Deadlines

Last year at the opening banquet of ANG seminar in Myrtle Beach, I had a vision. They had just announced the Quest Challenge for 2016.

Deadlines. I could see it in my head. Because of working on the Needlepointers magazine, I would stitch an adaptation of the cover of the magazine. And I knew exactly which cover - Emily Caneer's Ima Stitcher name tag which I had the pleasure of photographing for the magazine.

When I got home, I immediately found that issue, picked a color palette and began stitching. Most of the threads came out my abundant stash. And I went with my favorite purple, teal, blue, and green.

I followed the original directions for the most part. Biggest change was deciding what to put in the name space. Eventually I chose Tempus Fugit  - Latin for Time flies.

Had this stitched within a month and sent to a finisher to be made into a flat ornament without a hanger. Even though I told her the back would never be seen, it has the most gorgeous fabric on the back.

Now here's where the whole deadline thing comes into play. I now started to procrastinate. In fact, I didn't consider starting my background till the end of May when I used photo transfer paper to print a grayed out version of the name tag on the canvas behind the name tag. Then I painted Needlepointers and the column of purple.

In June I finally got to work stitching. Let's just say that's a lot of skip tent in Petite Silk Lame Braid that was difficult to see.

As you may surmise, I made my deadline for framing. And my piece traveled to New Orleans with a friend.

I hear it's returning home with a blue ribbon!

New Orleans

I wish I was going to ANG Seminar in New Orleans. But I'm not. Some of my friends are and they'll have a spectacular time.

I am sending a few things to New Orleans though. One piece for exhibit which I'll show you when the exhibit opens. One ornament size challenge piece not for showing yet.

And also this ornament which is called Holiday Surprise. This was designed by a friend of mine for the Potomac ANG chapter for our holiday surprise meeting in December. And I started it in the red and green colorway. Then I took it Florida in January and it was out with the Christmas colors and in with Mardi Gras colors. Which meant it needed a fleur de lis.

Finally this month I got to beading my finish. It has purple ultrasuede on the back.

And it's headed to New Orleans with a dozen or so other versions along with the chart. Because our Guild sells the pattern as a fund raiser.

Laissez les bon temps rouler!

Interlocking Gobelin

Current canvas is a mini-stocking from Kathy Shenkel. This will be for our new granddaughter who is due to arrive in September. She'll be born in Italy which I both love and hate. I now know how my in-laws felt when both of our children were born in Germany. 

I've missed the cut-off for guaranteed Christmas ornament finishing, which is okay. I'm going to practice my own finishing on this one. Getting brave or stupid. Not sure which. I'm sure some swearing will be involved as always happens when I use a sewing machine. 

It's a small thing, so not going to get too fancy here. Just using a mosaic to create the wallpaper. And interlocking gobelin to stitch the giraffe. 
 

 Looking at this canvas both at the shop and at home, I thought the spots on the giraffe were white. Then I pulled this out in the car and realized I was wrong. They are painted an off-white. So I chose a Vineyard silk in a complimentary color and stitched them in basketweave. AND then last night started on the giraffe's body with some Thread Gatherer's Sheep Silk, a 50/50 wool/silk blend. Basketweave was okay. But interlocking gobelin is better. 

Now I think I need to pull out that Vineyard silk. Impressions or Burmilana will do to stitch the spots in interlocking gobelin, too. It will look better. I might even brush it.  Eventually I'll come back to turkey work on the mane and tail. 

Here's a diagram of interlocking gobelin, a great stitch for creating fur.