Sunday, June 28, 2009

Most Boring Border and a Question



I'm trying a canvas rotation as I stitch Ch'ing, the Leigh Chinese Dynasty ornament. I'm also working on Needlepoint of Back Bay's interpretation of Cape Cod Dogs by Elizabeth Mumford. I decided I would work on the border of Cape Cod Dogs as it is done mostly in basketweave. As you can see, I am almost half finished basketweaving the border background. I'm using Impressions, a silk/wood blend from Caron in the color 0020 which is black. It's a lovely thread, one strand of which covers on 18 count nicely. It's dull and mindless work, but rather soothing to do at night when I'm tired or while I'm thinking about the next fancy stitch for Ch'ing.

To liven things up a bit for myself, I am also tent stitching the red lettering in the border, using my red Hi-Lights #H614, the same thread I used for the metallic Scotch Stitches in the background of Ch'ing. (Good thing I didn't use it all up doing Ch'ing's whole background!) It is perfect for the words around Cape Cod Dogs. It is sparkly but not too shiny. I want the letters to be visible but not so loud as to take attention away from the dogs and mermaids at the bar. Once a person looks around and spots the details (the view out the window, the fact that the women at the bar have tails, the little liquor bottles and the glasses, etc.) then I want them to find the lettering and laugh.

One thing to consider when doing lettering that wraps around a border is that you have to keep the tent stitches oriented toward the right side of the canvas. No turning the canvas to have the letters readable and tent stitch them in that orientation!

To liven things up here a bit more, I took photos yesterday of the day lilies that line the driveway to the house as they are really looking great this year. We've had a cool and wet spring and summer up until last week (and rain is predicted for today) and they are very very happy. Hope you enjoy the slide show I made on the left side of the page right under the "Prayer for Stress Free Travel" icon from Sundance that's the canvas of the day.

Which reminds me--do you like the Canvas of the Day feature? Or does it just clutter up Blog? I have to admit with a canvas of the day, a slide show, the ANG Auction slide show of the pet guardian angels and my two current projects shown, the lefthand side of the page is getting cluttered! What do you think? Should I drop anything that I have there now?

Jane/Chilly Hollow
Archived Yahoo 360 postings at http://profiles.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

8 comments:

Love to Stitch 99 said...

Jane,

I personally have no problem at all with your left side. We either look at it or we don't, so if you like them, I would keep them there.

Am I any help at all or am I just too layed back with this? (grinning)

Pierette =^..^=

The Chilly Hollow Needlepoint Adventure said...

No, Pierette, this is helpful. Knowing that you don't mind what the left side looks like is important to me!

Love to Stitch 99 said...

ROFL

Now Jane, I am not sure if you are making fun at me or not (grinning)

Pierrette =^..^=

Anonymous said...

How could photos of lovely flowers ever be distracting? I like the slide show and the canvas of the day.
Nancy

The Chilly Hollow Needlepoint Adventure said...

No, Pierette. I'm serious. Knowing that the left side column is fine and you look or don't as you wish is important to me.

Gives me incentive to keep it as is.

The Chilly Hollow Needlepoint Adventure said...

Thanks, Nancy. I'm glad you enjoy the daylilies slide show and the canvas of the day. I'll keep the slide show up this week and continue to find new painted canvases at random each morning.

Anonymous said...

Jane, keep all of the left side content. I read your blog daily and learn a lot from it - the left side gives even more information. I like it the way it is!

Carol

The Chilly Hollow Needlepoint Adventure said...

Thanks, Carol. I'm glad to know that you like all the stuff on the left side. I was afraid it was too cluttered and hard to read.