Friday, June 5, 2015

Curves (and Curliques) Ahead



Last year I had fun exploring the wonderful world of painted canvases and creating stitch guides for some of them.  But this year, I resolved to get back to work on new counted canvaswork designs, and try harder to balance my time and energy between painted canvases and counted geometric designs. 

I pulled out a piece I've had on stretcher bars for quite a while, and determined to FINALLY GET IT FINISHED!  As it sometimes happens when I'm working on a totally new and complex piece, I will stitch myself into a corner and not know how to proceed.  With the pink project shown above, I had stitched all the fancy corners and centers (and lots of Jessicas), but was left with a wide background border area that I didn't know quite how to finish.  So the piece sat for a long time, and I moved on to other projects.  Then Kreinik came out with a new thread - a #16 Braid that had WIRE in it, so it can be bent into fun shapes and spirals for a lovely dimensional effect.  AHA!  Just the thing to make some simple curlicues and couch onto my pink background.   So I went back to stitching on this piece (which I decided to name ARABESQUE) and once the curliques were in place, I was able to stitch on to the end and finish the piece. 

Oh, and there was one other dilemma: what kind of unusual jewels could I use to add bling to this design?  I decided to try some gold oblong beads - just for something different... And it was also a challenge to find a crystal jewel large enough to stand out in the center, but I finally found one. (Both the beads and the large jewel are included in the pattern).


And, TA DA!!! Once I found my beads and jewels, I was all set.   Time to get the pattern finished so  I could release this brand new design and share it with you.  And here it finally is: ARABESQUE.


I stitched the model in my favorite "Pink & Green" combination with gold accents, although the pinks are very muted and more like the mauve "ashes of roses" color so popular at the end of the last century.  But this is such an elegant piece, it would definitely be fun to stitch in lots of other colors, don't you think?   (I wish I could stitch this up in other colors, but I've got other projects to finish, more threads to try, new pieces to design, still more cyber classes to create!!).... But I've gone ahead and included other thread suggestions in the pattern for a handful of other colorways such as BLUE, PURPLE, PEACH, and TURQUOISE.

As in most of my designs, the color palette starts with a variegated Watercolours thread (the pink version uses 022 - "smoke") and a handful of DMC #5 pearl cotton colors.  Mix in two Ribbon Floss threads (one mauve, one gold), and accent with a few Kreinik metallics..... The finished piece is apprx. 12" x 12", and is stitched on a 16" x 16" piece of 18 ct. mono canvas.  I used my favorite Santa Fe Sage Green canvas, but you can do it on any color canvas you prefer.  If you'd like to try your hand at a totally new type of geometric design, please visit my website and see the ordering information for my curvacious ARABESQUE.

11 comments:

BFromM said...

Oh my gosh! I think this is your most beautiful design. I have to stitch it.

Sheila said...

It's gorgeous!!!

lewmew said...

This is beautiful BUT. The Kreinik wire is going to be hard for a lot of us to find. One thing I have appreciated about your patterns is they usually use easy to find items and you include the beads. Perhaps you should also include the Kreinik.

Laura said...

Interested Stitchers: This wired thread is called "Kreinik Hot Wire" - something I didn't know until this moment! You can google it online, and find several stitchery stores that carry the 002W that is needed for this design. I found it available online from BETH'S NEEDLEPOINT NOOK in Ky,FIRESIDE STITCHERY in PA, NEEDLE IN A HAYSTACK in CA... and that was just the few listings on the first page. Please check with your favorite store and see if they carry it...

Anonymous said...

beautiful work ♥

Cindy said...

If it wasn't for counted needlepoint like yours I wouldn't be doing it. You make it affordable and fun and I really appreciate that!

susanalbert said...

Totally gorgeous, Laura! Eager to try this one, as soon as I finish your Parfait project...

Unknown said...

Beautiful.

Unknown said...

It's absolutely stunning. I have never done anything of this caliber in needlepoint. I do cross stitch and speciality stitches too (except Hardanger or drawn thread work) on linen.

My most complex piece is a current Chatelaine WIP, which I am loving to work on?
Do you think this project to be to difficult for me?

Sorry for all the questions...Would it be possible to stitch it on linen?

I have worked with a needlepoint canvas only once, which was a painted canvas purse. I love the purse by I hated stitching on canvas and realized am no fan of painted/stamped either (I love counted needlework).

Because of that I decided that I'd convert the next needlepoint to linen, which I did and love working on.

Am thinking for this piece there's no getting around the canvas because the bigger holes are needed for the materials? Am I correct? Or will it fit on for instance 28 or 32 count linen over two?

I have been very naughty this year and have already spent my budget for the entire year....but I absolutely love this and am definitely tempted. It's breathtaking.

You indicated you used green canvas. I thought the 'main background was pink to be honest. I assume I was wrong and it's all stitched with pink? Figured to ask as am a bit confused.

Thanks much in advance.
Bianca

Sue, too said...

Stitching Bits and Bobs also caries the hotwire. Not affiliated with them, but order from them a lot.

Laura dear, I think this may be my all time favorite of yours. Many thanks for such a beautiful design!

Anonymous said...

GASP!!! How gorgeous!!!

WOW...simply WOW!