Alison's needlework

I just finished my lioness cross-stitch. Still need to get it framed.



I've now started a new one, but the material was so stiff! I tried to get my hoop on it, but I got
something (dead skin?) on the fabric! It's black. So I threw it in the wash. Hope that was okay.
Does anyone have any good advice on what to do when you fabric is so stiff you can't even get
an embroidery hoop on it?

I would probably hand-wash the fabric to get some of the sizing out of it, if it was that stiff. I usually just manhandle it into the hoop!

Your lions and African animals are magnificent!

>1 al.vick: such beautiful work! Thanks for the close-up, I can see how you had to work with many subtly different colors to get the shading. Nice.

Oh, that's beautiful! Well done, you!

Gorgeous work! I've done large/complex crossstitch, so I can definitely relate to all the effort. For stiff material, I work it with my hands until it's loose. It takes a while. That's one reason I switched from Aida to Linen early on - the linen is usually much softer.

PS, how do you add pics to a thread?

>6 greendragon9:
Check out this topic:
https://www.librarything.com/topic/177029

Thanks for the suggestions. The washing worked pretty well. It's softer now, so I can do something with it. I'll probably hand wash the next one too.

That's an amazing amount of work! Looks great!

It passes the time in the evening! I've started Charles Wysocki's cat on the bookcase. I think someone else on this thread just finished that one, and I was inspired to try it. Books, cats, and shiny thread! yeah! I getting a little old for black fabric though. The eyes are starting to fail me just a little.

The black fabric is hard. I did a night-scene with a horse (unicorn?) looking through a bedroom window once for a friend, all on black fabric. That was the last time :)

It was a Teresa Wentzler design... found it! https://www.etsy.com/listing/250789108/unicorn-counted-cross-stitch-pattern-by?u...

Yeah, a friend of mine did that one when we were in college. Teresa's designs are very complex. Not sure I could handle her on black. I did one of her dragon patterns.
It hangs in my library.



Very frustrating at times with all the blended colors making everything similar in color, but worth it in the end!

The FIRST crossstitch I ever did (still have it framed on my wall) was a Teresa Wentzler design. Yeah, I don't do things by half. When I first started, I didn't even know you were supposed to separate the floss strands... had to start over when the fabric buckled.

beautiful!

Lovely work! With stiff fabric ironing it with the steam on can help.

Though if you've never tried a Q-Snap frame, I HIGHLY recommend them. They warp things less than hoops and come in sizes large enough that you can frequently do a piece without moving the fabric within it, which saves on hassle and ironing. A lot of the big craft stores have versions of it, but I ordered mine online. Also stiff fabric is never an issue with them and for me they're far easier to hold.

I absolutely hate stiff fabric. I avoid most "kits" for that very reason -- they give you horrible fabric. I have a kit that I regret purchasing that I need to finish soon. I should have just tossed both the fabric and fibers and purchased my own. I wanted to do the pattern as a gift.

That's the same reason I never buy kits! I haven't stitched on Aida since about the late 80s. Nowadays, if I see a kit design I like, I swap the kit fabric for whatever I want, and I take the kit fabrics to the giveaway table at a retreat.

That's a good idea. I might do that. I am a little worried that this one has very small margins between the edge of the design and the edge of the fabric.

Finished my version of Frederick the Literate. I made a lot of alterations, most on purpose, some not.

>19 al.vick: I'm astonished. It looks as much like a painting as embroidery. I want so badly to reach out and touch it, and get out my magnifiers to look at each stitch. It's really beautiful.

>19 al.vick: that is fabulous. I love the intricate colors/shading; agree with Lynda about wanting to examine more closely. Plus, what a nice cat!

That is really gorgeous, Alison!

Lovely! Turned out so nicely.

Thanks all! I am now working on one with a russian blue cat that I am thinking about giving as a gift. max the cat
I have a russian blue and so does the friend I want to give it to.

>19 al.vick: That is so cute! (and soooo much work!) Great job!

>24 al.vick: A dear friend of mine had a Russian blue. Turned out Indigo (a play on Inigo in the Princess Bride) was not very long-lived :-(

Here is the finished wizard/dragon:



Now working on a pair of wolves.

>26 al.vick: Wait...that's NEEDLEWORK!? Holy cow!!

>19 al.vick: I've seen that pattern but never attempted it. Glad to see it's really stitchable.

Oh, I love that! The wizard's robes are gorgeous! Well done!!

That's really beautiful! Thanks for sharing it with us.

Great work! I so admire anyone who has the patience for those large, complex patterns (I'm such a lazy needleworker).

Yeah, it's cross stitch, 18 count on black. A bit challenging for my middle-aged eyes. The shiny stuff (the tassle on the hat in particular) caused some knotting and swearing, but I think it came out nicely. I loved doing the bright colors! I've started a wolf pattern for my in-laws. See my "currently reading" list if you want to see the pattern. That should take another year! But it keeps my sane and occupied in the evenings.

>32 al.vick: The work you've just done would not keep *me* sane. It would cause either blindness, or (more likely) abandonment. Then again, I'd have too much sense ever to start such a thing. It's yet another beautiful work, of course.

That’s so awesome. I used to do a lot of counted crossstitch and some big ones, but my eyes finally made me give it up.

Beautiful work. I find working on black cloth so hard these days. I have been struggling with one for more than a year now.

Working on black aida is such a love hate relationship. I love the way it looks, and then when I start stitching I remember why I hate it!

>36 mabith: So right!

Here is the progress on my current project:

Sorry the lighting is kind of dark. Going to be a pair of wolves. Mates - Cross My Heart Cross Stitch Pattern

>38 al.vick: This will be astonishing when you finish it. I have never had the patience for cross stitch, but your work makes me regret not making the investment in time.

That's going to be gorgeous when it's done!

>38 al.vick: ooooh, that is going to be lovely!

Beautiful work. Love the cat and the books.
Leona

okay, so I have finally added some more photos of the cross-stitch projects over the last 3-4 years. Here is the finished one of the wolves.

max the cat:

And finally, the tribal ponies:

>43 al.vick: I expected to be amazed at the finished work, and I am. It looks more lifelike than a photograph.

Wow. Those are indeed amazing. Is Max the Cat a real-life cat, and was this done from a photo?

Beautiful! And what a lot of detailed work! Reminds me of the work of another member we had here years ago, amandameale. I am always in awe of people with that kind of patience.

Those are great! I used to do a lot of counted cross-stitch so I know how much work went into them. And all those muted colors.

>47 lauralkeet: It was the name of the kit. I did this one because both I and the friend I gave it to have Russian blue kitties that look kind of like the cat in the pattern.

Beautiful work!

>50 al.vick: Thanks Alison. Russian Blues are gorgeous, and that kitty looks so realistic.