OhSewCrafty

2017 WIPocalypse: June update

June was a very eclectic month; I worked on so many projects!

After my last WIPocalypse check in: I spent the last few days of May working on Dasher and managed to get him 95% finished before I ran out of beads.  Oh well, more are on order.

On May 31, I picked up "I am a Stitcher" and worked with my Emerald silk from Carrie's Creations for 2 days.  I love it- the color is perfect!  The project is almost half done now.

June started with Whine & WIPs for Stitch Maynia.  I wasn't feeling it, though.  My biggest whine was my WIP count!  So I started with the project closest to finished, Seraphina, and after 2 days, ta da!

After that, I did work on a project that makes me whine, Fall Fairy.  The fabric that came in the kit, the 16 ct light blue aida, is awful to work on, has a plasticky feeling almost.  I gave it 4 days then hand washed the project, hoping to soften it up.  I gave it another 3 days after that (7 days total).  The handwash did help but it still isn't a particularly nice aida.

Currently
The first page is almost done, the column of 12 stitches on the far left needs to be completed though.  And of course, the fairy's face and hair... I will save that for the end however. The progress is decent and I just might be able to finish her this year.

Then I decided to go for another finish, Toy Shop.  It only took one day and finis! 

I decided to work on Cookies for Santa for the Color weekend SAL (white, green, & red) in the Stitch from Stash group.  2 days effort. Previous progress:

Currently:

It's almost done except for another line of text at the bottom, two more motifs, and some backstitching.

After that, Snowman Stocking had 3 days on the scroll bars.  Previous progress:

Currently:

 The main body of the stocking is now almost complete, and I've started with the borders for the name band.  This is definitely a finish goal for next month!

 Stitch-a-thon weekend arrived, and I took out Winnie the Pooh. I managed 2000 stitches over 2 days, whew!  Blogged here.

After that I could not avoid my biggest whine-inducing project, Maiden & the Unicorn.  I gave it 4 days effort, mostly spent backstitching.  The bottom half is mostly backstitched now.  The big exception would be the metallic gold portions because those areas aren't complete... it's about 4 different gold colors of DMC, all with gold blending filament.  One of the colors still needs to be stitched.  Hopefully the gold blending filament I have in my stash now looks good with the blending filament I used back in 2007.

Check out the detail of the creature (gryphon?) in the side borders.  Backstitching really makes a difference, eh?  I also worked on the mirror, but it's hard to see because all my threads are parked there, and stitched on the flag pole & flag, and a bit of the top border on the left side.  I feel like the end is in sight, perhaps.

Finally, on June 25th, I started and finished a new ornie, to be blogged soon.

 Monthly topic: Show us your stitching space!  Where do you sit, and what is going on around you while you stitch (TV, audiobooks, etc)?

There is my stitchy spot, minus the ottoman.  The chair faces the tv and I typically watch Flosstube or Netflix while I stitch, with my feet up and using a lap stand.  I have 3 lap stands, the one pictured adjusts from 16"-24", and that is what I use the most.  I have two lamps, one on each side, plus there is a large window on one side, but that doesn't matter much since I typically stitch at night.  I have a side table that is full of my stitchy stuff- pattern binder, clamshell case with accessories, and current wips, which I store rolled up. My DMC thread organizer is full of floss on stitchbows for my current projects, plus scissors and needles in the pincushion.  The thread organizer is nice, but it would work better on a chair with skinnier arms.  I'm planning to buy a Lowery stand in the not too distant future, and I suppose I will need the extension arm for it, since the chair arms are so wide.

And the end of June, I'm trying to craft several full finishes; I may work on I am a Stitcher a little too.  My plans for July revolve mostly around Christmas in July, I'm aiming to finish Dasher, Cookies for Santa, and the Snowman Stocking.  I also want to work on Charmed Santa, which I started in May, and Fire Goddess.  I will definitely start Bookseller for my Christmas village, and I may start a patriotic project as well.  I won't have time for a week each on the big projects, but I'll try to fit my lofty plans into a realistic schedule somehow!  

 

Stitching HD: Toy Shop

• Pattern: from Mill Hill kit
• Fabric: 28 ct stormy grey jobelan, DMC floss & Mill Hill beads as kitted
• Size: 5" x 5"
• Time to stitch: 7 days

My 2nd piece of the Mill Hill village is complete and I am chuffed!  

The pattern was fine, easy to read, good directions.  The only thing is there are 8 colors of beads on this small project!  Beading took longer than DMC stitching.  I had to skip a few beads in the long rows because they wouldn't all fit on the fabric as charted.  They would fit on perforated paper, I suppose.  Right, so I swapped out the perforated paper (from the kit) because I will stitch 12 of these pieces, together on a fat half of fabric. 

