Kaleidoscope: First photo - Sections A & B

Kaleidoscope is an adaptation of a Sue Lentz design, then adapted by Anthony Minieri for Needle Necessities. This design is, in essence, a four-way geometric that becomes and eight-way geometric.

In this design, I will be using Congress Cloth and Needle Necessities Floss Overdyed threads. There are two options in stitching this pattern. I can either control the variegation of the overdyed floss or stitch randomly. I have decided on the second option as to me it will make the piece more interesting.

This is a photo of the very center of the piece (sections A and B).

This is a complex design so I will be stitching on it when I am not tired :-)

Pierrette =^..^=

The princess and the Pea: 4th mattress completed

I have now completed the 4th mattress. I have really enjoyed this pattern. I must say that I feel that I am having more fun with this project that I deserve <>. I am so happy that I decided to start stitching it now instead of later. It will give me some experience in Blackwork and will make it easier to tackle some other wonderful Blackwork project that I have been keeping for later.

This photo may look a bit different as it was taken outside in the shade instead of under big lighting inside my stitching room.

At first I thought that I might change some of the colors that Marion has chosen for herself, but I like her choice of color so much that I have been sticking to them so far.

Six more mattresses to go. Tomorrow, I will start on mattress #5. Another thing that I am finding out is that Blackwork, at least this project, goes rather quickly even for me as I see myself as a SLOW stitcher. I truly enjoy the journey, not just the destination, so I don't mind taking the time it needs for completion.

Pierrette =^..^=

The Princess and the Pea: First 3 mattresses stitched

Just finished stitching the third mattress of the Princess and the Pea. Updated photo added.

Only 7 more to go :-)

Pierrette =^..^=

The Princess and the Pea

Not long ago, I have decided to finally start working on "The Princess and the Pea", designed by Marion Scoular. You can see the whole design here:

http://www.needleartworks.com/dsgnr/mss/mss8.htm

I have purchased that design many many years ago and was waiting to get more experience before tackling it, but decided to go ahead even if I had not :-D

I must say like most of Marion's projects, they are so well explained that they are quite manageable even with not much experience. I have done a beginner's hardanger piece designed by her and I was able to understand how to do certain things that had left me confused everywhere else, so in my book, she is very good :-)

I have added a photo of the bed with the first two mattresses completed. There are 10 of them, so there is still a way to go before I get to the TOP of the bed.

I have always loved that design so much and was concerned not to be able to do it justice with my lack of experience in Blackwork, but I am quite pleased with how it has turned out so far.

I will keep adding photos as I progress with the mattresses until it is all completed.

Almost forgot to mention that the little circle that is not yet stitched under the first mattress is the little "pea" that will be stitched at the very end.

Will go work on mattress number 3 now ................ see you all later :-)

Pierrette =^..^=

Little Miniature knickers for Terry as a joke

Well, I have just managed to find all those lovely little knickers that we had made for our British friend, Terry, as a big joke as I was saying in my last blog entry :-)

Those miniature knickers were made by the following members of our little group. From top to bottom and left to right: First row: Pierrette & Kerry; Second row: Elaine, Linda F. and Denise; Third row: Jackie Y., Jill and Catharine.

I think that we all got carried away a bit with how we saw "knickers" for Terry but we sure had a ball making them :-)

Terry was supposed to somehow frame them all together, so not sure if it has been done or not, but I am sure that she had lots of fun receiving them and perhaps has used a pair or two since then as I keep teasing her mercilessly :-D

Pierrette =^..^=

ATCs: Secret Knicker Gang - 2005

I was looking at some of my photos the other day and found this little series of ATCs that were made sometimes during the year of 2005.

It had all started with a joke concerning my good friend Terry. I am a big teaser and she often said to me that she almost peed in her knickers (being from dear old England), so the idea came from that. A little group of friends decided to make her little miniature knickers as a joke and we had the best of time making them and joking amongst ourselves.

Anyway, we kept talking about dropping the knickers at the post office and I guess you see me coming with this and this little series of ATCs were made for me from this little group of friends going all the way from dropping knickers to going to prison.

