Terra Rosa: Elsa M. Parrish, designer

Project: Terra Rosa

(1990)

Designer: Elsa M. Parrish

Type of needlework: Needlepoint

(Line drawing)

Photos: So far 8

Comments: This is an ongoing project coming from my UFO pile.

As we all knew when I started this new blog that one day I would be more or less caught up with previously finished projects that were on my old blog and that most posting would be either about UFOs that are screaming to be completed or totally new projects that I just can't resist even with my pile of UFOs. Well, today is THE day.

When I saw this project "Terra Rosa) and also another one called "Yut Ta Hey", there was no doubt in my mind that I had to purchase them both, which I did at the time. They both came with line drawing on canvas, threads and instructions.

This one has been sitting for a long time in one of my box and then I took it out at one point and done quite a bit on it actually as you will be able to see by yourselves from the photos below, but there are still a little bit more to be done, which I intend to do and it will be finished this time around. Its UFO status is about to end.

This project is all about Indian potery and it includes the following ones from left to right (see photo below):

• 
  
  Double necked wedding jar (done in grey)
• 
  
  Shallow bowl (done in pink with some blue)
• 
  
  Bridal basket (not stitched yet - will be done in coffee cream)
• 
  
  Flat plate (started but not completed - will be done in mauve)
• 
  
  Olla - water jar (done in gold)
• 
  
  Storage jar (done in mauve)

You can also see the buttes stitched in mauve and I have already completed many lines done with ribbons and special stitches. I still have a few more to do and also the side bars needs to be done.

I had to do some adjustments while stitching Terra Rosa as the line drawings that were traced on the canvas were not the same as the photograph provided by Elsa, so that forced me into doing a bit of improvisation here and there.

I have found this project a bit challenging at times for multiple reasons, but have always loved it and that is the reason why I want to complete its stitching. It will be so nice to have it framed and put on a special wall of my home.

FUTURE POSTINGS ABOUT THIS PROJECT:

You can find out about them here on my blog under: "What I am currently working on and updates on project"

which can be found on the right side of my blog, right after my welcoming message,

as I still want to keep every project together.

Whenever I am ready to add new photos, I will write "Update on the right side of my

 blog with the date" I will also write the same thing on this blog entry until the stitching has been completed and I am ready to start working on a different project. I will then put the completed project photo on TOP of this post. All other photos will be added at the end of this post, except the finished one which will go on top.

(I am just starting stitching the double necked wedding jar and also the ring of the shallow bowl in pink and black)

(On this photo we can see the double necked wedding jar and the shallow bowl all stitched. We can also see the buttes in the background)

(Here we see the buttes, thedouble necked wedding jar, the shallow bowl and the start of the storage jar. I have also included a photo of how the whole design will look like when completely stitched)

(Closeup view of the storage jar)

(This photo shows what has been stitched at this point)

(Now we see the olla or water jar)

(Double necked wedding jar, shallow bowl, olla or water jar and storage jar completed)

(Closeup photo of olla or water jar and storage jar)

Patriotic Heart: Gay Ann Rogers, designer

Project: Patriotic Heart

Designer: Gay Ann Rogers

Type of needlework: Needlepoint

Photos: 6

Gay Ann's website: http://www.gayannrogers.com/site_2/Home_Page.html

Gay Ann's blog: http://gayannrogers.blogspot.com/

Gay Ann's Classroom at SNS: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SNS_GAR_Classroom/

Shining Needle Society: http://www.shiningneedlesociety.com/

Comments: Gay Ann has a series of little hearts that she has been designing through the years and this is the first one of hers that I have stitched so far.

I have quite a few more waiting in the wings, all absolutely lovely.

For the finishing, I decided to do a "hard" one as I wanted the heart to keep its shape. With a soft one, it would not have been the case.

A few things that I want to say is that I have many finishing books but have not been able to find instructions as to how to finish a heart this way.

I found some instructions for a soft one, which I immediately discarded, another one with a heart opened at the top for someone who wants to put something inside, a bit like an open stocking, but did not want that either, so I had to use the little bit of experience I had in finishing to make this happen.

