Another Project Finished

I've continued to work on the Silk Sampler from Yvette Stanton's 'Frisian Whitework' book and finished it last night.

It was quite different from usual stitching on linen in that most of the elements are over 3 threads, not 2 so looking for the more open holes doesn't work. 

I liked how easy it was to un-stitch when I found mistakes and usually could use the same strand of Perle cotton again. It used a lot of thread but only one ball of B5200 was required. I had two balls of it but one looked lighter than the other - almost like the one I was using was Blanc and the other was B5200 but they both had the same label. No matter, though, because I got the whole sampler done with the one ball.

Initially I was drawn to this design because my late stitching friend, Sharon, had this hanging in the foyer of her home and I used to admire it every time I saw it. She told me our stitching friend, Sylvia, had stitched it so I asked Sylvia about the pattern and it was she who told me about his lovely book.

Of course, I ordered the book and found the pattern. The original was stitched with many colours of hand-dyed silk threads.

It is lovely but I like the all-white version better.

I would like to order a frame for it but I'm still waiting for the rest of my previous order to arrive. I sent them an email yesterday so hope to hear from them about it soon. I'd like to get another couple of pieces framed, too. 

I've been on such a journey to get some of these old pieces finished and fully finished. I'm gearing up for my birthday start.

I've also been half-assed working on the biscornu stitchalong.

I got tired of counting a lot so added some grid lines last night. There's a lot of 'confetti' so only counting within a 10 x 10 area is a lot easier.

I have also signed up for a week-long stitchalong that starts on May 4. It's the Victoria Sampler Challenge from Why Not Stitching Academy.

It's a pincushion that features several different stitches - two colours of DMC thread and some beads.

I was going to print the design on Sticky Fabri-Solvy and stitch through it and the fabric. I decided instead to use my lightbox and trace the design right on my fabric. I ordered new Frixion pens because all my other ones are crap and the felt-tipped one that does work makes lines that are too thick for this project. 

I also want to start this design I've admired from Hobby House Needleworks.

I'm sure I have appropriate fabric in my stash. I just need to settle on what thread colour I'll use. DMC 115 is nicely variegated but there are bits of it where the red is too bright and I didn't want to be cutting those bits out (as I have on another project). I'll go through my thread stash and decide on a colour. 

All this planning and thinking about stitching is because I'm gearing up for Stitch North this weekend. Kimat Designs will be there as vendors so perhaps Meagan and Kim will have suggestions for me. I would like a slightly variegated thread for this.

When I take a break from stitching, I work on my Mystical Lanterns crocheting. I have about 40 of the 154 lanterns done. 

Every once and a while I pick up my Helix sock project. I'm about halfway through the foot of the second sock.

The light-coloured yarn will be removed later, the stitches above and below it will be picked up and the afterthought heel will be inserted. I forget why the stitch marker is there...

It's going to be a busy week.