Sunday 7 January 2007

Take a Stitch Tuesday



Well, I dutifully started off by doing a piece on a counted thread base in the traditional sampler format, and nearly DIED of boredom. Now I remember why I don't do cross-stitch - oh, the tedium, put the needle in this hole, bring it out in that one, count how many in between - aaaaaarrrrrggggghhhhh!


As you can see, by the last row, I was really starting to lose it and thought, bugger it, I'll put that needle in and bring it out wherever I damn well want to - so there.


So I think that will be the last of my attempts at the traditional sampler approach.




My next attempt was using herringbone to embellish a watercolour felted background landscape - much preferred this approach. I also wanted to do a piece using herringbone on sheers a la shadow embroidery - but got caught up in preparing a welcome home dinner for the prodigal daughter who just returned from six weeks in the USA - so didn't get to it, but I think I still will.

I wonder what next Tuesday will bring??

3 comments:

Unknown said...

You made me laugh out loud on your thoughts of the traditional sample, that's always how I feel, trying to be restrained, my goldwork samples in C&G were the tiniest I could get away with, I thought my head would explode

Melissa said...

I love your felted backgrounds. I've been interested in felting but not too sure where to start. Do you have a book/web site you could recommend?

Hilary Metcalf said...

Hi Melissa - thanks for the compliments. I can't really recommend a book to explain what I did - I use a combination of dry felting on my Janome embellisher, and wet felting to create a watercolour look. I am not a proper felter - more an embellisher!

By why don't you check out these Yahoo groups - you should get some good ideas there. http://theembellishmentmachine.blogspot.com/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ozembellisher/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Embellisher_Art_Postcards/