BFF SAL 3 divergences

This evening we moved on to the next specialty stitch which was listed as satin stitch in normal embroidery thread. Now last week I had every intention of following the pattern with the stitch if not with the colour.  As I am working on linen it did not feel as if that was going to be much of an issue.

However, a passing thought that crochet thread (stored in the loft with my lace making stuff) might do as a substitute for the thin cord listed in the pattern. So off on a loft adventure I went and came back down with two options. 

I did take the part completed project up there to see how the colours went in the light in the loft.  The paler colour looked a bit warmer in the loft but still I rather liked it and thought I would use it for the satin stitch. But being a cord it was not filling the space, then I thought I would try something else. Basked weave (also used as a darning stitch) and I quite liked that.

So that is what I did for all four of the spaced designated for satin stitch .

Then I looked at the decoration for the edges over the green, due to the earlier (undisclosed and I expect you have spotted it by now  design deviation) if I followed the pattern for the lay over stitches something odd happened. On the sides it fell so the paler green squares fell inside the diamond shapes. On the top and bottom the dark green fell into the diamond space. That did not look as if it was an issue close too and sewing it  but as soon as it was completed and viewed from even a slight distance...

well I think you can see what happened, I was quite surprised by that and so was my BFF. Now maybe for some that oddity would be fine or even desirable but in this instance and for me it was a no. So out came the bottom and top decorative diamonds to go back in points to corners and light green to the centre. Now those lines were supposed to be couched, than goodness I had not done that or taking them out would have been quite an issue, I just did this with very large backstitch. I may go back and couch them later, it will depend on how they are sitting and if my initial finishing thoughts happen or not.

Oh and for the first time in the picture above I think the colour of the linen is showing better, the very light sage green.

At this point my BFF and I stopped for a showing and sharing of progress (we often wait till the end to do that) and a discussion of out next steps. Now we had both started with the satin stitch, pop over to my BFF's blog to see what happened to hers, I will give you a link at the end, but then we had once more diverged. I to the edges and she to the knot work on the cross.

I am very impressed with the way her colour choices have worked out and the opulence it has given to her version.

On mine I decided to try the second of my two loft retrievals with its subtle sheen. Funny earlier on I was going for the bold with my green checks and BFF was enjoying subtle, we appear to have swapped.

In this instance I did couch the thread, it felt more like it needed it.  I stopped after that one knot as I did not feel I had time to give full attention to the others and finish on time.  As mentioned before over runs are not allowed at the moment as I am watching the Great British Sewing Bee with my mother. So I used one strand of the Raylon thread (also what I was couching the full strands with) and used it to do a couched frame to the basked work sections, they looked more "finished " and less raw that way.

So this is my progress to date and I am looking forward to getting the rest of the knot work done.  Still think the corners need something, what I have not settled on yet, I may complete the backstitching and then decide.

Now here is the link I promised to my BFF's blog, Click here for LINK