January Doodling

The Sketchbook Challenge

I was pleased to find this challenge, thanks to libbyquilter.

http://simpletosublimepapernapkinpoetry.blogspot.com/
It has been so long since I sketched, doodled, or Zentangled, yet I enjoyed these.

My fine pens have mostly dried but I managed to scratch a doodle for this month's theme and I ordered a few new fine points.

Drawing and painting have never been my strong points but I do enjoy trying so here goes with another challenge in 2012 ....

As with the other challenges I've recently started  this doesn't demand something each month so I'll just go along with whatever I can manage and enjoy.

The link to the challenge is on the side bar.



31st January
One more for this month's theme ...

TAST 2012 4.Cretan Stitch

      For 2007 TAST I stitched the middle panel here, (anchored with green gem stone chips)

 in fine Perle thread.

This time I used Perle 5 in the top line and made a 'Tangled Hedge' at the bottom with two textured yarns, a little fine Perle, and three buttons.

Not an artistic result but fun to stitch!  

See details of TAST at http://www.pintangle.com/journal/tag/tast-2012

TAST 2012 3. Feather Stitch

                     The third stitch on my narrow Stitch Sampler

      Again, a stitch I have done many times and enjoy. I found a band of Aida, with a lace edge, which I used for the stitching and then stitched  onto the main band.

I explored the stitch, size, direction, with other stitches as extensions, and with various threads.

 

The larger 'tree' is in fine silk ribbon with french knots added, the smaller one is in a very fine silk thread and has two Bullion stitches, a pearly heart button, Detached Chain and Straight stitches added.

Other threads are DMC Perle 5, Fine hand dyed Perle from stef francis, and Caron Wildflowers -

 all variegated.

 
The link to 2012 TAST is http://www.pintangle.com/journal/author/pintangle



Embroidery Journal Project 2012 January

                                       Cat in the Garden

I have joined this project, introduced by The Floss Box, and enjoyed the first embroidery.
It's a 6x4 (postcard) piece and tells several things about me:
1. As I've stitched and hoarded for about 65 years I have lots of pieces that hang about waiting to become something - ie the overstitched cross stich in the centre.
2. I usually have plenty of stash in matching colours, with a variety of textures, threads, yarns, buttons, etc.
    to make an embroidery - ie the fabrics, edging textured wool, small crochet flowers, and mini and cat buttons
So this month it's just gather up a few things and stitch ...
3. We have a Ginger Tom, with attitude, who enjoys sitting around - there he is!

Enough for the first project - maybe next month I'll do something entirely new (I doubt it!)

TAST and TAG TUESDAY - Week 2

Luckily the TAST Sampler I'm making this time is 10cm. wide so I can put some stitches from 2007 and  
                                   2010 on, rather than leaving them tucked away in a folder.

Some will be too big though - I previously stitched on any sized fabric as the mood took me!

If I manage the whole challange this year the Sampler will be very long and wil have to be rolled up.





Simple Buttonhole Stitch rows for this week -
Fabric postcard with several stitch variations, from TAST 2007
added to the Sampler.

                                        At least the stitches will be named, which I didn't do before.

The link to 2012 TAST is http://www.pintangle.com/journal/author/pintangle



I spent more time doing the tag challenge this week - using a cross stitch pattern I last used about fifteen years ago.



It comes From Leisure Arts Leaflet 197 Christmas Stitchin'



 TAG TUESDAY is a weekly challege by Caroline Saxby.





The cross Stitch is on silver flecked Aida.

Lace, silver beads (not gold as show), sequins and seed beads and fluffy yarn were added.





TAST Week 1 and TAG TUESDAY

Fly Stitch

I have done this stitch previously - shown with cross stitch at the bottom of the Sampler piece.

This time I explored several variations, with mixed success and looking a bit chunky!

I think I'll use finer threads on the 16 count Aida for other stitches,or give them more space.



Tag Tuesday

I also made three quickie tags for the first week's challenge in Carolyn Saxby's TAG TUESDAY.
They are recycled Christmas cards with punched snowflakes and trees, and other bits and pieces added.
I'm hoping to make future tags with stitching and textiles, rather than the "lick and stick" papercraft versions that these are!

I wish the blog server didn't keep changing things - it does make it difficult to post for oldies like me, struggling with posting!!! Maybe I'll get better before the system changes again ....



TAST 2012 Sampler Header

Sharon b's new Take a Stitch Tuesday starts this week. I have done part of the 2007 and all the 2010 challenge as individual pieces so decided to make a sampler of the stitches this time and work with a button theme.
The stitch area will be 10cm. wide and I'll probably edge it to 15cm.
I'm starting with a 16count Aida band but will use a variety of materials and threads as weeks go by.
Today I made this simple header - just Cross Stitch, Back Stitch and French Knots, stitched with DMC Perle 5, 550 and 904. A small piece of lace is couched down at the top and the first few buttons were added.
I see that Week one is Fly Stitch - I'll be thinking how to explore this, I have used it before.
The challenge is on Sharon's blog, http://www.pintangle.com/journal/author/pintangle