Happy Friday! I hope you spend time this weekend appreciating whatever spring flowers are in your neighborhood, as well as doing some stitching...
Friday, April 1, 2011
Friday Flowers: Rhododendron
A few months ago, my parents gave me a small rhodedendron named "President Roosevelt" and I've been waiting patiently for it to bloom, so I could see what the flower looked like. Well, it's started blooming this week and it's absolutely GORGEOUS. I'm totally smitten with the flowers (and so is Katie), so I'm going to showcase it today so you can enjoy it in all it's glory, too....
Happy Friday! I hope you spend time this weekend appreciating whatever spring flowers are in your neighborhood, as well as doing some stitching...
Happy Friday! I hope you spend time this weekend appreciating whatever spring flowers are in your neighborhood, as well as doing some stitching...
Friday, March 25, 2011
Friday Flowers: Camellias
It's been a long time since I posted some Friday Flowers, so I thought I'd celebrate the first week of Spring by showing off some of the camellias that have been blooming in my garden. I'm fascinated not only by their delicious colors, but as I look closer and closer within each flower, I'm drawn to their petal patterns - how each flower unfurls and often reveals a symmetrical design.... (pssst: if you want to really see each flower up-close, click on each flower, to enlarge them one by one.)
HAPPY FRIDAY, EVERYONE!
HAPPY FRIDAY, EVERYONE!
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
The Egg-xact List
For those stitchers who are ordering my latest BARGELLO EGG and would like to get stitching on it as soon as possible, here is the exact materials list so you can order the threads and have everything ready to go as soon as the pattern arrives:
13" x 16" 18 ct. mono canvas, in white (or any other color you want to try, and if you get a fancy type of canvas - like the ecru with gold bits or white with opal bits you wouldn't have to even stitch a background around the egg - just a time-saving thought...)
Caron Watercolours 270 - "Easter Egg"
DMC #5 pearl cottons (1 skein each): 209, 435, 605, 604, 744, 745, 989, 3348
YLI Ribbon Floss 148-048 (which is a very soft ecru and gold metallic)
[A similar Kreinik thread would be Kreinik 1/16th RIBBON in 5555 or 9100]
[Also, if you want to use a brighter, truer gold metallic ribbon, use Ribbon Floss 148-021 or Kreinik 1/16th Ribbon 210.]
And for the background, I used Rainbow Gallery's Hi-lights H623 (which is very fragile, I must admit, so for a sturdier thread, use Kreinik #4 or #8 Braid 9100 or 091 - both pale yellow)
Also, here are the different design dimensions, so you can be thinking about which finished design size you prefer:
Just the Egg design size is 9" high by 7.5" wide, so if you have a 3" border around the egg, you need a canvas at least 13" by 16".
Egg with a 1" background surround area has a design size of 11" high by 9" wide, so you need a canvas at least 13" by 16" all the same....
Okay, all you happy stitchers, let's get hoppin' on all those Springy projects!
Monday, March 21, 2011
Celebrate Spring!
Here in Northern California, we're being deluged by lots of rain. That hasn't stopped the daffodils and camellias from blooming though.
To celebrate Spring this year, I got stitching with pastel threads early and was able to finish a new pattern called BARGELLO EGG before Easter arrives! Woo Hoo! Here it is:
It's a LARGE egg -- 7.5" x 9" -- on 18 ct. mono canvas. I stitched it on plain white canvas (something I haven't done in a long while) but it could also be stitched on eggshell, any of the pastel colors, or even the white with opal sparkles canvas....
(Psst: The actual colors of this piece are slightly softer and more muted - true pastels. For some reason, my scanner insists on brightening pastel colors and I can't get it adjusted to match the original. But trust me, the real egg is softly pastel!)
