Mystery #14 is back

I picked up Mystery #14, Mystique by Loretta Spears from the framer today.  The mat matches the darkest ribbon and the frame itself is a silvery gold to complement the design.  Sorry, gals, it is mine!

Finished Mystery 14...Updated

Mystery 14, Mystique by Loretta Spears is finished.  The sun is out today so I did a better photo for you!  Not

sure how I will frame this one, but it is for me, not a gift.

It's Hearts!

 The center is filled with layered color stitched hearts!  Using 3 colors of Perle, each heart is stitched to fill the box.  From a distance, you really see the dark center design and up close you see the individual hearts.

A shot of the overall finished piece!  Happy dancing here!

UPDATE:  Yes, this is the end and I am glad you all enjoyed it too!

Lesson 4, Pattern 12

This is the final lesson and Pattern 12 is the final corner design.  More of the octagon stitches and diagonal stitches are put in first using the 712.  Then Smyrna crosses were done in the center of each of the octagon stitches.  Last I did double cross stitches in the center of each of the diamonds.  Tomorrow the center box!

Two more bands

Pattern 8 in lesson 3 is a backstitched pattern with small rays on the ends and is worked side to side to create the shadow behind the backstitched area, done in the medium pink single strand of perle.  This completed Lesson 3.  Lesson 4 starts with another pulled pattern in a single strand of perle in the ecru to create more pulled boxes but worked with long stitches.

Reverse Giant Scotch

 Pattern 8 in lesson 3 is all worked in Reverse Giant Scotch stitches using the 712 perle.  Above is the new overall photo while below gives you a closeup....I am not sure if either one shows you the light play on the perle cotton....

Pretty Pink Posies

I finished pattern 6!  I had to first finish doing the rest of the cross hatched four sided stitches above and below the ox.  Then using a using strand of 226 perle, the pattern called for the six sided posie looking stitch in the middle.
It is very faint so i hope you can see it.  This time, I took the photo at the bottom of the box.

Starting six

I have started Pattern six in Lesson 3.  Again, using 712 perle and a tight pull, I have done the three diagonal rows of the four sided stitch, both above and below the box.  Next above the box, I have come back in and have started crossing the first row with more of the four sided stitch, but only completed the ones above the box.  Notice the diamond shape this is leaving......

Pattern 5

I finished all three rows of eyelets,using 712 and a tight pull, above and below the rectangle box.  I did a closeup so you see all the details so far.  These eyelets are worked  7  stitches and drop to the next one all the way down the diagonals and then work back up to close each one....a bit different but pretty.

Finishing and Starting

Here, I have finished Lesson 2, Pattern four.  After using 712 to create all the rest of the back stitched boxes, I then filled in the center of the middle box with 224 doing a Rice stitch and that completed Lesson Two.  Lesson three starts off by setting in a rectangle shape box.  I used the 712 perle cotton and did Scotch stitches as I came to the corners did modified cross stitches to create the box outline.....isn't that a surprise?  Then, back up to the top and I have started a diagonal row of Eyelet stiches, pulling tight with 712 perle.

Pattern 3, Mystique progress

I had the four sided stitch all done and then added on with the 712 perle by working long stitches--rays--out to the side of each of those.  I then started Pattern 4 again using 712 and am light pulling the backstitched boxes--all 22 of them.

Lesson 2, Pattern 2

Lesson Two, pattern 2 starts off with an octagon shaped stitched which I believe is called Ringed backstich in the pulled thread world and is done using my 226 perle and is done with a light pull on the thread.  The next stitch is the faggot stitch and is worked in 712 perle with a tight pull.  Then another row of the Ringed backstitch.  That completed Pattern 2.  I have then started Pattern 3 by using 712 perle in a four sided stitch with a tight pull, double wrapping each leg.

Lesson 2, Pattern 1

Lesson two starts off with pulled thread stitches in the design.  Each pattern lists the fiber and color and then how much tension to apply when the needle is on the surface of the canvas.  Beginning in the upper right corner, next to the ribbon I worked diagonal cross stitches using my 712 perle cotton and created the triangle base.  Then after those were all in, I came back and recrossed those crosses to create the pattern 1.

So there you have it....

I made it all the way around!  Yippee!  The fun stuff can start!  Lesson two is going to be adding in the
center area...I put my note of color changes on the piece, but now that I post the photo, you can't read it...
Instead of 926 I am using 712,   871 is 226, 896 is 224, and 403 is 223.....so that is the off white to the darkest
pink in that order.

Rounding third....headed home

I completed the third corner and am heading across the top to complete the ribbon!  Woohoo!  Corner three is
identical to corner two as I continue to work four needles of fiber.  Lara asked why I do this.  After completing the base row of offwhite floss, Each of the pink, medium pin, pink and dark pink are completed in the same number of stitches to create the pattern.  I find it is faster to work a series of each color and then come back to the next one and so on. This is versus doing each bend in the ribbon and then moving on.....hope that makes sense to you.  I also feel I can go faster this way.

The third corner

With a little more stitching time today, I made it to the third corner.  This corner is a mirror image of the top right corner.  As you can see, I working with four needles with the four colors, each with three strands of floss.  I figure two or three more sessions and the ribbon will be complete.

Coming across the bottom

Yes, the row on the top is really the bottom of the piece but I have turned the canvas to work it as it is so
close to the bars.  Jane mentioned that she enlarged the photo the last time to see the corners....if you haven't done so, you may want to see the intricate way to turn the curve in a bargello pattern.  And, Happy Valentines Day!

Three needles at a time

I started filling in the ribbon on Mystery 14.  Keep in mind that I have changed the colors.  The off white ban is what Loretta intended.  Next she was using  Anchor 871 Amethyst, 896 Rose wine and 403 Black.  Definitely not my colors!  So, I switched to DMC pale pink 226, medium is 224 and the dark is 223.  I completed the top right corner (which is on the left) down to the bottom right corner, (on your right) and will now work this pattern all the way around.  This is all still part of Lesson one.

All the way around

This is difficult to see but I am all the way around the outside of Mystery 14 by Loretta Spears.  Remember I told you that if you are working this piece, do not start when the instructions say to if you are working on 12 x 18 bars.  The instructions said to start in and down 2.75 inches and I highly recommend you start at 1.5 down and in or you will be working as close to the bars as I am.

Starting Mystery 14

I have started Mystery #14.  If this is in your stash, pull it out and make a note.  Step 1 says to measure in from the right edge and down 2.75 inches.  This is what I did and look what happens.  I am working extremely close to the bars on the top and will be on the right side as well.  Since this is two hours of stitching time, I am not going to pull this out and start over.  I am going to continue on and when it is finished, I will add muslin strips to those two sides to facilitate framing.  Okay, mark your copy to start in and down 1.5 inches and you will not have this to deal with!  Fortunately after this row of ribbon banding, all future stitching will be
done inside the the bargello pattern.