The instructions for the laying tool case I've started call for 18 count canvas, lots of beads for the finishing, an Ultrasuede lining, a little Kreinik metallic, and a variety of colors and two sizes of Londonderry Linen threads that are unavailable to me. Not to worry, I pulled out my copy of The Thread Thesaurus by Ann Caswell, Suzanne Howren and Beth Robertson. This book, which I have heard is now out of print, tells me that Londonderry Linen is a fine 3 ply linen thread that comes in several diameters. I can easily substitute from my stash for this, and I will.
Since I have some beautiful light cinnamon colored Ultrasuede and a piece of gold-flecked ecru needlepoint canvas in my stash, I pulled colors of brown, gold, cinnamon, reddish brown and pink threads that look good with these two items. I narrowed down my choices a bit by stitching the outer part of the border of the laying tool case with ecru Subtlety (silk pearl size 12 from Rainbow Gallery), and a dark and light cinnamon silk (2 plies) from Soie d'Alger. My lighter cinnamon silk doesn't have a label but the darker shade is #4614 so the lighter is probably 4612 or 4613.
The first section of the border is just tent stitches or long slanted stitches in these threads. It's quite pretty although counting and recounting at this stage is really a pain. Once everything seemed ok, I added a fern stitch in my ecru Subtlety down the middle for the fold line of the scissors and laying tool case.
You also see the fancy inner part of the border underway in the second photo. I mixed my ecru silk perle with two plies of overdyed Gloriana silk in Honey Bronze 107 and with my medium cinnamon Soie d'Alger to stitch this. The inner border is just three stitches, but there are right and left hand versions of two of these and I find it all very confusing. There was a lot of ripping out before I got the first side finished to my satisfaction.
Once I had the two ends finished, I pretty much understood the stitches, so stitching the long top and bottom was much quicker. The final step is to add straight stitches inside the fancy ones. I used pale pink Trebizond silk perle for this (Peach Sorbet 343). It makes a lovely border. There will be French knots (or maybe beads) and a few slanted Kreinik metallic stitches to finish the border but that is going to wait a while. I want most everything done and my edge and closure beads chosen before I decide on what colors to use in this area.
Then I celebrated by stitching the two laying tools, which goes really quickly. They are in Vineyards Silk. The lighter brown is Cashmere C-040 while the darker is the Vineyard Silk Shimmer (that's the silk with metallic mixed in) Truffle S-540.
The scissors are next. I'm debating whether to use a brown or gold metallic thread for them. So far, I think gold will look better. While I add trim to Surfin Santa tonight I'll think this choice over.
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