Monday, June 30, 2014

Nothing new

A busy Saturday and a very lazy Sunday equals no stitching to show.  Here's an oldie but a goodie.

Cream Farmhouse by Melissa Shirley with stitch guide by Amy Bunger





Friday, June 27, 2014

Thanksgiving House Thursday

Overview

Red window trim

Boards
A fun group of us are going to stitch on our Thanksgiving Houses every Thursday.  I finished the boards and started the red window trim.

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Lots of red ornaments


 My Shelley ornament has the white area around the tree.  I put in a few basketweave stitches but not sure about that.

Kelly Clark pear
I went to The Needle Works today to meet the Swans.  I got the Neon Rays I needed to finish the red stripes.  A lot of french knots are in my future.



Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Serious progress on my Shelley ornament

Overview
 Thanks to Wimbledon for helping me get some serious stitching time.  We are tennis people and watch a lot of matches.  Anyhoo, here's the final choice on the stripes.  I tried 032 Kreinik and 5760 Kreinik.  They are both shinier but settled on 100HL Kreinik because it seemed to fit .  Now for the tree.

Close-up

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Shelley ornament

Shelley Tribbey ornament
My MIL is of Swedish origin.  She has red and white ornaments on her Christmas tree.  I found this at Amy's Golden Strand the last time I went.  I want to go again…anyway, this is perfect for her.


First try at red stripes

Overview
 I decided this was too loud.  It's a great stitch which I have used horizontally on a small roof.  I just didn't like the effect here.

Finished red stripes
I satin stitched them all with three strands of silk.

White stripes

Monday, June 23, 2014

Kelly Clark striped pear

Continentaling the stripes



Satin stitching the red stripes
 I ran out of the red Neon Rays on Saturday afternoon.

French knots for the trees
After stitching all the trees that I could I moved on to this on Sunday afternoon:

Shelley ornament for my MIL

Saturday, June 21, 2014

One down, so many to go

Shepherd
 I finished the background of the shepherd.   Picked up the donkey but that didn't last long.
Donkey

Friday, June 20, 2014

Boring blog...

After spending millions of dollars on different threads and hundreds of hours trying different stitches, I decided to basketweave the background with DMC floss.  The stitches on the figures stand out and the background goes quickly.  All the figures below are ready for the background.  Lots of basketweaving to get done before the deadline for Christmas finishing this year.


Shepherd

Mary

Red Magi

Gree Magi

Joseph


Blue Magi



Still to do:



Baby Jesus


Thursday, June 19, 2014

Front door of Thanksgiving House








These pics are a little fuzzy but you get the idea.  House by Melissa Shirley and stitch guide by Amy Bunger(amybunger.com).

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Monday, June 16, 2014

Melissa Shirley's Thanksgiving House

One of the Swans is stitching Melissa Shirley's Valentine House.  I desperately want to do it but will not purchase it until I finish my Thanksgiving House with stitch guide by Amy Bunger.  My goal is by June of 2015.  Nobody laugh…










Roof on stand

Shingle details

Peak stitches

Vaulting fan stitch up close



Friday, June 13, 2014

Flower stitches


Amy Bunger ideas
Skip tent over the whole flower.  Take metallic ribbon and gather it up by pulling out one of the filaments.  Tack down with matching thread.  The small purple flower is done with buttonhole stitch all the way around. Wonderful!

Amy Bunger idea

Amy Bunger idea
Four way continental over two with colonial knots in the center of each diamond.  Beautiful!

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Very cute Uncle Sam

Uncle Sam
LO stitched this oh so cute version of Uncle Sam.  You can see swans stitching away in the background at our Wednesday get together.  So much fun.

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Starting something new

Kelly Clark pear from The French Knot
I got to a stopping point with my secret Swan ornament so I pulled this cutie out.  It's part of The French Knot's Kelly Clark Pear club.  I started on the pale green lines.

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Wing stitches

Woven stitch using size 8 Kreinik

Double stitch without cross stitch using size 4 overdyed Kreinik

Four way continental over two with straight stitch over two in each diamond


Leaf stitch for blue wings


T-stitch using size 8 Kreinik
Parisian stitch

Woven stitch using metallic ribbon(Carolyn Baird idea)



Diamond pavillion with bead at intersection(Carolyn Baird idea)