BFF SAL 11 wallpaper

 completed, it is not photographing well here but you get the drift I hope

Now as per our agreement as that was not on the original pattern I was allowed to sew it outside the set BFF stitching time.

So what did I do tonight?

well I am working on something that I am not sure I am happy was a good idea, I think it is , then I think it isn't and then maybe and around I go. So I am not sharing it just yet, not in mid concept, not till it is done.

However, it is a Magnus Magnusson moment ...I have started so I will finish, there is no other option as the frog can not help me here.

Fingers crossed its going to work.

Pop on over to my BFF to view her progress and the gift from my pattern (its not going into mine so she can have it for hers) that feels like my progress too.

Click here for the link

A wonderful journey

 from seeing the original design to being published which is always a lot of fun.

One of those designs that you like but are not sure what to do with when completed that sit in the back of your mind till the right moment or the realisation of the right person.

The original design is for a black silhouetted lady with a dress in one subtle colour. I wanted something personalised, and after all the designer had challenged the readers of the magazine to do just that with here design.  

I started with the hair,

I was already liking the style at this point even before I moved onto the focus of the design, the dress.

I went with a variegated thread. I had used this before on a Birth Sampler I designed and as I only had one skein there was an element of thread chicken, hoping that I could get it all done before the thread ran out. Happily there was just enough. 

I used a soft shinny silver for the shoes. Those shoes had been one of the reasons I started working on this design. The inspiration for my friend who loves shoes. I had looked at many a pattern that was just of fancy shoes but they did not reflect her stylish joy and exuberance the way this did.

I had in my mind a silver frame to go with those shoes, got to the shop and no silver frames of the right size. Thank goodness as the frame in the right size I think goes so well it was meant to be.

My friend popped by to collect it, and confirmed the frame choice was fated as it was a perfect match for the decor in the room it was destined to reside.

With her permission I sent her picture into the World of Cross Stitching (who had published the original design), that was back in May 2022. I joked she would be famous all around the world if it was published.  On Wednesday I remarked to my BFF it had been awhile and maybe they had enough versions of that design sent in and I should get around to doing a blog of it.

Today she sent me a message that catching up on her reading she had seen a familiar design..oh that's like the one Deborah did..oh..that's Luan! The picture had been published!

I had stopped subscribing a few months back (I need to catch up on the many to do projects) so I don't have a copy. It is 331 and last months rather than this. So my BFF sent Luan and I this picture of the article in situ.

Luan is quite excited to be published.

Feeling rather pleased about it myself. I may well be checking the shelves in the shops to see if there is a stray copy lingering.

As noted in the printed article the original design is from  WOC issue 304 (March 2021 in the UK) and is by Maria Diaz , who is also the designer of my featured cross stitch la-sacpigliata

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BFF SAL 11 Wallpaper time

 I have made an outline shape around which I have made a start on the wallpaper. 

It is not quite finished, I am pleased with the start. 

And yes I have plans for that space.

CLICK HERE to pop over to my BFF's blog and see how the companion piece is progressing.

I appear to have infected her with the Deborizing bug.

Full Moon

 Why I expected the last stitches in the moon to be grey on a Teresa Wentzler design I do not know!

They were of course shades of purple, burgundy and blue.

Just a few left to go and then ahh done

Back to Earth for the next time I think.

And a link to a themed piece of music..love the sound here.

 

Another dragon.

Christmas before last my Dad bought an art deco necklace hanger for my mother. It came from Past Times and it stops those longer necklaces making chain knots in her jewellery box. It is rather delicate and it works.

So this Christmas I was thinking something similar for me might be nice, but less delicate.

In this instance my Dad was going to make it for me. He made the base of the wooden strip with hooks and it was exactly what I asked for....and then...

An idea popped in to my head which resulted in an addition of a back piece, paint and best of all a dragon.

The dragon may be familiar to you, previously I have used the mould my BFF gave me to make a   chocolate dragon  then a Soap Dragon each time thinking that something a bit more permanent would be nice.

Back during lockdown I decided to give DAZ air drying clay a try, still having some left from the Nativity I made in 2015, and yes it is still the same block from then.  I made a few dragons bit I was not sure what I would do with them.

One had found its place.

I am rather pleased with the way it turned out and it is now on my wall and doing a great job.

IHSW channelling Pink Floyd

 and working on

The dark side of the moon.  well technically the bottom of the moon in this image is the dark part but it does not have the same ring to it.

So close to having the moon completed. Although the Earth looks close there are still quite a few stitches to fill in dotted here and there and it almost feels like they multiply when I am not looking.

The the comet, perhaps by the time I am back to the comet I will see the stitches required there more easily.

Oh and if you are seeing IHSW for the first time  pop over to Serendipitous Stitching and maybe you will join us next month.

BFF SAL 11 interpretive design.

We have had a two week gap due to a works night out for one of us followed by a rotten cold (which lingers) for the other, it won't take much guessing which is which.

I had intended applying myself to figuring out a safer place to put my mug (of hot chocolate) and what to do with the walls.

I have managed to come up with a representation of  my mothers sewing box (on legs) as a place for the mug.

Which has become a sewn reality. As you can see.

I have thoughts for the wallpaper, but am currently having chicken and egg issues, as in which comes first for elements that are still to be added.

However considering how rough I have been feeling I have a sense of accomplishment managing as much tonight as I have and am not too concerned about my mental gymnastics going forward.

Pop over to my BFF's blog to read her update and thoughts on what next in the personalisation variation.  CLICK HERE

 

A set of four

coned Christmas decorations.

 from left to right in the order they were sewn Santa, Fairy  ,  Elf and Angel

They are all made with vinyl evenweave.

when completing the  Angel to add the halo I added wire to the bottom of the cone. Whilst that was initially done to support the halo it made the base firmer and I then did the same with the Elf.

Santa and Fairy had been in hiding so at that time avoided the addition of wire.

However, on finding them I had a thought about adding the wire differently. The wire is the spine from a used and to be discarded spiral note book. Straitening it to make a smooth hoop is a bit of  a pain. (I had already smoothed out wire bits to hand previously) and I wondered if fitting the wire still coiled would work.

It does, and it is more resistant to squashing. It is a bit more difficult to sew in as the trailing end of thread constantly tried to snag and hang up in the coils.

So I am undecided which I prefer.

There may still be future embellishment on the bottom edge of the Santa,Fairy and Elf . The Angel is all finished!