O'jishi Has Warts

Even though I have been busily adding a bit more coral to O'jishi's jaws and mixing backstitch and whipped backstitch around his jaw, I am going to have to stop this part and concentrate on the bumps on his face since they are very close to many of the areas I plan to backstitch.  I've always planned to put beads on his face.  Just how to do that was the next question.  After all, beads can be attached many ways, and if I'd had access to lovely and small pallettes, I might have used them instead of beads.

Inspired by what NC Pat has been doing on her current Loretta Spears mystery piece, I am making baby bead cups to surround each bead.  Pat's bead cup stitch is shown here-see how the third white border from the left has the pearls nesting among a sort of tiny Jessica stitch?
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKfC5wnDhfUwpp92O0K3Wmd-dFdDWKLelXVD5odLgTtgrqpeF0S1LKuPQZIM3wtb0fl_aTKuJfupBgO8zs7QTRJzC1xh2jrqT3Eq-tJHV0PefXIvJbHUzbit3tL-TgBqiUiB6Kuoa4-Lk/s1600-h/100_1253.JPG

By the way, here is the finished (but not framed yet) Mystery #10.  Isn't it lovely?
http://needleartnut.blogspot.com/2009/12/end-of-mystery.html

Back to O'jishi's warts.  The canvas bumps are almost all painted box shape containing 4 threads.  This is perfect for putting a bead in the hole in the center of the threads inside a metallic framework.  However, the bead cups Pat stitched seem to be over 6 threads.  I have to work with a smaller space.  So I came up with a baby bead cup stitch, not really much like what Pat was doing, but enough to make a little framework for my beads.

In the example above, the two red stitches below are the first step in the framework.  You can see they are over two threads and make a sort of triangle shape.  The shorter yellow stitches above cover the red stitches but they are not as long.  Remember, my bumps are painted over four threads.  So I had to make the second set of "legs" shorter.  In the last stitched example, I've put a blue French knot in the center hole that the all yellow stitches frame.  This is what I plan to do with O'jishi's warts.  I used a French knot because I don't have any beads large enough to not fall right through a 10 count plastic canvas hole!

By the way, I used Kreinik #4 very fine braid in Kreinik's gold 002 for the warts.  My next step will be to choose bead colors.

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

O'jishi's Jaws

As I talked about yesterday, I finished the backstitched black lines around O'jishi's mouth and jaw and stitched more embellishing stitches between the round balloon shapes on his jaw in coral and cream.  I thought about adding brown horizontal stitches at the top of each jaw but decided that would make that area too dark.  The dark brown paint already shows well under the gold balloon stitches.  I decided this morning I need to add a bit more of the coral color to the right side of his jaw tonight.  The color needs to come down a bit more.

I also did vertical jaw stitches in dark brown inside and parallel to the dark black back stitches.  These were also done in two plies of my brown Gloriana silk.  To finish the jaw, I did backstitch with one ply of the same brown silk along the bottom of his chin.  To add definition without making the line heavier, I then whipped the back stitches. If you haven't seen whipped backstitch, here is how it is done.  Refer to yesterday's information on how to do backstitches if you need to.
http://www.needlenthread.com/2006/11/whipped-backstitch-video-tutorial.html

Whipping one ply of brown silk with another ply of brown silk raises the thin line a bit.  I like how it looks enough to use the same technique on the coral red curves to the outside left or right of each of his eyes.  I used one ply to backstitch and to whip the backstitches there, too.

Questions?

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

Adding Color: Backstitch and Enhanced Balloon Stitch

Covering the O'jishi mask in golden, light coverage stitches has hidden some of the painting underneath.  I know a lot of you miss the hot coral colors along his jawline but I wanted to point out that the plain canvas wasn't that loud.  Stitching on top of paint with the same color thread will intensify the color, just like stitching on top of paint with another color of thread will mute it.  Didn't want you to think O'jishi was that red!  You can always check the how the original unpainted canvas looks over on the left side of the page where I post the image of my current project.

However, I do want to add more coral back to his jawline and in the above photo, you can see more red on the left side of his jaw.  I am enhancing the balloon stitches there with a straight stitch using my coral/rust silk thread from Soie d'Alger (#2635).  I am using one ply to put a straight horizontal stitch beneath the central long pairs of each balloon stitch.  (But I might try using two plies instead of one, just to see if a bit more coral enhances the coloring or not.  )  Regardless of the number of plies I use, here is how embellishing the balloon stitch is done.

