Ivory Angel - The finale!

Folks who follow this blog will probably be as relieved as I am to see this day arrive:  the Ivory Angel stocking is finished!

The area behind the name was stitched in basketweave with Vineyard Silk Classic Natural, with the name stitched with Kreinik #12 tapestry braid 002V.  On top of the basketweave, another border of slanted Gobelin stitches, braided knitting and slanted Gobelin stitches was added to mirror the border at the edge of the cuff.

When I marked the area for the cuff, I had added three additional rows to give the finisher more flexibility turning the top over.  I checked with Mary Agnes Rhudy Cussen at Needle Nicely in Vero Beach, Florida, to see how those last few rows shoulld be stitched.  She advised a row of tent stitches abutting the last row to maintain the integrity of the outside slanted Gobelin stitches, so that's what I did.

This is my fourth stocking finish in 18 months--not a feat I care to repeat anytime soon!  But to paraphrase Kermit the Frog in the song The Rainbow Connection, "I did just what I set out to do!"

Ivory Angel - Crawling to the finish line

Creative Avoidance is a term I learned from designer Judy Harper.  As it relates to needlepoint, it involves working on absolutely anything and everything except for the project you're supposed to be stitching.  While I've continued to put in a few stitches a day on Ivory Angel, I've also finished two other canvases--smaller and much more colorful than the stocking.

It's partially my own fault--leaving nothing else to be done but filling in the gold of the vine and working on the ivory cuff.  I'd also been dragging my feet about stitching the angel's hair, one of my least favorite things to do.  But she's now completely coiffed, worked with two strands of Burmilana in long/short and satin stitches.  Some "highlights" were added with one strand of vintage DMC Medici wool on top of the previously stitched areas.

The edge of the cuff has been started with the same Vineyard Silk Classic Natural that had been used for the angel's dress.  A row of slanted Gobelin stitches over three threads abuts the tan Petite Very Velvet, followed by a row of encroaching oblong cross stitches and another row of slanted Gobelin stitches.

I'll finish filling in the vine with Kreinik #12 tapestry braid 002V, then move the canvas on stretcher bars for the final task of working the cuff.

Ivory Angel - Still plugging away

Work along the top of the stocking below the cuff has reached the half-way mark.  The vines are filled with Vineyard Silk Classic Bark and Kreinik #12 tapestry braid 002V in tent stitches and basketweave.  The tassel in the center uses the same threads in an encroaching Gobelin stitch.

One bird has been stitched so far, using the same white and gray Silk Lame Braid for 18 ct. and in the same encroaching Gobelin stitch used for the angel's wings.  I'll add the bird's eye and beak later when the other bird is finished.

I'll need to get more Kreinik thread to finish this section as well as some thread to work the angel's hair.  Then the canvas will move one more time on the stretcher bars so I can work on the cuff.

Ivory Angel - So close and yet so far

There hasn't been a lot of time to stitch this stocking lately:  other commitments and yard work seem to be getting in the way.  But the background for the top of the stocking is now completed with Petite Very Velvet V604.

I've started to fill in the vines with Vineyard Silk Classic Bark and Kreinik #12 tapestry braid 002V, worked all in basketweave so progress is slow.  At this point, I just need to keep chipping away!

Ivory Angel - Progress on two fronts

Starting in on the background at the top of the canvas, I turned the stretcher bars upside-down to make it easier to reach.  The treatment here is the same as the toe of the stocking:  Petite Very Velvet V604 in basketweave.  It's the kind of stitching best done in good light, lest all those faint white lines around the birds get accidentally covered.

Going around all those vines can get a little tedious, so when I'd reached the half-way mark, I added the name to the cuff of the stocking.  The chart for this, like the three other stockings before it, was provided by Needle Nicely in Vero Beach, Florida (www.needlenicely.blogspot.com).  I stuck a piece of paper behind the name before taking the photo so you could see the lettering more clearly.

Back to the background and filling in!

