Today we don’t have the weekly update on Juanita, the Mexican Lady canvas from Melissa Shirley that is an adaptation of a Linda Carter Holman painting called “Secrets.” Janet Moyer needs the week off to do other things, but she’ll be back a week from today to finish this piece. I thought I’d take the opportunity of Janet’s absence to talk about things I’ve noticed while sitting in the audience with you, watching Janet stitch her lady to life. To that end I’ve put the largest and most recent photo we have of Juanita above. Here’s a link to a photo of the canvas unstitched, courtesy of Laura Zickas who took the photograph for Needle Nook of La Jolla.
http://www.needlenookoflajolla.com/storedir/proddetail.php?prod=ch118-2
The canvas Janet is working on is 13 count. This design is available on 18 count as well. I have stitched one 13 count piece in my NP career. I just like the extra detail on 18 count canvas. But I’ve noticed that 13 count allows Janet to do some things she couldn’t do on 18 count, like use sequins and fancy trim which I think might have been too large to use on 18 count. The hat’s sequins look very nice on Juanita’s hat but they might be too close together if this were an 18 count canvas. They are spaced perfectly right now but on a smaller scale, they might look all wrong. The special sequin trim also might not work on a smaller scale skirt. And the pearl necklace, earrings and diamond ring might not have looked so good unless Janet had been able to find smaller beads and findings to use to create them on 18 count the same way she did on 13 count.
Certainly the fabric calla lilies would be harder to make if they needed to be about 1/3 smaller for a smaller 18 count version of this design. Trying to attach tiny things to canvas is harder than trying to attach slightly larger things. I doubt the artificial roses Janet considered using would work at all on 18 count. They would be too large--Remember, Janet said she would have to take them apart and trim them if she ended up using them on her 13 count version of Juanita.
I also noticed that Janet was used Sampler Thread flosses for her open background stitch and for the white shawl she used Elegance which is a silk perle thread about the size of #8 perle. I think this silk perle thread might look less lacy on 18 count and Janet might have to use the smaller #12 perle instead. This might or might not be an issue, depending on the “look” one was trying to achieve. One would need fewer plies of Sampler Thread for the background, even if you are doing an open stitch. Things like this are just different on a smaller or larger count canvas, and worth considering. If you are used to one size canvas and that’s all you stitch, you are going to find you’ll need more/less plies or perhaps a different type or brand of thread altogether when you go up or down.
Another thing to consider when trying to decide whether to take home a design in 13 or in 18 count is the threads you have easily available. If you are used to #8 perle, you might have to go up a size to #5. Can you easily buy #5 perle cotton? You will need more thread to cover the larger area so remember to buy more than usual. Trio is the new smaller version of Silk n Ivory (a silk/wool blend in a single strand like tapestry wool). If you adore using Silk n Ivory on 13 count canvases, you will have to use Trio instead on 18 count. Usually Silk n Ivory is just too fat to go in the holes (although this does depend on what stitch you have chosen.)
I guess what I’ve learned from watching Janet is that a higher count canvas than what I usually buy means more thread and perhaps a different type/brand than my usual favorites, but there are unique possibilities that open up in what I might do with a design. Luckily I have a gorgeous huge red orchid from JP Designs in my stash on 13 count so eventually I’ll be able to try going up a size.
