So Many Finishes

Last week was a week of several finishes.

First up is the needlepoint heart from last week.  After I got all the backstitching done, it occurred to me that I shouldn't have done the cool background stitching around the heart and finished it an an ornament instead.  Oh well.  Maybe I'll turn it into a box top or something.

Second is the Violet Tool Case.  I ended up having to sew around the piping by hand.  My sewing machine didn't want to go through all the pocket layers and the piping.  Oh well.

Next up is the framed Tuscan Greeting sampler.  I finished stitching it last August, but never got around to framing it.  As it is, I have to re-frame the piece because it shifted in the frame when it was wrapped up and taken to the PASG Judged Show.  The shifting was enough to cost me a blue ribbon, but I'm still ecstatic about the red ribbon.

I also finished Musical Roses last August and finally framed it last week.  It was also entered into the show and took a ribbon.  Despite the frame being too small for the design (which I'm absolutely irritated about), it took a blue ribbon.  It's also going to be re-framed, but with a larger frame and a mat.

I've saved the best for last today.  I finished my original cross stitch design that features a poem that I wrote. They share the title of Paint the World.  I plan on offering the chart for sale as a .pdf file at some point in the future.  I'm not sure when, but it is in the works.

I'm happy to say this piece took two blue ribbons at the Judged Show this year.  The first in it's category, the second was a special award for this year's theme, "Tell Me A Story."

 It's been a crazy week, so I'm going to take the rest of today off and put my feet up.  See you next weekend!

Musical Roses: The Last of January's Work

Here's the last picture from the previous update:

Now for the next four days worth:

My goal here was to create spaces that could be filled in while riding in a car or while something interesting was on PBS.  In the last picture there are five such spaces.

Back to Musical Roses Again

The last time I showed progress, I was here:

Here's the stitching for the three days after:

I wasn't able to really sit and work, so the progress is very slow.

Musical Roses: Piano Progress

I had a decent block of time to devote to the next section, so I was able to go from this:

To this:

I've crossed the center of the design now.  The piano is close to 75% complete.  I think I'll do some work on the bass next.  Maybe... we'll see.

Musical Roses: The Next Installment

I've been working in fits and starts.  Too many distractions and not enough time spent stitching.  Oh well.  Here's where we left of last time.

I've gotten a bit more of the piano worked up now.

You can see a few of the black keys now.  The bass also has the suggestion of strings. 

Back to Musical Roses

Here's the last photo that you saw of the stitching.

And here are the next two progression photos.

 

You can see the neck of the string bass and the piano's keyboard starting to take shape.  I've also gotten a good start on one of the larger roses.  In the next pictures the keyboard will start to become more prominent.

Musical Roses Progress

We left off here New Year's Day:

Before I went to bed on Monday, Jan. 2nd, I had only managed to fill in a few places. 

At this point I can fill in with the yellow all the way to the tip of the rightmost rose before I need to worry about the neck of the bass and the lower music note that isn't finished yet.  I can also start the second to last rose any time.

I will probably switch between the yellow wall and the piano for a day or so, jumping to the rose for a change of scenery.  I doubt I will start the bass until I get to the part where it rests against the wall.

More Musical Roses

Here is where I left off in 2011. 

This is what I managed to get done during the football games and into the night New Year's Day (and early morning hours of Monday).

You can really start to see the piano taking shape.  More of the monotonous yellow wall is filled in as well.  What I'm doing there is counting over until I know where an object is supposed to start, parking the yellow thread, and working said object.  Then I know where I can just fill in around everything.

At this point I can start filling in with yellow between the right side of the piano and the rose on the right.  There will be another few notes on the right side before I can fill it in all the way.  I'm almost to the neck of the string bass and the keyboard on the piano.  That lone cluster of yellow at the bottom of the picture is a piece of wall between the bass and a piano leg, so I'm about halfway to the center of the design.

Musical Roses: Continued

We left off here yesterday, with the roses starting to take shape.

This is the next day's worth of work.  The piano is starting to show itself and the vase is almost ready to fill in.

Each photo is taken after one day of working.  I guess I should mention that I began this piece on the 28th of December.  So this bottom picture is the work that I did on the 30th.  I didn't get anything done on this piece on New Year's Eve, which had been my plan.

Musical Roses: The Beginning

As promised, here are the first two days worth of stitching.  The kit is by Janlynn and is called "Musical Roses."  The roses are really more of a highlight in the design, accenting the jazzy piano and string bass.  Various musical notes are peppered throughout the picture.

I did start in the center but quickly decided to take advantage of my grid and moved to the top to work my way down.  The color changes would be more interesting that way.

You will slowly start to see the vase of coral colored roses appear on top of the piano.  The piano has a neat curve to it, almost like it's dancing to the music.

More progression pictures tomorrow!  I will be spacing these out over time and post on the other things I'm doing as well for the next several days.