A short insight into my smalls stash Tuesday, Nov 28 2006

The Dargoness has a neck and I need just a little bit of work to finish everything (the cross-stitches). After that begins the backstitch epoch. I can’t estimate yet how long it will take. Since it’s a bit boring to do only backstitching (someone should had done that along with cross-stitches, eh) I will start some quality smalls. This also has to do with a period of waiting for more “big” stash to arrive, like the Tuscan View and hopefully a few more DMC kits - additions to my old shopping order

The smalls I have are quite a lot, by now I am considering the following:

Gargoyle bookmarks from Omnibook of Winged Things.

Here is a scanned page with the gargoyle bookmarks and a few more interesting things. As seen I prefer monstrosities to birds; there are some very nice dragon coasters, a blue griffin and mythological figures. Though the figures are very much split apart (designs of head, wings, hands and a foot of Mercury. Real horror).

However I have more heads to chose from if I want to stitch heads.

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Bookmarks Saturday, Nov 25 2006

I just can’t get my hands to stitching as there’s a constant need to search for various terms (aka sitting on the PC). So I can only think instead.

There are a lot of bookmarks in my to-do list already, two gargoyle bookmarks, “Stretch” and eventually someday the celtic knot bookmarks. But I wonder how to handle them after stitching. I don’t like to have things scattered around the house (and here most of the things are exactly scattered). So would spare these bookmarks such a fate.  Same question goes for all potential smalls - is there a way for them to be arranged all in one place. I’ve read that someone is planning to stitch several bookmarks on one piece of fabric. This doesn’t suit me because I have a lot of small pieces which must be used instead. But if each of the bookmarks/smalls is further arranged (like sewing the fabric borders, other effects) and later on all of them positioned together and framed? Could be. The goal is “display”, not use in the household. So I need to think on most suitable display method. Same goes for bellpulls and all similar type of designs. I tend to put everything under glass because I dislike leaving such things in the open.

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The Castle is 90% Friday, Nov 24 2006

Only the Dragon herself is left to do (this is a female, definitely). But what I like most are the lit windows of the central tower. With backstitching they will look very impressive.

I don’t know if will be able to finish the whole thing by Monday because the backstitching might take up to two more days…but then it might take less, I can’t say now. Still, I am already considering what will be stitched next. The Tuscan View kit of course is to be started, if it arrives on Dec. 5-th when S. must arrive from Germany. But there’s a big chance she might forget to take it. Last time I spoke with her she completely forgot that there’s such a “thing” to be put in her luggage (she calls it “the thing”).  So I decided that an attitude “pleasant surprise” is better than a “waiting” attitude.

Before that I might start some smalls from magazines or various books. I “rediscovered” a few quality smalls that can be worked on as a bit larger break from big projects. But by now the focus is The Castle and its final going into the frame (or to the LNS display if B. wants it).

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Friday, Nov 17 2006

Today’s SBQ is:

Do you stitch Christmas ornaments? If so, how many do you stitch each year and for whom? If not, why not?

Short answer: no. Long answer: I don’t much celebrate Christmas, though it’s a nice time to put some decoration here and there and prepare a full table of food To stitch Christmas ornaments makes no sense for me since there are so many “non-stitched” ornaments for sale and even if they break/get dirty/lost one wouldn’t mind after that.  I do have a special attitude to stitched works and they’re not something that can be used as ordinary household item. TW has Byzantine ornaments that I might someday stitch but wouldn’t put them on a Christmas tree.

Otherwise I am not adverse to Christmas theme, except that I don’t like stitching Santa or whatever he’s called in various countries. A jouful winter landscape, something with kids on sleigh or birds feeding is a nice thing.

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Tuesday, Nov 14 2006

This is a post without pictures so you’ll have to imagine what I am talking about.

Yesterday I (very much in advance) bought a frame for “The Castle”. There were two things a bit out of the ordinary - the frames sizes available were quite different than my project’s size, finally measured as 42/45 cm. But I was mainly looking at the frame’s prices because if to order one esp. to be made for me would mean I *cannot* have a frame at all, so much they cost. Basically the difference between a ready frame and custom ordered is almost double cost, which is IMO ridiculous because they’d use absolutely the same materials. I decided a more standard 40/50 size will have to do, too. It’s yet to be seen how exactly the project will be positioned and if I’ll have to hide some parts of it so to fit well in the frame. But this is to be seen after it’s finished. The good thing is I have a frame for it and a very nice one.

