Monday, February 27, 2017

I found it!

The right shade of green was sitting in my stash of threads all along....and what a difference it makes! Yes, I finally can say that the lighthouse design is now completed......yayyyy! Before I show you the completed piece, here's a close-up of the green.....so much better, don't you think?



And here's the whole piece in all it's wonderful glory....




The back stitching really made this whole design pop. 



So here are the details of the kit, just in case anyone fancies stitching this one.....and I would definitely recommend it, it's so pretty in real life, the pictures don't capture the colours properly.

The kit is one of the Dimensions Gold Collection Petites.  Finished size is  5 x 7 inches and is stitched on 18 count white aida. Stitches used are half cross stitch, full cross stitch, back stitch, french knots and lazy daisy stitches. The design is by Red Farm Studio.

So here's my pros and cons of the kit/design....

Pros.

Large, clear colour symbol chart.
Large piece of aida supplied.
Plenty of threads in the kit....I did not run out of any colour! (and we all know that this doesn't often happen!)

Cons.

The back stitch lazy daisy stitching.....colour indicated on chart didn't look right and was different than that shown on the cover picture of the kit. I guess this really isn't too big of an issue, it's just that I'm a bit OCD about the colours! :)



Now I just have to keep my fingers crossed that I can find the same frame so that it matches with the other two lighthouse designs that are hanging on my wall...







Until next time....happy stitching!

Rhona

Monday, February 20, 2017

Goldilocks stitching.

Goldilocks stitching? It's not a new design I've started working on....or a new designer....it's when you can't get the colour 'just right'! :)

I started back stitching the lighthouse design and was stitching up a storm....until.....I realized that I was using the wrong colour thread! Duh. The chart uses different coloured lines for the different colours of threads (obviously!) and the black line was for the dark charcoal colour so when I started doing the lazy daisy stitches for the leaves, I used the dark charcoal colour as the lazy daisy stitches were printed with a black line. It was only when I had done about half of the stitches that I began to think that it looked a bit too dark. Of course, when I checked the chart I noticed that although the lazy daisy stitches were printed with a black line but were supposed to be stitched using very dark green ....arghhh! Time to unpick....not one of my  favourite of things to do. (Don't think it's any stitchers favourite thing to do!)

OK, start again....this time with the correct colour....


....mmmm....still think it's too dark.......check the picture on the kit only to realize that it has been stitched using a paler green! Unpick....again! Start (again!) with the paler shade of green...


arghhh....it's too pale....


So now I'm heading off to my stash of threads to see if I have something in-between the too dark green and the too pale green...the Goldilocks shade that's 'just right' for those leaves!


So, hopefully by next week, I'll be able to show you the finished lighthouse with those pesky leaves stitched in the perfect shade of green. Wish me luck!


Until next time...happy stitching!

Rhona

Monday, February 13, 2017

Something different...



I needed something to stitch that didn't require too much concentration and wasn't too fiddly or difficult....some weeks are just like that! So after going through my stash I decided to work on this design by Silver Creek Samplers......


It's not the usual style that I would gravitate to, but I liked the saying and  and the lettering style. The original is stitched on a green coloured fabric, but all I had in my stash was a mint aida which I thought was a bit too bright and clean looking. I  didn't want to use white or cream and luckily found a piece of oatmeal aida that was just the right size for the design.....guess it was fated to be the oatmeal colour!


 I had the recommended threads in my stash, so I feel quite good about having a new start and no expenses!

And what about the lighthouse design? Well it's all stitched with just the back stitching to do now....that's on the to-do list for this week!


....lots of threads left over!


 ...don't you just want to walk down that path and explore? 


Time to get out the needle and start that back stitching! This design is just too pretty to leave it unfinished any longer.


Until next time...happy stitching!

Rhona




Tuesday, February 7, 2017

It's a Ta-Da kind of day!

Yesterday the weather was horrible....raining and miserable....not the kind of day to take pictures of your finished stitching. Today isn't much better as it's snowing....but....the light is better....so here it is....my ta-da moment....



....finished!


All washed and ironed...


 ...and ready for framing!

And here are the reasons I just HAD to stitch this design....Smokie....


...and Smirnoff...

......who's a bit shy about having her picture taken!

Here are the details of the kit, just in case anyone is interested in stitching it.

The kit is by Dimensions and is called 'Max the Cat'. It's stitched on 14 count beige aida and the finished size is 10 x 15 inches. The chart is printed as coloured symbols and is very easy to read. Each cat is stitched using whole cross stitches and the background is done in half cross stitches. My only complaint/criticism about the kit is that the two very pale colours of grey didn't have enough of a difference between them and I think the end result looks a bit too pale. The picture on the kit of the finished stitching makes the cat look a bit darker which I personally think looks better...


...so if anyone is thinking of stitching this, you might want to think about using a slightly darker shade of grey instead of the one included in the kit! 

All in all, a great design, a great kit and a great finish! :)

Until next time...happy stitching!

Rhona