A Good Stitching Day

A good stitching day today for a change.

Recently, I had the good idea that I could put Alpine Seasons on my scroll bars. It would be a compromise between mobility (the reason I wasn't happy with using the floor stand and I kept me stuck in one place and not necessarily able to protect everything from Marcus) and a good way the fabric taut. I knew that my fabric is wider than the 50cm scroll rods, but I've got away with that before by folding over the extra.

I opened up the files for parts 10, 11 and 12 and worked out that there are only 13 more stitches out from the top of the pine trees to the edge of the design. That much fits into the 50cm and even if the crease settles into the fabric, it will end up under the mat. It was a bit complicated to sort out - I had to mark the middle of each scroll rod and stitch the fabric on out to the sides from the centre so that the fabric will stay straight vertically as it is rolled through. The first time I rolled it up, there was so much extra layer at the sides that the middle, where there was less wouldn't pull tight, which defeated the whole purpose. In the end I got some pellon and put that in the arest that are rolled up. Now the thickness is about the same all through and it's working pretty well. Not perfect, but pretty close.

It's only been a day, but I think I might have solved the Chatelaine problem. Around giving Marcus all the TLC he was demanding (he's been a bit under the weather today), I got working on the octagonal border. Previously, all I had stitched was the green outline for part 7. Now I have all the stitching done for that bit or boderer in part 7. I've gone back and done the beads for part 6 and half of the beads for part 7. I don't have that much more beading to do, but I had to acknowlege I was getting tired and it was time to stop. Barring the unexpected, I should be able to finish the beads tomorrow and start work on the mountains. I'm really hoping I've got over the barrier and I'll be able to carry on with the project now.

The only catch is that, in typical fashion, now I'm dreaming of all the other Chatelaines I could stitch. Basically, I've found my desired fabric for Watergarden (Starquest Reflections 32-ct Lugana from Silkweaver) and I'm imagining that I could start Illuminated Medieval Sampler when it begins next month. The materials list isn't even out for it yet, so it's not like there are any kits available for it or that I could order my fabric (will be Tiger Eye 32-ct Beflast from Silkweaver) because we don't have a size yet. I think the whole thing will run late, which I'm not really complaining about. I am considering buying myself some European XS gift vouchers whenever I have some spare money in the PayPal account so that I can build up some funds for the kit. I'd love to get the Watergarden kit too, but Illuminated Sampler is my first choice.