Sock it to me, again

My next personal stitching project is--you guessed it--another Christmas stocking!  Nutcracker/Packages is another design by Liz Goodrick-Dillon but much different from Nutcracker Christmas, which I recently finished.

Since the new stocking isn't destined for the 2015 holiday, I can take my time stitching it.  And it's going to take quite some time, since I can already tell that differentiating the colors in the background is going to be difficult.

But starting in on the background is my plan of attack--no bright colors for this stitcher until I've made considerable headway on the less exciting parts!

Playing dress-up

The purse I blog-stitched sometime back has arrived from the finisher!  Needle Nicely in Vero Beach. Florida (www.needlenicely.com), worked its magic to create a soft shoulder bag for me to wear to some September weddings.  The purse is pictured here against the dress it will accessorize.

The design was adapted from one by needlepoint icon Maggie Lane and stitched in basketweave with Vineyard Silk Classic and Kreinik metallic threads.  The purse is lined in blue with a hidden snap closure.

I'm so thrilled with the way it turned out! 

Nutcracker Christmas - The Finale

My labor of love is finished--all two feet of it!

Moving the canvas on the stretcher bars one last time, I worked the nutcracker's mustache and beard in French knots.  Three strands of Burmilana were used  with one wrap around the needle to create a higher profile against his face and tunic.

The final touch--a plume for his helmet!  This was worked in an interlocking/encroaching Gobelin stitch with white Peluche.  When the stitching was completed, I roughed up the surface with the tip of my needle to release all the little "feathers" inherent in the thread.

I'm very pleased with the way this handsome fellow turned out, and hope the recipient will be, too!