Never to Old to Play and Coif Update

I've been playing with silk. Lesson 6 of the Cabinet of Curiosities has been a blast for me.  I don't know why but despite many years of doing cross stitch from charts and needlepoint on painted canvas, it never occurred to me to draw and outline and fill it with tent stitch. Lesson 6 has the historical research behind this technique.  And the theory behind the colour choices and gradations.   I had already started work on a small purse on congress cloth to use at work for my cell phone and keys (most women's clothing does not have pockets!) so I started adding motifs.  The first was this butterfly from a coif pattern (the squirrel is from an old cross stitch booklet and the violet is from a Long Dog sample)

As well as a test of the outline needlepoint method, this play was a binge on silks as well.  So these are some silks I bought a while ago.  Somehow, as I played, I forgot all my reservations about saving silks for special projects and just used the colours I wanted to use.  And I have lots I've been saving.  So you'll notice there is no colour matching throughout all these motifs.  It is just practice for me using the technique before starting the butterfly pinkeep.

Aren't these overdyed colours wonderful? Gloriana Peacock Blue, Opulent Orange, and Red Clay.  It makes me happy just looking at the skeins next to each other.

I also tried a bug and snail.  The lesson learned from these is, use a higher count for small motifs in future.  The bug is in Kreinik braid - Opal.

The flower is from motifs from the Cabinet lessons.  As well as the small motifs lesson, this one included the colour theory lesson.  I really can't combine colours well, so I need to make sure I buy 3 or 4 shades in a colour family when I buy silks.

So here is my small purse/sweet bag so far.  I really love the outline and fill stitching method.   I plan on doing the background in silver, in one of the larger filling stitches mentioned in Lesson 6 that you see on the old sweetbags.

And here is the nearly finished coif!  There are two leaves left in silk for one chapter member who wants to do something.  And then the rest of the gold work is another member.  Once that is done, I'll have to think about making it up.  I have some linen for the lining, but I'm going to need to consult on how to sew it up.

Cabinet of Curiosities Kit 1



What an exciting day.  After 4 months of history and symbolism and motif patterns, hundreds of pages of wonderful research and photos, the first kit in Tricia's Cabinet of Curiosities online class arrived.  The packaging was so beautiful and appropriate, you can't imagine.  The colour palate is divine and the silks are to die for, both the threads and the fabrics.  I could spend all day just looking at it all instead of stitiching.  And there is a beautiful mug for my afternoon tea.  I can't decide if I should show it off at work or just keep it at home to enjoy in private.  I have died and gone to heaven.

Time Flies and the Coif Progresses!

Can you believe the progress on the coif!!!  Catherine Jordan, our chapter president and teacher and designer par excellence, has been working on the coif for the past few months and when I picked it up from her I was amazed.  I can't believe how wonderful it is looking.  Every new flower just makes it more beautiful, and the goldwork Catherine added enhances the whole thing.

I think I have posted a close up with the gold work before, but here it is again since I want to make sure you get a good look.  I'm wondering about adding some short gold straight stitches to the rose and carnation - I've seen some coifs with the extra gold and I'm wondering if that might not add that extra pop.  Let me know what you think?

My SIL at Kyrotime has been really busy.  This lovely dorm quilt arrived for DD the older. I just love the colour palate.  And yes, that is a Dr. Who poster in the background.  Extra points if you can name the episode.  I'm in charge of posting the photo since my daughter is in the throes of final papers and art work, and studying for final exams.

Stitching with Kittens has graciously given me a Leibster Blog award, for which I thank her very much.  I will give my blog suggestions next time I get a chance to do some posting.  This term I have Organizational Behaviour, which involves a big team project, and The Practice of Health Care, where I have to shadow a physician for half a day.  Great fun, but little time left for stitching, let alone blogging.