Because of the shape, I had a little bit more problems than I normally have. I have been wondering why nobody has thought of showing us how to properly finish a heart the "hard way" and not just the "soft way" as I was able to find finishing for all sorts of things I had not even thought about. Lots of good ideas for future projects but none to help me with this current one.

I have put two layers of padding on the front of the heart and only one on the back. Have found some blue silk dupioni silk for the back, the same color as the thread used for the stitching, so used that. Had never made a cording before that looked like a candy cane but with three colors instead of two, so there was a bit of trial and error there, but finally managed to put something together. I decided to use the same cording and make a bow and then undid the lower part of the cording to give it the look that you can see in the photo. My learning curve has gone up a little with this project, which is what I always want to see happening

After having done the finishing on this project, I realized that I only have ONE item to finish and I am done. Everything that I have ever stitched has either been framed by my framer or finished by "little old me" (grinning). That is a great feeling actually. While I was looking at all my finishing books, I got an idea as to how to finish the last one. Hush, hush on this one, you will have to wait and see (grinning even more). 

(Photo showing the beginning of this project)

(This photo shows a nice progression)

(A bit more done here)

(Patriotic heart having been stitched)

(Another photo showing the finished Patriotic Heart)

Blackeyed Susans: Esther Begleiter, designer

Project: Blackeyed Susans

Designer: Esther Begleiter

(Stitch Arts, Inc.)

Type of needlework: Brazilian Embroidery

Photos: 2

Comments: This is a little design I stitched years ago when I wanted to learn how to do Brazilian embroidery. I just love Blakeyed Susans. Have had some in my garden for years now and looking out the window I can see them in full bloom from my stitching/computer room upstairs. What a lovely sight.

Below is a photo showing three Brazilian embroidery projects I have stitched and finished as ornaments.

Here are the links for Rhapsody and Minuet.

.

(Photo showing Rhapsody, Blackeyed Susans and Minuet)

Gold and Burgundy Ornament: Gay Ann Rogers, designer

Project: Gold and White Ornament

(In my case it is Gold and Burgundy Ornament)

Designer: Gay Ann Rogers

Type of needlework: Needlepoint

Photos: 2

Gay Ann's website: http://www.gayannrogers.com/site_2/Home_Page.html/

Gay Ann's blog: http://gayannrogers.blogspot.com/

Gay Ann's Classroom at SNS: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SNS_GAR_Classroom/

Shining Needle Society: http://www.shiningneedlesociety.com/

Comments: Gay Ann created this little ornament to celebrate her new website a while back.

This is different from what I have done as it is stitched on "perforated paper". I had heard about stitchers using this medium before but had never tried it myself, so decided that it was the perfect occasion to do so.

It has its advantages and disadvantages. One advantage was that I could just hold it in my hand while stitching it, something that almost never happens when I am stitching something, so that was nice. The finishing was very easy to do and quick.

What I did not really like was the fact that it was done on perforated paper. Maybe I am a stitching snob, but I prefer using the "real" thing. I am also not overly crazy using Aida but I have used it at times quite successfully, so it all depends on what I want to do.

In ending, I am glad that I have tried it but I don't think that I will use perforated paper in the future, but hey we never know and will keep an open mind about it.

(Photo showing the stitched ornament before adding the back to the front)

If I remember correctly I had to under the last long gold stitches as those were the ones that held the front and back together, but that was no big deal and did not take long to undo and redo once the back was under the front.

For the loop, I have use some pretty gold "kind of elastic", you know the ones they sometimes put to hold a box of chocolate closed. It seems ideal as it keeps its shape and looks like a ring.

Christmas Tree ornament

Project: Christmas Tree ornament

Designer: My friend Terry made this

Type of needlework: Mixed media

Photos: 2

Comments: This ornament is just so typical of my friend Terry. She often says that she fly by the seat of her pants. She gets an idea in her head and then proceed to work on it and hope for the best. Just writing this makes me smile.

So, one day, years ago, before one of our Christmas gift exchange, she realized that time was running out and that she needed to make something more and quickly too and she came up with this little ornament.

