Stars: Sash Blocks and Fancy Sashing

Yesterday was Frog Day as I ripped out the remaining five sash blocks and restitched them with slightly less thread to allow all the elements of the stitching to show.  I also ripped out the two rows of sash that had been stitched.  I did that first, actually, so that I wouldn't disturb any sash blocks I had stitched a second time by ripping out the sash lines next door.  In the photo above, the arrow points to the top of the canvas.

For the sash blocks, I used the following:

violet - substituted A3 for A1 - Splendor S1086
black - not used in in the sash blocks
terra cotta - C1 - Pebbly Perle P14
copper metallic - D1 - DMC metallic floss S279

You'll notice that only three of the four colors are used in the little sash blocks.  You'll also notice that I substituted A3 which is a Splendor silk floss for the A1 (Impressions) on my thread list.  The Impressions was just too heavy. Since my A3 thread is almost the same color as A1, I went to a floss and used two or three plies for the areas that have to be violet.  I am also untwisting my Pebbly Perle and using 2 or 3 of the plies you get from unraveling the strand instead of using the whole strand.  I want the various elements of the blocks to show, not be hidden by something else, so I am adjusting thread weights and coverage as I go.

The sashing that divides the 12 star pattern blocks on this quilt design is done in B-1 which in my case is black Soie Crystale silk floss #0020 from Caron.  The stitch is a very intricate one called the French Interchange Pattern.  In the photo above you see the first step, which is the little vaguely floral patterns.  The second step is to cover the empty spaces with two rows of slanted lines.  I've started doing this but haven't finished.

If you look carefully at the larger version of the photo, you'll see the little flower shapes have been overstitched with a strand of purple Accentuate #16.   I thought I'd try doing this to reveal the pattern better. Otherwise I might as well just do all the sashing in long slanted stitches entirely.  The fancy stitch will not show up in black.  What do you think?  Is it worth the trouble to overstitch the design to show off the fancy stitch or should I just do all the sashing in plain long slanted stitches?  How will violet bits in the sashing look with the large solid black border that outlines all the star blocks?  I can't decide!

So I've added a poll at the top of the page.

UPDATE:  To help you understand my puzzle, take a look at the cheerful and happy colors Sara Leigh is using for the top border and big corner of her Stars project.  The widest border which is blue in her version will be black in mine and I want my sashing to look good with it.
http://remedialstitcher.blogspot.com/2010/02/slight-progress.html

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

Melissa Shirley Visits Aristeia Needlepoint

Aristeia Needlepoint in Los Angeles is having a Melissa Shirley trunk show starting this weekend.  The show includes a visit by Melissa herself next week.  If you happen to be in the area, go visit for me!  Details on the Aristeia website.
http://www.aristeianeedlepoint.com/

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

My Stars: Threads Used in the Corners

I've been asked what threads I am using, so I'll post the threads I used as I finish each section.  Note that I added 36 threads to my Stash Credits total right up front but I will continue to add threads to that number as I choose others besides the main threads I have selected.  In some cases I am going to use one B2 thread in one section but choose another thread to act as B2 in another section.

A1 - violet Impressions 6042
B1 - black Soie Crystale 0020
C1 - terra cotta Pebbly Perle P14
D1 - copper metallic DMC metallic floss S279

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

Stars: This End Up (with Loose Ends)

Last night I stitched the last two corners on the bottom of the canvas.  They went a lot faster than the first two!  Once you understand an area, the stitching always goes better, doesn't it?

I did turn my canvas upside down to work the two bottom corners, which promoted me to mark the "top" of the canvas with an arrow so I'd always know which side should face up.  I noticed when stitching the corners that I needed to know the Top from the Bottom since I turned the canvas to reach the corners better and had to make sure the little Smyrnas that go in the corners were all oriented the same way, whether I was working them upside down or right side up.   In geometric designs like this, I always mark the top so I know without hunting which End is Up.

The quilt blocks are arranged in four rows with three stars in each row, and later on I'll be able to see easily which is the top row, but for right now I want to easily know which end is the top end.

You'll see a lot of loose threads on the canvas.  I am doing some test stitching.  Look at the two little blocks that separate the black sashing lines.  On the right is my original sashing block and on the left I have removed the original stitching and replaced it with another version.  The right side is too heavy and the left side too light.  I'm going to have to look at my threads and pick the right color values and weights to make the little sashing blocks look their best. That's my task for today.  Once I choose what I like best, I'll work all six of the little blocks the same way.  I know I said I was going to work from the top down on this design, but it seems to make sense to get these elements in now.

Note in the top border that I have little sashing blocks drawn in with an X in them.  There really aren't sashing blocks in the border. I failed to understand the instructions and drew them there, then marked them so I would remember that there aren't blocks actually there.  I have a lot of trouble with diagrams and am always making (and correcting) mistakes.  But that is part of doing counted work for me.

Why do I do counted work when I'm so bad at it?  Because I want to improve my stitching.  You never get any better at something unless you practice and I enjoy learning new techniques.  A great example of what I'm learning can be found in the hints from Blog readers on starting/ending threads in yesterday's Comments.  You should go back to the previous Blog entry and click on Comments (at the very bottom of the article next to the date in pink) and read them.  I got a great private email with more tips also.  I'll quote that to you in another blog entry if the author gives me permission.

In the photo and in real life the sashing blocks have holes where you can see the canvas.  I think I'm going to rip these out and replace them with sashing that uses four plies of my black Soie de Crystale silk instead of the three I used.  Tony says to use four plies but I didn't listen. Sorry, Headmaster!

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

Stars Corners

I started my first real stitching on Stars yesterday.  I already had a corner in place and had done all six of the little sashing corners but I have begun to think that they all used too much thread to allow the full effect to show.  So I pulled out the two big corners and one of the little sash corners.  In the photo above you see one of the two big corners that I finished.  I think I will stitch the other two big corners before I forget how they are done, then test stitch the little sash corner with smaller thread coverage and see how it looks.  Then I'll either remove all the sash corners and redo them or start on the top borders.

I've already got one problem I'd like input on from counted thread stitchers:  The big corners (and probably all the star quilt blocks themselves) have lots of starts and stops of many threads.  My corners on the back are quite thick with pin stitching/Locking L starts and stops and I've discovered that many of my Locking Ls were put in holes I need to put some other threads in later.  How do you handle starting and stopping threads when you have so many stitches and threads occupying the same space?

UPDATE:  I forgot to mention Tony Minieri graciously gave me permission to post photos of my version of his Stars design.  Thank you, Headmaster!

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