Jaws

Last night I ripped out the left side of O'jishi's jaw and restitched it in my Gloriana silk (Lacquered Gold) so I could see if stitching the entire Noh mask in light coverage gold silk would tie the whole piece together.  The photo above shows the difference in using the gold silk and in matching the jaw colors to various silks.  I got as much of the face in the photo as I could.  In person, the painted canvas under the light coverage stitches shows better than it does in the photograph but covering paint with another color of thread does mute the effect.

I used Brenda Hart's balloon stitch on the left side of the jaw. Balloon stitch isn't in any of Brenda's books (although she has larger versions).  I saw the stitch diagrammed in an interview Janet Perry did with Brenda years ago for the About.com needlepoint site and it's become a favorite of mine because it is so pretty, can be enhanced with metallic stitches between the round shapes, and because it is so small in scale.  It comes in handy in tiny spaces and is easily compensated.

Here's how it is done.

Just work a straight stitch over two threads, then two straight stitches over four threads, then do a straight stitch over two threads again.  Note how the shorter stitches bookend the larger ones.  I worked my first row in red, then worked the second row in white.  On the right side of the red row you see the next white row all stitched.  On the left side of the red row you just see how you put the small stitch of the new row between the small stitches of the previous row.  Ordinarily I like to work this stitch diagonally, working a "red" stitch, then moving to the right and doing a "white" stitch on the SE diagonal.  But O'jishi's jaw is quite narrow so I just did vertical rows of stitches as diagrammed above.

I think balloon stitch works well with the large unnamed round stitch on O'jishi's center forehead and nose and also with the smaller old gold coins stitches elsewhere on his face.  What do you think?  Should I change colors to all gold?  Should I stick with the original stitch and colors?  My instinct is to stitch the right side of O'jishi's jaw in gold balloon stitches but I am interested in your opinion.

Almost forgot: In the above photograph O'jishi's other eye is stitched.  I'm debating whether to add some thin gold metallic on top of the stem stitches.  I am a bit afraid that will detract from the glitter of his beaded black pupil, however.  Any thoughts on that?

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

One Eyed Jack

I ran out of time yesterday before getting a photo of my progress on my Noh mask up on Blog, so here is all my progress.

Lots has been done.  I've completed the old gold coin stitches across his forehead around the center where the larger circle stitches are.  These also cover the crescent-shaped painted areas to the side of his eyes but they aren't shown in full in this first photo.

I've also done horizontal straight stitches (2 plies of my Lacquered Gold Gloriana silk, remember?) across the bridge of his nose and in the areas to the left and right side of his eyes.  I've started doing straight stitches in the nostril area, but only the right side is done.

I've also started on his eyes, covering them (same number of plies but in the various thread colors I've used before) in stem stitch, working from the outside edge in.  Where the stem stitch doesn't cover well, I've inserted split stitches to cover.

I need to stitch the other eye and the other nostril.  After that, I need to think about this for a bit.  I am starting to think that I need to pull out the jaw stitches I've done and use my Lacquered Gold Gloriana silk there, too.  Look at the first photo.  Do you think the jaw needs to be mostly gold, too?  If I don't do this, will the jaw look like a separate thing and not part of the mask?

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

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