The names of those who made the ATCs from top left to right going down are: Elaine, Jackie Y., Linda F. Jill, Catharine, Denise and Kerry.

I will have to dig up the little knickers that we all made for Terry and post them on my blog next. I am sure they are in some of my files somewhere :-)

Pierrette =^..^=

Stitching Accessories

This photo shows all the stitching accessories that were part of a Cyberclass that I took with Carole Lake.

First row from top to bottom on your left are three views of a "needlecase". The center row from top to bottom are a "weight", next going down is a "name tag" followed by a "scissor fob". Finally on the row completely to your right, going again from top to bottom are two views of a "laying tool case" followed by a "scissor case"

I have done both the stitching and finishing of all those accessories.

Pierrette =^..^=

Pincushions

I thought that I might as well unite all the pincushions that I have either made or received under one big photo as well :-)

The first top row are pincushions that came from kits. There is a Victorian Triangle which I have made for my friend Terry, then the Victorian Heart that I have kept for myself and the third one of the first top row is called Victorian Antique Ivory which I have given to Rengin as a thank you.

In the middle row, the white one on the left with silk flowers I have also made for Anne as a thank you, the middle red one I have given to Terry and the little Assisi one I kept for myself.

On the bottom row, the white and blue biscornu was a gift from Terry as well as the doggy and also the pink one with the Brazilian embroidery.

It is fun to be able to see all of them together since many have found good homes and I can't see them anymore :-(

Pierrette =^..^=

Needlecases

This is the first needlecase I have made of the whole series and it was part of some stitching accessories, a cyberclass taken with Carole Lake. You can see the front view, the complete view seen when opened and the back view when needlecase is closed.

I thought it would be fun to put all my needlecases on the same blog entry. Some of those needlecases were made by myself, others by friends and exchanges and one I bought at a time when I had none.

The little horse looking over the fence is one that I made for my friend Terry and so is the one with the lady with the hat holding a bouquet of flowers. The horse's head is one that I made for Pauline for an exchange.

These are the only two needlecases that are as pretty on the back as on the front. The under the sea theme was made for me by Elsie during an exchange and the cottage garden is the latest I have made and it is for myself :-)

Here are the two that we have seen completely opened on the top of this photo, then the little white one is the first one I ever had and I had purchased it at the needlestore at the time. The bigger one in the middle is made crazy quilt style and was made during a group project and finally the pink one with the "P" initial was made by my friend Terry. She had made me a trio at the time (needlecase, pincushion and little scissor fob).

I have been busy this morning reorganizing my needles as my goal is to have a different needlecase for different needles. Example: the under the sea scene needlecase contains all my milliners/darners needles as the person who made it was doing a lot of brazilian embroidery stitching, so that makes it easier for me to remember what kind of needles are inside, plus of course I have written the names and sizes inside too :-)

Pierrette =^..^=

A Cottage Garden

I am doing a happy dance this morning as I have just finished the stitching part of "A Cottage Garden".

This is a Kris Richards of South Australia design taken from the fantastic Australian magazine called Inspirations, issue 53.

I must say that I have learned a lot doing this project and it will greatly help me when I tackle other similar projects from them.

This Cottage Garden will be turned into a needlecase. I believe that I can never have too many. What I want to do is keep different sorts of needles in different needlecases, so when I want to find some straw/milliners or embroidery/crewel or tapestry, etc. I will get one of my needlecases and start stitching.

In this design, here is the list of stitches that have been used: blanket stitch pinwheel, bullion knot, bullion loop, couching, detached chain, fly stitch, French knots, granitos, rosette stitch, running stitch, satin stitch, stem stitch and straight stitch.

One book that I have that has been real helpful for helping me along with those stitches is the book called "The Embroidery Handbook: The Ultimate Guide to Thread Embroidery. This is again an Inspirations book published by Country Bumpkin Publications.

Now, I will need to get busy doing the finishing. Will have a look at my fabric and see what will go well with it. When it is all done, will add another photo.

Pierrette =^..^=