A two-for-one special

I finished the "Think Spring!" canvas yesterday! First I added the lettering in tent stitches with DMC floss #336, the same shade as the checkerboard border. Then I completed the flower petals and buds with the Silk & Ivory.

For the leaves, I used more silk/wool blend threads: Sheep's Silk "Green Leaves Dark" for the lighter green and Impressions #5011 for the darker green. The leaves were worked in long stitches and the stems in--three guesses!--stem stitch. Lastly I added the stamens in tent stitches and French knots with DMC floss #741.

The second photo here is a flashback to 2003, when I stitched the model for this canvas. I thought it would be fun to see what changes were made between the two versions--not just in the color choices but also in the selection of stitches and threads.

The borders were worked exactly the same--Scotch stitches and slanted gobelin stitches in perle cotton. The older version, however, has a white background of diagonal mosaic stitches. The flowers, buds and leaves were worked in the perle cotton as well--my LNS at the time either didn't yet carry Silk & Ivory or only stocked limited colors. Sometimes we take for granted the explosion in the variety of threads now available to us compared to as little as eight years ago!

Leaving the colorway aside, I know which version I prefer--what do you think?

Framed!

As promised, I was a very good girl this weekend and finished the basketweave background for "Think Spring!"

With this much accomplished, I was able to also finish the inner border--the checkerboard framework is complete.

Next up: lettering and more flowers!

The lone crocus

Normally, I'd finish all the basketweave background on the "Think Spring!" canvas before stitching any of the details. But several people, myself included, were anxious to see the flowers come to life. So....time out for one lone crocus and its bud!

I frequently use a silk/wool blend thread to stitch natural elements: its inherentl sheen and loft make whatever I'm stitching stand out so nicely from the background. From my stash, I pulled some blueish-purple Silk & Ivory--"Pansy" for the darker shade and "Columbine" for the lighter one.

To simplify stitching the full-blown flower, I mentally divided it into its six petals. I began with the petal at top right, working it in satin stitch, then moved counter-clockwise to the top center petal. For the petal at top left, I turned my canvas 90 degrees to orient the satin stitches in the correct direction.

Then turning the canvas another 90 degrees so it was upside down, I worked the bottom left and center petals. Finally I gave the canvas one more 90-degree turn to finish the bottom right petal. Voila! A crocus!--minus its stamens, of course, which I'll save until last to stitch. I worked the bud in a combination of tent and satin stitches.

Now I promise to be a very good girl and finish the white background before I attack the fun parts!

Multi-tasking

There once was a time when I was a monogamous stitcher, conscientiously working one project at a time until it was finished, then moving on to the next. Lately, it seems, I'm multi-tasking, working on several projects simultaneously. The little crocus canvas got some time in the stitching sunshine, though!

In choosing a stitch for the background, I needed to take several factors into consideration. First, I wanted to maintain the look of a frame created by the checkerboard border. I also needed a stitch which would compensate easily around the lettering. Normally, I'd opt for a diagonal mosaic stitch, which easily glides around letters, but in this case would be too busy when contrasted with the Scotch stitches surrounding it. Diagonal mosaic would also detract from the crocuses themselves.

So I'm basketweaving the background with white DMC cotton floss to provide an area for the eye to rest as well as call attention to the flowers when they're stitched. When I'd reached the bottom right corner of the canvas, I treated myself by adding the blue slanted gobelin stitches for the inner border. Here's my progress to date!

Weekend musings

On a little excursion yesterday, DH and I encountered some darling crocuses, poking their heads through the soil. Alas, the only crocuses around our house are the ones on this canvas! Not that I didn't plant any when we moved into the house five years ago--I went through a bag of 50 bulbs in a relatively small area, hoping for a glorious display the following spring.

Assuming that the growing conditions here on the Cape were similar to that of Connecticut, where I'd been a pretty fair gardener, I liberally doused all the bulbs with bone meal as I planted. Wrong!
Where we live is particularly susceptible to moles/voles, despicable little nocturnal creatures with a voracious appetite for bulbs--particularly if the gardener adds bone meal as one does a cherry to the top of a sundae. The effect is similar to that of a neon sign, screaming "Eat at Anne's!"

So I consoled myself to a crocus-less existence by finishing the checkerboard on the "Think Spring!" canvas. I need to tackle some of the background next, before adding the blue inner border. Stay tuned!

Back to work!

I began my stitching of the "Think Spring!" canvas with the border--I'd like it to look like a frame for the center design area. So I chose DMC #5 perle cotton in white and #336 to give a higher profile when the center background is added later with cotton floss.

The border has been painted "to the stitch"--in this case, lots of little Scotch stitches which form a checkerboard design. All the white squares are done, and I've begun filling in with the dark blue.

The slanted gobelin stitch outer border was worked over four canvas threads, while the blue border is three threads high. I love the look of blue and white--so crisp and clean! I'll finish the frame, then move on to the center area.

Top 'O The Mornin'

Little Colleen and I wanted to wish everyone a Happy St. Patrick's Day!

French knot curls peek out under her bonnet, and a shawl of Twedie 18 in diagonal mosaic stitch keeps her warm. (Note: Rainbow Gallery discontinued this thread several years ago, replacing it with Rainbow Tweed.)

Her apron is stitched in alternating rows of braided knitting and slanted gobelin stitches, while the bottom of her dress was worked in the Milanese stitch. Over her arm hangs a market basket in mosaic stitches.

Hope you all enjoy this grand day!