Every Christmas it finds itself among my tree decorations and each time I think of her.

(Photo showing the back)

Keyboard Pencil Holder

Project: Keyboard Pencil Holder

Designer: Can't recall at all

Type of needlework: Needlepoint

Photos: 2

Comments: I have stitched many of those for the local Guild many many years ago and also stitched one for myself while at it.

I think it is rather cute and also useful. I have a piano and been keeping mine there with a few pencils since the time it was made.

I don't remember much details about it except that it was made with plastic canvas and some thick wool threads like the one someone can use for knitting. After stitching the front (photo above) and the back which was all black, all I had to do is stitch the back with the front and I was done. I may have made 10 or 12 of these little buggers for them. The pattern was rather simple and the stitching could be done without having to pay very close attention to it.

(Photo showing the keyboard pencil holder with some inside)

Sachet from Jill

Project: Sachet

Designer: Jill made this for me

Type of needlework: Mixed media

Photo: 1

Comments: When Jill made me the lovely angel here, she also made me this little sachet accompanied by a lovely bottle of perfume so that I could add a few drops whenever the smell had evaporated from the sachet. I thought it was a really lovely gesture.

This is something that is easy to make and the recipient can just put the little sachet in a drawer. One scent that I particularly love is the smell of lavender.

Honeybee Hive

Project: Honeybee Hive

Designer: My friend Terry made this for me

Type of needlework: Embroidery

Photos: 2

Comments: Terry and I have been having this ongoing joke about little bees and one day she surprised me with this little card that she created herself. I think it is darling and it makes me smile every time I look at it thinking of our little private joke.

(Closeup photo)

Napkin Rings: Brenda Day, designer

Project: Napkin Rings

Designer: Brenda Day

Type of needlework: Bargello

Photos: 5

Brenda Day's book called: Bargello, A fresh approach to Florentine embroidery

Comments: It is very rare that I do more than one project from one single book, but with this book, I have already done the two napkin rings (photos above and below),  a Florentine pincushion, which in my case is a little decorative mini pillow and 2 Kaleidoscope coasters, so that must be a record for me.

This is a project that did not take very long to make from start to finish and since I love doing bargello, this was especially fun for me. I especially love to do projects that are useful and this one certainly is.

There was two color selection for the napkin rings and I picked one that I especially love. The other one has greens in it, but of course someone can do any color combination that they wish.

Finishing instructions are always included with all her projects making things much easier for me to do my own finishing. I have included a few photos showing different steps I went through.

(Photo of two stitched napkin rings)

(This photo shows the front and the back of two napkin rings)

(Photo showing one napkin ring completed with the second one waiting in the wing)

(Brenda Day's book from which this project was taken from)

Hearts to Hold Tussie Mussie: Annaliese Noel, designer

Project: Hearts to Hold Tussie Mussie
(1996)

Name of designer: Annaliese Noel

Type of needlework: Needlepoint and Beading

Photos: 4

Comments: At the moment I saw this design, I knew that I wanted to stitch it. It is just so beautiful and delicate.

In her project description, Annaliese Noel says the following "Hearts to Hold is a gentle reminder of another time. Fill it with potpourri and hang it to scent a corner, a light or a closet, or fill it with holiday greens and berries for a Victorian Tree Ornament".

This was not a difficult project to stitch but I had to be careful about counting and tracing the outline properly on the back of my stitching once it had been completed. All the time I was stitching this Tussie Mussie, I was thinking that this could also look fantastic as a fan project.

All the instructions for assembly and finishing were also included so I was able to do this project from start to finish.

I used some lovely silk dupioni fabric for the inside lining, created a tassel and threaded a crystal matte bead and a lovely carved crystal heart bead and attached everything at the very bottom of the Tussie Mussie.

I also made a small twisted cord that I attached around the top opening of the Tussie Mussie and also made a little hanger which you can see in one of the close-up photo below.

(Close-up photo)

(Another close-up taken sideway, showing the little hanger too)

(Photo showing the stitching completed before assembling)