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I love it all: embroidery, canvaswork, quilting, crochet. So much to do, so little time.





Tuesday, August 9, 2011

It's a Wonder I Ever Finish Anything...

Hey Blog Buddies,

I seem to be on a roll with Christmas ornaments lately.  My latest project was an ornament from the JCS 2008 Christmas Ornament issue.  The designer is Erica Michaels.


At this point, I had finished everything
except the beads between the letters.

But I wasn't really happy with it.  I took it over to DH and asked him:  "If you were to pick out a letter that didn't belong, which would it be: the N, O, E or L?  You could also choose 'They all belong.'"  He quickly chose "They all belong."  Then I pressed him:  "But if you had to pick a letter that didn't belong, which would you choose?"  He reluctantly chose the O.  Aha!  My sentiments exactly!  Then he said he thought the background color of the O was different (darker) than the E.  In reply, I told him it was the same color and  launched into an explanation of variegated floss, and how I had crossed each stitch as I went doing the background of the O.  When I finished that section, I thought the background looked really muddy.  So when I stitched the background for the E, I did half crosses all the way across the row in one direction, and crossed them on the way back in the other direction.  This evened out the lights and the darks in the floss color (the look I was going for--and made the background of the O look even worse, in my opinion).

Did you ever try to explain something technical about stitching to your DH?  Does he get that wild look that says, "When can I leave the room?  I wonder if she'll be really ticked at me if I do."  That's what happens to me, but I do it anyway.

I really didn't want to do it, but I frogged out the background of the O.  Actually, it wasn't frogging so much as cutting (carefully) and pulling.  It was very nerve-wracking.

I know it doesn't show up really well in these photos, but it looks a lot better to me now.  I do love how the designer chose spring colors for this Christmas ornie.  In the magazine, it was finished as a pinkeep, but I think I'm going to have K (my finisher) do something a little different.

I hope that you're not having to frog anything out.  Thanks for visiting!

6 comments:

Kaisievic said...

I think it was well worth the effort - the background does look better. You are right, lovely colours for a christmas ornie.

cheers, Kaye xoxox

Chris said...

I think the final version looks fabulous.
Men?!? LOL

Karen said...

Very cute finish! My bfd does the same thing whenever I bring up any stitching topic lol.

geeky Heather said...

LOL!! This is the kind of thing that would bug me, too!

Although, my hubby, who was an architecture major, can actually *usually* understand my complicated stitching explanations. He's a rare bird!

Sally said...

Love your finish. I don't talk to my DH about my stitching very often. I think he'd end up with a glazed look on face!

Sharon said...

You were right, the O did look different and now it's perfect! It is a beautiful ornament.