The materials are fine.  A few beads wouldn't fit on the beading needle, so I had to toss them.  I used almost every single one of the petite champagne (silver) beads.  I made one mod- as charted the toy shop letters are beaded with the red seed beads.  I felt it looked crowded and muddy.  So I frogged and redid it with the petite blue beads. I like it better in blue anyway.... that's my son's favorite color.

My favorite details are the gift with the beaded bow, the doors with the gold doorknobs, and the cute little wagon.

Doesn't that look like an inviting place to shop?  For the bead swags I thread the beads from point A to point B, then I go back to a row or two below, in the middle, come up and down in the same place, around the bead string.  This tacks it down, and gives it the swag shape. I love the allover sparkle.  I also stitched more of the snowflake border, in Kreinik #4 braid color 032.

With 2 buildings done, I am so happy with the color coordination, the spacing, and how they look with the border.  I'm pacing myself with this project (1 building/quarter), so it will take 3 years to finish, but it will be worth it.  If you are interested in stitching along with me and several others, come find us on FB... the group is called "Mill Hill Christmas Village".

Stitching HD & FFO: Seraphina (plus her sisters)

• Pattern: Mill Hill kit
• Materials: 14 ct Perforated paper, DMC thread, Mill Hill beads as kitted
• Size: 3.5" x 5"
• Time to stitch: 5 days

My last of the Mill Hill Angel trilogy is complete!  (and fully finished too!)

Seraphina stitched up very quickly, quicker than the first two.  Perhaps I've gotten accustomed to stitching these charts and stitched this one in a way for maximum efficiency.  I don't know, but I'm glad the trio is complete.  I don't particularly love stitching on perforated paper, though I do see its utility for ornaments.  

 The kit materials are fine.  The chart and the instructions are done well.  The floss is DMC and it is not presorted.  It would be a pain to sort without having the full set handy or a color card, IMO.  The beads are Mill Hill (5 different colors) and I only found 1 bead I had to toss for being malformed.  I did make one little mod to the backstitching- I backstitch around a square for her mouth, instead of a single line.  It's more visible that way and besides you can't play the bugle with a closed mouth!  My favorite part of this project is probably the bugle.  I love how sparkly it is, stitched with gold kreinik and gold beads.

All 3 are fully finished with stiff sparkle felt on the back, affixed with hot glue.  Seraphina (right) & Angelina(center) have white satin ribbon hangers.  Gabrielle has (6 strand) DMC for a hanger.  For the two on the right, I cut around the edges after glueing to the stiff felt and that worked out fine, certainly faster than cutting twice.  However, it required exerting quite a bit force on the scissors.

It's good to be finished with the Angel Triology!  Now I can start a new ornie June 25th without feeling guilty for one unfinished.

 

 

Framing HDs: Aphrodite & Petal Fairy

After my last framing projects with triple mats, I opted for something a bit easier this time.  I've never matted any of my Mirabilias as they are so big even without mats.

Petal was finished in 2015; she is definitely due her moment in the sun.  She is stitched on light pink opalescent lugana, "ametrine" by Silkweaver, old.   

The gold frame is rather large and ornate.  The highest level has leaf detailing on an oxidized background.  The frame gently slopes down with a crackled gold finish, to a more slender band of oxidation and floral detail on the inner edge.  I chose the gold color to accentuate her calla lily skirt and the botanical detail seemed appropriate for a fairy perched on a flower.  I normally chose more slender frames for my pieces, but Petal is large enough to handle something more robust, and I got a bargain on this frame, less than $25 from the pictureframes.com outlet shop.  I cut the glass using my Logan 704-1 Elite glass cutter that mounts on my mat cutter, and glass pliers. 

Aphrodite was finished more recently, this year.  It seemed rather unacceptable to have 2 mermaids waiting to be framed (Aphrodite & Siren and Shipwreck), so I went shopping...

I found this black frame with rope detail, about $35 on the pictureframes.com outlet shop (sale & clearance section).  It's still available, too. I loved the frame for Aphrodite as there is a lot of black in this pattern, and it allows the hand painted, ombre effect, fabric (Zeus Domain linen by Under the Sea Fabrics) to sing. The frame has a satin finish and raised rope detailing on the inner edge, on a gray background.

I am quite chuffed with these 2 but sadly there are several more Mirabilia / Nora Corbetts remaining in the "future framing" pile.  Midsummer Night Fairy is waiting for her companion, Titania, to be finished.  Siren & Shipwreck is waiting for the perfect frame.  The reindeer are waiting for Dasher to be finished.  I guess that's not too bad!  I have some mats to cut, etc. then I will share a few Halloween FFOs.