TAST week 31 and my 1st postcard

Well, I tried something a little different with this week's TAST stitch. The poly-cotton fabric I had used before, but for this week I was trying to stitch the Cast-on Stitch and felt like 'normal' fabric would have better results rather than linen. Being a knitter I felt like this would not be such a hard stitch ...... well it wouldn't have been if I'd used different thread LOL I started out with outline stitch in a a single strand of pale green DMC Rayon floss to sort of stitch a picture. Next I stitched some French Knots with a single strand of brown DMC Rayon floss ..... so far so good. The lower Cast-On flower was worked with a single strand of DMC Burgandy Rayon floss .... not to good a completed flower. So for the upper flower I used DMC #8 perle cotton in a wine color trying to sort of match the other flower in color. This one was a little better but still not what I wanted. I added Colonial Knots in a #8 gold DMC perle cotton. I need some more practice with this stitch using different threads. Also the fabric should be larger in order to use an embroidery hoop. I think everything would have been better if I had used a hoop.


Aha! One of the groups I'm on - CrazyQuiltingFriends is preparing to do a series of postcard swaps. Now I've not done a postcard and have seen some simply gorgeous ones on quite a few of my favorite blogs ...... sooooooo I signed up. I've printed out several tutorials, the first one from Catherine, Calidore's Garden Ramblings, and the second one from Rose Anne. Sorry girls, I don't know how to had your links in here. Catherine and Rose Anne have been very encouraging ..... so you can see above the result of my very first postcard. I think I might do another practice one before I actually begin the postcard for the swap I signed up for as it will take me out of my comfort zone as far as the theme goes.


This last pic is my half stitched Season to Season Fall Swap for the CQForNewbies group. Earlier I had only done the piecing and added some hand dyed lace. So to finish my part out I added a beautiful hand-dyed motif cut from a piece of lace received from a very special friend. Added some feather stitching in several fall colors among the leaf print. I also added a fallish red star button on another print. I'm leaving lots of space for someone to finish up with as little or as much as they wish. Hmmm wonder what I'll stitch next week!