The reflective heart

My first heart design is finally finished, after several Valentine cards, a box of chocolate turtles, a bouquet of flowers from my Webmaster (No. 1 son), and the flu. When the going gets tough, the tough keep stitching!

I followed through on my last plan, adding Scotch stitches in Kreinik #12 tapestry braid 061 to the squares inside the diamonds, and am happy with the results. The hearts really have disappeared considerably. When you catch the heart image, it's as a reflection of the one above it, and that's about it. But that doesn't bother me--I rather like the subtlety. I'll leave the more ostentatious representations to Hallmark.

The heart of the matter

When I first showed the drawing of this heart filigree egg, I really was clueless as to how to proceed stitching it. So I put it on the back burner and concentrated on the "Hot Date" design.

After a trip to my LNS for some white Petite Very Velvet thread, I started stitching the heart shapes in basketweave, adding some Kreinik #12 tapestry braid in 002V to outline them as I went along. The strangest thing happened: the hearts themselves began to disappear within the larger elongated ovals. And the diamond shapes between the ovals became more pronounced--and definitely too plain.

Just last night I decided these diamonds needed a little more bling, and added the little squares. The center of the squares will be stitched with the same Kreinik braid -061- I've already used within the ovals and then outlined with the gold braid. I've started at the top filling in behind the squares with The Thread Gatherer's ""Sheep's Silk" in "Ruby Red."

Clueless no longer, I'd better get back to stitching!

Fooling around, Part 2

When I came up with my lovely little design the other day, and said to myself, "Where do I go now?" I came up with another design. An entirely different design! One more contemporary and definitely more colorful. It may be reactionary--every time I look out the window, I see white, white, more white and a little bit of brown.

While Design #1 is simmering on the back burner, and possibly awaiting a trip to the LNS for suitable threads, I started stitching this heart pattern, which should definitely satisfy anyone looking for a riot of color! I've used Kreinik #12 tapestry braid in antique gold to outline the hearts, and now get to play with all those yummy colors.

I call this one "Hot Date"!

Just fooling around

I got some work done yesterday and thought I'd treat myself to a little down-time, playing with heart shapes and working up a design. This is the result!

It's in the shape of one of my "Eggs for All Seasons," and sports what I thought turned out to be a neat filigree pattern. What am I going to do with it next? Beats me!