Work in Progress Wednesday - 7 Aug 2013

It's that time of week again and I have two sessions' worth of progress on the eternal 'Sunshine and Flowers' sampler to share with you.  Above you can see the cross stitches complete in the lower area of roses.

Below, you'll be able to see where I added in three fly stitch leaves, one cream woven rose, a larger cream and beige flower and made a start on the lower ribbon.  Sadly, I managed to miscount something somewhere along the way and the ribbon doesn't quite match the pattern.  Having said that, I don't think that will be a serious problem, but I plan on taking out the start I've made on the second 'run' and starting again from the bottom centre part.  Then, even if I find I don't have enough space at one or both sides for all the stitches the pattern leads me to expect, at least the important parts will be even,

Floozina, you asked me what the white flowers were, and so I've taken this close up for you (assuming these are the ones you meant).  They're woven roses.  You start by making five 'spokes' in a circle and then weave in an out of them with whichever thread you like to create a nice, raised effect rose.  They can look really nice when worked with thicker threads too and are especially good with ribbons.

So, I hope that helps to demystify what those are.  I plan on writing a tutorial for creating these very effective little flowers soon.

I haven't made a start on the Helen M Stevens' piece(s) yet as I've only just received the answer to the colour enquiries I made of Pipers Silks, which I needed to know before I can even order the floss!  Then it's up to three weeks before it comes.  So, perhaps my estimate of putting in that order not being the hardest item on my goals list for this month was far from accurate!!=)  Having said that, I've had time to look and see that, yes, Pipers do some wonderfully fine gauges of thread which I intend to order samples of for future miniature (1:12 and 1:24, even 1:48 scale) pieces.

Floozina, I have to disillusion you on something though: Ms Stevens is British.=)  Unless anyone knows anything authoritative to the contrary?  She says so little about herself in her books and on her website.=(

After finding links to three of my stumpwork element tutorials on someone's page (or 'lens' as they call it there), I signed up with Squidoo and have written a couple of 'lenses' of my own: One on stumpwork and one, just today, on designing and writing a good needlework (or art/craft) blog.  Feel free to check them out!

Text and images © Elizabeth Braun 2013