Ivory Angel - A full set of wings

After moving up the canvas on stretcher bars, I started filling in the little bit of white remaining when I ran out of thread as well as all the gray shaded areas.  The wings are all worked in Silk Lame Braid for 18 ct. in an encroaching Gobelin stitch.

I'm really happy with the way the wings turned out.  There's plenty of contrast between the color of the background and the white of the wings, and the encroaching Gobelin stitch gives the wings a higher profile.

Time to move up to the arched area over the angel's head!

Ivory Angel - Wings

With the addition of the lower wing section, the bottom of the Ivory Angel canvas is finished!

This section was worked in an encroaching Gobelin stitch with white and gray Silk Lame Braid for 18 ct.  I stitched as closely as I could to the top of the stretcher bars, but now it's time to reposition the canvas.

Ivory Angel - Fully dressed

With the addition of her underskirt, the Ivory Angel's costume is complete!

This area was worked in an encroaching Gobelin stitch with off-white and gray Impressions.  The tassel for her dress was then added with ecru and gold Silk Lame Braid for 18 ct., also using an encroaching Gobelin stitch.

While the bottom of the canvas is still on stretcher bars, I'll tackle the wing section on the left before remounting the canvas.

Ivory Angel - A robe and dress

It's amazing what can be accomplished after a shopping trip!  My stash was exhausted, and I finally made it over to my LNS for reinforcements.

With the addition of Vineyard Silk Classic Edwardian Gold to the border, the angel's robe is now complete.  Her dress is also finished with two shades of Silk Lame Braid for 18 ct.  The tassel will be added after I've stitched the underskirt.

Working the skirt of this design has sometimes seemed endless, but I'm almost there!

Ivory Angel - A gilded toe

With the background of the toe finished in Petite Very Velvet, I added all the vines using Vineyard Silk Classic Bark.

The sections of the canvas that had been painted white were then filled in with Kreinik #12 tapestry braid 002V.  I'd used this metallic to fill in the white areas on the angel's chair and liked the effect.  It adds some color and sparkle to the overall design without detracting from the angel herself.

  I'll be using this same approach on the arch above the angel whenever I finish this section of the stocking--I've been a Bottom Dweller for quite some time now!

Ivory Angel - 'pointing a toe

The canvas has been moved from the scroll frame to stretcher bars to counteract buckling at the bottom of the stocking.

So while I'm working on the bottom of the canvas, I started stitching the toe.  The background was stitched in basketweave with Petite Very Velvet V604.  The vine motif has been started in tent stitches/basketweave with Vineyard Silk Classic Bark.  This shade of brown ties in with the lighter brown of the angel's chair.

Ivory Angel - still skirting the issue

The angel's robe is now finished, with the exception of the trim.  Vineyard Silk Classic Edwardian Gold has been added to my shopping list so I can fill in behind the filigree.

The "onion dome" motif is almost complete on the center panel of the angel's dress.  And the two shades of Silk Lame Braid have been added to the shopping list, too.  So far all the threads used for the stocking have been from my stash.

Ivory Angel - Starting the skirt

Stitching Ivory Angel isn't difficult, but determining where one area ends and another begins is sometimes a bit tricky.  To simplify things a little, I started work on the skirt by outlining the trim of the robe with Vineyard Silk Classic Natural and filling in the trim with VSC Edwardian Gold.

The main section of the angel's robe on the right was completed in basketweave with VSC Natural and shaded with Evening Haze.

Moving to the dress under the robe, I used Silk Lame Braid for 18 ct. in Ecru, shaded by another Silk Lame Braid in a value of gold slightly deeper than the VSC Edwardian Gold.

Since the angel's skirt accounts for at least one-third of the stocking's length, this is going to take a while!

Ivory Angel--filling in

The top of the angel's robe is finished, using more Vineyard Silk Classic Evening Haze and Steel Gray.  I wanted to maintain the shading but chose lighter values of gray than were painted on the canvas to keep this area from getting too dark.  The inside of her sleeves were filled in with Vineyard Silk Classic Dark Earth. 

