Time to Trim the Tree!

I just finished another holiday design called BARGELLO CHRISTMAS TREE.  The idea came to me rather late, and I spent a week stitching to get the model done and then the pattern completed, so I could share it with you this season.  Here's what it looks like (and boy, is it a festive, colorful piece!):

I stitched it on the eggshell canvas with gold metallic flecks, which makes the whole thing very sparkly, let me tell you, and it easily relieves the whole "how do I finish the background" question very nicely.

I chose four different bargello patterns - two roundish or curly ones, alternating with two sharpish zig zag ones - just to make stitching fun and provide visual interest.  The colors are the traditional red and green, with LOTS of metallic in red, green and gold... plus some round gold beads sprinkled on the tree wherever you can fit them. Here's a closer look at the tree patterns:

And if you've ever done any bargello, you know how fast it can go, once you get your main pattern line stitched. The stitches are easy - all straight stitches, plus a few diagonal satin stitches, and that's it!  I hung some large, easy ornaments in the background and even added some simple "bows" on top for extra texture.  I really enjoyed stitching this  - especially how fast it worked up, so I could have it hanging in my house this season!

If you want more information on this new BARGELLO CHRISTMAS TREE design, please visit my website (listed in CAPITAL LETTERS on the list at right) to see more details... and get ready to have some holiday fun trimming your own tree!

Oh, My -- It's Christmas In July!

I'm celebrating the finish of a new Christmas Tree design that I've completed far in advance of the actual holiday (which is something I'm not usually very good at) and I thought I'd share it with you early -- hence my CHRISTMAS IN JULY celebration... Woo Hoo!!
And here it is, my new CHRISTMAS TREE 2011:


I got the inspiration for the colors on this tree from a photo in a christmas magazine that had a tree with red and gold and PURPLE ornaments. And I thought, "Wow, that's different... Wouldn't that be a fun color combination to try on a stitched tree?" So I played around with some fun, big, composite patterns and just went to town. I enjoyed each of the "patchwork" patterns in this tree. Here's a few up-close:


The big ol' Rhodes Stars are all stitched with soft metallic Ribbon Floss threads (although I also list Kreinik 1/16th Ribbons). And the variegated green thread that makes up the tree body is a lovely evergreen ThreadworX Overdyed #5 Pearl (51048). It's a nice BIG tree too (finished size is 11" x 12"). With BIG hanging ornaments, like those shown at the top of the post. And at the bottom of the tree is a row of "patchwork" packages to complete the scene:


I stitched my tree on a 16" x 16" piece of 18 ct. canvas in sandstone, but you could surely stitch it on any color canvas that tickles your holiday fancy!

So.... if you're in the mood to get some holiday stitching done early, please visit my website for more information on my CHRISTMAS TREE 2011.

Oh, Christmas Tree!

I always forget how many Christmas patterns I have designed over the years! I try to do one a year, so by now I have quite a few in my collection. Here are some of my favorites...



















This one is my Christmas Tree 2004.
I wanted to do something really different, so I first stitched the tree outline, then filled it in with assorted stitch patterns that reminded me of ornaments and tinsel. It ended up looking very modern and elegant. Yet it also reminds me of those trees people would make out of old costume jewelry. So I consider it a modern, yet retro type of tree. How neat is that?!?

I originally stitched this tree on green 24 ct. Congress Cloth, so the design was approx. 8.5" x 8.5". Then I got to wondering how it would look on 18 ct canvas...sooo I just HAD to stitch it again on 18 ct green mono canvas. And it looked equally lovely - just a lot bigger! (approx. 11" x 11").


And here's another type of Christmas tree. I call it my Christmas Forest.
It's actually a blackwork design - with each tree having a different blackwork pattern inside. Even I've been surprised by how popular this pattern has been. I keep selling it year after year. And that makes me happy, knowing that so many people are creating blackwork forests of their own! It's stitched on a 25 ct. Lugana even weave fabric, with lots of sparkle added, with green and gold Kreinik threads, and of course, a few star sequins and jewels to hang in the sky.

And here's another favorite of mine: Christmas Village.


It's a magical place - it sort of suggests Santa's village... or maybe an old-fashioned town nestled in a snowy valley. Anyway, it's surrounded in lots of fun borders and ribbons that I think are very fun to stitch up. I especially enjoyed stitching the candy cane border and the pine boughs & ornament border - both add a very festive touch!
This piece is stitched on 24 ct. white Congress Cloth, and it's finished size is 10.25" x 10.25" (on 18 ct canvas the size would be 14" x 14").