It uses one skein of a new Caron Watercolours color - 270, "Easter Egg" (and how appropriate is that?!?) with a luscious handful of springtime pearl cottons, as well as a very soft metallic Ribbon Floss. I've included an optional background pattern (that looks like rows of little eggs) which I stitched in a soft Hi-lights thread. If you want to make a stand-up egg you wouldn't need to stitch the background... or if you wanted to make a pillow and add a real ribbon bow on the top of the egg, you might want to use another background thread that isn't so fragile.
In any event, here's an up-close look at the spring motifs that run along the center of the egg (they were very fun to stitch):
And as an added bonus, I've included a smaller Easter egg pattern (3.5" x 4.5")that could be whipped up as a matching ornament as well.
If you've had enough of winter and dark colors, you may be ready to hop into Spring with a new pattern.... so check out my website for more information on my new BARGELLO EGG.
To celebrate Spring this year, I got stitching with pastel threads early and was able to finish a new pattern called BARGELLO EGG before Easter arrives! Woo Hoo! Here it is:
It's a LARGE egg -- 7.5" x 9" -- on 18 ct. mono canvas. I stitched it on plain white canvas (something I haven't done in a long while) but it could also be stitched on eggshell, any of the pastel colors, or even the white with opal sparkles canvas....
(Psst: The actual colors of this piece are slightly softer and more muted - true pastels. For some reason, my scanner insists on brightening pastel colors and I can't get it adjusted to match the original. But trust me, the real egg is softly pastel!)
It uses one skein of a new Caron Watercolours color - 270, "Easter Egg" (and how appropriate is that?!?) with a luscious handful of springtime pearl cottons, as well as a very soft metallic Ribbon Floss. I've included an optional background pattern (that looks like rows of little eggs) which I stitched in a soft Hi-lights thread. If you want to make a stand-up egg you wouldn't need to stitch the background... or if you wanted to make a pillow and add a real ribbon bow on the top of the egg, you might want to use another background thread that isn't so fragile.
In any event, here's an up-close look at the spring motifs that run along the center of the egg (they were very fun to stitch):
And as an added bonus, I've included a smaller Easter egg pattern (3.5" x 4.5")that could be whipped up as a matching ornament as well.
If you've had enough of winter and dark colors, you may be ready to hop into Spring with a new pattern.... so check out my website for more information on my new BARGELLO EGG.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Time for Chocolate!
Are you in the mood to stitch something yummy?
If so.... have I got the project for you!
It's my newest quilt design called "BOX OF CHOCOLATES" and boy, is it delicious:
The inspiration for this piece was actually a photo I saw in a magazine for a pillow that had lots of pink circles on a chocolate-colored background. It reminded me that I had a skein of Watercolours' 081, "Black Cherry" that I'd wanted to use in a quilt of some kind. Then I flashed on a box of chocolate-covered cherries - and VOILA - a new project was born!
The trick was to create the illusion of round candies in a box, using the geometric grid of needlepoint canvas. I modified a geometric circle so it looked sorta like a round dark chocolate-covered cherry (squint and use your imagination a bit, and you'll see the cherry center, the layer of juice, the fudgey gooey layer, coated with the dark chocolate cover - YUM!). Then I decided to add some square-ish milk chocolate-covered raspberry truffles between the cherry motifs.... and what the heck, why not throw in a ripply border of strawberry cream (pretend those round dots are bits of strawberry, okay?) Here's a close-up of a section of the design:
And to create the fancy chocolate box effect, I added a handful of over-the-top striped metallic borders and finished with a scalloped edging that brings to mind a romantic, lacy candy box. Is your mouth watering yet?!?
Well, mine was, while I was stitching up this design.... I enjoyed every minute of this project. All of the candies were fun to work: they all have Waffle Stitch or Rhodes Star centers done in Ribbon Floss metallics, so there's a LOT of flash and sparkle in this piece. And the scalloped border was especially fun, since I think it's nice to do something besides a straight ol' border now and again!
And while I love the pink and chocolate color combo, the pattern also gives a rich red and chocolate version, (for all you red lovers out there!)
