Last time I had just finished stitching my acanthus needlepoint. I haven't finished it completely, but the wool came to make the cording so with a cup hook, a drill, some scissors, a heavy chair, and my husband we went outside with six ten-meter skeins and made some cord. It was the first time I'd ever tried to make it, and it was very satisfying and pretty successful:
I'll try out the tassels and stitch on the cording and share that next time!
I decided to start a very pretty cross stitch kit from DMC and the V&A called Golden Lily, based on a pattern created by J.H. Dearle for Morris & Co. Yeah, it's another William Morris project... I guess I'm predictable!
Doing the counting makes me realize why some stitchers work by gridding out their fabric, or work by working steadily in "squares" of the pattern. Lots of work to do, but it's fun to do something different.
The other stitchers in this stitch-a-long all make amazing, and inspiring projects, so check out everyone's blogs to see what they're all up to.
Avis, Claire, Gun, Carole, Sue, Constanze, Christina, Kathy, Margaret, Cindy, Heidi, Jackie, Hayley, Megan, Deborah, Mary Margaret, Renee, Carmela, Sharon, Daisy, Anne, Connie, AJ, Jenny, Laura, Cathie, Linda, and Helen.
Our next check in is on August 2.
Avis, Claire, Gun, Carole, Sue, Constanze, Christina, Kathy, Margaret, Cindy, Heidi, Jackie, Hayley, Megan, Deborah, Mary Margaret, Renee, Carmela, Sharon, Daisy, Anne, Connie, AJ, Jenny, Laura, Cathie, Linda, and Helen.
Our next check in is on August 2.
It appears that you are definitely drawn to the color green. Your cording is great. I don't think I did that even a cord the first time I made it. I really like your new project. That dark green fabric can't be easy to stitch on.
ReplyDeleteThanks Cathie! What's funny is that my initial thought was "I don't really like green" but then I look around -- and not just at my blog -- and there's a lot of green! I have been putting a white piece of paper in my lap and stitching with an bright light on to help with the dark fabric.
DeleteWhat a nice idea for the drawstring! The new project is delightful. The color of the canvas you work on is interesting, it will give greater prominence to the embroidery.Good Summer!
ReplyDeleteCarmela
Thanks Carmela! I'm finding the dark fabric a little challenging, but enjoying how different it is from needlepoint.
DeleteYou did a great job of the cording. It's perfect for the cushion. Your new project is lovely too. Very brave of you for doing all of the same colour first.
ReplyDeleteThanks Avis! The cording is clearly handmade as it's a little uneven in places, but I'm thrilled for a first attempt! I'm so stubborn that I just keep stitching along in one color until I run out of thread. Of course, a cleverer stitcher might change colors at some point!
DeleteI've never made cording either, it looks really lovely, beautiful colours. Your new project is a gorgeous design too, I love the colour of the fabric xx
ReplyDeleteThanks Jenny! Making the cording was really satisfying, though I was glad to have another pair of hands to get it done.
Deleteyou definitely seem to be a huge Morris fan ^^
ReplyDeleteclaire93
Hi Claire! I do love his work! I just tidied my craft books downstairs and noticed that I have 3 different books of charts based on Morris designs... I'm thinking ahead to my next project and I can say that it's not a Morris one. :)
DeleteYour cording looks great,as does your start on this new project!
ReplyDeleteThanks Kathy! It's fun to switch from needlepoint to cross stitch. When I finish this I'm trying to decide between a larger cross stitch or a medium-sized needlepoint. We'll see if I feel like I need another switch after this!
DeleteI'm loving all the greens <3 The cording is beautiful and the new cross stitch project is so lovely!
ReplyDeleteThanks Christina! If I'm in a rut, it's a pretty rut!
DeleteLooking forward to seeing the finished project next time. Love the new project -
ReplyDeleteThanks Sharon! It's fun to do something very different (and yet... pretty similar...)
DeleteI would be intimidated by that cross stitch project - but then, I'm not one who cross stitches. ;-) I would benefit from learning to make my own cording. Son has done it with the drill and all so I just rely on him for the time being!
ReplyDeleteHi Sue -- I think I benefited from using wool yarn rather than cotton floss for my first attempt, but with the extra set of hands (it's difficult to get to the halfway point in a 10m line on your own) it was pretty easy. The "cup hook in the drill" made it easy to do all the twisting!
DeleteLove your new project!
ReplyDeleteThanks Gun! Always nice to start something new.
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