Another unicorn finish!

 After several long-term projects, it was really satisfying to have a fairly quick finish.  

Kreinik #12 braid 002 contributed the horn in slanted Gobelin stitch, hooves in encroaching Gobelin stitch and sparkles in the background with cross stitches.

The mane and tail were created with three colors of Silk Lame Braid for 18 ct. in an encroaching Gobelin stitch.

The eye and nose were worked in Smyrna cross stitches with black DMC floss.

If it weren't for the outrageously long waits for ornaments to be finished, this little unicorn would hang on a little girl's tree this Christmas.  Luckily with three-year-olds, if you haven't seen it, it doesn't exist.  So there'll be a nice surprise for Christmas 2022!

A simple, subtle background

 This canvas came with a stitch guide, something I generally ignore.  I began by stitching the background in basketweave using 3 strands of DMC cotton floss 3747.  Lavender is one of the recipient's favorite colors.

The body of the unicorn was worked in a diagonal mosaic stitch with 2 strands of Burmilana 3601 Bright White, with shading provided by gray Burmilana.  So far, so good!

Small is good!

  With a two-foot-long stocking under my belt, I was ready for something smaller to stitch.  This little unicorn canvas by Princess and Me fit the bill perfectly.

I'm stitching it for my oldest granddaughter as a Christmas tree ornament.  Right around the time she was born, unicorns became quite the rage and are still in vogue three years later.  I'd stitched another one by Rebecca Wood, which was favorably received, so figured if one was good, two would be better!

I've started by drawing a shaped border around the central figure to aid in finishing it as an ornament down the road.

Finally, a finish!

It took more than 18 months to stitch, but this stocking is in the TA-DA column!  It started off its stitching life on scroll bars, moved to stretcher bars for the bottom, then went up to the middle on stretcher bars to finish.  This was in progress in the heart of the pandemic, when threads were scarce, so I stitched what I could when I could.

The drapes and bedskirt were worked in an encroaching Gobelin stitch with three values of rose Impressions.  Santa's coat was fashioned in basketweave with two values of Petite Very Velvet.  The little girl's hair and Santa's hair and beard were stitched with Burmilana.  The trim on his hat and cuffs was stitched with French knots with Vineyard Silk Classic Bright White.

The coverlet was created with Vineyard Silk Classic in a Nobuko stitch for the center and outer band in encroaching Gobelin stitch.  The rug was worked entirely in basketweave using mostly Impressions, except for the gold, which was The Thread Gatherer's Sheep's Silk.

The stocking is already in the hands of the finisher and hopefully will be ready for Christmas 2021 to join the other three stockings in my youngest son's family.  But I'm weary of large projects, having now completed three in the last six months, and will look forward to something considerably smaller in the near future.
 

Mother's Day Memories

 Shirtwaist dresses, necklaces, permed hair, high heels, and shopping bags out the ying-yang.  That was my mother to a tee.  My mother was known for going to the mall to buy a pair of stockings and emerging three hours later with--believe it or not--one pair of stockings.  She hated to return anything, so what she didn't want was added to my closet.  She was known to borrow a dress from me and hike it up with a belt to allow for the fact that I was four inches taller than she was.

So what goes around, comes around.  Just this past week, I learned that my oldest granddaughter, just three, has inherited the "Shopping Gene."  Until recently that honor belonged to her father, the only one who could go shopping with my mother and, after four hours of cruising the mall, ask if there were any other places she'd like to go.  Did he know he'd be receiving his comeuppance someday when he chose my mother's name as part of his daughter's?

Happy Mother's Day, Ma--I'll always love you to pieces!

Bottoms up!

 I started stitching this stocking using scroll bars, moving up and down as threads became available.  I skipped over areas that would get French knots eventually and finally made my way to the bottom of the stocking.  As it appears here, the canvas has been transferred to stretcher bars so I could reach the toe of the stocking.

The bed skirt was worked in an encroaching Gobelin stitch with three values of rose Impressions and trimmed with white DMC #8 pearl cotton.  The letter to Santa was stitched in basketweave and tent stitches with DMC floss;  more floss in basketweave created the fitted bottom sheet.

The rug was also stitched in basketweave with various shades of Impressions, with the exception of the "Old Gold" Sheep's Silk .

At the foot of the bed is a painted chest, worked in encroaching Gobelin stitch and slanted Gobelin stitch with DMC #5 pearl cotton.  I like using pearl cotton to simulate wood and wooden objects--the twist in the thread looks to me like wood grain.  More pearl cotton in an encroaching Gobelin stitch with the canvas turned 90 degrees formed the hardwood floor.  It combined several shades of brown DMC pearl cotton and Weeks Dye Works #5 pearl "Molasses."

The edging of the comforter was created in an encroaching Gobelin stitch with Vineyard Silk Classic using three values of lavender.  The body of the comforter was worked in Nobuko stitch with Vineyard Silk Classic "Illusions."  With the canvas turned upside down, I worked my way to where it was stapled to the stretcher bars.  Time to move the canvas on the stretcher bars once again so I can reach the middle of the stocking!

The Lost Year

 

Hard to believe my last post was in October of 2019.  That's the kind of interruption a pandemic can cause, I guess.  I've stitched a lot of canvases since the little Rebecca Wood unicorn, but nothing of a personal nature that I could show here.  I did start another canvas a month after the unicorn was finished.  Believe it or not, I'm still working on it!  A stocking designed by Liz, it's destined for the little sister of the almost three-year-old who received the unicorn ornament.  I missed the "first Christmas" deadline because of difficulties in getting supplies, but hopefully will have it ready for Christmas 2021.