Weekly Stitching

 I had a good stitching week (seven squares) in spite of time spent finishing my Christmas cards. I made a total of 50 with 5 different designs. I'm glad that is behind me even though I love making them.

I made four squares using my stencils and three that were labor intensive using pistol stitch (a French Knot with a tail) and regular French knots.

I am linking up with Off the Wall Friday.

Weekly Stitching and a Show

 I only made four squares this week and even had two days of no stitching (gasp!) I was busy doing this and that and a full day excursion interfered. I used those aforementioned stencils on these four squares.

I thought that this would have looked better using just one color, soooo

That's what I did with a simple running stitch.

And now on to the show!

For the past many years my fiber group, FiberWorks, has put on a show at the Cyrenious Booth Library in Newtown, CT. The theme for this  year was Side by Side and we were to make two pieces that related to each other in some way and mount them on a  30 inch square black canvas. Several techniques were used including piecing, quilting, appliqué, weaving,  and counted cross stitch.

 

Leaves of Leaves by Suzanne Lehman.

Side by Side, Red on Red by Norma Schlager

Encounter by Nike Cutsumpas

A Gathering of Leaves by Barbara Drillick.

Twisted 90 by Beth Johnson.

Verso/Recto by Christine Wilkinson.

                                              Ascending Descending by Ruth Savasta.

Inspired by Cross Stitch by Barbara Dorry.

The Living Sea by Jessica Tell.

Duplexity by Claire Hines

As always click on the picture for a larger view and to see more detail and click a second time for an even closer view.

The show will be up until October 29, so if you are in Southwestern Connecticut, please stop in.

I am linking up with Off the Wall Friday.

Weekly Stitching

The first three are from the stencil set. I liked the first one well enough to repeat it in different colors and background.

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These last two are using a stitch I like and two of my new variegated threads from DMC.

DMC  doesn't give their thread names, just numbers, but I thought this one should be called Merlot to Rose (as in wine, of course).

 

Weekly Stitching

 I am surprised that I was able to get five squares done this week because I spent so much time on my Christmas cards. Yes, I said Christmas cards! So many people have stopped sending them, but I love to get cards in the mail and I like sending them. For the past few years I have been making my own. Last year I sent out 50 and will likely do the same this year.

On to my squares. I had ordered some new variegated colors from DMC and I wanted to do some different things with them this week.

I did this one first and loved the variegated purple thread. However I was disappointed in how the paler color got a little lost, especially from a distance.

Sooooo, I used the red variegated that doesn't show much difference in the dark red and darker red, but I did like the way you can really see the negative space circle. Lots of stitching on both of these.

A friend clued me onto some stencils online. They showed the designs in a big square and I was surprised when they arrived to see that they were all cut to about 3 3/4 inch squares. They are just the right size for my project. I probably won't use a lot of them because some of them are just too intricate for my stitching.

This is another of the stencils. I never would have been able to draw this on my own and have it come out so even.

Appropos of nothing, I just liked the design. It seems like I keep going back to flowers.

And speaking  flowers....this Mandevilla on my deck is climbing on 8 foot stakes and still reaching for the sky. I have chucked a lot of my containers as they just looked tired, but this beauty keeps on going and going and has given me many flowers all summer long. Unfortunately, the first frost will kill it and I don't have any place to put in inside.

More flowers of a different type. I grew up with African Violets and my mother even belonged to the African Violet Society. We had a big bay window in the dining room where the light must have been perfect and she always had several growing. I bought this one in ShopRite in May (probably for Mother's Day) and it was in a pink Chinese take-out container. I put it on my  kitchen window sill in my own blue and white pot. It has been blooming and blooming and has many more buds. I love the large purplish blue flowers that are perfect for my mostly blue and white kitchen. My mother would have approved.

I am linking up with Off the Wall Friday.

Weekly Stitching and Variegated Thread

 I wasn't thrilled by the squares that I did last week using variegated thread. I just used a simple chain stitch and I thought they were rather boring so I looked around for other stitches that would showcase the threads better.

This is a stitch I have used before called Wheat Stitch. I thought it worked very well with the variegated thread and it was as easy stitch to do.

This is a variation of the Wheat Stitch. Instead of straight stitches on the sides, I did a Lazy Daisy. I'm sure there is a name somewhere for this stitch but I couldn't find it. I liked it a lot and will do this again.

I couldn't find a name for this one either but I thought it also showcased the variegated thread.

More of the same, altho I was disappointed in this red thread and thought that there was very little difference in the reds. 

I did another variation, make the center stitch longer and adding French Knots.

No variegated here, but rather a pattern that I didn't get to last week. But there was a lesson learned here. On designs such as this, I do mark them using a blue wash-away pen or a Frixion pen that irons out. Big mistake......I picked up a Sharpie pen by accident and it does not iron or wash away. I will be sure not to do that again. You can see a little bit around the ribbon.

I ordered more variegated threads from DMC in different colors and I will be using them as soon as they arrive. My last order came very fast so I am hoping this one will, too.

I am linking up with Off the Wall Friday.