A little face, a hint of color

After filling in the spokes of her halo with DMC floss #3753, I started giving this angel a face.  This, too, was worked in floss in basketweave, with cross stitches for the eyes and mouth.  Her hairdo was created with two strands of dark brown Burmilana in satin and long stitches.

The sleeves of her robe were also worked in basketweave with DMC floss #3753 and edged with Kreinik #12 tapestry braid #3221.  I'll fill in the remaining band on the sleeve and fold lines a little later.

Adding some shine

Starting out with the design elements calling for metallic thread, I stitched the outline and spokes of the angel's halo in basketweave and tent stitches with Kreinik #12 tapestry braid #3221.

The angel's wings had been painted in three sections, like the previously stitched angel, but I was aiming for a different look.  So I used Kreinik #12 tapestry braid #001 in a Nobuko stitch and covered the wings completely.

So far, so good--now to give this angel a face and hairdo!

Seeing double?

When DH was taking this photo of the next angel I'll be working on, he remarked, "That looks like the one you just finished!"  While the colors might be different, the design elements are similar between the two:  the halo and wings, the bell-shaped skirt, and the center panel of medallions with stylized flowers.

The photo that accompanied this angel kit shows a finished canvas worked in lavender and white, while the skeins of floss included in the kit are blue and pink.  There's obviously more than just one way to stitch this canvas!  I plan on using the basic outline but changing some of the design elements to make this angel entirely different from the other.

I've pulled a pile of threads from my stash to plan my attack, so stay tuned!

Elizabeth--the finale

Take four different Kreinik braids, add an assortment of DMC floss and a smidgen of Burmilana--all from my stash--and the result is a finished Elizabeth angel!

The center panel medallions were stitched in basketweave with Kreinik #12 tapestry braid #002V.  The stylized flowers were worked in a satin stitch with a cross stitch of Kreinik #12 tapestry braid #003HL in the center.

The hem of the dress was stitched in basketweave with accents of silver metallic tent stitches and red metallic cross stitches.

There's another angel in the magic box that my stitching friend sent me--another project!

Skirting the issue

Elizabeth's overskirt is now finished, with a background stitched in basketweave with white DMC floss.  The edges on the sides and along the bottom were worked in stem stitches and the swirls in tent stitches with Kreinik #12 tapestry braid #002.

The background of the center panel was stitched with the same Petite Very Velvet used for the spokes in her halo.  I've started stitching the medallions in the panel with Kreinik #12 tapestry braid #002V in basketweave.

Not much more work to do before I wrap up this project!

Making angelic progress

This canvas is moving along nicely!  With the inside light aqua filled in with basketweave and the darker outside worked in encroaching Gobelin stitches, the wings are now completed.

The bodice of the angel's dress was worked in a woven stitch with Kreinik #12 Tapestry braid #001.  You'll have to take my word on this, since the camera picked up on the metallic thread going in two directions and produced a major twinkle!  The darker parts of the sleeves were formed with diagonal oblong crosses and the outside edge worked in basketweave with Kreinik #12 tapestry braid #002.

And the angel now has a face, too, stitched in basketweave with DMC floss and cross stitches for the eyes and mouth.  The hair was worked in long and satin stitches with two strands of Burmilana #3506, with a single strand of the same thread forming the eyebrows in a straight stitch.

I'll be back when I've made some headway on the angel's overskirt.

Polishing a halo

There are a lot of areas calling for metallic thread in this canvas, so I decided to attack some of them first instead of working the face.  The outside rim of the halo was painted in the same gold used in the wings, and I wanted to distinguish one from the other.  So the gold of the halo was stitched in basketweave with Kreinik #12 tapestry braid 002V, and Kreinik #12 tapestry braid 002 was used for the wings.  It doesn't show up very well in this photo, but the difference in golds is definitely noticeable .

Kreinik #12 tapestry braid 001 was worked in tent stitches and basketweave for all the silver areas.  Inside the halo are DMC floss #3811 and Petite Very Velvet in a slightly darker shade to define the "spokes."  (Do halos have spokes?  I don't have a halo, so I can't answer that.)

The edging of her sleeves was stitched  with the same DMC floss, and her neckline was worked in the Kreinik braid 002 in slanted Gobelin stitches.  The same metallic braid will be used for the outside edge of her sleeves and the decorative swirls on her overskirt.

Now to work on her wings!

Stitching for myself again--finally!

I can't believe it's been over a month since I last blogged!  This summer has been exceptionally busy:  Hotel Stradal was open for visiting relatives, I've been painting doorways like crazy for my ANG class in September as well as stitching a canvas for the next Needlepoint Now column.  The painting continues, but I now have a little time to squeeze in a small project for myself.

You may recall that some time ago, a stitching friend no longer able to needlepoint bequeathed her entire stash to me.  She, too, has an fondness for angels, and had collected several designs by Joan Thomasson.  This one pictured here is "Elizabeth," and since both the name and the colors appealed to me, I'm going to work on her first.  After all, you can't be too rich, too thin, or have too many angels on an angel tree at holiday time!