OhSewCrafty: Stitching HD: Vixen

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Pattern by Nora Corbett, Christmas Eve Couriers series
Materials: Pewter Opalescent Belfast by Picture this Plus, DMC, Caron Waterlilies, Kreinik, Wisper, Mill Hill beads, and Swarovksi crystals
Size: 5 x 7 inches
Time to stitch: 4 days since May of last year

Presenting my final reindeer, it's the end of the era! Yes, I know there's Rudolph but the poem by Clement Clark Moore mentions "8 tiny reindeer". And that works for me, in terms of presentation. I wanted an even number.

Vixen was an easy quick stitch, the pattern doesn't call for too many colors, there isn't anything too fiddly, except for the Wisper tail. If you're unfamiliar with Wisper, I will say that it's best to use very short lengths (less than 8 inches), to keep the thread intact so you get the nice fluffy effect. But the tail is pretty small. I love the colors on Vixen, the wreath around her neck and the huge bow, the orange beaded reins, and the blingy antlers, resplendent with crystals. I quite enjoy stitching the reindeer, and I miss the series, a little. I made my usual addition of the name to the bottom, so I can tell which is which.

As for material, I used the last little piece of Pewter opalescent Belfast. I got the whole series out of 2 fat quarters (or a fat half), each FQ folded along the center of both axes and cut carefully into 4 pieces. The Umbria Waterlilies is used mainly for the border. The 2 Kreiniks are silvery blue (snowy ground) and antique gold (border). I managed to finish her with about 7 beads leftover of the Persimmon Magnificas (after using that one box for several deer). There are Cinnamon red Magnifica beads too, in the border. I subbed in Swarovski crystals for the Mill Hill teardrop and bicones, they were much more cost effective and the exact same thing, as far as I could tell.

My favorites part is probably the uptilted head, like she's contemplating her Christmas Eve flight. Now to cut mat with 4 apertures and get those reindeer framed. Not anytime soon, though. Christmas is over 10 months away. In the meantime, Im planning to start a new Mirabilia and maybe a Christmas piece, too.