Sunday 2 May 2021

Progress on all fronts

 First up a confession -  I have not fallen in love with Deruta Sfilato :-)   However I am delighted to have managed to decipher the instructions and to translate the drawings into linen and thread. There are four solitary 'blossom' to go in each corner and then the filling stitch to complete this piece.   An antique hemstitch border completes the piece which I think will just live in my drawer.   But all in all I am pleased and after sufficient break I may try another piece or even another style of drawn thread work. There are several more pieces of fine linen in my stash which are very suitable for this type of stitching.

And I have started a set of Kogin coasters for a Christmas Gift.   The recipient doesn't know I have a blog so I'm quite safe showing you this.   All five will be the same design and will be stitched into squares although I have yet to decide on a backing fabric.   In Japan there are usually five in any set of kitchen or house wares so I will make five despite the fact that New Zealand generally has sets of six or twelve.  Japanese stitching needs to adhere to Japanese convention I think.

I have the fabric and threads ready for an Acorn Needlework Etui -  the chart for this was in four successive issues of Fine Lines back in 2003!!  Does anyone else remember this magazine?    I was so sorry when it went extinct.    For all these years I have kept the chart and suitable linen so at long last I am about to push the start button on this project.   The first piece is 27" by 9" on honeycomb stitch which forms the bag and creates the Acorn Cap for the top of the etui.   Confused?  I promise to show progress photos once I begin.   I don't intend to put the HNG in the branches of the tree either -  more branches would be better I think.

The instructions prescribe Gloriana threads but in the end the cost of obtaining those was prohibitive and The Ribbon Rose was able to provide a Threadworx alternative that I am happy with so I'm almost organised enough to begin.   I'm looking forward to this one -  but the Deruta needs to get finished first otherwise I will have too many projects on at one time.   Currently I have three in my basket and that is really two too many for my peace of mind :-)

6 comments:

Sheryl said...

Beautiful Drawn Thread pattern and the little coasters look very pretty too - love this type of embroidery and you have plenty of time to finish the coasters before Xmas.

deb said...

Ohhhhh, that Acorn etui! Always wanted to stitch that but never collected supplies. Shall love watching your progress on it!

I, too, mourn the loss of Fine Lines, but have all the issues to dream through. 🙂

Olde Dame Holly said...

You are going to be very busy making beautiful things!

Jo who can't think of a clever nickname said...

Considering you are not "in love", the drawn threadwork still looks beautiful and so neat!
The etui looks lovely too, I'm looking forward to seeing you make that piece.

Leonore Winterer said...

You might not be in love, but I sure am - it's so pretty!

Mary - Lecoeurceltique said...

Your Deruta Sfilato project is impressive. I had to explore why the Japanese prefer the number 5 to 4. Apparently the number 4 is associated with death. The Acorn Needlework Etui looks an interesting project. Like you I don't like to have too many projects on the go at once. If they are too large I end up feeling that I am not progressing any of them.