Digging through the stash

Posted on

Tonight I needed a break from stitching and decided to go through my stash of threads. Oh, what fun! I have picked up silks, cottons, and overdyes from various sources, but mostly shop closings. The rainbow of colors is simply breathtaking! And I love the feel of these different types of fibers. Hopefully these photos will inspire you to go through your own stash and find some things you can use to create your next masterpiece. Here is the first tote of goodies.

Inside, I found Weeks Dye Works Pearl Cotton:

Northern Lights silks:

Kreinik Silk Mori:

and huge hanks of Gloriana silks:

I also found a stash of what appears to be one skein each of the entire line of overdyed floss by JAR Designs in Florida. I don’t know anything about this company, and an internet search didn’t provide much information. It looks like they are out of business or just don’t have a website any more. The skeins are small, but I am sure I will find something to use them on!

By far, my favorite from this stash is the lot of twisted skeins of Silk N Threads from The Thread Gatherer. They are sooooo gorgeous! I can’t wait to find a project to utilize some of these. If I can bear to cut into them, that is! They are so pretty the way they are.

XXX
Carrie


Almost There!

Posted on

Peacock Tapestry is coming along great! I have now finished the top border, top two corner blocks, and two side borders.

I think once I get the two other corner blocks and the bottom border done, I will put it away for a while. I don’t want to get burned out on this large project. So I have to decide what to work on next. Do I start a new project that I am really excited about, or make myself work on or finish a WIP? I have Adrienne’s stocking, which is barely started. Then there is Jim’s woodland deer which is going well but kind of borning, because it is all browns and greens. I found a great new project in a British magazine on my iPad – a two parter of an African landscape. Huge and detailed, but gorgeous, with elephants, giraffes, lions, etc. I also have a DMC kit from Pollyanna Pickering which is similar, but a lot less work. And then the British magazine Cross Stitch Gold just put out a chart of a girl holding a peacock. I have already picked out the floss and fabric for that one, but won’t let myself start it until I get a grasp on some of my WIPs. Of course, I might change my mind. Oh, what to stitch next? Decisions, decisions…

XXX
Carrie


More Progress

Posted on

Today’s Peacock Tapestry progress:

Note that the borders do not have the beads or gold threads done yet; those will be the very last thing in the project. I have seen other people’s WIP of this chart and they do the beads as they go along. There is no way my Q Snaps would work on a project that had beads in it, and I don’t want to be snagging them on anything either. So I do them last.

XXX
Carrie


Happy Valentine’s Day!

Posted on

I don’t do much for this holiday. I don’t decorate the house, and I might make some pink heart cookies or something, but only if my son needs to take them to school for his party! My husband and I don’t even get each other cards or gifts. After being together for 16 years, we don’t need one certain day a year to know how we feel about each other. But, there is one thing I am looking forward to – an evening of uninterrupted stitching! This is always my wish for my birthday and Mother’s Day, as well. On those days I don’t want to cook or clean, or be the one who has to discipline the kids. All I want is a quiet house with hours and hours of stitching time, just for me. Because let’s face it, on a normal day I don’t get that!

The Peacock Tapestry is coming along, but it is going to take FOREVER! I give myself about 3 years on this one. I have two of the corner blocks done, with two to go. I have the top border row done, as well as almost half of one side, and more than 3/4 of the other side. So that leaves the bottom row, 1/4 of one side, and half of the other side. And that is just for the border stripes! All four sides of the border have to be filled in with a floral design. Then the entire set of stripes has to be backstitched, beads have to be added, and gold metallic threads have to be criss-crossed through. All of that has to be done at the very end, though. The border alone will be one of the most intricate and time-consuming pieces I have ever done. The peacock itself, which fills the entire inside of the frame, will be an enormous challenge in itself. But I am determined to finish this, no matter how long it takes. I think I will have to take breaks from this project so that I don’t get bored or overwhelmed. I am going to try to at least get the corner blocks and border stripes done before I pack it away for a while. Then Adrienne’s Christmas stocking and Jim’s wooded deer project will have to be brought back out. So much stitching, so little time…

XXX
Carrie


The Peacock Tapestry

Posted on

After years of being packed away, I have started working on Teresa Wentzler’s Peacock Tapestry again. My goal is to get the border stripes done, then put it away for a while. Then get it back out and do the floral design that goes inside the border stripes, then put it away again. And finally, work on the center panel which is the peacock and trees (and covers the entire piece of fabric). Today’s progress:

To give you an idea of the size of this project, I take it out of my Q Snaps and lay it against the back of the couch to take the photos. It hangs down the back of the couch and onto the seat. It is approximately 23×15 inches of stitching.

XXX
Carrie


The Finished Heart!

Posted on

Variegated Heart, Finished

This stitched up so quickly after I got the chart figured out. I am going to frame it in a square white frame and put it in Adrienne’s room – she is crazy about anything pink and purple, and loves hearts. I think it turned out great. The fabric was 32 count Carnation Pink Belfast Linen. I loooooove Zweigart fabrics! There’s just something about that orange line in the selvedge. I can actually feel the difference when I have an inferior piece of fabric in my hands. I think I will stay away from 32 count fabric for a while, though. I need to get my eyes rested a bit.

Now I need a new project. I think the Peacock Tapestry needs to come out of hiding…

XXX
Carrie