and ready for what you are thinking? well he is ready for his debut as he is finished! well not exactly quite finished as he is currently living with the framer, but he is finished being stitched. He looks allot different from the last time you saw him, as Susan had me do allot of restitching and restitching…and ooh I shudder at the thought of taking out and stitching yet again and again!
The bag as Brenda Stofft the designer tells me, is really a basket and it was originally being stitched in an off canvas needle weaving. The effect was impressive, but I really never got it quite right and I never ever have I struggled so much with one stitch as I did with “THAT” bag. I literally jumped for joy when Susan said lets take this out and try something else! So instead this is a woven plait with ThreadworX overdyed floss and pearl cotton. Each stitch with the ThreadworX was stitched twice to give it some volume, the pearl was only a single stitch and then finished off with hand made cording using the ThreadworX floss, pearl cotton and floche. Santa’s bag was stitched in the floche. The cording was painstakingly couched into place with a milner’s needle and one ply of the thread. I even plied the floche to get the right color couching thread!
Once the bag was finished and the cording couched into place, I could finish the fringe on his blanket. On the fringe alone, I used over 2 tubes of Sundance beads, with each tube having about 1100 beads, so I will let you do that math. The background was next, a little more cording for the handle on the lantern and around Santa’s bag, the bows on the baby panda and bunny, a little stitch here and a little stitch there and Santa was even given an eyelash!
Last but not least was the parting words from Susan of you need to take that hat out! What are you crazy? I am not ripping out that hat! well the purple, it just doesn’t go with Santa’s overall look and I do apologize to the designer Brenda Stofft. Even though I was not thrilled with restitching the hat, I knew that if I didn’t that THAT purple hat would drive me absolutely crazy for the rest of my life. So I did relent and it was restitched in red.
I really did enjoy the roller coaster ride of working on this canvas, the ups and downs of not getting a stitch, the resticthing of sections, the ultimate thrill of understanding a new stitch or technique right away and the relationships that developed between Susan, myself and this wonderful canvas. Already I am thinking of what canvas to start for next years ANG exhibit!
My faithful stitching assistant, Sylvester as he was supervising the final stitches going in. He is of course guarding my threads! and until next time…keep on stitching
Vicky,
This looks fantastic! I love the change on the hat; the fringe is TO DIE FOR [you and I will discuss the fact that you need serious therapy — 2200 beads… — when next I see you!] the bag; the basket; just everything is wonderful! I know that you were happy to finish this one. It was well worth the effort. Now tell the framer to hurry, please.
Thank you to everybody! I must give a whole lot of credit to Susan and I worry that I haven’t acknowledged her quite enough. Yes Nanette, you should start yours, yes Missy I do need therapy after using 2200 beads and actually after I got into the groove, it was rather smooth making the beaded fringe! again thank you to everybody for your compliments and thank again Susan!
This is just beautiful. I am a Brenda Stofft junkie, and I have Santa on a polar bear. It’s on congress cloth and I’ve been procrastinating starting it – but maybe now that I’ve seen yours …
You are so prolific! I don’t know where you find the time to do it all.
Love it Vicky! You did a great job.
Vicki, I think this is breathtaking! After scrolling to previous posts to look at the purple hat again, I think you were absolutely right to replace it with red. The whole piece is just stunning. And while I wouldn’t wish ripping/restitching on anyone, it is reassuring to me to know that a stitcher as accomplished as yourself is not immune from the problems that plague me all the time. Beautiful work. Congratulations!
Stunning!!!
Definitely has the WOW factor. Great job of stitching and beading. As always, Susan did a wondeful Stitch Guide as she always does. Always fun to take a class with Susan and learn how to look at a canvas.
Sue V
This is gorgeous! It makes me feel better to know fabulous stitchers have ‘issues’ with pieces just like us mere mortals! I love your blog! Stitch on!