IHSW and Some Finishes

So this weekend was IHSW, and again it nicely coincided with my Japanese Embroidery class. So at the very least I got some guaranteed stitching from 10-3 on Saturday.

As for my class, I had my "homework" done, and I was ready to learn new things. Here's where I'm at now.  The green pine trees had been completed, and I'm now adding the lattice and diagonal holding stitches.  The red maple leaf is new, and a challenge as the stitches change direction as they move towards the tip of the leaf.



Seasons by Jennifer Ashley Taylor

I finished Autumn Dusk a couple of weeks ago. I've also completed Spring Morning and Winter's Eve in this series, with only Summer Afternoon to complete the set. They are all very enjoyable to stitch and go pretty quickly.

Autumn Dusk by Chatelaine

 

I also finished two huck/Swedish weaving towel kits from Nordic Needle last week. Very easy, quick and fun. And an extra bonus - I did a little hemstitch on the ends. Very pretty, but too nice to use as towels in our house as I'm not willing to subject them to the sort of abuse they would face in our house. So they have been promoted to magnifier cover (so I don't burn the house down since my lamp is by the front window) and project cover.

Sunrise Windbreak from Nordic Needle

Blue Waves from Nordic Needle

Now, for my new start. I've been dying to start it ever since I got it in my hot little hands, and since I just finished up two long-standing WIPs, I figured that I now had the perfect excuse. It's crewel, which I really have never done, but the stitches are basic surface embroidery which I am pretty familiar with. Transferring the pattern - not do much. I tried taping the fabric to a window a d tracing it with a water-removable ink pen. Not so good. Tough to do on such a large pattern, and the pen lines were....well, blobby. Ick. So I washed out the lines to try again. A couple of days later. This time I bought some transfer paper and drew the lines on instead of tracing. Much better, but the lines were very light and rubbed off very easily. So I then went over the lines again with my pen. Ah, perfect. Except for the cramping hand and sore shoulders.

Cramped hand bedamned! I had to start this puppy right away after all that trouble even though it was late. So here's where I'm at now. It's going to be a long haul, but there is a huge variety of stitches to keep me interested.  And I've seen pictures of this beauty finished, and it's wonderful to behold.

Royal Persion Blossom by Taliaferro

And I also worked a little on Eastern Bluebird.  He's an intense stitch, and I had set him aside for a while, a little frustrated with my long and short stitch skills.  But he's looking so much better with his beak and beady little eye that I may just finish him up before going back to my Japanese embroidery homework for the month.

Eastern Bluebird by Tanja Berlin