijoux 439.  Step 9  was to fill inside the loop Crescents with long stitches.  The pattern called for Holo Frye Werks in 7 which is also no longer made, so they said to use Gold Rush 14 in 686C.  On all future call outs for these fibers, I will only mention the ones I am using

Adding on

I have moved out six threads and done a second border of Smyrna Cross Stitches using three strands of the Gloriana 066A leaving a space for future stitches.  Next the directions called for Large Crescents worked with 3 plies of Gumnuts 468.  This is a lovely fiber to work with!  It has a slight variegation in it as well.  Progress is this completes step 5 and I have finished page 5 of 30 in the instructions.

Center Border & Star

I started on the Venus eyes by working Smyrna Crosses with 3 play of Gloriana silk, Highland Garden Dark 066A in the center circle.  Next using Neon Rays 59, I worked the first layer of the center star.  Coming back to work the second layer, I used two strands of Bijoux 483 to lay it over the rays.  Next to the outside, I am working Smyrna crosses to create the inner ring of the next pattern.

Revising Cat's Eyes

A while ago I started Cleopatra's Eyes and did several sections of it.  The pattern is by Threedles and you can see where I stopped by looking at the labels on the side and see it under Cat's Eyes.  I found there was too much brown and green for me and realized when I bought the fibers, I had picked up the ones for Cleopatra's Eyes not the Venus' Eyes that I wanted.  So I have now accumulated the colors and some of the crystals for Venus' Eyes.  This one calls for Bijoux-all across the top, Gloriana and Gumnut in the middle, Kreinik along the left side and all the Rainbow Gallery across the bottom! It is worked on a 20 x 20 piece of blue instead of called for Lilac as I like the blue better. Let's get this one started again!

Finishing Lesson #2

I finished Lesson #2.  The top white area is worked in blanc Soie d alger in a round eyelet stitch and then the Anchor yellow cross stitches are wrapped.  To the right of that is Kreinik in a Square boss stitched with wrapped cross stitches.  Below that is the Medallion w with Smyrna crosses around it and lastly, the large area on the bottom is done in a Saint John's stitch with more yellow wrapped crosses.  Note how each side is a mirror color image of the other.
Nana has asked to see the back side of this piece.....this is an unusual request, but I took a photo of it
for you......I am not of the school that the back has to be perfect, obviously, but here it is.

Three more patterns

Mystery #4 is moving very quickly!  I have done the lower left rectangle in the Diamond Eyelet variation with Soie Perlee 2941 and then put upright cross stitches with the 2944.  The top left pattern is done with blanc Soie d Alger in Saint John's Cross Variation and then adding a cross stitch over the center of each one in the Anchor yellow floss.  This completed lesson one and Loretta notes that you should see a daisy, some queen anne's lace, a rose and some other flowers in the garden.  I then started Lesson two patterns by doing an Eyelet stitch and then filling the center of each with a French knot.

Putting in Patterns

I finished all of the outside grids which makes the width about 6.5 inches across.  Pattern A is the bottom one and that is done using Soie d Alger in white in the Asterick stitch for all five of them.  Then yellow Anchor floss adds the little back stitches and Smyrna Crosses in the bottom diamond.  To the left of that one, is Triple Rice stitch all worked in Kreinik braid and then the little cross stitches and Smyrna Crosses around it.  The top diamond is done in soie d Alger and Soie Perlee, 2941 and 2944 create the ray pattern petal and the small Jessicas along with the upright crosses.  Last, I started pattern D in the long diagonal on the left with Soie Perlee in 2941 using a Diamond Eyelet Variation.

Mystery #4

I started Loretta Spears Mystery #4, Spring, today.  It is worked on an 8 x 11 piece of rose congress cloth.  The grid pattern is the first step in Lesson One and uses a single strand of Caron Wildflowers in Opal.  Other fibers will be Waterlilies, Soie d Alger, Soie Perlee, Kreinik #8 and Anchor floss.  The top box is the grid for lesson one, and I went ahead and started doing the grid for lesson two.  Since I have already worked Mystery #3, Winter, I know that all of this series is worked in the grid boxes.

