Robin's Faux Bamboo Border Erases Leigh

Whenever you add a border to a needlepoint design that didn't originally have one, you can run into problems.  Sometimes there isn't enough blank canvas around the margins; sometimes the signature on the canvas covers part of the border area.  O'jishi has the latter problem.  If you squinted at yesterday's final photo, you saw that the Leigh Designs signature was going to be partly under the faux bamboo border that Robin and I came up with.

If your border is going to be fully covered by threads and stitches (if it is all in tent stitches in a dark thread, for example), this isn't a problem.  You thread up and stitch right over it!  But if you plan to use light coverage stitches or a light colored thread, you can have a problem.  So now we have to erase Leigh.  (Sorry, Leigh, but I said "erase," not "rub out," so you are safe.  No hitman squad of stitchers is headed to your design studio.  LOL)

I generally do this by covering the signature area in tent stitches using the same colored thread that will go on top. In this case I used my tan Felicity's Garden.  Make the tent stitches tight so they don't stick up much.  If the tent stitches are too high, they'll make the top layer of faux bamboo stitches that go over the dark signature lines higher than its neighbors.  We don't want that.  You'll see my tent stitches in the photo above.

Here is the same area after I stitched on top of the "erased" signature.  If you know where to look, you can see a dark shadow, but if you don't know the signature is there, you'll never see it now.

If the thread you plan to use in the border is too bulky to erase the signature or title area, try DMC cotton floss in the correct color.  If you just use 4-5 plies, you'll get good coverage in most cases and it won't stick up very far.

By the way, in the second photo you'll see that I attached a crystal cube bead in the corner, using my coral red thread from the backstitched area in the faux bamboo border.  I wanted to add a subtle decorative touch and a bit of red there and that's the best way I could think of to do it.  The bead is a crystal 4mm cube from Miyuki (color SB3-131 and 138).

Here is a photo of the faux bamboo border with more of O'jishi showing so you can see how it looks from a distance.  I'm very happy with it.  It finishes the edge and adds a bit of coral to the border but does so in a subtle way.  It's just what I wanted for this piece.  Thanks again to everyone who commented on the border, especially Robin who led me to the right stitches.  You all helped a lot.  Knowing what you like and what you don't and why is a great help to a stitcher.

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

Robin's Faux Bamboo Border

The somewhat messy looking charted stitch set above is what I worked out with major input from Robin King (of Amy Bunger fame) for O'jishi's border.

The first step is to backstitch over two threads all around the outside edge of the background.  I used my Soie d'Alger silk (one ply) for this.  This is the line of red stitches on the left.

In the center you see step two, two pairs of long stitches over eight threads.  The first lines up with the red back stitches; the second pair is offset two threads higher.  I used a strand of Felicity's Garden from my stash that is a shade between the dark milk chocolate and the tan of the background colors.  It is Fawn #010, by the way.  Lovely color!

Step three completes the Double Brick with Bar Stitch that Robin recommended from page 73 of Linda Corirossi's Canvas Embellishment:  Exquisite Needlepoint Stitches Made Simple book. It is just a horizontal stitch across the middle of each pair of long stitches.  Actually, this was the hardest part as it is easy to snug down the tied down stitch (done on my border with my milk chocolate/silver metallic from the background -- Kreinik size 16 braid in color 4002) too far and pull the long vertical stitches so that they curve.

But it makes a lovely border.  Here it is from the canvas.  You can see how I am working the corners, compensating as necessary.

There is one problem with adding a border to this canvas.  It wasn't designed to have a border, so Robin's faux bamboo border is covering up the designer signature and the black lines from that show through.  Tomorrow I'll show you how to handle this and show off the completed border. (There's a hint in the photo above....)

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

More Border Ideas

Stimulated by all the great ideas and comments you guys have posted, I kept trying border ideas out.  Above you see my attempt to mix colors in the Staggered Slanting Stitches at the bottom of the canvas and add a red corner treatment.  That is pretty but just not right for this design.  Robin King came to the rescue with an idea.  Below you see the Photoshopped image she sent me.

