Saturday 25 April 2015

The World of Cross Stitching 229

Although you wouldn`t know at first glance but the latest issue of WOCS is so `me` that it`s surprised even yours truly! ;) I`m not only talking about my own pieces in it, but the magazine as a whole - from the Dachshund on p. 13, featuring the Riolis kit I`d stitched a year or so ago for my Gran, to the model on p. 37 that I stitched for the Hen Fun kit for Bothy Threads. I also recognise model pieces or kits that friends of mine are/have been/will be stitching, oh and of course there are my Fathers` Day cars previewed from next month`s issue... However, I`d better stay with issue 229 for the noo, as it has not only one but TWO of my stitched pieces in it (cf. buses analogy).
So, the first one is a gorgeous cushion from Amanda Gregory. Now, you might remember that the only colour I don`t like is purple, so it says a lot about the design that despite its hues, I still like this cushion. It`s an interesting thing about model stitching, that it very often yanks you out of your comfort zone and you end up stitching - moreover, surprisingly, enjoying working on - designs that otherwise you wouldn`t have chosen for yourself. When picking my own, I`d go `too big, too small, too purple, too much backstitch, fractionals, French knots, yada yada`, but if it`s a commission, you just get on with it - and you`ll find the sense of accomplishment at the end is the same, maybe even greater.
Before my string of progress pics on this hydrangea, let me show you a close-up - if there`s ever been a project where BS made all the difference, eh? Love it! :)
And now the `short film`: pics taken every 5 hours, as usual, until all the cross stitch was done after 68, then another few hours backstitching (the picture was completed in 78 hours).
Hehe, did you notice how I delayed starting on the purples as long as I could? Tried to stick to the lovely shades of blue (my favourite colour) as long as possible, lol. ;) And if this wasn`t colourful enough, here`s the other end of the rainbow: a most cheerful, sunny cottage, á la Clarice Cliff, by Susan Bates - yet another project that I thoroughly enjoyed in-between two larger ones, so I`m afraid I don`t even have progress pics for this piece, only The Final One:

This project took 42 hours and was so much fun - if you`re feeling even just a teeny bit down, I`d recommend it as therapy: by the time you finish that great big sun alone, you`ll be smiling. ;)
And I love the orange frame they picked for it, as do I the finish on the hydrangea cushion - so all in all, a very good little issue from The World of Cross Stitching, I hope you`ll agree! :)


4 comments:

  1. Beautiful projects, amazing stitching, Laura!
    I would not choose the cottage for myself though - too.. orange for me. Reminds me of the Vitamin C drink I once was prescribed by the doctor.
    The cushion is lovely - I can see myself stitching it. My youngest loves purple in all of its hues, so it may just be her birthday present next year.
    Thank you!

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    1. Lol @ Vitamin C drink! :D That cushion did surprise me, I didn`t think first that I`d enjoy stitching it so much as I did - especially as it was around last Aug-Sept and there`s a huge hydrangea just across the street from us, so every time I looked up from my stitchy corner, I could see the live model... Identical! I love Amanda Gregory`s nature studies, they`re always so fabulous! :)

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  2. Oh I loved both these projects when I saw them in the magazine. Beautiful stitching Laura - must get me a job like yours - ha ha!!!

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  3. Thanks, Elle - lol, be careful what you wish for! Let me come back to you on the subject when I`m a bit less sleep-deprived from having just a 4 or 5-hour kip a night for weeks now, due to some looming deadlines, rofl! But joking aside, if you love cross stitch and don`t mind doing it all the time... and not doing anything else, really... like having a life ;) - then go for it, it`s worth it just to be able to say: I did that! :)

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