More Stumpwork on Squaw!

The Beautiful Squaw is Completely Stitched!

However, not the background. 

Yesterday was my birthday, and I treated myself to eight

totally focused hours of stitching.  It truly was a treat.  With the sole intent to

finish her.  I wasn't sure when the day started if it could actually be

done, but I had to try!  The background will have to be finished

at a later date.  Now it's time to move onto Mr. Turkey.

The Cornucopia is filled to the brim with Stumpwork Fruit & Veggies!

Notice the Stumpwork arm & hand holding the Basket!

Looking down into the Cornucopia Basket:

I really am proud of how this turned out!  

Now, all I have to do is finish writing all of the directions

and draw all of the diagrams for Lesson 8!

Small task, that!  LOL! No problem?

Y'all know what I'll be doing for the next few days!

Keep on Stitchin' everyone!

Needleweaving Re-visited!

The Elegant Squaw Comes to Life!

Now that Lesson 7 part 2 for Jonathon Pilgrim is out of my hair, 

I have finally been able to get down to some

serious stitching on the Squaw.

Isn't she starting to look so pretty?!

Of course her Cornucopia is needlewoven!  How could I not?!

However, The finished Woven Cornucopia above is the second one I wove!

The first time through, I made a few mistakes.  Although it 

looked pretty good, there were a few critical problems...

Let's walk through it:

On the left is the wire frame and warp threads...so far, so good!

To the right, needleweaving has started.  Notice the yellow ochre anchoring thread, which supports the wire frame and keeps it from collapsing down onto the canvas.

Below is the first finished basket.  

Looks pretty good, right? 

 Here is the problem...It was late at night and I was so hyper-focused 

on the weaving that I forgot to use the padding to shape the basket

prior to weaving.  Consequently, I used very tight tension on my weft 

weaving threads.  It made for very neat weaving.

The problem was there was no distance between the weaving 

and the canvas.  Then, when I cut the anchoring wire, 

the tension was so tight, that the wire flattened right 

back against the canvas. 

Soooo,

I un-wove the weft and started over!

(Ever thrifty, I wanted to conserve the warp threads, if possible!)  

On the left, this photo is back to the warp stage. The difference 

is the padding which provides shape to the basket.   

The padding will be removed after weaving.  The great

thing with the padding is that it really helps you keep your

tension accurate to allow the proper space between the

basket and the canvas! 

On the right, the second time I used 3 different anchoring 

threads to keep the wire in place, and support the structure. 

Below, close-up of the final basket!

It has lovely shape and lift from the canvas. 

The other part of the canvas which I am very excited about is the

fringe and beading at the hem of the dress:

When I stitched the fringe and added the silver

beading trim...it needed something...a bit more

weight?  But what?

I tried the over-dyed green magnifica beads...

and wa-lah!

 The perfect touch!

Kelly goes Stumpwork Crazy!!!

Hello All!

I am on a role with the stumpwork!  

I just COULD NOT WAIT to SHARE these images!!!

 A Fancy New Cauliflower!

Which began as a small piece of felted wool,

scrunched and couched in place:

The wool is covered with Knots in 2 shades of Cream:

Now we move out a bit and add Silk Ribbon:

(Notice there is a gap between the silk and the padded knots)

Now we expand the knot brigade outward to reach the ribbon

and start to fill in crevices.  Also we picked up three additional

shades of Cream...ranging from Celadon Shoot to Vanilla Bean to Dried Thyme:

A bit more silk, and another crop of Knots:

The finished work is a Vegie Delight!

Wait!  There is more to Show:

A Fabulous White Winter Gourd!

Working on the Cauliflower with photo images on my lap-top.

Google Images...my handy reference!

Our gentleman holding his Rifle...his handsome Hunt Satchel

And the magnificent Wild Turkey!

Stay Tuned!

Happy Stitching!

Kelly

Pilgrim Gent & Indian Brave

Well Hello Stitchers!  I had every intention of blogging last night.  In fact I even told Colleen,
"I'm fixin' to blog here in a little bit!"  (Can y'all hear the Texas?  What has become of this Ohio Girl?)  Anyway, somehow I got completely distracted and didn't.  Now, for the life of me, I can't figure out why, or what happened?  Could it have been my three swimmers all having time trials at different times all evening from 4:30 'til after 7?  Could it have been hubby calling at eleventh hour to say he was working late?  Could it have been my 6th grader coming to me in tears and saying I had forgotten to turn in her paperwork for next school-years volleyball team, and she didn't get her uniform yesterday like all of her friends?
(Never mind that she didn'texactly give me the paperwork, and it's her job to turn in the paper-work...I am not a middle-schooler!!)  ARGH!!!!  Nah, couldn't have been any of that!

