Christmas Fabric ....

TAST 2010 38
Picot Chain Stitch
... Gold Christmas streamers with beads on a holly print fabric.
The thread is Kreinik Metallics Very Fine Braid,
which has a will of its own, twisting here and there in the stitching, (and so making automatic variations!).
It's mounted in a Christmas card frame..... oops! missed a bead on the left side!

Gathering bits for Christmas Cards .....

This week I gathered together lots of stitching "done earlier", and stitched more, for Christmas cards.
Luckily my arm is far less painful than it has been and this afternoon it was enjoyable beading these pieces. They are not as skewed as they show in the photos. The larger tree was stitched long ago and kept as a template for copying onto card and top beading - now I think I've used it enough so have added beads and it will be a picture - I usually make a new one each year so have quite a collection.
The other two will be toppers on cards.

A Fun Pic ... Watching You

TAST 2010 - 34
Buttonholed Double Chain

I missed out this stitch - the first time I have done this in the challenge -
as a)I couldn't get it right, and b)I didn't get inspired and couldn't think how to use it.
Today I decided I must do it so started a couple of straight lines - still with errors - and then it took over and became a fun pic .....
The material is actually canvas mat-sprayed in gold but that doesn't show here.
Threads are Perle 5 and 3 and variations .. well,the mistakes!!!
To add to the 'fun' I have added French Knots and a spider web and frame from picnik.
(I enjoyed it anyway!)