I'm making good progress on the candy cane dog stocking. Last night I stitched most of the red areas in the top and toe of the stocking and started experimenting with the right thread for the white lines and snowflakes.
I thought originally that I would use a highly reflective thread, probably a metallic, for the white snowflakes and use something that was matte for the red areas. Elmer has turned that idea on its head, first with the fact that metallic threads don't show up well against the dusty blue sky and now because I used the sparkly red Crystal Braid for the stocking top and toe.
But when you stitch a painted canvas, each choice you make effects the next choice you make, and the next! You have to be flexible and just go with where the design choices you make take you. So I pulled out some white Kreinik 032 braid and some white Very Velvet and did some test stitching in the stocking's toe. I didn't like how the Kreinik looked paired with the sparkling red Crystal Braid. The two threads were too much alike in areas that are very different and with great contrast between colors, so I pulled out my Kreinik test stitches and tried Very Velvet instead. Its contrast with the Crystal Braid looked very good. So I tent stitched the bottom diagonal line on the toe for a few stitches. That I didn't like. Turns out this stocking wants a long length of thread laid across the white lines. If you use the same thread to couch it down with a tent stitch every other hole, you get a very nice smooth velvet line that stands up to the fancy Crystal Braid.
In the photo above I haven't finished all the red Crystal Braid in the stocking top but have done the toe's white diagonal lines and have also done tent stitches in the centers of each large snowflake. I've also stitched a few tent stitches in the partial snowflake's edge on the right toe. I will play with the large snowflakes tonight and finish the red areas in the top of the stocking.
I think now that the candy cane itself will look great padded using white Very Velvet with the red Crystal Braid for the candy stripe but we'll have to see how that goes. I'll be starting the dog shortly and I think I want to get the candy cane and hat done before I tackle the dog's eyes and face. Stay tuned as Elmer comes to life....
Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
Archived Yahoo 360 postings at http://profiles.yahoo.com/chillyhollow
6 comments:
Great idea with the couching for the toe!
may i throw out an idea for the candy cane? on the Bah Humbug designs and such you will see the very nice padding and bas relief depth of the candy cane - it is a pipe cleaner couched down with the red and white alternating thread. Nuts about needelpoint i believe has talked about this method, too. this would make it look like the little puppy was holding a candy cane raised up a little from the canvas....i love doing this - it give a faster and thicker look than trame-ing threads over threads for a puffiness and for candy canes, leashes, etc, it is perfect. just a thought. i love how you dissect the stitch process and decision making and willingness to experiment - that, to me is part of the fun of creating and making a canvas "my own". thank you.
I'm glad you are enjoying reading along, Monica. It's nice to have an audience cheering me on!
I probably will use my Very Velvet to make the candy cane since that's what I have at hand. I would have to travel 30 minutes one way to see if the "local" crafts emprorium has pipe cleaners and there is no guarantee they do. That's part of living in CH--I have a very long drive to get anything, even the groceries and mail are 130 miles a week on the car, so I use what I have at hand.
But a pipe cleaner is a really good idea!
Glad you like the couched line on the stocking toe. That looked right to me while other ways of handling it didn't. It does pay to experiment!
Hugs from the Mad NP Scientist of CH
Hi Jane,
Your stocking is so cute! And I love what you are doing with it. Try using YLI Ribbon floss as your top stitches over your Very Velvet padding on the candy cane. It lays so nicely and looks awesome--almost seamless when laid. I don't know if you have any in your stash but thought I would suggest it anyway.
Carole in louisiana
Good idea about the ribbon floss, Carole. I have some white in my stash that I thought I might use over Very Velvet padding and then top of red stripes of Silk Lame Braid or Crystal Braid, depending on how much Crystal Braid I have left after working the toe and stocking top. Thanks for the reinforcement of my idea that would look great!
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