We aren't exactly ignorant of the beauty of metal threads used in goldwork here in Chilly Hollow but we haven't taken a class ever so it is great fun to learn more about how these threads are used. Kathy is making a sachet and using metal thread embroidery for the holly leaves at the base. It's fun to watch her use a piece of check like a flexible bead to make the holly outline. She gives us tips on working with Benton and Johnson's check, too.
http://www.theunbrokenthread.com/blog/2010/12/10/green-check-holly-how-to/
If you are curious about Benton and Johnson threads, here is their website. Check is listed under Wire Threads, but don't skip Embroidery Threads. That's where coloured twist lives and coloured twist is one of my favorite threads EVER!
http://www.bentonandjohnson.com/
One of the mysterious topics related to goldwork is the use of beeswax to condition the thread that is used to attach the metal threads (or beads for that matter). I've never known exactly how to properly wax my threads but Mary Corbet Tells All right here.
http://www.needlenthread.com/2010/12/beeswax-for-needlework.html
On another topic altogether, the end of December marks the end of the tax year for Americans. Whichever side of the debate on extending the Bush tax cuts you are on, most of us can reduce our tax burden by charitable donations. These have to be done by the end of December to count toward the 2010 tax return we'll be filling out in early 2011. If you want to make a charitable donation but have no idea where, Tricia Nguyen has an idea. Give money, even a little money, to museums so they won't be placed in the position of having to sell off important parts of their collection to keep their doors open. Let me turn Blog over to Tricia so she can explain this better than I ever could--
http://thistle-threads.com.mytempweb.com/blog/index.php/2010/12/sampler-sale/
UPDATE: Here is a series of articles about the Benton and Johnson factory and how their metal threads are made. Fascinating!
http://www.theunbrokenthread.com/blog/2010/10/25/benton-and-johnson/
http://www.theunbrokenthread.com/blog/2010/11/04/benton-and-johnson-2-drawing-the-wire/
http://www.theunbrokenthread.com/blog/2010/11/12/benton-and-johnson-3-purls-and-bullions/
Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com Archived Yahoo 360 postings at http://profiles.yahoo.com/chillyhollow
Sunday, December 12, 2010
The Dragon - Part Six
Labels:
dragons,
Leigh,
stitch guides
 |
| Leigh Designs' European Dragon |
If you want to look at the background stitches Sandy considered, here's the link.
http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com/2010/12/dragon-part-five-last-of-background.html
Before we talk about possible stitches for the dragon itself, Sandy liked the idea of stitched a "frame" around the border. In this blog entry I showed Sandy three different types of stitched frames. Now that we know she is leaning toward using Sundance's Eye Wave stitch, we can look at the borders again. Personally, I think I would use SharonG's Favorite Border for this piece. That's the one with the black and gold colors with the diamond shape in each corner. If Sandy switches the colors to use some of the green and browns that she bought to stitch the dragon, I think it would look beautiful. It's also fairly simple so it won't compete with the dragon for attention, just frame the piece. She could also add a bead to the center of each diamond to further set it off.
http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2010-12-06T06%3A00%3A00-05%3A00&max-results=6
If Sandy chooses this border, she'll have to play with the threads she has to find the correct number of plies needed for the effect but SharonG lists the threads she used here, so it'll be easy to compare using 2 plies of Silk Lame Braid with using #16 or #12 Kreinik braid.
http://www.needlepoint.org/StitchOfTheMonth/2005/oct.php
Ok, Sandy, now it is your turn to pick a border and play around with using the threads you already have for it.
Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com Archived Yahoo 360 postings at http://profiles.yahoo.com/chillyhollow
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