The colors: taking a photo with webcam will not do any good. The interesting thing is I initially came in with an idea for a dark and “classic” type of frame but after I saw this one I just thought “this one is pointing itself to me.” I of course took the stitching with me to compare colors. The chosen frame is very different than anything I have by now because by now I was keeping to a more “Victorian” style in my room. The frame is more modern and bright colored - it’s light green with a small inside part left uncolored - light (almost ecru) wooden plank. Looking at this frame by itself it would fit to a more modern interior, but when I compared it and the project, both fit to each other quite well. By now I was imagining that the frame should be darker and the project brighter, here it’s the opposite and it is (at least IMO) bringing a very refreshing feeling.

Anyway, the final verdict is for when everything is finished and framed.

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The Castle WIP from a distance Sunday, Nov 12 2006

 

The photo has bad quality but this is really the best one I can do with webcam. I had to take it out to the balcony because inside the light seemed not enough. Consider that really it was a bright and even sunny day outside and that on the photo half of the lightness is gone. Such is my webcam.

I however wanted to take a pic to show and help estimate the project’s size. This is an armchair and those are not tea boxes. “The Castle” is also larger than “St.George”. And today I (finally!) finished with the rocky island. I have just some more areas to fill in before moving to the final and most interesting page. It’s a great design really. Teresa Wentzler rocks

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Wednesday, Nov 8 2006

5 days no update? Meh, someone might think I’m in some trouble again. Not so - I have toothache (well, a former toothache as I pumped myself with painkillers) but I still torture people around me. Must live to tomorrow afternoon (the people, I mean).

Craft-wise I am slowly but surely reaching 65% completion of the Castle. Why 65% and not 60 or 70 - no idea, just so. I have Midsommer Murders on TV tonight, which means I will have some food for the soul and will continue stitching until late.

Been thinking about the new TW book expected to be published by Leisure Arts and when that will finally happen. Been also mentally preparing myself for the enormous price I will pay for it in case I decide to buy it. Seems I am prepared enough, as in contrast to the Fantasy Collection, I want to (and will) stitch nearly everything that will be in that book.

But overally I remain in mischievous mood. 

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Unrecognized body parts Friday, Nov 3 2006

Some people in a forum were asking about this design…the following question: what is that next to the man’s foot?

http://keep4u.ru/full/061102/3964a5df3176a2cc8a/jpg

I wonder too. It couldn’t be another foot, some supposed it looks more like a trunk. Meaning, it should be something from the scenery, not the body because if it is a part of the body, dear me. ROFL!

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Thursday, Nov 2 2006

SBQ:“How did you decide on the title of your stitching blog? Was it random, or does it have a special meaning to you or about you?”

Looking at it more trivially, the city of Lorelei is a place from the game Exile III. It’s the capital of Midori province, continent of Valorim, territory of the Empire. It does have a special meaning to me and about me, as my character’s experiences in that city were very memorable. The details are having more to do with war than cross-stitch blog, so describing them would be out of place. “Lorelei Crafts” is just one of the shops that can be found in the city; it is selling garbs, more ordinary clothing, some jewellery and (exceptionally) some supplies for the troops like footwear and torches.

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Wednesday, Nov 1 2006

Have to tell that this design is a pain to work on. No matter that the chart is colored and quite clear. For the first time I am finding the chart almost impossible to read, because of the scattered symbols. There’s no section that can be followed smoothly without having to jump to the next color - back and forth. The problem is that I can’t use my new invention of outlining because even if I scan the chart, I don’t have color printer to print it. I saw that this annoying grass and flower sections are only at the design’s bottom, upward the houses and the lake are already going more normally. But until I reach there, it’s the torture of the scattered symbols. So now you have to know that whoever thinks TW charts to be difficult, they’re not. They’re complicated but logical.  While here it seems like just a bunch of colors thrown around. The bad side of Dimensions!

I’ve put the project aside and will keep it as a kit without cutting from the fabric. I do plan to return to it. Before that I would want to complete something less illogical of theirs, like the Tuscan view, because I need to gain a more pleasant experience from this brand before attempting the battle with their less professional models.

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