Paws and Eyes and More

To do something a bit different than all that split pavilion stitch background I thought I would start stitching the fur on the Rabbit Geisha.  In this photo I have done both paws and also stitched her eye.  I used two sizes of black Kreinik 005 for the eye.  First I tent stitched the black eye lines in 1/16 inch ribbon.  That covers very well, although because it is a flat ribbon thread, it twists as you stitch if you aren't careful.  After the tent stitches were in, I used #4 Very Fine Braid in the same color to stem stitch on top of the eye where the curve was a bit jagged looking.  That smoothed it out and gives the top eyelid a bit of dimension.  The final step should have been to put in one white stitch for the pupil but I went a little nuts and used a silver Sundance bead instead.  That added more dimension, too.

If you look at the paws which I've stitched, you can see why I want dimension in the eye.  The fur might overwhelm the eye if I don't take steps now.  I also stitched the pink inner part of the ear and the nose, using #8 perle cotton by Needle Necessities in color 8158 which is a soft shaded pale pink.  I might pad the nose later.  I'm not sure whether I'll need to or not.  I probably will, but I do like how the nose looks currently so I'm waiting to see how things look once I have some of the face fur in.

The second picture gives you a more distant look at the body of the rabbit with her eye, nose, paws and most of the navy parts stitched. I am working on the navy lapel at her neck.  One side is stitched, one just started.  I am using the same Russell Variant stitch that is used on the obi.  (There's a link to this Tony Minieri stitch's diagram in yesterday's posting.)

The paws themselves are stitched in split stitch, starting at the wrist and working toward the fingertips.  I used three shades of Burmilana (white 3891, pale gray 3686 and gray 3858) and doubled my strand in the needle.  I started the neck last night but the doubled strand is too thick looking there so I pulled it all out and will try again tonight.  I decided that I probably should do the gray shading on the rabbit face before the neck is done, however.  I'm considering stem stitch for that but have not decided for sure.

Sometimes you have to try something before you know whether it will work.  I have no idea why the doubled Burmilana looks good on the paws but not on the neck.  Perhaps the neck needs a more receeded, delicate look?

This was a good stitching session in terms of stash credits since  I used six new threads (+6), which almost offsets the seven new skeins of DMC cotton floss (-7) I bought last weekend for the background!  I decided I would not count the one bead I added since there are lots and lots left in the little tube of beads.

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

Forget What I Said Saturday

Remember when I said fancy stitches on dark painted canvas with dark threads are a waste of time because they don't show up?  Ignore that today.

It's Exception Monday, and proof that every rule has exceptions is in this photograph.  Compare the Dotted Swiss stitched sleeve linings to the obi or cumberbund around the rabbit's waist.  Done with the same threads (sparkling Snow and not particularly shiny Splendor silk) in the same dark navy, you can still see a pattern of the alternating shiny and dull areas on the obi that you can't see in the sleeve lining because those stitches (alternating tent stitches and cross stitches) are so small.  The obi uses Tony Minieri's Russell Variant stitch (link below) so you have much larger areas of the two threads.
http://www.needlepoint.org/StitchOfTheMonth/2009/jul.php

I didn't even have to enhance the photograph much for you to see the two harlequin patterns on the obi.  I'd have to enhance the photo, magically transport you to Chilly Hollow, and hand you a magnifier under a good light for you to see the difference in the two threads on the Dotted Swiss area.  Morale:  each rule has exceptions.  If you can get texture contrast in a fairly large area, you can put pattern in very dark threads.  I wanted some pattern on the obi using the navy threads so this is what I came up with.

The scan shows up two light areas on the right side I'll have to check.  Either I missed stitches or the thread isn't covering completely there.  While I look at that area in the morning sun, you might enjoy a trip to Terry Dryden's blog.  Terry is starting a new design, one using photo transfer.  It's going to be fun to watch!  (If you are late reading this, look for the entries starting on August 15th, 2009 and work forwards to the latest entry.
http://www.terrydryden.com/

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

Tidbits, Interesting and Sad

I worked on the sleeve lining and more background for the Rabbit Geisha last night but the photo of my progress will be so much like yesterday's that I didn't bother taking one.  I think I'll start another area on this canvas so I have something to talk about tonight.  Or perhaps I'll hold another audition for stitches as I need to pick out what to do for the tunic and lower skirt, not to mention ribbons and tassel.

But for now I mostly have tidbits of news for you.  I got a note from Melissa Shirley who read about the burned canvas on blog [Jane begins to hyperventilate at the thought that Melissa Shirley, creator of some of the most lovely canvases in my stash, reads Blog....] and sent me a note about it.  She said, "I was just looking at your poor burned Rabbit Geisha on Chilly Hollow. I recently received a canvas back from a customer that had had something corrosive spilled on it. The raw canvas was weak and tearing within the spill area but was holding and intact in the painted areas. Perhaps if you painted the burned area with acrylic paint it would strengthen the canvas."

So Nancy, your idea about repainted the burned background area is a good one.  It acted as a sort of glue to reinforce a weak area on a damaged canvas.

I had another idea about patching the Rabbit Geisha besides weaving which I mentioned in the Comments but I'd like to repeat here as I know not everyone reads the Comments.

