Off her rocker and then some

Back to work on the Toyland Rocking Horse canvas!  I finally finished what seemed like an endless stretch of rocker, working it in an encroaching gobelin stitch with Burmilana #3506.  And all the background of Vineyard Silk Classic "Tea" is completed at the bottom of the canvas--all I can stitch, that is, until I remove the canvas from the stretcher bars to finish the half-inch remaining.

Then I started filling in some of the remaining areas:  mostly French knots in DMC floss for the berries nestled in the holly and the pompom on the hat of the Jack-in-the-Box, as well as a few missed stitches I'd identified while working on the rocker.

I'm working now on the ballerina doll, who has a hairdo of satin stitches using DMC Medici wool and a crown of satin stitches with Kreinik #12 tapestry braid #092.  DMC floss #776 in satin stitches provided the cuffs of her sleeves and waist sash.  I outlined the edges of her petticoat with the same floss, then filled the area in with white floss to accentuate the ruffles.  Her bodice, begun with a diagonal oblong cross stitch with white floss on the right sleeve, needs to be finished next.  I'm getting close to a finish!