Our Friends' HAED SAL: Amulet and Emmaline - Lesley Ivory

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Amulet and Emmaline - Lesley Ivory - Update

It hasn't been that long since I posted an update so I'm hoping I remember how to do this. In between all kinds of crazy things (squirrels chewing holes so they can nest in my chimney and assorted other things) I have stayed warm by stitching on this afghan (Cat Afghan 18 ct Charles Craft Alphabet Afghan, though no alphabet) with either cat (or both cats) on my lap to help me stay warm. I actually did quite a bit on this one. Almost all of page 4 and page 5, which is just 3 columns wide. In terms of stitches its about a full page.
This is a closeup of what I was able to do so far:

This is the whole piece so far:

This is one of the most fun cross stitch designs I have ever done. Each square of the quilt is like its own little finish and it is hard to put it away, though other pieces and projects start to get very loud. Now I am off to work on "Burden" which is the Lord of the Rings design that I restarted a year ago. Trying to catch up to where I had been.

Thanks for looking.

Carole

3 comments:

msstitch01 said...: Your piece is looking gorgeous Carole!!!; January 15, 2014 at 5:01 PM
Lesleyanne said...: Lovely progress.; January 15, 2014 at 11:34 PM
Lonneke said...: It looks great! I can imagine those mini finishes are really motivating to keep on stitching; January 18, 2014 at 9:17 AM

Tutorials

How to Carry Threads
This is really easy...it takes a while to get used to though....and your back will look terrible...this you will have to live with...One thing...You will be working your 10 x 10 grids in colums...it makes it easier...
1. Start with a 10 x 10 grid..
2. Find your first symbol...and stitch all of that symbol in your 10 x 10 grid....When finished...
3. Find the same symbol on the 10 x 10 grid below it...take your needle and bring your thread up like you are going to make the first 1/2 of the X ...but don't do it...just unthread your needle and lay the thread down..
4. Go back to the first grid you were working on...and stitch the next symbol the same way....when finished bring your thread down....
5. continue each symbol until your first 10 x 10 grid is finished....
6. start the next 10 x 10 grid ....you should have thread there already for you to pick up and stitch...
Posted by Vickie 3/7/2009

Tent Stitching (Wikipedia)
Tent stitch variants
There are three types of tent stitch, all producing the same appearance on the front of the canvas but each worked in a slightly different way and having particular characteristics, uses, benefits and drawbacks. These variants of tent stitch are known as basketweave, continental and half cross tent stitches:
Basketweave tent stitch - The basketweave form of tent stitch is worked in diagonal rows up and down the canvas. The yarn on the back of the canvas has a typical basketweave appearance, with alternating horizontal and vertical stitches. Basketweave is the best stitch to use for covering large areas of canvas as it does not distort the canvas as the other two forms of tent stitch do.
Continental tent stitch - Continental stitch is worked horizontally or vertically across the canvas. On the back of the work, the stitches appear diagonally across two threads. This method uses more yarn than half cross stitch tent stitch but is more hardwearing.
Half cross tent stitch - Half cross stitch is worked horizontally or vertically across the canvas. On the back of the work, the stitch appears vertical or horizontal, not diagonal, and crosses only one thread. This method uses less yarn than other stitches but is not very durable as coverage on the back of the canvas is a little thin.