I thought about using silk gauze to patch the burn hole instead of weaving and patching with regular 18 count needlepoint canvas.  Kreinik used to have 18 count silk gauze available and there is still mention of it on their website.
http://www.kreinik.com/kshop/product.php?productid=172

Yes, it looks like you can buy 18 count silk gauze directly from Kreinik via this online store.
http://stitcherstreasures.kreinikmall.com/shops/product.php?printable=Y&productid=173

You can fringe all around the sides of a patch of silk gauze and slowly weave each fringed thread into the regular needlepoint canvas, then baste around the area for a second line of security.  Stitching over the hole should work nicely, especially if a second patch of regular 18 count needlepoint canvas is on the back side for more stability.  This is a long process, however, and I don't have and may not be able to get any 18 count silk gauze quickly.  I mention it, however, in case someone else wants to try this.  I don't expect many folks will have canvases damaged by fire or corrosive liquids, but many of us have accidentally cut a canvas thread or two in ripping out.  Just remember that although silk gauze and needlepoint canvas have a lot in common, they also differ.  Silk gauze threads are smaller than silk gauze holes so you might not be able to do all fancy stitches on silk gauze unless you back the repair with 18 count canvas on the underside.  I have particular trouble with French knots on silk gauze.  I have to put them in on top of tent stitches or they don't hold.  You may need to experiment or adapt what you are stitching if silk gauze repairs a cut or tiny weak spot.

My other tidbit is a sad one.  I got a note from Kandace Merric, the designer of the wonderful pet guardian angels we stitched for the ANG Auction this year, saying that she had lost one of her dogs.  Kandy is very active in rescue of mistreated, lost, or unwanted West Highland White Terriers and her Shana was a rescue dog.  I know Kandy is broken-hearted and I hope that she finds comfort in her other dogs, her friends, and her stitching.  I'm sure you will all join me in sending comforting thoughts Kandy's way.

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

Split Pavilion in Close Up

I've attached a close up of the split pavilion stitch that I am using for the Rabbit Geisha's background to help folks who want to use this stitch elsewhere.

I stitch it in horizontal rows, doing first one half of the pavilion, then in the next row doing the other half.

For the Rabbit Geisha canvas, I turned the canvas on its side so that the split lines when the canvas is upright run vertically. You can stitch it with them running horizontally if you wish.

If you guys need it diagrammed, I will do that, but it takes time, so hopefully this will be good enough.  Refer to earlier photos to see more rows underway.

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

The Rabbit Geisha and The Background

Today's photo shows the split pavilion stitch background I stitched last night.  I wanted enough done close to the rabbit's body so that you could get a sense of how the two interact.  By the way, the Ming Variation I thought about using is much smaller than split pavilion--four Ming Variation stitches fit in the area covered by one split pavilion.

The only thing I have started stitching besides the background is the left navy inner sleeve lining, a little right sleeve lining, and a bit of the cummberband/obi band around the rabbit's waist.  These areas are very dark navy, which has the potential to cause the same three problems on a canvas that black or other very dark colors do.

First, stitching with navy on navy (or any very dark color) is hard on aging eyes.  I have to be sure to stitch in good lighting or I can't tell where the holes are or what has been stitched already.  For me, good overhead lighting is enough but some folks put a white or red hand towel in their lap or use the lap up lights.  These lights seem to be heavy and large (in the link below the stitcher has a cushion under the light) and you should shop around. I saw better prices while searching for the best photo.
http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog.jsp?CATID=cat3248&PRODID=prd29511

Secondly, when you stitch in a very dark area next to a very light area (like the navy sleeve lining which is very close to the light blue background) you have the issue of the dark threads on the back showing through the light color,  Sometimes the knot on the back is too close to the light area and threads from that show, sometimes you are tempted to drag a dark thread from dark area #1 across light area to dark area #2 and the dark thread makes a shadow under the light area, sometimes fuzz from the dark threads gets into the light area's threads.  Just be careful.  I always start a dark thread at a point as far from a light area as possible, am careful how I end a dark thread, and if I think the dark fuzz will get into a light thread, I stitch the light area first (this issue will depend on the types of threads you use as some don't shed fuzz).

The third issue you have to confront when stitching a very dark area is that if you use a matching very dark thread, any fancy stitch you use will just disappear.  It can be a lot of work to do a textured stitch.  Do you really want that fancy stitch to not show up?

The sleeve stitch will probably be very difficult for you to see, even in the larger version of the photo.  I can barely see it myself when I look at the canvas.  I used Dotted Swiss, a very simple stitch that is just rows of alternating tent and cross stitches.  I normally stitch every other stitch as a cross stitch in the area to be stitched.  Each row has a cross stitch under the previous row's skipped stitch and vice versa.  You get a checkerboard of cross stitches when you are done, then go back and fill in the unstitched areas with tent stitch.

Why did I use a fancy stitch for this area?  Two reasons.  I choose two threads for the sleeve lining--Splendor silk in dark navy #S872 which is a perfect match for the navy paint--and Caron's Snow #17 "Carbon."  I love stitching with Snow, which is a polyester thread.  However it can unravel at the end in the needle's eye if you use a very long strand.  Caron recommends not more than a 20 inch length but I normally use just 12 inches at a time and almost never had trouble with Snow.

I didn't want to tent stitch the entire area in Snow, which is pretty sparkly.  So I did a line of tent stitches in Snow, then did my cross stitches in four plies of my Splendor so that the thicker Snow and the thinner Splendor in cross stitches were about the same height.  The sparkle is still there but it is subdued, and in very good light you can see the texture changes between dull silk and sparkly metallic.

Mixing two threads and two small stitches fancied up the sleeve lining in about the only way I could think of to do fancy in an area where fancy doesn't show up.  Hope you like it!

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