Suz: a wee bit of stitching

Warm, sunny weather means that I've been spending lots of time in the gardens, and little time stitching. There is a bit of progress on the crewel piece.

Over a padding of stem stitch, rows of  bullion knots in alternating  colours took several hours to stitch.

This row is completed, but I still need to add a row of beads, an outside row of padded buttonhole stitch, plus more couching with the metallic thread before this flower is done. Then the two leaves will be stitched.

How it all looks so far:




 That's it for me this week. If you're interested, you can see garden photos on my blog

Hugs from Suz









 

Suz: WIPs

It's already the end of May. I'm late getting my vegies planted, but it was too hot to work in the gardens for very long the last few days. Cooler weather will be arriving, soon.
I did some stitching on my PPP #3, and it's almost finished.

I love this variegated thread

Just a wee bit more to do.

On the Crewel Piece, flower #2 is finished.

Flower #3 is underway.

Here's how it looks






That's my week.

I hope yours has been  a creative one.

Happy June!

Hugs from Suz
 

Suz: Cold May

May has been a cold month so far. We even had snow flurries the other day. Where are the sunny, warm days of spring?

I've made a little progress on crewel flower #2. The dark blue seems to make the other colours pop.

 A couple seam treatments are in progress on the new purple project CQ block. Don't you love the zing of that green rayon thread?

French knots for the flower centers.

The butterfly and daisies are awaiting needle and thread.
I'm pleased with this so far.












I've been playing with Sheila Heneise's  Angel with Paisley Wings.

It's a cute little angel

 I added beads for the halo and to the skirt bottom to add a bit of weight.

On the fourth angel, I changed the starting point to close with a split ring for the head. This way I can incorporate a hanger from the thread ends. The beads on the skirt, though, are too big. I played with the stitch counts here and there. I think I like the shape of the first one best, but I also like the small beads.  I'm in the middle of tatting angel #5. These are so cute, and small enough to include in a card, so I may be making more of these for Christmas.
That's my week. I hope yours has been a fun and creative one.
Hugs from Suz

Suz: May 10

I finished this block for my Purple Project, thinking to send it away to The Kindness Quilt Project promoted by Vickie Boster, and then realized it was too large.

Ratz!
















 So I trimmed another of the purple blocks to the correct size, and  then had fun embellishing it.

This block will be in the mail tomorrow. If you'd like to know more about The Kindness Quilt Project, click  here










The next block in the Purple Project is awaiting needle and thread.

Although I've been busy in the gardens, there has been a bit more stitching.........

All the padded satin stitching is finished on this flower, and I've begun adding the petal outline in a dark blue. sorry this is a bit blurred

Here's how the 2 flowers look together. I hope to make more progress on the crewel piece this coming week, maybe even finishing flower #2.

More machine stitching has been added to the silk panel, somewhat distorting its shape.  Since this is a garden panel, and since gardens are seldom exact, I think the distortion adds a bit of character and interest. (which is really good, because I think ripping out all that stitching at the bottom would be a bear)
The next step is to add hand embroidery using a variety of threads.

The wrapping cloth piece also received a little time. The third prairie point is filled with bullions, and the beginning of some french knots is shown.

Some embroidery has been added to the lace portion to help  (I hope)define and enhance the flower shapes. Lots more stitching needed yet.

The tatted piece is sewn to the front of a card that went out in the mail.

I first stitched this flower design on the inside flap then the border was created when the tatting was added to the front.

I liked it so much, I made a second card, but used a different thread in the bobbin to make a second flower on the inside flap. 
These were fun to do.

That's my week. I hope yours was filled with sunshine and creativity.


Hugs from Suz

Suz: May and Waiting for Spring

Although the calendar says it's spring, the warm temperatures have yet to arrive. So, instead of gardening, I've been stitching.
The Embroidery Guilds are creating roses in different stitches for the Embroidery Guild of Canada to use as a visual teaching tool. The rose pattern is of a simple wild rose with 5 petals. Here's what I've been doing:

Using a perle cotton #5, I outlined the rose shape in a variation of an outline stitch.

Then I began to add rows of a buttonhole lace variation. You know how much I love buttonhole lace, don't you?

My progress so far. I should have this rose completed by bedtime tonight. ;-)

I'd previously completed a rose in cutwork, but I can't find any photos of it, and it's already been handed in........ silly me

On the crewel piece, I've almost finished all the petal sections of padded satin stitch! Yay!  Just a few more to go.........

You can see the shimmer of the floss in this earlier photo

 I've finished up this wrapping cloth piece! On the pocket that sits on top of the pocket of my favourite blouse, I added a cutwork circle with reverse applique. A bit of tatted frill surrounds the circle.....

The row of packed bullions morphed into some flowers.......

and the pocket button sports a few beads

some lace and beads make a pretty trim

and the finished piece goes into the pile!

On the new piece, (and last of the pieced wrapping cloth pieces!) mother of pearl beads play on the circle theme of the lace.

Three prairie point tips have been opened to allow for pretty titivations. More bullions will  be added to the third one.
There are little crystal beads in the circle beads, reflecting the light.

I love how the beads catch the light.

This lace is so pretty with the flowers and leaves pattern. I'm pondering outlining the shapes and maybe adding some beads here and there.

The wrapping cloth piece in progress.


















The magnolia is just about ready to burst into flower.

Ah, the promise of spring!


I hope you've had a wonderful and creative week.

Hugs from Suz