Tuesday, December 01, 2015

Crewel Work

Hello Dear Reader,

Thank you for popping by.

I have spent some time since last week completing the main flower head, and now have the French Knots in the correct colour!

Flower head


Perhaps pale green wasn't the best colour to use for the grid on the second leaf - seemed like a good idea at the time!

Leaf and grid
Wasn't sure how to tackle this leaf,
but I stitched the grid first, and then
surrounded it with three rows of chain stitches 
Close up of leaf and grid
A little closer!

Then I hit a stumbling block on the last flower! 

Shelagh Amor's picture, which is guiding my stitches, shows Long and Short stitch, on the bell shape flower, which I want to try out but can't quite fathom how!

Shelagh Amor's pattern
Picture from Shelagh Amor's book

I know the theory but the photo I'm following appears to show the tiniest amount of shading at the top of the area to be stitched, and I just can't get my head around how to start. No doubt I will work it out. I've looked at many examples but they don't seem to be stitching in the same direction as my flower!

Last flower
Last flower: I stitched the outline in split stitch,
and embroidered pink chain stitches.

Having thought about this some more, and looked at yet another book on the subject, I have decided I will start just above the pink flower where it meets the lower edge of the bell shape, and I understand the stitches should slant towards the stem.

Close up of last flower


Apart from my crewel work I have managed a few stitches on Izzy's dress:

Izzy's dress
This is part of the dress I am making for my doll (Izzy).

I find I can't embroider without the support of a frame, can you? So, as the stitching was an afterthought, I had to use a picture frame to support the embroidery - just hoping I can iron the creases out after stitching!

I have also spent a few minutes on my thread catcher.

Thread catcher
It is a while since I quilted and I almost forgot I had
 these pins for basting!

That's all for now and I haven't even looked at my Christmas stitching yet!

I hope you would like to say "Hello", then I can visit you too!

Have a great week.

Hugs!

Barbara xx









20 comments:

Magpie's Mumblings said...

I'm enjoying seeing your crewel work - I did a little of that many years ago but haven't played with it since. Seeing what you're doing just might inspire me! (re the creasing issue with using a hoop - I've been using the table frame....free instructions on Shawkl's site....and I now sew some scrap fabric onto the edge of what I'm embroidering to bring it up to a size that will fit on the frame. Then it's a simple matter to cut off the scrap fabric once I'm done stitching and I avoid creasing)

Christine B said...

Hello Barbara! Love the progress on your crewel work flower.... it is so pretty! Like the little flowers added to Izzy's dress too! You are working on lots of lovely projects! Christine x

Renee said...

Your crewel work is lovely! Izzy's dress is darling. And I love the photo of your thread catcher. Beautiful work!

Annet said...

Your crewel work turns out very beautiful, love to watch your progress. Sorry to hear you have problems with the long and short stitch. Do you know there are great long and short stitch lessons at Needle 'n Thread? That's how I learned this stitch. I hope this helps you too!

Amy at love made my home said...

Your crewel work is beautiful! xx

deanna7trees said...

beautiful stitching. when i can't figure out instructions, i just do my own thing. i work with a hoop sometimes and sometimes not....really depends on the fabric and type of stitch i'm doing.

handmade by amalia said...

Lovely, lovely, lovey. I adore this, Barbara.
Amalia
xo

FlashinScissors said...

Hi Mary Anne, thank you for your lovely comment. I generally do add scraps to the edges, it was a spur of the moment idea to take the stitching with me on a train journey, and I didn't have time to add them. I might still need to though, to finish the job - we'll see! Perhaps I will look again at Shawkl's table frame! Barbara xx

FlashinScissors said...

Thank you for your lovely comments, Christine! Nice of you to pop by. There are too many projects I'd like to stitch, and not enough hours in the day..... Barbara xx

Wendy said...

your crewel work is looking lovely, I really enjoyed the piece that I did. I wasn't sure what the problem was with long and short stitch - is it because there's only a small amount of one shade and the rest is another shade?

Josie said...

Wow, your crewel work is really coming along and is absolutely beautiful. I'm so looking forward to seeing it finished xx

FlashinScissors said...

Thank you for your lovely comments, Renee. They've all been fun to work on! Barbara xx

FlashinScissors said...

Hello Annet, Thank you for your lovely comments. Yes, I looked at the lessons on Needle 'n Thread for long and short stitch, but I think Wendy has hit the nail on the head asking if it had something to do with the shading. I was thinking of starting from the bottom of the flower, but I expect it should be from the top?!
Barbara xx

FlashinScissors said...

Thank you for visiting and for your lovely comment, Amy.
Barbara xx

FlashinScissors said...

Thank you for your lovely comments, Deanna. Perhaps I should have used another stitch, but I want to learn new stitches occasionally, and was quite determined not to let this stitch beat me. Like you, sometimes I use a hoop and sometimes not, depending on fabric and type of stitch I'm working on.

Barbara xx

FlashinScissors said...

Thank you for your sweet comment Amalia. It is lovely to hear from you.
Barbara xx

FlashinScissors said...

Hello Wendy,

Thank you for popping by, and thank you for your lovely comment. I think you are right, it was the shading that confused me. Because the stitch is new to me I wasn't sure quite which way to start, whether to stitch from the top of the flower or the bottom?

I found your crewel work this week when I was trying to work out how to do this stitch - it's lovely, and very inspiring too!

Barbara xx

FlashinScissors said...

Hi Josie,
Thank you for popping by, and for your lovely comments. I hope to finish the crewel work this week!
Barbara xx

Jo who can't think of a clever nickname said...

Your crewel work is looking lovely. It's very different to cross stitch, so free form.

FlashinScissors said...

Hello Jo,
Thank you for your kind comment. It's difficult to get used to the fact that there is no exact place for the stitches! But I love the fact I can regulate my stitch sizes to be as large or as small as I like depending on the type of thread. I still find it very strange stitching with wool but I'm pleased with the results.
It was nice of you to call by, I will be over to visit you shortly.
Barbara xx