Last weekend, I wrapped up another column for Needlepoint Now and decided I needed a break before jumping into the project for the next one. I'd been scouring my stitch books recently, and came across a few stitches that intrigued me. They were totally different from ones I use a lot for stitching models, but also totally cool!
It occurred to me: why not practice some of these stitches in a more formatted way than the typical stitch notebook? After a lot of counting on graph paper, I came up with a grid within a six-inch square to accommodate three of these stitches. I dumped out a bunch of perle cotton and floss from my stash--wild and crazy colors that I definitely wouldn't be using any time soon to stitch a lighthouse!
I've started stitching on top and bottom borders, using DMC #5 perle cotton #335 (hot pink) in a slanted gobelin stitch over three threads. I added DMC #5 perle cotton #208 in two bands of slanted gobelin stitches over two threads, and filled in the area between them with DMC floss #776. I'd already painted the lighter pink bands to insure coverage, since I used only two plies of floss here. On top of the pink I added my first new stitch--a quodlibet border, stitched with three plies of DMC floss #3340.
I've already added stripes of slanted gobelin stitches over two threads, which divide the center section into three areas for the next new stitches, using DMC #5 perle cotton #210. I'll finish the bottom border, just like the top, before moving inside.
3 comments:
Oh my, I do like this. Can't wait to see what else you come up with.
What a nice change of pace. It looks like fun!
So much fun to watch a genius at work!
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