Dramatic versus delicate

No, your eyes aren't playing tricks on you--I've painted another canvas!

I was making great stitching progress on the "Victoria" mini-sock when I received a comment on a previous post from Jan Fitzpatrick (www.threadmedley.wordpress.com). She'd originally thought I was going to use white Petite Very Velvet for the background, then decided my choice of the black PVV was the way to go.

It was at that point I started to re-think my concept of a "Victorian" Christmas decoration. Not only were there dramatic jewel tones, for which black would be the perfect foil, but also there were delicate ornaments as well with predominantly pastel colors. I decided just for fun to do both, blog-stitching them side by side!

I painted another canvas, this time using pinks and pale greens instead of the burgundy and hunter green. The only change between this design and the first is in the motif for the left and right vertical ribbons: I substituted another filigree design for the holly and berries, which would have required much darker threads.

The background for this mini-sock is also Petite Very Velvet, in a shade Rainbow Gallery calls "taupe" but to me looks like a tea-dyed velvet. The gold metallic thread is the same Kreinik #12 tapestry braid #002V I used on the first mini-sock. I've started stitching the lightest shade in the plaid ribbon using DMC cotton floss #712.

I have some catching up to do on the new canvas to reach the point where I left off on the first, and then we can compare them side by side!

Balancing light and dark

I began stitching my "Victoria" mini-sock by establishing a black velveteen background, using Petite Very Velvet in basketweave. Next I worked the outside edges of the ribbons trimmed in gold, using Kreinik #12 tapestry braid #002V in a gobelin stitch over two threads.

The plaid ribbons are the darkest areas, so I decided to stitch them first to provide myself with a benchmark. I don't want this mini-sock to appear too dark, and having the darkest sections worked will help me decide how light and/or bright the threads of the other ribbons will need to be to maintain a balance.

Next came the selection of red and green color families appropriate for a Victorian Christmas. I chose DMC cotton floss #304 (red) and #502 (green) for the plaid, working the squares in mosaic stitches framed by tent stitches in black floss and the Kreinik metallic braid.

With one ribbon design done, I still have three more to go! I also will soon need to make a decision about the cuff treatment, as that will affect my choice of colors for the other ribbons.

Making good on a goof

Last weekend, while painting a Christmas mini-sock for an order, I did something I very rarely do--I miscounted. Nuts! A 9 x 10 inch piece of canvas went by the wayside, and I cut another one--and this time I didn't goof!

Sitting at my painting table this morning, bemoaning my poor discarded canvas, I suddenly had an idea for a new mini-sock design. Better yet, I had a name for it: "Victoria." What's in a name, you may well ask. For me, everything! My stitching cronies who are privy to the machinations of my designing mind will tell you that without the right name for a new design, I'm just not ready to take the plunge and stitch!

So here it is: a woven-ribbon pattern that incorporates many of the motifs of a Victorian Christmas mini-sock. Holly, rosebuds, filigree and tartan plaid have been threaded through a background that right now looks decidedly white. Ahh--that's just to save my poor old eyes. I see a lot of black Petite Very Velvet in my future to make this design as opulent as any turn-of-the-century Christmas decoration! Stay tuned!

A time to rally

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, a time for all of us to rally to fight this insidious disease.

According to the American Cancer Society, one woman in eight will fall victim to this disease during her lifetime. Gee, that's strange: the risk factor is exactly the same today as it was 11 years ago when I became a statistic myself. What are we doing--or not doing--to improve the odds of beating this foe in our lifetime?

Obviously, putting our money where our mouths are is a good start. In addition to the American Cancer Society and the Susan G. Komen Foundation, there are many other worthwhile organizations raising money to fund research for a cure and to support victims of the disease.

But we can also advocate for ourselves: when was the last time YOU had a mammogram? Statistics have shown that the earlier breast cancer is detected, the greater is the chance of surviving the disease. Just think: an hour of your time spent, once a year, could save your life. You might actually reach the bottom of that pile of UFOs in your stash--a scary thought!

Sailing away from Portsmouth, NH

Finally!--the Portsmouth Harbor lighthouse is finished! This canvas didn't require a lot more work--just a few more hours in the day--but I took a couple of evenings, parked myself down, and set to finishing it.

The trees posed a bit of a challenge: how to make them stand out against the sky while still keeping them in the background. I solved this dilemma in two steps. First, I chose two different threads of relatively similar weight--Impressions #5061 and Sheep's Silk "Green Leaves." Then I divided the tree line randomly as I worked in a satin stitch, using the Impressions at the shoreline and the Sheep's Silk above. Since the Sheep's Silk is an overdyed thread, the shades of green vary, mimicking the effect of sunlight playing on the tops of the trees.

The water was worked with DMC cotton floss #312 in a horizontal diagonal cashmere stitch, which provides the look of movement in a relatively small area. The dark gray foundation for the tower and walkway are DMC #5 perle cotton #414 in a gobelin stitch over two threads.

The rocks under the foundation were worked with DMC floss in a satin stitch; the supports for the walkway were stitched in vertical diagonal cashmere using the same thread, with the shadows surrounding them worked in tent stitch in floss two shades darker.

As I resume my painting, thoughts of what my next project might be will be turning in the back of my mind!

Time out for Santa!

One of the most exciting parts of being a designer is seeing how someone else has interpreted my canvases. I received an e-mail yesterday from Pierrette Pattyn, self-proclaimed president of the ABS Designs Fan Club, with wonderful news: after stitching it last year, she finally finished "The Morning After" canvas, portraying Santa taking a well-deserved nap after his all-night flight to deliver presents.

Pierrette followed the stitch guide which accompanied the canvas fairly closely and, as usual, did a bang-up job of it. What I found particularly neat was the way in which she finished it--flat, with a side cording, and an easel to prop it up in the back. Pierrette told me she used a green stretchy velour type of material for the back which alternates shades as it catches the light.

She's close to the end of stitching "The Night Before," the companion canvas of Mrs. Santa knitting a last-minute Christmas scarf, and will finish it in the same way. The beauty of the easel treatment is that these pieces are light-weight and can be displayed on a mantel, table-top or virtually anywhere a person needs a little Christmas! Great job, Pierrette, and thanks for sharing!

Slow but sure progress

One of these days, I'll figure out how to stitch and paint canvases at the same time! I've been painting my little heart out this week and haven't had a lot of time for the Portsmouth Harbor lighthouse, but I figured I'd better show a little progress lest I become known as a slacker!

I finished stitching the sky, continuing my needle-blending with one ply of DMC floss #3755 and three plies of #3325, and ending at the horizon with four plies of #3325. Based on the photos I've been using, I think the spacing of the color changes turned out just right!

For good measure, I stitched the lantern room, using black DMC #5 perle cotton--a slightly heavier thread to make this area stand out against the sky. The lantern--which unfortunately you can't see terribly well in this photo--was stitched with Kreinik #12 tapestry braid #008HL. This lighthouse has a fixed green light which shines 12 miles out to sea--one of only five lighthouses I've adapted to date to have a green light.

When I finish with the details of the tower itself, I'll move on to the surrounding scenery. So bear with me--I'll get there, slowly but surely! (Exiting stage right to the painting table!)