Busy, busy

First, I finished the upper right corner pattern.  The center design is a single strand of Kreinik tied down with
another single strand with the darker copper.  I then laid in row one of the outside border in the Japanese silver and tied it down with black #4 Kreinik, see the left side......then I started the next row of Japanese silver that is also tied down with the black Kreinik, but this time it is done with a cross stitch as shown on the right side.

Happy Easter!

When you are little it is all about the egg hunt!  Hope you enjoy the holiday as much as much great nephew and niece are!

Time for some variety

First, I added the first row of Japanese silver around the outside border.  I have couched with silver couching thread instead of the black again.  I then decided it was time to do some fun stuff!  I started the right upper corner pattern by first doing the design in 021C and then the next row in 021, back and forth to the center.  More to come to fill in this pattern too.

Not a single minute

I did not stitch at all today, not one minute!  Instead, I visited my mom and dad's and we are working on some
goodies for an upcoming great nephew, and a great grandson for them!  I can't say what the goodies are as the
kids read the blog, just suffice it to say that it will be blue.....
I also worked on another little boy something when I got home and that is also a surprise....you will all have to wait and see another day....
What fun to create for the little ones.....
Maybe tomorrow, probably not Sunday, but I will get back to the stitching again!

Moving out

I finished round three of the Japanese gold pairs and also did another set of the red gold outside of those.  Next up will be more lies of border working out.

Pair by Pair

I have finished round one and two of the Japanese gold pairs and am working on #3..the last round of gold.  You can see I turn the canvas work work the pairs, and here I am ready to turn it again having just completed that corner.  I have also alternated the corners that I start on to prevent on having all the tied down ends under it and therefore becoming bulky.

Laying metal

So the gold is on the third set of spools and it was time to stitch.  The instructions say to start with the Japanese Embroidery Center red gold and to couch it in place with black Kreinik.  I did use the red gold but am couching with Kreinik cord in 021C to match....this couching is actually a cross stitch.  Next, I moved to the Japanese gold #7 and that is being couched every three threads with gold silk couching thread .

 To start laying metal, the ends are plunged to the back to be tacked down with the couching thread. I unroll a bit of the fibers and hold them in my left hand while couching with my right.  This keeps even tension on the pair of threads and gets the flat look that I want of them being side by side.

  Corners are handled by first putting one stich across both strands.  Then coming up from the outside, I go down in between the two threads and hold it while laying the pair at the next angle.  The third and final stitch shares the same hole as the first stitch but goes in the new direction to make the corner.

 

Ocean Waves

 It is time to start some new projects!  First up is going to be Ocean Waves by Judy Souliotis.  The design is going to be worked on an 11 x 13 piece of 23 count Congress cloth.  I bought my kit a few years ago from her website.  http://www.judysouliotis.com/Judys_Needlework/Home.html  .  The kit contains everything except the Pearl beads but they go on last,  I am sure, and I have some of them.  So to start this project, I first wound the Japanese Silver on Koma.  I then also needed the  JEC deep red-gold (copper looking one).  Since I only had one pair of Koma free, I used size 16 empty spools from my metallics...worked great.  I still have to wind the Japanese Gold and will also use more of my spools for it.

 

 

Why do you wind it on a Koma?  Because if you don't, you will have a major rats nest in a matter of seconds for one.  Number two, these fibers will be worked in pairs of two and using them this way makes your life a lot simpler.  Okay.....so how do you do this?  First make an over hand knot with one end of the fiber after very carefully untying the end knots.  Hold the end of the fiber tautly in your left hand or make your hubby hold it, like I did!  Turn the Koma towards you as you are adding over twist to the fiber....winding the other way will expose the silk core.  After winding about half onto one, repeat for the other....How easy is that?!

Framed Mystic

After a trip to the framer's we now have Mystic back!  This is the one that I totally changed the colors on to reflect my sister's tastes.  It is matted in black and in a polished copper frame....totally awesome!  And, she loves it....it will hang at her house now!