What Have I Been Up To?

Hello, my dear friends,
It has been a long time since I posted here. Forgive me - I have been so busy... Past few months have been full of.... stitching! Most of that stitching has been for someone else, so, alas, I did not get to keep it, but - there is a definite up side: no unfinished projects! Also, since I have started the stitching service I have finished more large stitching projects than in the past two years! Definitely a motivator.
So... where do I start?

Some time ago, I tried my hand in embroidery.

  This was the first ever project I have taken on that had nothing to do with cross stitch. I was not sure about my abilities at first, but overall, it turned out to be more familiar than I expected. The instructions were very straightforward, and the stitches it used - I already knew them. The fact that I had to stitch the same design multiple times only strengthened my skills.



Then, I had a chance to stitch a lovely project with garden angels in it...

Let Heaven and Nature Sing

I found it a bit humorous that the angels wore aprons and had garden tools in their pockets. The back stitching gave the picture sharpness and depth. The whole project had the late 80-s feel to it, as if it stepped out of the old cross stitch magazine. I have a few of those (magazines) in my stash, picked up at thrift stores.

The final project I want to share today is the Heirloom Christmas Stocking.

"Sugar and Spice" Christmas Stocking, Heirloom Collection

This one has quite a few details and took a few months to complete.

Flowers Cameo

The flowers cameos were done in petite pointe - or "over one" with one strand of floss. It was an interesting process - I felt as if working on a miniature doll house item.

Teddy Bear and Cat Tea Party

The tea set design was a pleasure to work on - as well as the holly berries on the leaves... French Knots A-Plenty. Most of the project required stitching with three threads of floss (except for back stitch and cameos, and some select stitches) - it allows the project to look fuller.

Angel and Window detail

The wings and halo of the angel were stitched with Kreinik and then couched with thinner metallic thread. The couching made the wings look sharper, in a solid line.

These are just three projects out of a whole list that I finished this year. So far, it has definitely been the most productive - in terms of stitching, anyway.

Now, with Christmas fast approaching - although still having a few projects to finish - I am planning to spend some time stitching Christmas ornaments. My hope is to have at least two new ornaments on my tree this year... We'll see what happens!

Happy stitching to all of you, my friends. And Happy Thanksgiving!