I am so thrilled with how well he is turning out.  He is the perfect counter to our Elegant Rebekkah!  Although he is not fancy, by any means, there is a simple Classic Elegance to his costume.  The jacket actually looks like a gorgeous brocade cloth, which would have been woven in Belgium and purchased in London.  His bride would have hand embroidered the silk leaf treatment around the hem of his coat.  The rifle looks so Cool!  It was an item that had me stumped for a while and yes, I did rip it out twice before arriving at the perfect thread and stitch combination!

Adding the final button-hole wrap stitch to hat-brim.

Hat Finished, with buckle and scrunched silk hat-band.  Gorgeous!

Some of you may be wondering why you don't see any garland or background stitching?  Well, I am trying

something a little different than my normal stitching method.  In order to stay on the established Lesson schedule, it occurred to me that I would just focus on 'new stitching' for the next 2 characters.  In other

words, stitch the characters, their costume & accoutrement, then go back and stitch the backgrounds!

To finish up this post, I thought I would show a few close-ups from Indian Brave

Beaded and wrapped moccassins.

Corn silks added to beaded field corn.

 

Look at all of his beading!

So Elegant Thanksgiving Fans, until next time,

Happy Stitching!

Kelly

Indian Brave is STITCHED!

HOORAY!

After a grueling 32 hour Marathon stitching & writing session,

(which began in earnest Friday evening after Olivia's Brownie Meeting)

I just now put the final stitch in!!!!

This was my Eveready Bunny piece...it just kept going and going!

I am so HAPPY he is done!  

He is rather Handsome and well adorned!

Lesson 6 will be e-mailed to the Elegant Thanksgiving Stitch Clubbers tomorrow!!!

Details to follow....

I am now going to get some much needed sleep!

Happy Mothers Day everyone!!!!!

Christmas Crazy Quilt Under Way!

The Christmas Crazies have begun!

No not shopping...

Stitching!

The minute these canvases arrived in the Studio, I wanted to grab

stretcher bars, staple gun, tape, threads and get started.  The feeling was quite

palpable!  However, I was good and held off for a couple of weeks!

This is so Cool!

I got started while I was out in Tucson for Dad's Funeral.
My good friend, Colleen Church, gave me some sage advice before that trip.
She said, "Don't take any work projects that have a deadline or are part of a Class
or Club.  You don't want to feel any pressure, or have that piece trigger any added
anxiety."   I thought about it and agreed.  This Christmas Crazy was the only piece I took
with me on that trip.  That in itself is rare.  I usually take a minimum of four projects on every
trip!  And it is often about 6 or 8!  You know how we Stitchers are...what if we run out of
things to work on?  What if I need to buy a thread for one of these pieces, and there is a great
shop to visit where I am going?  What if I decide to go to an Open Stitch group and I can't
decide which piece to work on?...better take several just to be sure!
I figured, "If I am in the mood to stitch, I can, but if I'm not, then no
big problem.  I will be writing a guide for this one, but there is no looming time-frame, at all!

I am having so much FUN picking threads and stitches! 

My goal with the selections is always to create an interesting patch with a minimum of 2 different

thread elements for each section.  I also love 'Repeating Themes'. 

Checkerboards, for instance!  Love 'em, have to have 'em! 

I have already started to think about what seam treatments I will use and colors for

silk ribbon...it definitely needs Chartreuse...that's a given!

But now I must put fabulous Christmas Crazy down for awhile and get back to work 

on my 'real' projects!

Posting Very Soon 

will be 

The Finished Thanksgiving Scout!

Until next time,

Happy Stitching!

PS. The way cool & Blingy Needle Magnet is from Accoutrement Designs!

Isn't it perfect for this piece?

Life's Journey

I last Posted on Wednesday Morning March 21, 2012.

Remember I was stitching like a madwoman on The Brave, and I was

determined to finish him over the coming weekend.

Well that was not meant to be.

Shortly after I posted, the phone rang and it was my brother.

"Why are you calling during the day?  You work for a living and you

Never call me during the day?!" I said.

"That's right, I guess I never do call you during the day.

"I'm calling to tell you Dad has taken a real bad turn, and we have called in Hospice."

Within 18 hours I was on a plane on my way to Tucson.

When I arrived Dad had actually been taken into the hospital.  The whole Hospice thing

just wasn't meant to be for him.  I was able to spend Dad's last three days with him.
I have a fond memory of spending an entire afternoon sitting next to the bed.
Dad sleeping peacefully and me stitching.

Dad and me when I visited Mid January 2012,
prior to the Phoenix TNNA Market.  I feel so blessed that I had taken a brief time
for that visit.  I have a fond memory of Mom, Dad & I going to a lovely Italian restaurant.
Dad was a retired Attorney and had helped me greatly with contracts and such over
my design career. 
Farewell Dad, you shall be greatly missed!