Leaf Collage Update, July 1st

I am slowly making progress on finishing Leaf Collage.  Three more collage elements are completed and I worked out tentative colors and threads for the remaining five collage elements along the left side.  We are over 30 threads as of today, so I am trying to choose from within this group for the balance of the stitching.

Something interesting happened though, while I was taking a break to draw a few Zentangle® designs......I kept thinking of patterns for Leaf Collage.  The upper right corner is one result:  "Boxes".....so that is what I will call it when I write the instruction book.  Also, you might find this hard to believe, but color seems to be finding its way into my Zentangle designs.  Thought you might like to see a few.  The color wash was created with Derwent Graphitint Pencils.

For my holiday weekend it is Leaf Collage stitching, Eclipse, Zentangles and BBQ for me!

Wishing you a great 4th of July weekend too!!  Terry

Leaf Collage Update

Since my last posting on May 8, 2010, I attended a workshop (almost) completely unrelated to needlework............a Zentangle(R) Teacher Certification seminar and I am now a CZT or Certified Zentangle Teacher.  I added the "almost" above, because I do see many similarities between the patterns (tangles) created in both a Zentangle and a needlework design.  Here is the link to my new blog reserved for Zentangles.......Terry's Tangles.   So,  it's possible in the future you might see a needlework design which incorporates tangles.

But since returning home on two weeks ago I've been continuing to work on Leaf Collage and have made progress on the upper right quadrant. (The above is only a partial scan, being sure to include all the new stitching).

Granted, I have an overall color sketch for this design, but finding the right threads to achieve the effect in threads, as opposed to paint or colored pencil, is the challenge.  I will continue to work around the bottom right quadrant next week, after I return from teaching Safari this weekend in Dallas.  

Wishing everyone a great week!

A stitched leaf.....

Well, the first leaf....the Ginkgo....is finally done! The technique used is what I think of as "rustic".  I love the look created with carefully blended silk threads, but do not feel it fits well with the type of textured pieces I tend to design.  I am trying to capture the essence......the colors, texture and movement....of each leaf with a limited number of well-placed stitches.

I used stranded silk thread for this leaf, except for the stem, but I varied the number of strands, with more strands being used for the two oranges. (The background is meant to peek through in places!)

Still to come is some type of openwork stitch for the background around the leaf, but I haven't decided on the stitch yet.  It will definitely be stitched to blend in with the background. 

Now I must set this design aside for a few months while I work on some other designs.  But,  I want to comment on another piece from the past....The Plump Pear!  I have had several inquiries about it recently, and have to admit 've been stalled with it.  But I've had a few suggestions which I plan to incorporate (thank you!) and plan to get back to it.  It isn't abandoned, just resting!

Well, I'm off now to do some online Christmas shopping! Happy Weekend!