Leaf Collage Update II

A few people have checked on me to make sure I'm still here because it has been so long between postings!  When I last posted I was leaving for a few days to teach a workshop and when I returned I realized my studio was just too much of a disorganized mess to continue.  So, among other things I have been doing lots of little reorganization jobs.  It was too much to consider the whole problem as a whole.  The job is certainly not done.....is it ever?  But things are back on track and I actually have my worktable back. 

 

I have been stitching on Leaf Collage and am posting an update here.  I will post one more photo in a day or two and then it will have to be set aside while I stitch on a few more projects.  I promise to continue with the project later!  Since the last update I have completed the "zig zag" vertical band and the frame at the lower right.  The frame is a slanted gobelin variation worked in two colors.  A little finicky to stitch but it certainly gives an interesting effect.  The rust, red and orange area at the top center is new.  I'm calling it a "gingham" stitch but it is stitched on the diagonal instead of the usual straight stitches.  The final new area is the background.  You can just catch the little bit of glitter.  Just enough stitching to integrate the rest of the stitching with the open background.  The last update before the hiatus will be one stitched leaf.

I've also been asked whatever happened to the Plump Pear.  Well, it has stalled a little, but I definitely plan to get back to that too....and will update that project also.  One of the issues is that I have realized I won't be able to kit with several of the threads  I've already used and need to see what is available as substitutes.  When a teacher is thinking in terms of teaching projects, this is always a consideration.

So, many projects in the works but little to show right now.  But keep checking back.  Over the next 3 months I hope to have several projects to show you.

Happy stitching!

Leaf Collage update

First...a note about the above photo.  Just a reminder this project is on eggshell canvas.  It was taken outside today with great natural lighting.  Most of the previous postings have been scanned images which tend to bleach out the canvas.  But, this photo and the original ones of the individual leaves most closely represent what I see when I am stitching.  Of course I think the colors on everyone's monitor is different!

It has been 17 days since my last post with very little to show for myself in the way of stitching progress.  But, I wanted to show what I have done anyway.  The last time I was unhappy with the vertical band on the left....too bright after the background was added.  A reader suggested copper as a possibility and she was right.  This new version is more copper and orange.....less gold.....so it has a little softer look.  I also used copper in the frame to the right of the vertical band.  There are three threads in the frame.  It's a rice stitch!  The overdyed thread is a coppery orange and mauve/purple.  I plan to add a few subtle rose to mauve threads here and there.  One is used with copper in the skinny vertical band on the right side. 

The question I have now is if I need to change the vertical band to the very right.....the one in blue/green and gold?  I should take my own advice and wait until I have most of it done before deciding....or have added more color around it.  Or maybe the stitch itself is not the right choice.  Something to be decided later. 

I am leaving in the morning for a teaching trip and when I return on Monday afternoon I have no more flying trips planned until March.  So I plan to start stitching again in earnest. The holidays will be here before we know it and then.....where does the time go?!? 

So I hope to be back with a significant update in about a week to 10 days.

Happy Halloween to Everyone!!

A New Design - prepping the canvas

Well, the ANG Seminar in Milwaukee was great.  All my classes went well and all the volunteers did a really wonderful job of making everything run smoothly.  But, of course, as much I look forward to it, I am always glad to get back home!

It seems to take about a week to get caught up and ready to move forward.  So here I am, just now finishing up the Leaf Collage canvas....with big plans to take my first stitches this evening. 

In a recent blog entry I showed a picture of the original proposal and a postcard showing the direction I want to go with color.  The next step was to redo the original leaf drawings and change the colors a little to work better with the planned changes.  Then, I experimented with transferring these drawings to the eggshell 18 count canvas. 

TRANSFERING THE LEAF DESIGNS

I tried both Tee-shirt transfer paper and the new Transfer Artist Paper by Leslie Riley.  Both worked but for my needs the Transfer Artist Paper (TAP) gave just the look I was hoping for....and it's really easy to use!!

****Just a note about the pictures.....these are a combination of scans and photos so the canvas color is not consistent - all the canvas is eggshell 18 count mono canvas.

The scan at right is of the right half of the design showing two more leaf designs.  You can see a partial image of a leaf shown above (helpful for scale). 

For this design I had to plan the general layout in greater detail than I usually do because the leaf transfers needed to be added before any stitching is done.   Even though I had work through several of the transfer sheets with my experiments, the combination of the heat of the iron and the length of time  I ironed the design caused the surrounding canvas to darken a little....at the beginning, but that is not a problem with this design. And, by the time I reached the 5th and final leaf, I had gotten the timing down pretty well.....15 to 20 seconds is all that is needed for these small leaf patterns.    By the way, I scanned in my original painted drawings and arranged them all on one 8-1/2" by 11" sheet so they would print on one sheet of transfer paper. Then I cut them to size and ironed. 

NOTE: If you are trying this technique:  BE SURE TO CREATE MIRROR IMAGES OF THE DESIGN BEING USED, so it will print properly.  Also, Ised the settings of"other specialty paper: and "Best" (printing quality).

NOW TO STITCHING!

I sorted through threads again last night.  I had about 10 new ones to add (purchased at M's Canvashouse boutique at Seminar) and then removed about 10 to 15 from the previous selection. 

I will post follow-ups as stitching progresses.

Have a great week!