Castles and Trees

Another week gone with no posts. I’ve been hard at work on both cross stitch and knitting projects. And since I have a lot to say, I thought I’d share the cross stitch projects first.

This morning I put the final stitches in to Jeanette Douglas’ Once Upon a Tree (a four part series from this year’s Just Cross Stitch magazine). I used the DMC substitutions listed in the magazine for all the colours except two of the  fabulous Gloriana silks because there was no DMC substitutes for them (Summer ‘n’ Smoke in the Summer tree and Fallen Leaves in the Autumn tree).

Once Upon a Tree by Jeanette Douglas

As I said, I just finished this up this morning, so it still needs to be pressed.  That’s why it looks a little wonky.  Here’s a close up on the last tree, Autumn.  Once I get this made into a bellpull, I will post a better picture.

ouat-autumn

I’d like to thank BitsyB from The Wagon BB for sending me two different colours of Accentuate. I used #300 in the Winter tree instead of the one called for, which BitsyB didn’t have, and I think it looks lovely.  I’d also like to thank MomStitches for sending me the latest issue of Just Cross Stitch so I could finish up the design.  Thank you very much, ladies.

I’ve also been working on Enchanting Lair’s Realm of Wishes as my when-the-Baby-Man-is-awake project.  These are projects that are a bit simpler because they have big swaths of one colour or very few colour changes.

realmofwishes-sept8

I’m stitching this on a leftover piece of Silkweaver’s Days Gone By 32ct. linen, using one strand of Dinky Dyes silk.  I’m using Dinky Dyes cotton for the Ocean Grove because I didn’t have the silk, and Abi of Bellastitch was kind enough to send me a skein of the cotton in that particular colour. (Thanks, Abi!  I hope that The Wedding is coming along nicely.)

If you have the chart for this design, you may notice that the colours in the picture above don’t match the colours on the cover of the chart.  It looks to me like the colours on the cover are way off.  The castle is stitches using Stormy Skies, which is grey, just the chart shows it as being kind of brown.  I’m so please with how it is turning out, because I was a bit unsure with some of the colours as the appeared in the model picture.  But I suppose we have all learned by now not to trust pictures.

In other news, today I came across this lovely new SAL: Sampler de Noel 2009 from Novalee02.  The website is in French, but there is a handy translation tool in the left sidebar.  I’m planning on stitching the blue variation, possibly over one.  If you are interested in joining in, check out the website and send her an email.

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3 Responses to Castles and Trees

  1. Zeb says:

    I’m still kicking myself for not getting the issues that had these trees in them; they look lovely!!!

  2. Mel says:

    A great finish on the trees! They are just too lovely. And I like the gradient in realm of wishes.

  3. Giovanna says:

    Congratulations on finishing the trees, they’re beautiful!
    .-= Giovanna´s last blog ..Symbols =-.