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.

Another project: EGA Master Craftsman

In addition to the three projects I discussed in my last post, at some point I need to really start my step two piece for the EGA Master Craftsman program in Canvas, since I need to turn it in by the end of March.

Here's the description of this step from the EGA Education Catalog:

STEP 2. Twenty-one different stitches used in a provided design with an analogous color scheme.

It's an accurate description.  The provided design is an abstract design with twenty-one different areas, and I need to choose which of the twenty-one listed stitches go in each area, with no repeats.  The second part of the description mentions "an analogous color scheme."  This type of color scheme consists of neighboring primary and secondary colors on the color wheel.  In my case, I'm using red-orange, red, and red-violet.  I chose this scheme as a way to stretch myself, since I don't use these colors often.  I've already made preliminary decisions for color placement, made easy with photo-editing software.

I'll start by stitching each of the prescribed stitches on a doodle canvas so I can get a side-by-side comparison of the textures of each, which will help with placement in the design.  Somehow I'll fit this in with the other pieces in my rotation.

Unfortunately, I won't be able to share pictures of my progress on this piece here in the blog.  Since each stitcher in the program must make their own decisions in stitching the pieces up for evaluation, I can't share mine because (a) I may get comments that influence my own decisions and (b) somebody else in the program may be influenced by some of my choices.

Are you working towards your Master Craftsman certification in any of the disciplines?  Have you considered it?  I'm only through one step, and even though it's not described as an educational experience, but rather a means of "proving" technical expertise, I've already learned quite a bit! 

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Erin update:  To make up for my lack of stitchy pictures in this post, and since some of you asked, here's a recent shot of Erin.

Cinders, Day 1

Direct from a hotel in Corning, NY, I present the pathetically minute amount of stitching from my class today! That's right, folks, I stitched a whopping three stones of the archway and a little bit of the hearth between the broom and Cinderella. Oh, and a doodle in the corner.

This class is turning out to be more challenging than I expected. Actually, I should say it's adaptable to the level of the stitcher. It's a beginning blackwork class, and can certainly be done as a copy of Marion's stitched piece. It can also be much more challenging - not in the stitching itself, but in the finding of appropriate patterns for each area.

Marion has provided 15 pages of various filling patterns. I'd guess there are over 200 patterns in all. (For the record, many, if not most, of these are NOT reversible. Blackwork does not have to be reversible.) We're finding patterns that are appropriate in scale to each area. We're then shading them by adding or deleting stitches, changing the color value of the thread, and/or changing thread thickness in some areas of the pattern. By clicking on the picture and looking at the three completed blocks in the archway, you can see a bit of this. The two larger blocks are in a lighter color and are missing some stitches. I'll probably use a similar effect on the inside and outside of the bucket.

In the hearth, I've stitched some basting lines. These will be used so I can tell when I want to change colors within that large area.

I'm going to learn a lot in this class. Most of my blackwork background has been with reversible bands (as in Tiramisu). This is the first time I've worked with shading blackwork, and so far it's been a bit frustrating (like when I tried a pattern in a certain area only to find out it was far too big for that area, or when I tried to make a complex pattern reversible just to see if I could).

I just realized it. I've been doing a LOT with shading lately, between Winds of Color and these two classes with Marion. Apparently, if last year was the year for goldwork, this year is the year for shading. There are three very different techniques: canvaswork, surface embroidery, and blackwork, but they all require many decisions for shading. It's wonderful to know there's always something to learn in this fascinating needlework journey!

(Isn't it fun when a blog post doesn't end up the way you thought it would? This in itself is part of my journey - helping me find the parallels in my projects. I might not have made the "shading" connection without writing about it!)