Yes, I finished all the border stitching tonight! The Dalmatian is ready to finish. Jane in Chilly Hollow is writing the finishing instructions for those of us that are stitching these Guardian Angel Pets so I will set this aside for a while. I will post a photo when he is all finished and ready to fly to Chilly Hollow.
I worked on the wings last night. I finally decided on the Angel's Wings pattern in Linda Corirossi's book, Canvas Embellishment, Exquisite Needlepoint Stitches Made Simple. It suggested using two different fibers. I did the first pass in Neon rays. Then, I did four or five other threads and did not like any of them! I finally settled on the #12 Kreinik braid in color 100. I finished it tonight. Then I resumed the basketweave around the outside edge. I made it to around the bottom of the top overskirt. It is the home stretch!
I used some of the blue Goldrush and two strands of the gold and braided a halo for this angel. Then I started filling in the background around the win and down to the top of the overskirt. Tomorrow I will fill in the wings and hopefully get a little more background done!
No, I haven't forgotten Mr. Tudor dog. You can see I have been working on him along with the finishing of the other two pieces. I did his head using four strands of black and white DMC, and outlining his head with a single strand of black. His eye has a tiny French Knot for his highlight. And, I have done a lot of background on him. I have the collar, his halo and the wings left to do. And, a lot more background! He will be done before we know it!
Remember last night, I said I could not decide about the underskirt border? After I finished the blog, I sat looking through the instructions and the photo, and I figured it out! The overskirt border was to start in the center under the sleeve and make the curved shaped up to the top of the piece, in an entirely different pattern! I had misunderstood. So, I decided that I would continue the same pattern for both skirts so it all matches. I really did not want to rip all that out and start over. I think it looks just fine....that is just my opinion, but I am staying with it. I also added the Mill Hill Petite beads, 42041 to the center of the gold designs in the sleeve. I finished the background on the left under the paw, and then started the background on the right at the bottom edge of the skirts.
Adding the border on the underskirt was a bit of indecision for me. I could not quite tell the direction I was to follow for the top, so as always, I did what I thought looked the best. I started with the Kreinik gold and worked oblong cross stitches vertically at the bottom of the underskirt. Then I worked horizontal stitches across the top of it. Then I outlined the entire thing, again using the gold. Last, I put in upright cross stitches to fill in the X created by the oblong cross stitches. This is one classy angel!
I started the bodice by working a diagonal Mosaic stitch in the blue Gold Rush. Next the Mistake Stitch using the 002HL was put in the center of the Mosaic pattern. Last, a single French Knot is in the center using the 032 pearl Kreinik. Then, I finished compensating the sleeve to sit next to the bodice. I stitched the paw using four strands of DMC black and white.
First, I finished the flower medallion by using the gold braid to fill in the small straight stitches on top of the previously finished tent stitches. I also filled in another compensating row on the top and side. I had decided not to put in the called for flower thread but instead filled in the sleeve with the repeat pattern to make it a more solid design. I hope that makes sense to you. It is supposed to look like the material was "pinked" on the blue thereby allowing the gold flowers to show through and I thought by making the gold flower more predominant the blue would recede. I think it worked. The directions call for an upright cross stitch over the center of the flower using the pearl braid. I put in a couple and did not like them. I am thinking a bead....... Anyway, I then put in the two rows of tent stitches in Kreinik 002HL on the sleeve. I then laid two long stitches of Gold Rush between the tent stitches. Next using the 002HL, I worked the plaited cross stitch over the long stitches.
I started the sleeve tonight by changing the six strands of DMC floss for the Gold Rush I used on the outerskirt. First I worked the cross stitches and then the upright cross stitches. Next, I used the Kreinik 002HL gold to create the flower medallion in the center of each design with tent stitches. I also put in a little more of the background under the sleeve, and defining it for completing the rest of the sleeve.
This is the first step in the diaper patterned overskirt. The instructions called for DMC floss in blue. I decided to use Gold Rush 18 by Rainbow Gallery in color 26C. This is a diagonal step stitch using one strand. This is very rich looking! I also started some of the basketweave at the bottom of the underskirt in four strands of Splendor 961. I have decided to work some on the basketweave every day so I don't have to do all of it last!
Yes, the entire underskirt is now all sparkles! First I put in the single tent stitches using Kreinik 002HL, gold. Then all the rest of the area is filled in with Kreinik 032, pearl. If you noticed the away waste knots from the Panache in last night's post, you will now notice that I clipped them from the bottom of the skirt tonight. I did so after I had filled in both the gold and the pearl. I used the away waste knot to start a couple of the rows of the Panache as it is a slippery devil, but provides wonderful sheen. I also used a laying tool with the Panache even though it is a single strand. It was easier to control both the sheen and the tension by doing so.
You know me, I like shiny ornaments! Since King Henry would have loved rich, royal robes, (work with me, here) I changed the fiber from pearl cotton to Rainbow Gallery's Panache in 02, white. The diagonal heart pattern is very pretty and now shiny too!
Next up is the Tudor Dog Angel designed by Kandice Merric. This is the second ornament I am stitching along with Jane in Chilly Hollow and Margaret of Stitch with me. Margaret is way ahead of me on this one.
Yes, I finished the Georgian Rabbit Angel stitching! First, I did the wings in a leaf stitch variation using Panache in white 02. Then I did the collar in the buttonhole stitch, also using Panache 02. I then put in a backstitch in the Marlitt 812 using two strands. The cuffs are then buttonholed in Panache39, off white. A single strand of Kreinik 002 HL is laid under the stitches. For the halo, I took more of the 002 HL and made three loops around the head. Then I buttonholed over the three strands so the halo will stand up and away from the head. Next, I will basketweave the background with Splendor 961 in preparation to finish the ornament.
I did lots of things today! First I finished the overskirt by adding the darker rayon "stripes" throughout the overskirt with the Anchor 816. Next I added Mill Hill petite beads 40252 in center of the flowers in both the over and underskirt borders. Then I added his hands and head using 4 plies of DMC 425. His pink 3727 ear and nose are also DMC. His eye is worked with blue 32 Pure China Silk, highlighted with white DMC, and outlined in black with Splendor. Lastly I put his whiskers on with white DMC. I am thinking maybe this is really a she not a he! LOL Next up is to work the wings!
I had lots of time today to work on the Overskirt! I used three strands of the S211 to start the Diagonal Gobelin and completed most of the pattern. I have to fill in the white areas and will do that tomorrow, but I really like how this looks! It is very rich and almost "royal" looking!