Wednesday, April 28, 2010

To the lighthouse


I've stitched the Presque Isle North Pierhead lighthouse itself, maintaining the illusion of nighttime in my choice of thread color.

To make it stand out from the sky, which was stitched with DMC cotton floss, I used DMC #5 perle cotton for the lighthouse: black in tent and satin stitches for the roof of the lantern room and #762 for the white bands, which don't appear really white at night. No decorative stitches were suitable for the bands, as the surface of the lighthouse is a smooth cast-iron, so I worked these areas in basketweave.

The door was worked in a satin stitch, outlined with DMC floss #415, and the windows completed with DMC floss #413 in a Scotch stitch or variation. I chose DMC #5 perle cotton #642 for the foundation, using a slanted gobelin stitch over two threads.

With a few tent stitches in Kreinik #12 tapestry braid #003, the lantern was lit--and I love the way it twinkles in the night sky!

1 comment:

Possibilities, Etc. said...

The red beacon does twinkle and glow, and the night sky is very effective - due to the moon, I think. I hope you get the water and the reflection done soon, as I'm anxious to see. Good job on explaining the "why" of your thread and stitch choices.