Almost There - Britty Kitty

I had some time last night so I worked a little on my granddaughter's Xmas stocking and actually made some progress. I will finish it this weekend. All that will be left is to cut out the fabric and sew it all together with an appropriate hanger. After last year's stockings, I know I can stitch all the stockings together in no time at all and the hand stitching for the lining is nothing. I enjoy hand stitching. I used to make stuff teddy bears with faux fur and sewed them all by hand.

Now to the reveal.

This is last weekend's work.

Last night's contribution. Almost there. I think the Rainbow Gallery white Wisper thread and Kreinik blending filament and #4 braid give it an added dimension that is very nice. I can't wait to see where spontaneity takes me next.

Happy stitching.

On an Asian Roll

Since I was already here and couldn't get the previous post to give me any more space, I'm putting the update for the Japanese Maiden here.

This is where I stopped to work on Xmas stockings. I love this design and I can't wait until it's finished, framed, and ready to hang. I'm keeping this one for myself.

Here's a closeup of the new details. Still have the outside to work on, but it's getting there and I'm really happy with what is coming from the threads. I'm so glad I decided to do this one. It's beautiful.

Happy stitching.

Stitching with Gold

I worked on the Xmas sled stocking this past weekend and actually got somewhere. I left in old stitches that will eventually be pulled so you can see the difference between using 4 stitches instead of the 2 listed, especially when working with the gold wire. The wire reminds me of DMC's gold filament wire, which I also bought and will be using on one of the Celtic group, Celtic Christmas.

 I began the lettering too far left and the letters look faint.

As you can see, the gold thread looks much more prominent here. I'm not happy about the single thread that holds the gold in place because I can see it. 

Here the couching on the top of the sled is much clearer and I like the curlicues that form off the leaves. Much still isn't done, but there a lot more done than what I started with over the weekend.

In this closeup, you can see the individual details better.

The pine boughs are all done here as are the pine cones and the leafy detail. The leaves are made by combining the gold filament wire and the floss. Seen in person, it glitters with just enough gold.

On the left hand side, geese fly by in the cold winter sky at dawn. There are no special gold threads here, just half and full crosses and back stitching in 2 colors: black and brown, to make the geese look like they're flying.

This is a closer view of the geese. The effect is like impressionist art, more effective from a distance.









This has been a complex project, but I am glad I tackled it and am close to finishing. All that is left is the gold couching on the ribbons, some trees, a bit of back stitching, and putting on the name, and then it's time to cut out the stocking, backing, and lining for the inside and stitch it all together. I'll attach a braided hanger I already made and set it aside for Xmas. I'm already anxious to begin on the next project and the one after that and the one after that.

There are plenty of frustrations and a lot of fun in cross stitching, but for me the payoff is giving the work away to someone who will appreciate it. It's no fun keeping it all to myself.

Happy stitching.

Slowly and surely

I began the odious task of back stitching, which I often call outlining. It's the same thing. Back stitching is the type of stitch used to outline features in cross stitch. As you can see, the cardinals look much more there, even without their French knot eyes.

I began my back stitching with the church, mostly because I wanted to know how it looked with the fence and railings and if it would be more there. The church and surrounding landscape is composed of half cross stitches and it does indeed look very much there.

As I began on the sled, I noticed that the lines would not be straight if I used shorter stitches and the longer stitches would be easier to snag, hence I decided to use long stitches and tack them down in a sort of hybrid couched/back stitched method. There are some unfinished pine branches on the right side of the sled and they look much less defined as the branches on the center of the sled. I'll do the ribbon last as that requires couching of the gold wire. Best to put the other stitches in first. (Click on the pictures to get a closer view.)

In the end -- and it's still a bit away from now since I don't have a lot of time to work on the stocking -- it's all about doing the best job possible. I think this is turning out to be quite pretty. I'm please with it -- so far.

That is all. Disperse.

Getting there

There were times I thought I'd never get this one don. There are so many color changes: a couple stitches here and then a few more over there and then over there and over there with no discernible pattern to the stitches. That is what makes this stocking in particular a real bear to do. But here I am in the final stages, beginning the outlining and putting the name on the stocking. (click on picture for close-up)

The name is done by couching, running two gold wire threads around in the shape of letters and tacking them down with a coordinating color of floss. I don't mind couching when it's free form or even a little structured, but doing letters . . . not so much. 

Dimensions makes this particular pattern and they do include everything. A whole lot of gold wire for blending elements, couching, and outlining, and a less than adequate amount of floss for the rest of the project. Some colors are in short supply, which is why it is necessary to make the stitches perfect the first time. There is almost no room for error in this complex pattern. Dimensions provides sufficient beads and gold wire, but not enough thread in the colors that matter the most. I don't know about you, but I don't like substituting DMC (or Anchor or whatever brand you use) for the packaged thread. Colors within different dye lots can be very different, so imagine colors from a different company. You would have to have either a color chart from the company (preferably with actual thread and not just a photo) in order to get as close as possible, but don't count on getting a perfect match. The odds are not in your favor. 

I'm proud of what I've accomplished, in spite of the frustration, agony, and nearly chucking the whole thing, but then I hear my mother's voice telling me I never finish anything and I keep going. In fits and false starts at time, but the results are plain to see. I'm nearly done. 

The picture is lovely and will look even better once all the back stitching is finished, and there is a sense of pride in getting this one finished at last. I bought the kit from 123stitch.com and recommend them for their customer service. I would have preferred to have just the pattern and buying my own materials, but there is not that option with Dimensions, and especially not Dimensions Gold. I have found that Dimensions often miscalculates the materials, giving more than enough for some and not enough of more crucial threads. Still, it is a beautiful pattern and, aside from the fussy little stitch changes, not too difficult if you're a seasoned stitcher.

If you want to make this particular stocking, get your kits now. Dimensions also retired some kits sooner than others.

Happy stitching.