I could have couched the strings of the lyre but didn't want to run the risk of the thread getting snagged several years down the road.  So I worked the strings in a stem stitch with Kreinik #12 tapestry braid 001, which elevates them above the top of the robe while keeping them securely fastened.

Ivory Angel--moving along

The white of the angel's other wing has been worked down to her elbow with Silk Lame Braid in an encroaching Gobelin stitch.  More of this thread has been added to the shopping list!

The sleeves of her robe have been added using Vineyard Silk Classic Natural and Edwardian Gold.  Evening Haze and Steel Gray have been used for shading.  I need to rummage in my stash for a dark brown to fill the inside of her sleeves.

Ivory Angel -- A little light music

The Ivory Angel is playing a lyre, but it's painted the same as her chair.  I'd always thought of lyres as being gold, but a Google image search revealed there are plenty made entirely of wood as well.  So I've compromised, stitching it the same as I did the chair, using two shades of brown DMC #5 perle cotton and "gilding" it with Kreinik #12 tapestry braid 002V.

The bib of her robe was stitched in basketweave and tent stitch with Vineyard Silk Classic Natural and Edwardian Gold.  Joining the open areas of her sleeves are little silver clips, stitched in Smyrna crosses with Kreinik #12 tapestry braid 001.

To give the wing on the right a lighter, "airy" look, while still maintaining the shading, I've decided to use just two shades of thread.  The white was worked in an encroaching Gobelin stitch with Silk Lame Braid for 18 ct.  A single shade of gray will be added as soon as I buy it!

Ivory Angel: please be seated!

Moving to the more substantial section of the angel's chair, you can actually see where the front leg ends and the back leg begins!

Once again, the wooden sections were stitched in basketweave with two shades of brown DMC #5 perle cotton and "gilded" with Kreinik #12 tapestry braid 002V.  Tiny sections of background were added in the Nobuko stitch with floss now that there are stitches close by to anchor them.

I'm pleased with the way the chair turned out--looks more like a throne now!

Ivory Angel - A milestone

The background is finished!  With this much accomplished, it's pretty much pure play from here on.

All the little design elements that were a bit of a blur--where the wings start and stop and the outline of her robe--are now a lot clearer.  Working down toward the toe of the stocking, I noticed that there are actually three layers to the angel's costume:  the robe, her dress and an underskirt.  I'll need to factor in the weight of the thread used for each of these areas to achieve some depth to her costume.

As a reward, I worked one arm of her chair.  Since it's been painted in brown tones, I decided to make it a wooden chair but changing the lighter elements to a metallic to simulate gilding.  Two brown shades of DMC #5 perle cotton provide a harder appearance and contrast well against the softer background thread and what I plan to use for the robe.  Kreinik #12 tapestry braid 002V  was used for the gilding.

Ivory Angel - 2

The Nobuko background continues to grow, now reaching just below the arm of the angel's chair.  Time to give her a face!

Three shades of DMC floss were used for all the skin tones, with two strands of Burmilana forming the eyelashes.

With mostly white, gray and brown tones used to paint the tan canvas, it's sometimes difficult to decipher where one design element ends and the next one begins.  Working the background helps to delineate the contours of the angel's wings, while stitching her face and arms gives me a better idea of where the lines of her dress fall.

Ivory Angel - 1

Like the other stockings I've stitched to date, work on Ivory Angel began with the background.  As the owner of Town-Ho Needleworks, my LNS, so often remarks, if you don't keep up with the background of a piece, the chances are 50-50 that you'll never finish the project.

The thread for the background is DMC floss 712, basically an ivory shade but with a tinge of yellow that will accentuate the gold in the angel's dress.  There will be a lot of basketweave in this piece in order to achieve the shading, so I chose the Nobuko stitch for the background.  It provides some visual interest, compensates well around curved areas, and works up quickly.

My first goal was to stitch the background down to the angel's left elbow.  My reward was to work the angel's halo, using Kreinik #12 tapestry braid 002V Vintage Gold and #8 fine braid 5760 Marshmallow in basketweave and tent stitches.  So far, so good!