The last edge on felt

More experiments in spare moments with the inside out chevron (lower) and the twisted flies, cable chain and feather stitches (upper). I'm going crazy stitching on transparent layers to finish one of last my design class pieces. Definitely off grid work! Perhaps it's fortunate I've been exploring that a bit in SharonB's class.

It's funny how these two classes have worked together to stretch me. I wanted to only do counted thread work on 36- to 40-count linen when I started the design class in mid-January. Now here I am at mid-December and have had to experiment with different fabrics and threads in spite of all my initial intentions to the contrary.

I'm hoping next year will be a good solid year of growth with some of these concepts I've learned and need so much more practice with in my designs. The only new learning challenges planned for next year are color and shape. I want to join in on SharonB's Take a Stitch Tuesday and keep up with the group of people in the PLS class after the close of the Joggles' forum this coming Wednesday.

I've been going through my projects underway. I have so many in various stages of progress that I should finish off the old ones and never start a new one until mid-June. I'm going to try sticking my new designs into a visual journal. I want to see if that will help prevent stitching on anything new until then. I have two ideas that are just eating away at me. One is an abstract that needs colors and stitches determined. The other is a dragon. Of course, the dragon is an abstraction, too, but very recognizable. Thankfully, all my plans for this next year are as last year's, subject to God's providence.

Twisted flys and Inside out chevrons

Still working with the felt to see what I can do on it. Enjoyed doing a twisted fly and feather (inner three lines at the lower right) and the inside out chevrons (two rows outermost upper right). I'm not sure what the name are for these stitches; these are names I use to help me remember what I did. There are four slipped cable chain rows at the lower left. The first has the slip done on top and twisted at the loop before fastening. Then I put a French knot on each side. The second has detached chain stitch on each side, the third one is beaded and the lower chain is laced with a stitch added in the middle and some extra loops on the bottom.

I finished reading SharonB's sixth lesson. The text and the visuals are wonderfully inspiring. It is making it so hard to pull away for a few days and concentrate on my design class. But, of course, once I get working on that I will be just as happy there. Now to work on bringing the two together seamlessly!

A flower or two later

I read lesson 4 while still working on this lesson 3 sampler for Sharon B's class. Despite my purpose to keep the lessons separate, what I read crept in. The upper left is the cable chain with a variation or two. On the upper right there are French knots, fly stitches, a couple of chain stitches and anything else that came in handy.

The bottom is primarily an experiment with chevron stitches running vertically. And then between the beads a blue silk ribbon couched by detached chain stitches. There are straight stitches on the left side of the beads to fill in the "v" of the chevron stitches.

I think this still needs some finishing touches even if I don't fill in a great deal more of the lower right. There is still so many stitches I want to try from lesson 3 that I'm going to have to give some thought to the finish.

Lines and a flower

I've had fun stitching in between design class work! No fun with photography, however! Great notes on lesson 4. Thank you so much SharonB! I might be a year or two in putting everything into practice---no, I think I should revise that---may I never get done experimenting with the concepts you have been writing about. I do hope by practice to gain more skill with them.

I was impressed by the diligent way that Sharon has gone about her own study. It is evident in many ways in this latest lesson. I know that many are reading these notes along with me. I'm enriched and learn from watching my classmates use these stitches and concept, too. Thanks to you all!

Cable chain stitch

Yes, my attempts at this stitch are limited to a very small area! And can I read and follow directions? Not well. Lines 1-3 and 5 (left to right) are before I discovered that page 22 of SharonB's lesson three presented a very different stitch than I saw on my fabric. I sure did get good laugh and the right way is certainly easier. The last line is composed of two cable chains in blue and I tried to lace them together with peach. Everything else probably plain from the photo. I really enjoyed this stitch once I learned how to put it together. Just wish I had more time to stitch but my design class is calling. I have a ways to go before I can begin stitching for it.