Another one finished!

This is the Circles pattern by Lois Kerschner I finished a couple of days ago. I sprayed a paper box gold on the outside, and with the blue suede spray on the inside. Then, I cut a circle to match the design area from thin cardboard and covered it with very thin quilt batting. I wrapped the piece around that and glued it to the top of the box. Last I added the gimp. First I glued it around the outside edge. When that was dry, I then glued each of the designs down the side all around the outside edge. The gimp is approximately and 1 1/4.

Circle Top is finished

I finished this tonight! I did another Smyrna Cross Combination in the bottom center with the Kreinik braid and then did a buttonhole stitch around the outside with Petite Frosty Rays. I also did the basketweave to fill in the rest of the background. The directions call for a couched thread half way around the buttonhole stitch, but I did not like how it looked, and took it all out! The subtle blue shades in the white background balance the heavy dark on the left. It really could be water washing up on the beach!

the right side

I finished the basketweave above the Four Way Bargello, continuing in #5 Pearl, color 800. Then I did the Octagonal Rhodes stitch below it using three strands of Weeks Dye Works, color Icicle. I also used this thread to do the three Jessicas on the right. Last I filled those with 032 #8 Kreinik. The background will be filled in with basketweave after I finish the stitches on the bottom.

Jessicas & French Knots

I did three Jessicas in the top right hand space above the Spider. I used a single strand of DMC #5. I then filled each of them with Kreinik #8 in Pearl. The Jessicas are done over 5, then 4, then 3 threads so they vary in size. I also started doing the basketweave in the top area. Note to anyone else that might be doing this piece: The directions say to do the basketweave in color 800, but the photo with the project actually used 799 in this area. To keep this looking right I will continue to do the basketweave in the area in color 800.

Eyelets and all

I finished the final few Symrna Crosses to fill in the rest of the Round Bargellos. Then I filled in the open area in the middle on the left with eyelet stitches. I used Needle Necessities overdyed floss as I did not have the DMC mouline called for. Last, I took out the Raised Spider above the four way Bargello. I realized it was too small and too low in the design area to look right, and so I restitched it a little larger and up a bit higher. I like it better now!

Happy Easter everyone!

Almost....not quite

I worked on all the Smyrna Cross Eyelet Combinations in all the sections of the Round Bargellos. I still have just a few to finish at the bottom. These are all done with the DMC Rayon thread using two strands. Some are done in the Delft Medium and the others are done in the Navy Blue. Also some of the Smyrnas are done in the Delft and other are done in the Navy. This is a great shiny thread, but can be a pistol to work with. I do use short lengths to keep it under control which may be why I did not get them all done. Spent a lot of time threading the needle! LOL

Circles, everywhere!

All of the circles are in! I did not get all of the centers filled in, but that is on the list for tomorrow. Hopefully, I will also get a few of the other areas filled in as well! This is working up very quickly and is also going to be a great box top!

More Rounds

I am moving down the left side of the Round Bargello patterns. You can see that the top ones show four different colors. Then the first diagonal lined area has three colors, the second one has two, and the bottom one has one. These will also have a Smyrna Cross Eyelet Combination worked in the centers, but I thought I will fill in more of the patterns first. When the entire piece is finished, I will go back and cover any of the white drawn lines as needed.
If you love bargello, please go and check out Laura Perrin's blog. She has a new design you will probably like!
http://two-handedstitcher.blogspot.com/

Doing Spiders

I changed the working order for a little bit. I wanted to put the Spider stitches in so I could continue working the Round Bargello pattern down the left side. With those completed I could fill in around the top one, which is a Ribbed Spider. After laying the foundation stitches with a single strand of DMC #4, I did the over and under weaving until all the ribs were covered. On the Raised Spider, I started the same way. Weaving over and under on this one makes the entire thing stand away from the canvas.
Great variations starting with the same foundation!

Some here, some there

First, apologies for forgetting to put the backing under the canvas before I took the picture! You can see the leg of the light next to my little space heater! Sorry about that!
As to stitching, I completed the centers of all the Round Bargellos in the top rows using two strands of DMC Rayon floss. These were done with the Smyrna Combination stitch. I then started the next area in a different combination of colors for the second band that will carry down and to the right. I also did one of the third band with yet another combination. The bottom band will have yet another variation. Stay tuned!

More of the same

I finished the top of the circle and then added a partial and full Round Bargello pattern in the DMC colors. I stopped where I did in the third row from the top as there will be a different design there before I fill in the rest of this area. I also have to work the centers of each of these round Bargellos. Compensating this type of Bargello is very easy as the stitch is a six count stitch over 5 threads.

Round and Round

I started filling in the dark blue painted area with the Round Bargello pattern. I am using DMC #5 in 823, 799, 312, and 336. This section will cover from the top of the circle to the first diagonal line runs from the left to the lower right--up to the four way Bargello design. The DMC #5 is providing excellent coverage on the 18 count canvas using a single strand.

Diamond Rhodes

The Diamond Rhodes stitches are worked below the Bargello Rounds and next to the Four Way Bargello using a single strand of Kreinik #8 in color 194. They are very pretty and sparkly, so please enlarge so you can see them.
Tomorrow night I will continue with Bargello Rounds above the light blue ones I worked the other night.

Round Bargellos

Above and to the right of the four way Bargello, I did the Round Bargello stitches. I used four strands of Crescent floss as I did not have the Weeks Dye Works called for. By the way, I am using a laying tool on all of the Bargello, as I always do. These stitches are over five threads and this ensures that they are laying flat and the sheen is so much prettier. After completing the Round stitches, I did Smyrna Cross Eyelet Combinations using a strand of Kreinik #8 braid in 032 pearl. This piece is meant to cover a seven inch box top.

Circles of Bargello, etc.

I have started the Circles design by Lois Kershner for the ANG Stitch of the Month for 2008. There are several variations that will be used in creating this piece. I started out by tracing the circle and some of the other markings for location. Then we had to paint the left side of the canvas and I used acrylic paint. The first design I have in is done using a four way Bargello pattern and three shades of blue DMC floss. In working a four way Bargello, each quadrant is worked and then the canvas is turned 90 degrees before starting the next section.