Monday, June 28, 2010

Two down, one to go


The Texas postcard now joins Connecticut in the "finished" column! Here are a few observations I made as I completed stitching the center section.

When I added the bluebonnet leaves in satin stitch in the bottom right corner, I knew my approach to the green shaded bottom section was on target: see how the darkest green floss to the left of the star balances nicely with the leaves?

I struggled with the Lone Star, thinking originally that I'd work it in a textured stitch to make it stand out from the background. I ripped out my initial choice--diagonal oblong cross--frankly, because it looked horrid! Then I remembered a problem I'd had last year on an "underwater" project in which my little angel fish disappeared into the vibrant background. The solution to re-establishing the fishy's identity had been to outline it--so I first outlined the star in the darker shade of floss, and in so doing, made it stand out front and center!

I did a little research on the internet to help me choose just the right shades of floss to stitch the armadillo, the official small mammal of Texas. To my surprise, I learned that female armadillos always bear litters of quadruplets--either all male or all female!

I know--I'm a bit of a research freak!--but in looking at photos of bluebonnets to pick the right shade of blue, I realized that there's a little white tip on the flower clusters. So I started stitching with white French knots, then adding the light blue and finally the predominant darker blue.

On to Kansas, to complete my set of three Denise DeRusha postcards!

6 comments:

Possibilities, Etc. said...

Well done!!!! The bluebonnet looks like a bluebonnet. Now I'm looking forward to Kansas. I need to get one for Florida, I think.

M&Co. said...

You stitch beautifully!

Anonymous said...

Just super! Your son is really going to enjoy these. Can't wait to see Kansas, since I also have a son that lives there.

Kareen said...

Yee Hawww!!!!!! Texas looks wonderful! :] Keep stitchin'!

Cyn said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Cyn said...

Hi Anne,

Very nice!

I'm also enjoying our description of how and why you are picking your stitches and threads.

DH went to college at KU so I'll have fun seeing the Kansas canvas come to life. :-)

Thank you!

Cynthia
Windy Meadow

The deleted comment was from me. Typing issues... Sigh...