I put these two together because I didn't make much progress on them this week. I had a meeting over in Pennsylvania, a friend came over to visit, and so on. Lots of stuff got in the way of stitching. Anyway, today I've been able to get back into the groove and also managed to dye five yards of fabric for a friend. When they're all done and set and ironed, I'll take pictures before sending them off. The panda is still going, not much to report. On the goldwork, I laid the ground for doing a dimensional area on the sampler. I've put everything close together because I have the idea I'll do something with the sampler once I'm done - perhaps make a small pillow or something. The piece I'm about to do over the string requires me to plunge the ends every single row. When I do that, I'm always afraid I'm going to damage the fabric. Lots of practice will teach me I'm not, I hope.
This picture was taken just before I completed half, but it's official! I'm halfway through this piece. I've run out of a full skein of black and am starting on another, but the biggest black blocks are done. Now to get the other half done by the end of the month.
I'm almost done with a second corner and am pretty well started on a third. I'm not making much progress this week, though. I've had to stop everything to make an ornament for my EGA meeting next Monday night. It's the second one for my requirement for the tree we're donating to the local women's shelter. I really love the colors on this, though. They make me smile every time I work on it.
My husband was so embarrassed when I said it was sideways last week that he made sure and asked this week if it was the right way. And it is! Since Saturday, when the picture was taken, I've completed two more circles on the left. There are the same number as on the other side - I should be getting to the buttonhole part (a large flower) in the next couple of weeks. Another quickie that would be done if I didn't have so many projects in rotation! Since it's in Christmas colors, maybe I'll have it done in time to frame for Christmas.
I know this doesn't look like my main piece of goldwork, because it's not. It's the sampler they have me practice on. This week, I've been learning how to couch gold thread. Had to do a straight line, then a turn, then fill a rectangle. My next part is another rectangle on here with some string under the couching for texture, then I go to the real piece. Anyway, I -am- working on this! It's way different than what I normally do.
Even though my husband photographed this sideways, you can see the progress I made. Both arch stitches are now done and all the eyelets are wrapped. There are more stitches on this, but the majority of the stitching is actually done - the rest is specialty stitches that go quickly and backstitching. I can't wait to hand it over to my husband to block and put on the box.
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