As I was marking out the jacquard pattern on the canvas for the "Judy/Anne" collaboration, DH happened to walk by. He watched me for several seconds, then casually remarked, "Do you really need to do that?" "No," I replied, "as long as you don't mind listening to me swear a lot!"
Marking the canvas proved to be extremely helpful, given the irregular outline of Judy Harper's seahorse in particular. When I actually started to stitch the background, compensating around the seahorse was a piece of cake!
Now for the threads I used! Maybe I should change the name of my blog to The Frugal Stitcher, because what I've essentially created is the most inexpensive overdye imaginable. I combined two plies of DMC floss #3848 (left) and two plies of DMC #518 (right) to produce an entirely different color that's not exactly solid but exactly the shade I was aiming for. Not that DMC Corporation doesn't have enough shades of blue--I counted close to 70 on its color card--but I couldn't find just the right single color I had in mind. When using this combination in the section stitched over two threads, it appears lighter; in every other row of "framing" stitches, it appears darker.
And, just to add a little contrast to this blend as well as some sparkle, I stitched the remaining "framing" row with Kreinik #12 tapestry braid #006. This blue metallic thread brought out the "blue" in the over-two stitches, but accented the "green" in the framing stitches--neat, huh?
As you can see, I have a lot more water to stitch before thinking about what colors to choose for the fishes themselves!
5 comments:
This is amazing and wonderful - the rendition of the water!! I love "Frugal Stitcher" - even trying to be frugal these days, and using less expensive threads, the investment in stash can be staggering. So many creative effects can be achieved if one just thinks about it. Good work you've done!!
It is fantastic! This will be another fun one to watch!!
Love watching your designs come to life. It's like watching a flower unfold.
I love your blending of threads to create the unusual shades. It's good to see something so unique done with DMC floss, which is available everywhere and more affordable. Great job!
Hi Anne,
Very neat and definitely looks like water!
I like the idea of frugal stitcher though I must admit I am not a frugal stitcher though I do use a lot of DMC. Available everyone and what a wonderful color range.
I'm now building up slowly over time my Splendor collection as I really like working with silk. Lot's of fun and even though it's more expensive one of those cards lasts a long, long time! :-)
Cynthia
Windy Meadow
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