Bargello/Needlepoint Project Update II

I've completed the final Bargello leg of the "X" on the intro to Bargello/Needlepoint design.....makes a big difference.  I also laid the button at the center of the X where it will be stitched.  I'm also still trying to make sure I like the softer blue/white/pale lavender for the two triangular areas at the top and right......OR if I should use the brighter color Variations which was used for the bottom and left sides for all four areas.  Comments/opinions are welcome.

I still haven't quite decided on the border color/colors.

Hoping for a finished photo in a few days.

I also put together threads for the second colorway and will scan those threads for my next entry.  I'm hoping for three colorways but still need to collect the threads for the third one + find the button.

Wishing everyone lots of enjoyable stitching time.

Intro to Bargello/Needlepoint Update

We took a day off yesterday and drove across the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalio.  The weather was beautiful just across the bridge and the bridge was loaded with people on both pathways.  The west path is for bikes only and the east path is for pedestrians.  It was dreary again in San Francisco, so good to get a little sun!  We love to take tours to see how things are made so yesterday was no exception as we had a great tour at Heath Ceramics.  We also found a new barbeque place and hope for a return visit.  Love barbeque! But the bridge toll is $5....soon to be raised to $6....so we do think twice before just popping across the bridge.

This past week has been a "thread week"....which means putting together thread kits for upcoming workshops.   I love separating the skeins and putting all the threads together and into stitchers' bags, but sometimes overwhelming.  I still put them together on the dining room table.  Picture enough threads for 20 kits spread out everywhere!  I must remember to take a photo sometime to show a "before" picture with everthing spread out and an "after" with all the thread kits lined up neatly in little rows.     

But, I have also been stitching on the Intro to Bargello/Needlepoint design.  Now, my husband has the scanner in his computer area so he does the scanning.  So when he began scanning this project it made a folder titled "Big X".  Somehow I don't think that will end up as the project's name.   

This is where I am so far.  There is one more Bargello stitch to place in the "X" and one more needlepoint stitch in addition to the border.  And there will be a button for the intersection of the 'X". It's still the same button as shown on July 20th, when there were photos of the original threads and inspiration pictures. 

If  you compare the original threads with these you'll see the lavender is gone along with the orchid/orangy coral overdyed thread.  I've add the two overdyed perles for the background.  I plan to develop a 2nd colorway with the orchid/orangy coral and lavender thread. 

I still plan to have this finished by next weekend and then get back to the Plump Pear Bargello design.  I was planning to be further along on it,  but it just didn't seem to be going the way I wanted.  I always start out with a basic outline and threads but some, more than others, seem to take on a life of their own. 

But to get back to the Beginning Bargello/Needlepoint design.  I had a comment about this being a good "take-along" piece.  And that's right, even though it is a "beginning" piece, it would be make a great quick project.  On 13 count it is 6 X 6 plus the border, but on 18 count it is 4-1/3" + the border.   And I didn't use a laying tool...just my finger or the needle now and then.

Wishing you a great week!  Terry

Beginning the Intro to Needlepoint/Bargello Project

We've been having dreary weather here in San Francisco....at least out by the ocean where I live.  The weather forecast every day says "fog in the morning but will burn off around noon".  Not here....just damp and cool.  We ignored the weather today and got out in the back yard anyway to weed and just generally spruce things up a bit.  Always feels good to do that!  Now....next week the front yard. 

Back inside now and getting ready to mount the canvas for the beginning needlepoint/bargello design I've been slowly working on for the last few months.....along with two other designs.  The design is far enough along I can transfer the outline to the canvas and the color palette is firm enough to start stitching.  The design will just be 6" X 6" and stitched on 13 count mono canvas. 

I was thinking about "current" colors to use when the Joggles  Sunday newsletter showed pictures of a new paper collection and several new Kaffe Fassett fabric collections.  They were all similar and reminded me of a clipping I had in my design file.  I tend to clip pictures of new sheet collections and the like.  Then, I went to the button/knitting shop and found a few buttons.  Finally, I knew I wanted to use perle cottons so started pulling from my stash and ordered a few more things. So I'll start with this and see where it leads.  Do you see the great bead right on top?  Love that button.....but I also couldn't pass up another one-of-a-kind button on Etsy, so when it comes things might change again!

The threads so far are DMC perles, Threadworx perle, and DMC Variations perles.  Once I have the design outline transferred onto the canvas and get a little stitching completed I'll post an update photo.

Just a note about possible changes to the website!  SquareSpace, my host of my website and blog is installing a very large update tonight, beginning at 12:30 a.m. EST.  There are supposed to be new templates and many other cool things and I might just have to make some changes.  So don't be surprised.  Have a great week!