Beth Wishes Us Merry Christmas

Yesterday's mail brought me a great surprise--a handmade Christmas card from one of Blog's readers.  Here it is in all its glory.  I'll use it as my "portrait" until New Year's to celebrate the holidays and thank its creator, Beth in Illinois.

Beth's blog is here.  You'll find some wonderful holiday ornaments and a sampler underway, plus Beth's warm personality shows through in her writing.  It's a lovely place to hang out during the holidays.  Head over and thank Beth for the scrapbooky card which she sprung on me out of the blue and which is totally in the spirit of giving during this season.
http://bethsneedleworkstash.blogspot.com/

Thank you, Beth, for the wonderful card and the lovely sentiment that sparked its creation.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
Archived Yahoo 360 postings at http://profiles.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

It's Starting to Look a Lot Like Christmas

I don't have time to get a photo of my progress on O'jishi for you this morning so how about we enjoy the lighthouse ornament tree that the designer Anne Stradal (ABS Designs) has put up?
http://thecapestitcher.blogspot.com/2009/12/its-beginning-to-look-lot-like.html

Over here look at the great ornaments that Margaret just got back from the finisher!
http://cranecottage.com/stitchingblog/?p=1333

Barbara Bernsten's penguin series' latest bird is totally cute.  I love those boucle Xmas trees.
http://createneedlepoint.typepad.com/create_needlepoint/2009/12/needlepoint-penguin-with-trees.html

If you need a last minute present (that doesn't even need wrapping), how about treating yourself to Orna Willis' first cyberclass?
http://ornadesign.blogspot.com/2009/12/cyberworkshop-is-here.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
Archived Yahoo 360 postings at http://profiles.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

Old Gold Coins Stitch

I've chosen a smaller scale, round stitch for the area above O'jishi's forehead and to the sides of his face.  It is called "Horizontal and Vertical Lanterns" and is found diagrammed on page 107 of Brenda Hart's Stitches for the Millennium.

I think of it as Old Gold Coins stitch.  If you look at the photo above and the diagram below, you'll see why.

Although this seems to be pairs of horizontal and vertical oriented stitches, it actually isn't.  What you have are four separate stitches.  Each row uses two of the stitches, then the next row uses the other two.  These rows alternate.

We'll call the dark green stitch group in the top row Stitch A.   It is oriented vertically and is made up of 5 straight lines.  The first is over 3 threads, then the next three each are over 5 threads, and the last stitch is over 3 threads again.
3V 5V 5V 5V 3V

Stitch B is the pink group in the top row.  It is orientally horizontally.  It has one line over 4 threads, then two lines over 6 threads, then reverts to the over 4 threads line.
4H 6H 6H 4H

The third stitch (Stitch C) is the pale green one in the second row.  It is made up of five horizontal lines, the first over 4 threads, the next three over 6 threads, and the last over 4 threads again.
4H 6H 6H 6H 4V

The final stitch (Stitch D) uses overdyed peach thread.  It is in the second row from the top alternating with the Stitch C page green stitches in the example above.  It is identical to Stitch C except it is oriented vertically.  Over 4 threads, over 6 threads three times, then over four threads, in other words.
4V 6V 6V 6V 4V

The rows alternate:  Stitches A and B make up a row, then stitches C and D alternate in a row.  Repeat endlessly.  Note that you don't have to start with the Stitches A and B row.  I think I started with C and D, actually.  You can work the rows vertically, also.  If you do that, then Stitches B and D alternate in a row.  The next row worked vertically alternates Stitches A and C.

Once you realize each stitch group is different but that the rows alternate, it is easy to keep up with where you are in the stitch sequence.  But you do have to pay attention.

Before I forget, the Canvas of the Day today is actually a free chart from the new British needlepoint designer Felicity Hall.  It's a lovely Christmas bird and snowflake.  Clicking on the picture takes you to the free design but since the Canvas of the Day will disappear tomorrow, here it is for folks who missed the link.
http://www.felicityhall.co.uk/prod1.asp?ID=282&title=free%20needlepoint%20charts,%20free%20needlepoint%20projects,%20small%20free%20needlepoint%20ideas,%20needlepoint%20kit%20projects

or Tiny URL
http://preview.tinyurl.com/yalsh6f

You'll enjoy a browse through the graphic designs Felicity Hall prefers.  Don't miss the Felicity Hall Likes page, which directs us to all sorts of needlepoint from around the World Wide Web.
http://www.felicityhall.co.uk/company.asp?ID=72

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
Archived Yahoo 360 postings at http://profiles.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

O'jishi's Forehead

Moving to the next round area on the mask, I used the same unnamed round stitch used on his nose to decorate the center of his forehead above the eyes.  The first photo shows how I centered the stitch.  I worked the four central straight stitches in rows right above where they are on the nose so that the nose stitches and the forehead ones line up.  Working from the center out is the easiest way to do this.  (You can see I've started working the right side now from the center to that side.)  Working all the rows I know that the stitch fits.  Notice I'm working over the curved lines.  Remember, this is a layered canvas since I'm using light coverage stitches.  The painted design is the first layer, barely covered with a layer of stitches.  There will be more layers, probably couching and stem stitch and beads, on top of these.

This next photo shows the area stitched.  I will work the top of the head next, using another round stitch that is smaller in scale than the one used on the nose and forehead.  Just to remind you, all these stitches are in two plies of Gloriana silk (Lacquered Gold.)

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
Archived Yahoo 360 postings at http://profiles.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

O'jishi's Nose

O'jishi has a nose now.  The stitch (still done in two plies of Gloriana's Lacquered Gold), is from Brenda Hart's Favorite Stitches, page 34's bottom stitch.  It doesn't have a name.  The dimples you see on the nose are from the underlying painted canvas and are bumps that are scattered all over his face.  Those will be covered later.

I plan to use the same stitch in the circle area in the center of his forehead.  I'm working the circle areas on his face first.  Then I will have to go back and decide what stitch to use in the oval areas (below his nose) or the crescent areas (to the left and right of each eye).  It's progress, even if it is slow.  And remember, this is the lower layer of his face.  Bumps and other things will go on top of these stitches.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
Archived Yahoo 360 postings at http://profiles.yahoo.com/chillyhollow