The pattern also contains an additional smaller pattern for a little matching box of chocolates that would be super cute as a mini-ornament or gift for a chocolate-loving friend....
Anyway, if you're craving a really sweet new project, check out my new BOX OF CHOCOLATES, available on my website now.
If so.... have I got the project for you!
It's my newest quilt design called "BOX OF CHOCOLATES" and boy, is it delicious:
The inspiration for this piece was actually a photo I saw in a magazine for a pillow that had lots of pink circles on a chocolate-colored background. It reminded me that I had a skein of Watercolours' 081, "Black Cherry" that I'd wanted to use in a quilt of some kind. Then I flashed on a box of chocolate-covered cherries - and VOILA - a new project was born!
The trick was to create the illusion of round candies in a box, using the geometric grid of needlepoint canvas. I modified a geometric circle so it looked sorta like a round dark chocolate-covered cherry (squint and use your imagination a bit, and you'll see the cherry center, the layer of juice, the fudgey gooey layer, coated with the dark chocolate cover - YUM!). Then I decided to add some square-ish milk chocolate-covered raspberry truffles between the cherry motifs.... and what the heck, why not throw in a ripply border of strawberry cream (pretend those round dots are bits of strawberry, okay?) Here's a close-up of a section of the design:
And to create the fancy chocolate box effect, I added a handful of over-the-top striped metallic borders and finished with a scalloped edging that brings to mind a romantic, lacy candy box. Is your mouth watering yet?!?
Well, mine was, while I was stitching up this design.... I enjoyed every minute of this project. All of the candies were fun to work: they all have Waffle Stitch or Rhodes Star centers done in Ribbon Floss metallics, so there's a LOT of flash and sparkle in this piece. And the scalloped border was especially fun, since I think it's nice to do something besides a straight ol' border now and again!
And while I love the pink and chocolate color combo, the pattern also gives a rich red and chocolate version, (for all you red lovers out there!)
The pattern also contains an additional smaller pattern for a little matching box of chocolates that would be super cute as a mini-ornament or gift for a chocolate-loving friend....
Anyway, if you're craving a really sweet new project, check out my new BOX OF CHOCOLATES, available on my website now.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
My Next Cyber Class
Had enough of winter?
Ready for a little whiff of spring?
Why not join me in creating a small floral tapestry called "LILAC TIME" that celebrates one of the most-beloved flowers of spring:
LILAC TIME is 7.5" x 7.5" on 18 ct. mono canvas in Santa Fe sage green. The thread palette combines Watercolours 064 - "Pale Lilac" with a handful of DMC #5 pearl cottons, floss, floche, and metallic Ribbon Flosses.
Framed within a sparking border, is a pastel lattice with lots of lilacs of all sizes - small, medium and large! You know I love flowers, and one of my personal challenges as a designer is to create my favorite flowers using stitches and threads that I love. I think LILAC TIME captures those romantic lavender flowers extremely well (and I fancy I can smell those fragrant lilacs every time I look at it - even in the middle of winter!)
(I might also mention that I have designed several floral pieces using this same size, format, and layout - all with the double borders, the watercolory lattice, and the floral tapestry with several sizes of the same flower. I haven't released them to the public at large, and I intend to offer all of them as Cyber Classes throughout the rest of the year. Other designs in this floral series include Summer Daisies, Golden California Poppies, and Grape Harvest.)
The registration period for LILAC TIME starts now and runs through March 20th. I expect the cyber class to begin April 20, 2011 and it should run about four weeks.
LILAC TIME is not a particularly difficult project, and the stitches are easy to do, but the precise arrangement of stitch sequences within a small space can be a bit confusing to a true beginner, so I have to rate this project as an advanced beginner-to-slightly-intermediate piece. It is certainly helpful to have some experience stitching on canvas (we will be working on 18 ct. mono canvas) and it is, of course, essential to have a familiarity with counting and stitching from a counted canvaswork graph.
