Boy I really need to learn how to take that picture straight! do you know how much that bugs me? oh well, lets get to the stitching!

I haven’t done anymore since we last talked…yes I know what I said about stitching for myself a little bit everyday, but I have deadlines and I just can’t enjoy that stitching for myself when I know I can’t let people down. Stuff like stitch guides for Needlepoint Now, charting, reviews and ooh so much more is just one of many things that I have to get done. And did I say lots of stitching? looking for threads?

At least I have decided that I will use the Kreinik 032 in size #8 for the darning pattern!

It will give the effect that I think that I am looking for, you know a snowy look without distorting the details of what is painted there. Remember I said that the best way to stitch this was to turn your canvas 1/4 turn. The thread just seems to lay better that way. Why? well I have no idea, it just does!

Now you ask why did I start with that part of the canvas?

I always like to start with something easier, something that will require little to no reverse stitching. Something that I know will work 99% of the time. I then study the rest of the canvas while I am stitching this to figure out what I want to do. Making headway in the begnning of your stitching journey motivates you to keep on stitching!

I have selected a few more threads too. I learned in a class, that if the face is just right, the rest falls into place. It is a small face and I looked through my evergrowing stash for a good face color. I love my silk, but in this small enough area that a little DMC floss should work just fine, that is if I have the right color. I will try and stitch the entire face with it using just 1 or 2 strands. The beard will need some long and short stitches with Burmilana. I am not very good with long and short… as that is a bad, bad, bad word called RANDOM! Oh shudder that thought…but I just finished a piece with a lot of long and short that took about 20 hours worth of stitching. And you know what? I came out really great and I am so pleased with it! When I started the area I kept telling myself, you can do it, I know you can! Just like the little engine that could. But before I start his beard, I will need white and some grays which that I have here in the house…and I will study some of the Russian Santas on line.

I have 2 more Kreinik’s picked 002HL and 002J and I don’t like either one of them! and the gold beads 465 from Sundance don’t work with either gold. Now you ask why the red top on the beads? well they are they real gold beads so that they will not tarnish and the red top distinguishes them from the other beads as they are a little more $$$. So we are back to the drawing board on that one.

The dark brown burmilana that you see will be for the Turkey work and yes I will need more than 1 skein. I really would like to find a darker brown. Since I am going to do that with a punch needle, I will save it to the end, plus I need to find that punch needle. That’s what happens when you organize yourself!

So I will be bead shopping and thread shopping and so much more…

I think Sylvester is bored with it all!

I have some out of town guests visiting…so I will take the weekend off and see you on Monday! It is rude to bury my face in the computer.

and until next time…keep on stitching