When one thing leads to another

Do you ever get carried away with your stitching?  I certainly did when I started work on the nutcracker's red coat!

Vineyard Silk Classic Holiday with Bonfire for shading were stitched in basketweave to achieve a lower profile and make all the tassels stand out.  Kreinik #12 tapestry braid #009 formed the tops of the tassels with a Leviathan stitch variation. 

The frogs on the coat were stitched with Kreinik #12 tapestry braid #002 in braided knitting, anchored with cross stitches that were studded by Smyrna crosses.  The nutcracker's fancy belt buckle was worked in a satin stitch.  Inside the buckle a Leviathan stitch variation was outlined in stem stitch.

In order to finish the bottom of the coat, I needed to stitch his white gloves.  White and gray Burmilana were used here in an interlocking/encroaching Gobelin stitch.  I love how that red coat stands out against the dark green background!

Tassels and trimmings

A lot of little details needed to be attended to before I can start work on the nutcracker's red coat. 

His epaulets were worked in a satin stitch with Vineyard Silk Classic Natural and Tea.  They were trimmed with Kreinik #12 tapestry braid #002 in a stem stitch and oblong cross stitches for the tassel hangers.

The trim on his sleeves was stitched in basketweave with more VSC Natural and Tea and Kreinik braid.  The tassels were worked in an interlocking/encroaching Gobelin stitch with VSC Natural and Edwardian Gold.

Just for fun, I added his belt using black Petite Very Velvet in a slanted Gobelin stitch.  Now I'm ready to stitch the coat!

Off the cuff

The cuff on this stocking is about 10-1/2 inches wide and three inches deep.  The background was done with Vineyard Silk Classic Natural in a Nobuko stitch, which works up quickly and compensates easily around the letters.

For the name, I sought the advice of the in-house calligrapher at Needle Nicely in Vero Beach, Florida (www.needlenicely.com).  Owner Mary Agnes Rhudy Cussen sent me samples of a large assortment of styles--serifed, sans-serifed, straight, italic and script.  I chose the "Andrew" font, which is 22 canvas threads high and a perfect fit for the intended space.

Using the chart created by the calligrapher, I transferred the letters to the canvas with a permanent marker.  The name was stitched in basketweave using Silk & Ivory Holly.  While a bit of a tight fit on 18-ct. canvas, S & I stands up well against the VSC background and the color blends with the dark green surrounding the nutcracker. 

Canopy completed!

With all the stripes of Vineyard Silk Classic Holiday and Kreinik #12 tapestry braid #002 finished, I moved to the gold outside area of the scroll. 

My choice of Vineyard Silk Classic Edwardian Gold for this area brightens the canopy considerably, just the look I was aiming for.  It was worked in an interlocking/encroaching Gobelin stitch, just like the red area, which raises the outside border above the VSC Natural in basketweave and the dark green Impressions background.

Now that the background and canopy are finished, there's one more substantial area that needs to be tackled before I can start in on all the juicy little details.  On to the cuff!

A splash of red

The canopy above the nutcracker is still under construction, working this time on the red inside the scroll.  Vineyard Silk Classic Holiday and Lipstick were used in an interlocking/encroaching Gobelin stitch to make this area stand a little higher than the VSC Natural surrounding it.

I've gone back to the striped area, working the gold stripes in tent stitch with Kreinik #12 tapestry braid #002 and the red stripes with VSC Holiday in a stem stitch.

Working on the canopy

With the off-white scroll completed on both sides of the canopy over the nutcracker's head, I started on the stripes using Vineyard Silk Classic Tea in a slanted Gobelin stitch.

The nutcracker now has hair and eyebrows, done in an interlocking/encroaching Gobelin stitch using two strands of brown Burmilana.

And because the threads were still laying on my work table, I stitched the lapel of his jacket using VSC Natural and Tea and accented with Kreinik #12 tapestry braid #002.