Luckily I have a little finish to share!
Last time I had sewn together the leftover ribbon and cut them into little pennants, as well as found the felt snowflakes (full disclosure: bought 'em on eBay pre-cut!), and chosen the font.
I chose some peacock blue satin, stiffened it with an iron-on craft interfacing, and then used the "freezer paper" method to cut out the letters neatly. It always surprises me that this works!
Then it was time to stitch down the snowflakes, and then stitch down the letters. I did very simple stitching with white floss on the snowflakes, and then stitched on the letters -- again, in a simple line rather than really stitching them down.
Then it was a matter of sewing them to some ribbon, and hanging them up!
Here's the sad thing -- I STILL have a bunch of ribbon left over! But it's now 5 rolls, rather than 12. So a definite dent. (Ideas for additional ribbon crafts VERY WELCOME....)
So, now there's really nothing left that I can procrastinate with -- it's time to start the big Acanthus needlepoint.
I've had the wools sorted and the canvas on a frame SINCE AUGUST. But I just keep putting it off. The main reason is I've finding this very intimidating -- the colors are all very close, and it's hard to know which leaves are "green yellow" and which are "yellow green". But I suppose I'll just stitch the veins first and then hope for the best. So I need to just GET STARTED. In the next three weeks I sure hope I can make that happen!
(Does anyone else have that "first stitch" phobia?)
The other stitchers in this stitch-a-long have undoubtedly been more productive than I have this term! Two or three of them had big finishes last time, so will have new projects to share -- I can't wait to see what they're up to!
Avis, Claire, Gun, Carole, Sue, Constanze, Christina, Kathy, Margaret, Cindy, Linda, Heidi, Jackie, Hayley, Megan, Deborah, Mary Margaret, Renee, Jenny, Carmela, Jocelyn, Sharon, Daisy, Anne, and Connie.
See you on January 5th for our next check-in!
I can tell you've had loads of fun making the bunting! I love to start new projects so there's never any procrastinating here. If this was my new project I'd get a large piece of card, make big holes and slot the different colours of wool through. Then write the colour number next to the relevant shades, just like the thread organisers supplied with cross stitch kits but on a much bigger scale.
ReplyDeleteThanks Avis! I've sorted the wools, it's more keeping track of which leaves are which to match the very similar squares. But I've decided if I can't tell, it's probably close enough.
DeleteWhat a great idea your new projects! I always say to me "There is the first point and there is the last one"! Happy stitching!
ReplyDeleteCarmela
Thanks Carmela! I finally started stitching and I'll just keep going.
DeleteI love your banner!! So clever to stitch the ribbon together to make the triangles! I agree with Avis, sort the threads first - it won't be so hard to (or intimidating) to pick the right shades after that. I love putting in that first stitch! For me, sometimes it's hard to keep going.
ReplyDeleteThanks Connie! I decided to just make a start on one of the leaf colors and I like how it's coming together. Only about 80 more (larger) leaves to go! :)
Deleteoh I love your Christmas bunting!!!!
ReplyDeleteclaire93
Thank you Claire!
DeleteMerry Christmas indeed! Your banner proclaims it so bright and cheerful! On my biggest needlepoint project I was able to thread just a short piece of yarn through each of the color squares along the edge so that when I went back to stitching I could see which yarn had been assigned to which paint color on the canvas. I didn't have as many, or as close shading, as you appear to have with the acanthus leaves but I found it helpful.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sue! I've struggled more than usual with the colors because the piece is so big that some of the "test squares" are rolled up in the frame. Also at least in the first leaf I attempted, there were apparently 5 colors and -- even with my Ott Light -- I could only discern 4. So we'll see -- it will still be beautiful, right?
DeleteThe bunting turned out splendidly! I vote for sorting the threads first too, I bet that gives you the confidence to dive in!
ReplyDeleteThanks Kathy!
DeleteWhat a fabulous job you did on the bunting. And Yes I have definitely had a problem with the start and I identify with your issue. THose greens are very similar and separating them, labelling them and keeping them apart all the time will be important. I once cross stitched a large cat as a thank you for a friend who had supported me when I lost everything in a fire. It had 27 shades of grays and off whites and I thought I would lose my mind. It looked just like her very old darling of a cat and my friend adored it. It was worth it in the end but I've been wary of projects with so many similar shades every since! But you are young, Sunny, you can do it!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jocelyn! Somehow the start feels overwhelming ... which possibly explains why I have so many "unstarted" (not even unfinished!) kits in the basement!
DeleteI love your Merry Christmas banner! I´m not afraid for the first stitch. In fact I start too many projects, because it´s so fun. Of course, on the other hand, I have a lot of unfinished projects :)
ReplyDeleteThank you! I don't have many unfinished projects -- but I do have a lot of kits or project supplies purchased and never begun!
DeleteLove the bunting!! I know what you mean about working out the colours - I sometimes wonder where they get the descriptions from too!Beth Russels designs are gorgeous, so I'm looking forward to watching this one grow :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks Margaret! Rest assured, you'll be watching this project for a long time! :)
DeleteOh dont be too hard on yourself about the colors. They are beautiful and will work themselves out just fine I am sure. Excited to watch you work on this one!
ReplyDeleteYour Christmas banner is FANTASTIC! Absolutely lovely. As for the fear of taking that first stitch, I can absolutely relate. Kits intimidate me for that very reason - figuring out the colors is not always easy. I have no doubt you will do an amazing job with this one, though!
ReplyDelete