Heading for the hills

Humpty Dumpty is now sitting beneath a needle-blended sky! Beginning at the top of the canvas, using four plies of DMC cotton floss #827, I then followed the following recipe:

Second row: DMC floss #827 - three plies; DMC floss #828 - one ply
Third row: DMC floss #827 - two plies; DMC floss #828 - two plies
Fourth Row: DMC floss #827 - one ply; DMC floss #828 - three plies

I then headed to the hills behind him. I knew I needed some non-directional stitches that maintained a low profile for these areas as well as some thinner threads. I like to use silk/wool blends for natural elements--to me, anyway, they look softer--so I rummaged in my stash and found three different shades of Impressions, probably the thinnest silk/wool blend thread I own.

For the distant hill on the left, I used Impressions #5061 in a Nobuko stitch. On the right, the distant hill was worked with Impressions #083 in a diagonal vertical oblong cross stitch. Both of these stitches produce a low profile so the background stays in the background. (You might remember the last time I used the diagonal vertical oblong cross stitch was on the shawl in the Shaker clock canvas--amazing the difference in the look of a stitch when you use such varying threads!)

For the nearest hill, I used Impressions #065 in a diagonal horizontal cashmere stitch to give this area a slightly higher profile without fighting Humpty in the foreground. I like the look created by mixing three different greens--they blend nicely with the sky and look more realistic.

I think it's high time poor Humpty put some pants on, so I'll be working on that area next.