TAST week 9; PLOS week 2 and Lemonaide

The standard Cross Stitch, only this week some fun added in. Most of the threads used this week were the #5 perle and my first little sampler was stitched on 14ct. Aida. "Plain" horizontal in red, then long arm in turquoise. The next I grouped to show possible use as a border. The base done in #5 green perle as a Smyrna Cross with a gold #8 cross-stitch on top although the gold does not show up here. The pink is the cross-stitch with a straight stitch added. Naturally I had to do a double row of vertical cross-stitches. The bottom left shows the simple cross-stitch in two colors - gold first pass and the green for the second pass. The last sample of this group shows a very large red cross-stitch with a smaller upright cross-stitch in gold.

The second sampler is stitched on 25ct Dublin linen and I began with a very large heart shaped button stitched down with #5 gold perle using three passings in each direction (all three passes to the right at the same time and then to the left). Also in each hole I added a Colonial Knot. For the stem I used an overdyed thread approx. #5 perle and stitched using the Portuguese Stem Stitch that I had learned in my first weeks PLOS lesson. The long leaves were stitched using the traditional Stem Stitch. The button makes me think of a bright red tulip - come on Spring!

This last sample was stitched on 18ct. Aida and I began with a chain cross-stitch in the green #5 perle. On the reverse this stitch becomes a right diagonal buttonhole stitch. The stitch on the right top is first stitched in pink as a cross-stitch with a blue stitched across the corners. The next pattern down is a pale purple base overstitched with dark purple and upright cross added...... this was another interesting stitch. The red is again the 'plain' cross-stitch with a straight stitch added but this time stitched on the diagonal. In the middle I stitched upright crosses in dark turquoise #5 and added straight lines in a light turquoise #8. You have to look real close to see the light lines but this is really a pretty stitch. On the bottom left I used Caron's Wildflowers, a varigated and the way I stitched it was to first make an extended cross-stitch and then go back and cross each arm which makes it look like four cross-stitches. I then added an upright cross in the middle. I really like the way the varigated thread worked here. My last little sample is just alternating large and small cross-stitches.

Well, I just had to show off one of my favorite cross-stitch pieces. This was stitched with Ginny Thompson Flower Thread on linen and is in a nice frame. It took several tries before we got a photo without glare although there is a bit at the bottom.

My second week lesson in my PLOS class. Its not complete but I did try several things that I had not done before. My triple chain butterflies are all different sizes and I used bugle beads for the body and seed beads for the head. I'm still trying to incorporate beads in my cq work. Directly under the butterflies is a version of the double fly (one small one just above the larger one) using red, hot pink and rust flower thread and added a single strand of turquoise silk for the upright cross. Beside it I tried Sharon's design almost. I used purple and magenta #5 and added for a third color Caron's Wildflowers varigated and then stitched four heart shaped beads. Beside that is my woven star using a single strand of Encore, a matte cotton approx. #8 perle. Next to the bottom row is an upright cross with straight stitches in aqua #5 and beside it is an aqua upright cross with red straight stitches. The last row is a crown variation. Here again, I used #5 aqua perle as the main color with one strand of Styf Francis overdyed rayon doubled and added French Knots with the rayon thread. This was my first time using this rayon thread and one thing I learned is not to use this for French Knots ..... they did not turn out neat. After the class is over I may go back and use a different fiber. Right now I'm just trying to sample different things.

Now the other week I showed you a naked "Ugly Square" that I accepted as a challenge. When I showed the square to my hubby he commented "Man, they sent you a lemon!"............ so I've decided that my finished square should be called "LEMONAIDE" and this week it will be on its way back to join the rest of the "Ugly Crew". Not everything I did shows up but I included some of my hand-dyed lace, thread, butterfly, fan and a dragonfly motif that I also dyed. I included some gold jewelry findings, a button, some sequins and beads. There were lots of little holes that had to be covered up and it did prove to be a challenge and it really looks prettier than the photo. Wonder what next week will bring?