The green stitch comes up in the hole shared by a short vertical stitch and goes down in the hole covered by the next short vertical stitch.  (You have to be careful not to catch the already laid balloon stitches with your needle.  Just slide the needle tip under the already stitched thread.)  In this way you can add touches of color.  I debated using a coral red metallic thread but I don't have the right shade in a thin metallic so I turned to the silk I originally used in the first stitch I put in this area.

Following the color on the canvas, I added touches of red below the gold balloons.  I have added some cream touches to the cream painted area also, using my Empress Silk # C240.  I need to add the brown touches next at the top of the left jaw area with my Gloriana "Coffee Bean" #166.  I probably will not add gold thread in the gold painted areas.  That part is already gold enough.

On the left side of the page you can see I've started adding black backstitches for the mouth lines painted on the canvas under my balloon stitches.  I used two plies of black Splendor # S801 for the lines as just one ply didn't seem enough. For the tent stitched black mouth areas stitched earlier I used Thread Gather's Sheep's Silk #Ink Black, but that is a heavier thread than I wanted my black lines to be.

Here is how you stitch back stitches, in case you aren't familiar with the stitch.
http://www.needlenthread.com/2006/10/embroidery-stitch-video-tutorial_24.html

In needlepoint canvas, the important thing is to make each stitch as close in size to the others as you can, something that isn't always easy, so I used a beading needle (size #10) which is sharp.  I can stitch right through a canvas thread if I need the back stitch to end there if my needle is sharp.  And beading needles are!  (You have been warned!  Guess how I discovered that I touch my needle tip to my finger tip under my canvas to find the right hole. Yes, by jabbing myself with beading needles....)

Stay tuned.  I have to play around with the number of plies for the enhancement to the balloon stitch and of course finish the black lines around the mouth.

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

NEWS FLASH: Pocket Full of Stitches Closing

I heard a rumor yesterday morning that Pocket Full of Stitches in Texas is closing in a few months so the owners can enjoy retirement.  I waited until confirmation was received via an email inquiry from a long-time customer to the shop to post the news here.  Pat posted this message on the ANG email list last night and I repeat it here this morning in case you don't belong to that email group.

"Good Morning, Pat,  News spreads fast!! Yes, Nancy and I are going to retire this spring. We are posting the news on the front page of our website in the next couple of days. We will continue with business as usual until the middle of January when we will announce details about upcoming sales, deadlines for ordering and finishing. We should be closed by the end of April. We are
entertaining a couple of inquiries into the purchase of the store at this point, so you never know what might happen. I would appreciate you posting this message on the ANG yahoo group for
us and ask them to check the website for more explanation, http://www.pfos.com/

We have had many inquiries today and do want everyone to know what is happening.  Thanks and Merry Christmas!!!
Rhea"

Keep your fingers crossed that the shop does acquire a new owner.  Many of us have enjoyed PFOS' monthly clubs, their superb customer service, their fun newsletter, and of course the owners themselves. If you are a long time customer, please email them your gratitude for the shop, ok?

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

December 2009 Chilly Hollow Newsletter Article

It is almost Christmas as I write this, so I am sending holiday greetings and hopes for a good New Year for all stitchers to everybody.

It seems a good time to go look at beautiful goldwork, right? Here's Sandy Vass's blog. Ever wondered how stumpwork flower petals were made? Or how to do invisible couching? Or how circular or nue patterns are done? The answers are here. Just browse a bit and admire her lovely stitching.
http://goldnstitches.typepad.com/gold-n-stitches/

Want to see some fabulous Japanese embroidery? Visit with Jane in England at her blog to see her latest project, her own design of a little Japanese box called an inro.
http://nuido.blogspot.com/2009/12/je-challenge-finished.html

How about various colorways of Laura Perin's charted designs? She has showcased several wonderful pieces on her blog. Visit her website (second link) to see her original colors and then dream up your own favorites to try.
http://two-handedstitcher.blogspot.com/2009/12/show-tell-time.html

http://laurajperindesigns.tripod.com/index.htm

Finally, a blogger in Maryland visited the designer Ruth Schmuff's store and takes us along in photographs and words. What a wonderful visit!
http://plays-with-needles.blogspot.com/2009/12/bedecked-and-beadazzled.html

Have fun browsing and relaxing over the holidays.

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