Robin (who you know because of her teaching at Amy Bunger's shop in Memphis and her stitch guides, Amy newsletters and the behind the scenes work on Amy's CD series) told me to consider using Van Dyke Stitch (the coral red stitches in the image) and Double Brick With Bar Stitch (the black ones) as a complex border.  Robin thought that two rows of Van Dyke Stitches sandwiching the Double Brick With Bar Stitch between them would make a great border.  So I tried it!

In the first photograph you can see the Double Brick With Bar Stitch in two threads:  I used my lovely overdyed Watercolours in shades of coral first, but it seemed too strong a border that detracted from O'jishi himself.  I switched threads to a Kreinik metallic (#5550) in size 16 braid that is a chocolate milk color, tied down with the same silver/brown metallic I used in the background.  That seemed too bland.

What you don't see in the photo because I accidentally cut it off is the Van Dyke stitch, done in my coral red silk.  It was too heavy and dominated the canvas.  I couldn't use one row of it, much less two!

For your information, here is Van Dyke stitch (except called Braided Knitting, many stitches have multiple names) diagrammed so you can imagine it in red.
http://www.needlepoint.org/StitchOfTheMonth/2002/Apr.php

To see where I went from here, you'll have to wait until tomorrow as I'm running out of time.  Let me just say that Robin King is the Queen of the Needlepoint Universe in CH this week....

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

Merry Christmas!

To celebrate Christmas in a proper way, we need gorgeous needlepoint, right?

Kandace Merric sent me photos of her most recent work last week and graciously agreed to share them with you when I begged.  Kandy doesn't design needlepoint charts for us anymore but she still needlepoints as time permits and this year has done three gorgeous pieces.  The first (above) is her own version of a Kathy Schenkel mini stocking.  Kandy added the bone treats hanging from the mantelpiece, the wreath, and the packages and candles on the mantel.  It's a charming piece, isn't it?

If you enjoy the little dog bone ornaments in the mini sock above, you'll adore the bones candy cane that is an original design by Kandy.  Isn't this the cutest ornament ever for a dog lover?  I think the gold bead at the base of the hanging loop a wonderful finishing touch.  Bet my dogs would love this on their tree!

The final piece is a magnificent original patchwork mini sock that Kandy designed for a friend using the friend's favorite colors.  It shows off Kandy's touch for creating lively and beautiful stitches beautifully.

Thanks for sharing your newest needlepoint designs, Kandace.  May you and yours enjoy a very Merry Christmas and may all of us needlepointers have a great New Year.

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

Choosing a Border Part Two

I'm still dithering over a border for O'jishi.  I like the faux bamboo border but it isn't an overwhelming favorite for me or for Blog readers (see yesterday's comments) so I'm still testing ideas.  Above you see yesterday's which uses a variation of Staggered Diagonal Slanted Stitch (from page 21 of A Background Stitch Reference Book from the Golden Gate Canvas Workers Chapter of ANG).  This stitch is just three slanted long stitches over 5 threads.  The first set nestles against the background, then the second set drops down a thread.  Alternate the sets of three stitches (up and down) along the border, then fill in the empty area with tent stitches.  I thought I'd use four plies of my tan Mandarin floss from the background for the staggered slanted diagonals, then fill in the groups of tent stitches with the darker brown from the background, alternating with the milk chocolate/silver Kreinik metallic and some of the medium coral color.  I'll do a bit more today and we'll see what it looks like.

I'm afraid this isn't a home run either but we'll see.  I may have another idea today while shoveling snow or recovering from shoveling snow by browsing my stitch dictionaries....

By the way, thanks for all the input yesterday.  It helped clarify my ideas about the problems with the faux bamboo border and that I do need a touch of coral in the border.

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