Finishing Friday

For today's Finishing Friday, I have some wonderful dimensional stuffed animals from Tapestry Fair.   They are all in basketweave, which seems to enhance the pretty patterns.  One of my correspondents is really into 3-D animals and has two of the Tapestry Fair critters underway, so this is for her!
http://pocketfullofstitches.blogspot.com/2013/08/tapestry-fair-trunk-show-day-5.html

Needle Nicely has just finished a garland of starfish but the real star here is the custom cording the shop made to string the starfish on.  You can see how this is done for huge rugs, too!
http://needlenicely.blogspot.com/2013/08/starfish-garland-finished.html

Want to see some charming simple ornaments?
http://bootsandbeads.blogspot.com/2013/08/fabulous-finishing.html

Finally, here is a lovely classic done mostly in basketweave and finished in a calm, restful style.
http://ridgewoodneedlepoint.blogspot.com/2013/08/blog-post_10.html

Finishing can be quite expensive, so I thought you'd enjoy reading about how DebBee's Designs manages to finish all those models without going bankrupt.
http://debbeesdesigns.com/DDWrdPrs/2013/08/07/the-finish-line/

She even makes her own tassels and cording!
http://debbeesdesigns.com/DDWrdPrs/2013/08/13/o-christmas-tree/

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
@ Copyright 2013 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

First Stitch a White Moth on White Canvas

Barbara Elmore is one of the more interesting designers of needlepoint we have working today. Her painted canvases are distributed by Sundance Designs and Barbara also teaches.  She specializes in special effects in her classes.  Here is what she did at Needle Bug in Montgomery.
http://www.theneedlebug.com/blog2/2013/07/barbara-elmore/

First you stitch a white moth on white canvas.  Then Barbara has you watercolor the canvas and moth.  Then you stitch on top of the watercolors when they dry and I suspect there is a gold stencil or two involved as well.  I think I see beads, too.

There is a better picture of the finished Las Flores de Noche on Barbara's website.  Just click on Teaching Pieces.
http://www.barbaraelmoredesigns.com/barbaraelmoredesigns.com/Canvases/Canvases.html

Take special note of Barbara's canvases on the Sundance website.  About two thirds of the way down the page there is a Fuchsia and also an Iris design that is a companion.  The Fuchsia will be stitched by me next winter....
http://www.sundancedesignsonline.com/catalog.php?LimitRows=all

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
@ Copyright 2013 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.