If you love lilacs and are interested in joining this cyber class, please visit my website (listed on the right side in BOLDED LETTERS) and click on the LJP CYBER CLASSES menu at the top of the website.
Ready for a little whiff of spring?
Why not join me in creating a small floral tapestry called "LILAC TIME" that celebrates one of the most-beloved flowers of spring:
LILAC TIME is 7.5" x 7.5" on 18 ct. mono canvas in Santa Fe sage green. The thread palette combines Watercolours 064 - "Pale Lilac" with a handful of DMC #5 pearl cottons, floss, floche, and metallic Ribbon Flosses.
Framed within a sparking border, is a pastel lattice with lots of lilacs of all sizes - small, medium and large! You know I love flowers, and one of my personal challenges as a designer is to create my favorite flowers using stitches and threads that I love. I think LILAC TIME captures those romantic lavender flowers extremely well (and I fancy I can smell those fragrant lilacs every time I look at it - even in the middle of winter!)
(I might also mention that I have designed several floral pieces using this same size, format, and layout - all with the double borders, the watercolory lattice, and the floral tapestry with several sizes of the same flower. I haven't released them to the public at large, and I intend to offer all of them as Cyber Classes throughout the rest of the year. Other designs in this floral series include Summer Daisies, Golden California Poppies, and Grape Harvest.)
The registration period for LILAC TIME starts now and runs through March 20th. I expect the cyber class to begin April 20, 2011 and it should run about four weeks.
LILAC TIME is not a particularly difficult project, and the stitches are easy to do, but the precise arrangement of stitch sequences within a small space can be a bit confusing to a true beginner, so I have to rate this project as an advanced beginner-to-slightly-intermediate piece. It is certainly helpful to have some experience stitching on canvas (we will be working on 18 ct. mono canvas) and it is, of course, essential to have a familiarity with counting and stitching from a counted canvaswork graph.
If you love lilacs and are interested in joining this cyber class, please visit my website (listed on the right side in BOLDED LETTERS) and click on the LJP CYBER CLASSES menu at the top of the website.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Photo Finishes!
Recently, my first cyber class came to an end, and stitchers sent photos of their finished CORSAGE pieces. I though you might enjoy seeing the variety of finished pieces as well.
JoAnn Shepherd of Burke, VA gets the "fastest stitcher" award, for finishing her red version first... (her motivation was that she is entering it in the Woodlawn show held later this season):
Edy Fenster in New York City finished her orange version in record time.
Don't her orange colors give the piece a fall feel?
JC Reft of Chicago, IL shows us the turquoise version,and decided to add more more greens to her piece:
And Kathleen Klein of Tustin, CA really made some changes! How lovely is her salmony pink version?? And don't you just love the way she stitched her center flower?
Barbi Sherman in Arizona decided to go with a TOTALLY different Springy spin for her CORSAGE, with pinks and purples:
And here's the purely purple version, done by Barbara Ward of Knoxville, TN:
Great job, everyone! And again, thank you, CORSAGE STITCHERS, for taking the class!
JoAnn Shepherd of Burke, VA gets the "fastest stitcher" award, for finishing her red version first... (her motivation was that she is entering it in the Woodlawn show held later this season):
Edy Fenster in New York City finished her orange version in record time.
Don't her orange colors give the piece a fall feel?
JC Reft of Chicago, IL shows us the turquoise version,and decided to add more more greens to her piece:
And Kathleen Klein of Tustin, CA really made some changes! How lovely is her salmony pink version?? And don't you just love the way she stitched her center flower?
Barbi Sherman in Arizona decided to go with a TOTALLY different Springy spin for her CORSAGE, with pinks and purples:
And here's the purely purple version, done by Barbara Ward of Knoxville, TN:
Great job, everyone! And again, thank you, CORSAGE STITCHERS, for taking the class!
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