WIP: Japanese Octagon Box (by Chatelaine Designs)

Today's featured WIP is the Japanese Octagon Box by Martina Weber of Chatelaine Designs.

Technique/Materials:  Mostly cross stitch with a few specialty stitches, along with beads and crystals. I'm using the variegated silks specified in the pattern, though I substituted Vicki Clayton's silks for the more pricey Needlepoint Inc silks. The fabric is a standard color of 32ct Belfast, though I couldn't tell you now what specific color it is.

Background:  This was started with the online class in early 2006, and I was really enjoying it. I even picked up the finishing kit when it came out.

Why it's not done:  According to this blog post, I set it aside to work on some GCC's (and, likely, some of the Jim Wurth ornaments that were showing up every other month). As you can see, I haven't touched it since March 2007!

What's left to do: Well, only two of the eight panels are complete (or nearly complete), plus I have to do the top, bottom, and scissors sheath, and then assemble the whole thing. Looking at cathymk's pics makes me want to set everything else aside and get it done, but I know that's not in the plan. There are other things I want to get done first!

WIP: Blackberries (by Gitta's)

My only current silk gauze project is today's featured WIP. It is Blackberries, designed by Gitta's.

Technique/Materials:  Basketweave and continental stitch on 40ct silk gauze using Eterna stranded silk. (Be aware that if you're thinking of purchasing it, the kit does NOT come with 40ct gauze or silk thread. It comes with 23ct gauze or cordova canvas and cotton floss. I purchased the chart and found my own supplies.)

Background:  I started this in May 2007 (Hooray! I can remember this one!) when my EGA chapter held a workshop on how to mount silk gauze on muslin so it could be easily held with scroll rods or another type of frame. I had previously stitched another of Gitta's gorgeous designs on silk gauze, and loved how it came out. (And apparently some of the folks at ANG National Seminar did, too! I'm still in shock, over one year later!)

Why it's not done:  At the time I started this, I didn't have a full-spectrum lamp. My stitching lamp at the time was bright, but it still wasn't great for working on silk gauze. I could really only work on this during the day. Now, I've got a better lamp, but this piece hasn't found its place in my current active WIP pile.

What's left to do: Quite a lot, I'm afraid, based on the picture of the full design. Maybe this one will see more progress in the next year.

WIP: Armenian lace doily edging (by Elena Dickson)

Today's featured WIP is a bit of a departure. It is the edging on a doily, using the techniques and a design found in the book Knotted Lace in the Eastern Mediterranean Tradition by Elena Dickson.

Technique/Materials:  This edging consists of loops of thread in between knots, worked around and around the pre-made doily. The design develops in the spacing of the knots into the previous rows.  The thread is DMC Cordonnet.

Background:  I really don't recall when I started this. My edition of the book was published in 1999, so it was sometime in the past ten years. This is another travel project.

Why it's not done:  It's really pretty, but doing row upon row of knots gets a little tedious. Never mind that it is "in hand" work, with all of the issues I've got with it.

What's left to do:  Lots more knots. Here's what the completed edging is supposed to look like.

Maybe it'll happen sometime in the next ten years.

WIP: Heirloom Anniversary Sampler (by Victoria Sampler)

Yet another sampler is today's featured WIP. It is the Heirloom Anniversary Sampler designed by Thea Dueck of The Victoria Sampler. I'm stitching this as our wedding sampler, although I could have used it as our 10th anniversary sampler this year! :-(

(My apologies for the awful photo. I'll try to get a better one in the sunlight this weekend.)

Technique/Materials:  Lots of different sampler stitches, including drawn-thread work, pulled work, silk ribbon embroidery, and hardanger with silk threads on 28ct platinum Cashel linen.

Background:  I think I started this in early 2000, shortly after we got married in the fall of 1999, with the aim of making this our wedding sampler. Instead of a number inside the silk ribbon heart at the top, I'm planning to put the initial of our last name. As usual, I had to make the original design more complex by combining the big sampler with the hardanger border shown on the small design on the back of the chart.

Why it's not done:  Same old story, with respect to the hardanger. The carpal tunnel and the pinched nerve in my neck act up with the needle weaving. I also haven't found a great monogram alphabet to add our initial in the heart at the top.

What's left to do: I've just got to finish the rest of the hardanger border, then add a monogram in surface embroidery inside the heart.

WIP: Overture II (by Kay Stanis)

Today's featured WIP is Overture II, designed by Kay Stanis.

Technique/Materials:  Silk and metal embroidery on congress cloth. The border stitch is a counted couching technique using flat Japanese silk (not fun with winter-rough hands!) and metallic braid. The remainder of the design, except for the background, is done in non-counted techniques.

Background:  This was one of two one-day classes taught by Kay when she visited our ANG chapter in August 2006. (The other was Prelude, which I finished within a few months.)

Why it's not done:  While I was finishing Prelude, this piece was set aside, and by the time I got back to this, winter had set in, and my hands couldn't handle the silk. In the three years since, I haven't remembered to start working on it again!

What's left to do: Most of it, unfortunately. It really isn't a large piece though (about 5" x 7"), so it shouldn't take too terribly long, once I pick it up again - after this winter.

WIP: Green Ornament (from Kathy Schenkel)

I think I actually have fewer stitches in today's WIP than yesterday's, but I've got more of the piece completed.  This is a rare small project for me.  Today's featured WIP is a handpainted canvas ornament from Kathy Schenkel.

Technique/Materials:  Various (mostly yet undetermined) stitches on handpainted 18ct mono canvas. I've pulled a bunch of appropriate threads from my stash. So far, I'm using Felicity's Garden (a thread I've never used before, only have one skein of, and it happens to be a perfect dark green), Vineyard Silk, and Kreinik 1/16" ribbon.

Background:  I picked this canvas up last year when my LNS hosted a Kathy Schenkel trunk show. When contemplating what stitches to use, the scalloped area just cried out to be stitched in Bargello, so that's where I started! I'm not sure what I'm doing for the rest yet.

Why it's not done:  This is another "desk" project, and I don't often pull it out at lunch. If I do, it only gets about ten minutes of attention. Never mind this sat in my desk for four months while I was out on bedrest/maternity leave last winter.

What's left to do:  The rest of the Bargello, the center band, and the gold ornament top. Now that I've brought it home to photograph it, I may just spend a couple of evenings finishing it.

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A long-overdue Erin update:  On Halloween, I posted pictures of Erin in her jack o'lantern costume, but I neglected to mention that she decided to try to complete the outfit by cutting her first tooth that day. Now, that tooth is becoming visible in pictures.

Her new favorite pastime is pulling off her socks.

But like mommy, she can sometimes be distracted by fabric textures.