Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Already half-way there


I was quite disappointed when the tree-topper angel canvas I'd been working on turned out to be poorly painted. The stitch count for the front didn't match the back, which would have produced a cock-eyed mess for a finisher had I gone ahead with the tree-topper idea. I finished stitching Emily as a one-sided ornament--pretty, but one-sided.

Then it hit me: I already had the front of an angel that I dearly loved, tucked away safely in a drawer for more than two years. It was the December angel, painted by Judy Harper for me as December is my birth month. I stitched it for her Nov/Dec 2010 column in Needlepoint Now, blog-stitching it with her permission in August of that year. She insisted that I keep it, but I hadn't decided how to finish it. Now I know!

I got out my graph paper, carefully counted the stitches from the finished canvas, and then painted the outline on canvas in mirror image. I decided to simplify the flowers on the angel's skirt, adding just a sprig of holly at the bottom. I'll be stitching this back as my next project--just for me, a one-of-a-kind angel that will have much more meaning for me than any canvas I could have purchased.

4 comments:

Needle Nicely said...

What a great idea! I'm sure Judy will be looking over your shoulder as you stitch.

The Chilly Hollow Needlepoint Adventure said...

Aren't you clever!? That'll be the most wonderful double sided angel ever!

Cyn said...

Hi Anne,

What a wonderful idea!

Judy is smiling. :-)

Cynthia

Jan said...

I remember this angel and the colors and stitches are so perfect for her. I'm glad you thought to make her double-sided. It will be a true treasure for years to come.