Two Down, One to Go

It’s amazing watching these lovely Magi come alive with just a needle and a bit of thread. Here is Magi #2 in all his glory.

My favorite part of this one is a technique that’s used in all three Magis. Strangely enough, it’s one of the least showy parts of this Magi’s garments: the underskirt (if that’s what it’s called).

The very front section of his robes, below his sleeve, is stitched simply with long stitches of #4 Kreinik braid, couched every four threads with a very thin matching metallic. The result is that it looks like the skirt is made of a sheer, glittery fabric, though that unfortunately does not come across in the photographs.

Reminding Myself that it’s Just String!

Poor Magi #2. He sat in this state:

…for over a month. Why, you ask?

Because I had forgotten. I had forgotten my mantra. It’s JUST STRING!  I had a block. It wasn’t as if I couldn’t fix it if I didn’t like it.

You might be wondering what specific technique had me avoiding this lovely project for a month. You’re probably thinking it’s something terribly complex, and that I had visions of ruining the project.

Alas, no, I’m more of an idiot than that. Complex stitches are a challenge to me, and I relish them.

The part that had me stumbling used the dreaded “R” word. Can you guess?

RANDOM.

And here’s how dumb I am. It wasn’t even completely random through the whole section. It was a line of bargello. Yes, I said bargello. As in, once the first darn line is in, the rest just follows along.

And it held me up. For a month.

All I had to do was this…

  …and then fill in above and below that line.

Let the virtual head-slaps begin.

WIP: A Case for Color (by Marilyn Bedford)

Today's featured WIP is a needlebook called A Case for Color, designed by Marilyn Bedford.

Technique/Materials:  Various Bargello motifs in silk thread (Waterlilies and Hand-Dyed Fibers) on a hand-dyed 32ct linen.

Background:  If I recall correctly, one of the members of our local EGA chapter had taken this class several years ago at a regional mini-seminar known as "Little Stitches". This seminar specifically only recruits teachers from within the region, to encourage new and aspiring designers and teachers. Several of us had seen the resultant needlecase that came from this class, so when Marilyn Bedford came into town for a region meeting in October 2008, we asked her to stay for an extra day to teach this class.

This was another project for which each student chose her own colors. In addition, students could place the various motifs anywhere within the cover area, though some are duplicating the original layout. I chose to make my needlebook slightly smaller than the original, so I've needed to rearrange and crop some of the motifs make them fit. Fortunately, it's very easy to do this in Bargello!

Why it's not done:  This was set aside when I started My Way and Summer Dream last November. I actually did work on it a bit during Erin's first surgery, but it didn't "stick."

What's left to do:  Filling in most of the empty areas with additional motifs, and then turning it into a needlebook.

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.

Another new project and a SALE!

I did make a tiny bit of progress on the Bargello needlecase Monday night, but finally, after almost two weeks, my 20" Evertite stretcher bars showed up in yesterday's mail. Last night, I managed to mount the canvas for Carolyn Mitchell's My Way and organize some of my stitching area. Tonight, I'll start this - the third new project in a week! (And remember, I've already finished one of them!) From all reports, a lot of time is needed to finish the pre-work on this, and I have just over three weeks to do it.

Of course, the overflowing stash (and WIP/UFO) piles won't prevent me from ogling the lovely items being offered as part of Gay Ann Rogers's "E-week" sale. Gay Ann, a noted national teacher, sells some of her old class pieces, some as instructions only, some as kits, only for one week a year. That week started TODAY. If you liked my Strawberry Girl, the pattern is for sale again this week. As I have many of Gay Ann's designs, both from last year's sale and from eBay and other online stitcher-to-stitcher sale, I'm trying to limit my purchases. Right now, the only piece I'm sure I'll pick up is her Almost Whitework sampler. Why do I always like the BIG and COMPLICATED pieces? :-)

A mini happy dance and a new project

Hooray! Less than a week after it was started, I put the last stitches into the heart I stitched for the ANG cancer center outreach. (Doesn't that sound better than the name I almost gave it - Cancer Heart?) This was a fun little project.

I made quite a bit of progress on my Bargello needlecase during class yesterday. This piece doesn't have a set pattern. Instead, the teacher suggested we take each of the Bargello motifs and arrange them as we like. The original pattern used one color of variegated thread and 5 values of a single color family. I found a variegated, but then pulled two color families from it, so I'm having fun with color and motif placement. For those who wanted less of a challenge, a full size picture was provided, with a grid basted through the design so folks could place their motifs in the same place as in the original. I'm going to continue working on this tonight.

Thanks to all of you for the lovely comments in response to my last post. The internet stitching community is such a wonderful group!