Setting the tone

I took a trip to my LNS over the weekend to purchase some thread for the center section of my crazy quilt box lid insert. I'd already done some online "window shopping" of color cards to see what might be available in a velour thread, and hoped Barry at Town-Ho Needleworks would have something that fit the bill.

The selection quickly narrowed to two threads: Petite Very Velvet #V618--a Wedgwood blue--and Fleur de Paris fine mesh velour in a light pink shade. Fleur de Paris discontinued manufacturing this thread some time ago, unfortunately, but I wasn't overly concerned about using it for a personal project. The choice of thread ultimately was based on the tone I wanted to set for the piece: I was striving for a decidedly feminine look that had a touch of sophistication and a little taste of "country." I bought both threads and took them home, but in the end decided the PVV packed a little more of a punch and would better accentuate the "string of pearls" effect I planned to stitch in this area.

My blue color palette in DMC cotton floss includes #3753, 3752, 932 and 931. After working the white areas of the top segment in a gobelin stitch over two threads, I added the darker blue stripe in the same stitch using DMC floss #931. I then moved to the bottom segment, stitching first the white and then the blue in the same color floss in a mosaic stitch.

Next I moved to the ribbon band of rosebuds, working the background in basketweave using
DMC floss #3753. The outside edge of this band was worked in a running stitch using DMC #5 perle cotton #932. After stitching the background of the center segment with the PVV in basketweave, I added the gold "string" using Kreinik #12 tapestry braid #002V. The "pearls" were worked with Kreinik #12 tapestry braid #032 in Smyrna crosses.

So far, so good--I've balanced the light and dark values within the quilt patches and can start adding the medium values of blue to the unworked areas. Once I've established the placement of the blue shades, I can start working in the pink and hopefully maintain the light/dark balance across the piece.