Friday, April 25, 2008

Sow Kind Seeds - Bent Creek and an update.


Design: Sow Kind Seeds
Designer: Bent Creek
Threads: DMC Perle Cotton 5
Fabric: 10 count Tula


This project came together from a random assortment of bits, really!


The chart was a trade, and originally belonged to a kit. My swapper enclosed the left over threads, which weren't enough to stitch the whole piece again - I used what I could, subbed what I could from my stash, and only ordered one skein - to complete the border. So some of the colours are what the designer wanted - and some aren't :o)


The fabric was an unknown fabric I bought ages ago from a shop in London which is no longer there - a real shame, as it had been on the site for donkey's years, but I guess rents near Oxford Street are too high to support such a specialist retailer. Given the fact that I left living within shopping distance of London nearly ten years ago tells you how long this fabby has been waiting for it's chance to shine - and there was nearly a yard of it! I can't tell you how often I was tempted to eBay it ... but I didn't really know what it was. I've since worked out that if it isn't Tula, it's as near as jazz, and I've kitted several projects with it.


This was a nice quick stitch. All I need to do now is press it and attach a heart shape button to the hand. I'll either frame it or make it into a pillow.


Currently, I'm catching up with Neat Country Stuff. It's the last goal on my list for April, and it would be wonderful to get everything finished, for once :o) I've done nearly six squares out of the nine, so even if I don't finish it, it will be a very close run thing. I'm making life harder for myself by changing one of the squares - the sheep in the bottom right square looks nothing like a sheep to me (or to The Hermit) so I will be charting my own - I'm going to use the sheep from the same designer's Sheep Button Sampler as a starting point, but it needs completely re-sizing, and re-colouring, plus I want to keep the bird from the original chart - so it's get the graph paper out time. I'm a lot more confident that I used to be in changing motifs. I never had trouble changing colours, but I was always scared I'd wreck the balance of a design if I did things to it - now I no longer worry. Partly because I have a reasonable grasp of design concepts so I know I won't make a total hash of it, but partly because I know that as long as I'm happy, it doesn't really matter...


I've already decided on May's goals - I think the subtitle for the month should be "Selfless Stitching" - with the birthdays of two people very dear to me, plus two exchanges, I'm not going to have a lot of time for other things! My sister has said not to put pressure on myself making things for M (The Tot) but I want to - she really loves getting gifties, and I think when she's older, because she's been born into a crafty family, she will really appreciate getting something handmade and personal. And of course, I want to make things for my Dad, too - it's so hard buying gifts for a man, anyway, and my dad especially - if I don't make the effort, he gets the same old thing birthday after birthday. Not that he minds - he's a creature of habit, and receiving a nice bottle of Single Malt Scotch and some nice smellies is fine by him, but it doesn't seem enough for someone so special.



2 comments:

mainely stitching said...

That's a great finish! :D

Sally said...

Lovely finish Nic.