Framed Finishes

I brought these framed finishes home today. Queen of the Needle and Sirens of the Sea. No mats and no glass but I just love them this way.

Queen of the Needle is Complete

I finished my version of Queen of the Needle today. This took me two weeks to stitch but I was already getting tired of it towards the end but that is probably because I have a couple of other projects on my mind now. Some parts had a lot of color changes and I don't care for that too much especially when some of the colors were so similar. I will be framing it eventually but I am not sure when.

I have got Sirens of the Sea all ready to start stitching. I pulled the dmc flosses for it today and some variation flosses too. It is not very big but...big surprise, there is quite a bit of over 1 stitching. All of the words are over 1 and I think I am going to find another alphabet to put there that is not over 1; I don't care for over 1 stitching too much, a little is o.k.

The changes I made to QotN are as follows:

Band 1: changed the white corner motifs to light pink (dmc 3689), deleted the small flower pots and added two mill hill bunny buttons. Changed the color of the flowers in the pot from the 3 shades of pink to 1 dmc variations pink (4180).

Band 2: changed from pink to dmc 422 (gold tone) and b/s with petite treasure braid 026 (gold)

Band 3: no changes

Band 4: Pink beads changed to lavender, B/S tops of pansies with black dmc, alternate flower button

Band 5: no changes

Band 6: no changes

Band 7: changed fan vault stitch to a border from Better Homes and Gardens 2001 Cross Stitch Designs, stitched it in dmc variations 4180.

Band 8: Deleted verse, moved 1 bird to band 10, changed pinks in crown to white & ptb 026, changed pink beads to lavender.

Band 9: changed cashmere stitch to a satin diamond stitch.

Band 10: deleted verse, added bird from band 8, added my own flowers with dmc variations (lavender color), added a line of grass, added charms.

Band 11: deleted

Band 12: deleted

Band 13: changed all colors to dmc variations in green for vines, pink and lavender for the flowers, left out round eyelets from center of flowers, added charms.

Between band 13 and band 14: added an opposite for band 2 in dmc 422 and ptb 026.

Band 14: changed white corners to pink (dmc 3689), changed pink beads above tulips to pearl beads, changed the 3 white flowers--deleted 2 and mimiced somewhat flower in band 1 for center flower using a dmc variation floss, left out vines, added over 1 ladybugs from band 11, used Crescent colors desert mesquite for the green leaves.

Queen of the Needle

I started this last Friday and this is what I have accomplished in a week. It's a pretty fair amount I guess. I really enjoy all of the creativity I get to use on this piece. I have changed a lot of things already. The fabric is a really super light pink. When I chose the fabric, I spent a lot of thought looking at my fabrics and picking what I thought would work and this is what I ended up choosing; it is 28 count honeysuckle pink jobelyn. The top corner motifs I did in dmc 3689 which wasn't my first choice. I really wanted to do it in white like the chart but white just wasn't showing up very good on this fabric. I have stitched this design before and the one I had done before was on checkered pink graziano linen and the white corners just do not show up very good at all. But the pink floss looks good too. The roses that are under the gold tone band near the top is a 40 step stitch; it looks a little intimidating going into it but it is really quite simple. The diagrams that Just Nan gives are absolutely awesome!

In case anyone is interested in the changes I have made, they are as follows:

(band 9) The center cashmere stitch I changed to a diamond silk stitch (not sure if this is the right name of it).

(bands 8 & 10)I took out the verses and put the bird from one band into the band with the bunnies, I also added a line of grass all the way across the band (I used a variation dark green floss) and am going to add a flower next to each bunny.

I changed the colors of the inside of the crown from pinks to treasure braid petite gold (026) and white.

I changed the fan vault stitch (band 7) to a border out of Better Homes and Gardens 2001 cross stitch designs, chapter on borders. I used dmc variations 4180.

I backstitched the top of the pansies (band 4) with one strand of black. I will be backstitching the daisies with one strand of ptb 026(band 3).

I changed the color of the satin stitch (near top, band 2, triangular pattern) from pink to a goldish color (dmc 422) and backstitched the whole thing top and bottom with petite treasure braid gold (026)

In the top band I left out the two side flower pots and added two mill hill bunny buttons. I changed the color of the middle green stems to lighter green, I changed the color of the 3 pinks in the flowers to dmc variations 4180.

I changed the corner border motifs from white to dmc 3689.

I changed the pink beads in bands 4 & 8 to lilac beads.

I am using an alternate Just Nan button in the center of bands 3 & 4. (one that I already had in my stash).

More changes to come...

Queen of the Needle start

I have started working on Queen of the Needle this week. This one is a very enjoyable one for me since I love nature motifs and especially bunnies. As usual I have made some personal changes from the way it is charted. I usually leave out anything that is written on most samplers. It is stitched on 28 count honeysuckle pink jobelyn over 2 using 2 strands of dmc floss.