Why am I going over my amateur finishing step-by-step?
Not everyone wants to finish their own pieces. I hope my adventure finishing the Joan Thomasson wizard will encourage you to try finishing your own pieces, but even if you never put a thing together yourself, at least you have a better idea how it is done. Visit these websites and think about what I did with the wizard and how the stand ups they showcase look. Check the beads, braids and ribbons used as trim, check out the bases to see wooden feet and platforms, check the edges to see how smooth they are. Is the edge a seam or a wide flat area? Do the trims and buttons and bows enhance the style of the original NP or fight with it to draw attention to themselves instead of the NP? What do you like and dislike in these finishing examples? Would any of the styles look good with your current piece? Why or why not?
David McCaskill's House of Four Seasons has a lovely plain seam and corners where the building sides and roof meet.
http://www.blogger.com/Why%20am%20I%20going%20over%20my%20amateur%20finishing%20step-by-step?
Stitchery Square shows standups in a variety of styles, each suited to the theme of the piece.
http://www.stitching.com/stitcherysquare/finishing_standups.htm
Kelly Clark features boxed standups with feet made from round painted wooden beads.
http://www.kellyclarkneedlepoint.com/node/78
Marlene's showcases a huge variety of styles. Use Next at the bottom of the page to see more pages.
http://www.marlenecustompillows.com/Standing/standings1.html
Finishing is a real skill and a good finisher who can do a lot of different things and who listens to you is worth their weight in gold. If you know a bit about the various styles available, you can better explain what you want to a finisher or get a better result yourself. "Knowlege is power" isn't just a slogan, you know. Any time you notice a website with examples of their finishing, it is a very good idea to look things over carefully to get ideas or at least names of places that finish to your tastes.
Jane/Chilly Hollow
Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow
2 comments:
Jane: Thank you for sharing your finishing adventures. I found them tremendously helpful. I haven't made a stand-up project yet - BUT I WILL! And your instructions will spur me on... I especially like your use of those rocks - very inspired!!! I'm gonna borrow that idea, if I may....
(I have a Thomasson "Wine Country Santa" that I'm stitching and plan to make into a stand-up someday!)
Glad you are enjoying watching me attempt this. I haven't done a standup before, but how hard can it be? Guess we'll find out! LOL
Sure, use the rocks idea. The glass pebbles or marbles will work just as well but they cost more and since these things are going to never be seen and the rocks are clean, why not? I guess I could have gotten gravel from the side driveway but that would mean washing and washing and then drying and drying them. Paying $2 for presorted and washed rocks seemed like a much better idea at the time!
Good luck on your Wine Country Santa. I bet he is going to be wonderful!
Jane/CH
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