Reinventing the wheel AND a blog birthday

Sometimes, the best-laid plans go awry. Such was the case with Cecil's coat, with a windowpane pattern. The windowpane is usually woven into a tweed, which is what I was aiming for. In the photo at left, you can see where I'd started stitching the right-hand side of the coat with the skip-tent technique. Every other canvas thread was stitched with Trio "Natural," with Trio "Black" to follow. Well, the black followed--and created a concentric circle pattern which was definitely NOT what I was expecting. I didn't bother to take a photo--I hate to see grown people cry--or cringe!

While probably more suitable for the coat of a snake-oil salesman, you may actually see this concentric circle pattern eventually on another garment--it's totally neat, but more Carnaby Street than Savile Row--and also for something like a dressing gown or fancy vest.

What to do? Why, paint another canvas, of course! The photo on the right is my second--and final--attempt. I've worked it in a Scotch stitch with Felicity's Garden "Granite," which will later be framed with tent stitches.

I actually started stitching both canvases with the black lapels, belt, pocket flap and buttonholes. No, I'm not totally crazy--I'm familiar enough with black Petite Very Velvet to know its occasional quirks. I've found that approximately one out of four cards of this thread will produce copious fuzz. I tried a little the first time and that was the case, so I kept stitching all the black and, when I was finished, gave the whole canvas a good brushing. Goodbye, black flecks--which would have loved lodging themselves in the soft threads of Trio "Natural" that I used the first time for the top of the sweater vest.

Having pretty much depleted my stash of Trio "Natural," I'll need to switch to another thread to work the sweater, which abuts the coat and must be finished before I can go back to the windowpane pattern.

A Blog Birthday

Tomorrow will mark the beginning of the fourth year of The Cape Stitcher. I'll be on the road early, taking No. 1 son to the airport for his trip back to Kansas--sigh. So I wanted to take this opportunity to thank all of you who have visited from time to time, watching my progress in stitching painted canvases. If you enjoy reading about my explorations in needlepoint half as much as I do pursuing them, my time is well spent!