Starting another long-term project

Another Christmas stocking has made its way to my house.  Actually, it's been sitting on the guest room bed for several weeks, as I made daily visits to ponder my plan of attack for stitching it.

Ivory Angel by Liz Goodrick-Dillon is quite different from the other three stockings by Liz that I've stitched to date.  This design is almost monochromatic, compared to the colorful Patchwork Snowman, Nutcracker Christmas and Nutcracker/Packages stockings.  Its lines are very delicate and the shading is extensive, so the choice of threads and stitches becomes critical to maintaining the proper balance in the finished piece.

When its cuff is added, the stocking will measure a little over two feet long--not the type of project to be completed overnight.  And there's other stitching on my plate right now which takes precedence.  So I'll work on the angel a little at a time in hopes of making the finishing deadline for this year's holiday season.  I'll be back with another post when I have something to show for myself!

Ready to perform!

The little Mariachi is finished!

His serape was filled in with snippets of Burmilana and Impressions from my stash in Scotch, mosaic, slanted Gobelin and tent stitches.

His mustache and beard were stitched in French knots with DMC Medici wool.  His guitar was created with DMC #5 perle cotton in basketweave.  Kreinik #12 tapestry braid 002 provided the strings in tent stitches and the tuning pegs in Smyrna crosses.

More Mariachi madness

The little Mariachi is warmer now that his shirt is finished.  Using Trio Natural, the body was worked in a framed mosaic stitch and the sleeves in a diagonal mosaic stitch, with wristbands of slanted Gobelin stitches over two canvas threads.

I've started stitching his serape, using a brown Burmilana tweed in an encroaching Gobelin stitch.  Now I can have some fun adding the colored bands!

Snow-day stitching

There's nothing like a snow day to get some stitching accomplished!  The Cape got clobbered with about 10 inches of the white stuff--not that remarkable compared to amounts falling elsewhere recently, but the most accumulation we've seen so far this winter.  We didn't lose power, so life was good and stitching was even better!

The Mariachi now has a face, hair and eyebrows, and I'll add his mustache and beard after doing a little more work around his chin area.

His pants have been worked with Trio Natural in an alternating pattern of vertical slanted Gobelin and tent stitches, with Felicity's Garden Truffle providing the shading.  The bottom of his shirt now has a border of alternating slanted Gobelin and mosaic stitch stripes.  On to the top of the shirt!

A sombrero and sandals

The Mariachi's sombrero has been worked in a woven stitch and tent stitch combination with shades of DMC #5 perle cotton.

Skin tones were added with DMC cotton floss--need to finish the facial features!

His sash was formed with an encroaching oblong cross stitch worked horizontally using Petite Very Velvet.  The same thread was used for his sandals in a slanted Gobelin/tent stitch.