Weekend Progress Report #39

Ornaments are addictive and I have succumbed to the fascination. In fact, since completing the RR piece on the 15th, ornaments have monopolized my stitching time. I have been adding to this post over a number of days, so the order of the photographs will be most recent finishes descending to older finishes ... for some reason, my "add image" function requires that I load photos bottom to top, since I can't seem to drag a photo past one already in place ... I am probably doing something wrong in my inimitably tech-challenged way ... but, anyway, here are the results of a week-long ornament marathon:

Quaker Fruitbasket, a pastiche of various Workbasket Quaker Motifs [for Bride's Tree SAL June ornament]. Stitched on 28ct Glasgow raw linen in Belle Soie Silks Scarecrow, Sister Scarlet & Wheatgrass. This is a WIP photo: I am making this up as I go along. There'll be an open work diamond in the body of the basket right above the row I am working now. And I'll be making a handle using a motif from Workbasket's Quaker Flower complimentary chart. All that will be left to do then will be to chart out some apples and leaves to fill the basket ... though that may be trickier than it sounds ... I have a very definite idea about how I want the final image to look.

One more WIP photo: Ink Circles' new Halloween ornament, Full Moon, stitched on 28 ct. Country French Latte linen in Belle Soie silks Old Black Crow, Paprika and Pumpkin Carriage. This particular ornament didn't impress me all that much when I saw it in the JCS Sept. 2010 issue but it is shaping up to be my very favorite Halloween ornament this year. I don't know whether that is because I am stitching it in silks, or because I plan to finish it in a somewhat more formal style than the magazine model, or because the magazine photo just didn't do it justice. Even the stitching process turned into a positively Zen experience. The Old Black Crow silk had a tendency to shred until I slowed down, consciously softening my tension and stitching in a deliberate up and down motion ... rather like concentrating on breathing in and out, in and out, in and out. The carefully balanced design elements of branches and cat's tails forming such elegant arches added to the Zen-like mood. Can you tell I am loving this little ornament?

Off-goal but irresistible, La-D-Da's Tis Green from the JCS Ornament Preiew issue. Stitched on 28ct Country French Latte linen using Caron's Wildflowers Black Watch, a very fine perle cotton in dark forest greens with a touch of blue/black. Stitched on 10/2 and assembled on 10/3. This was a lot of fun to stitch. I knew I had to do it after I had seen a photo of Dani's finish on her blog. Another instance of a magazine model photo not doing an ornament justice.

Aury's Quaker Bird in a Nest [for Bride's Tree SAL May ornament] Even with the frogging and re-stitching, I managed to finish and assemble this one on 10/1/10. Stitched on 28ct Glasgow raw linen in Belle Soie silks: Chester Blue, Chocolat, and Fern Frond. I have fallen way behind in this series, this being my first finish in this SAL since April. It feels good to get back on track.

And, because I accidentally left my stitching bag at work Monday night, I started an off-goal ornament, this one from the JCS Preview Christmas issue: Glory Bee's A Partridge in a Pear Tree. I switched out the colors a bit on this one since I wanted to use some Belle Soie silks I have on hand. Finished the stitching and assembly on 10/1/10.

Blue Ribbon's Perched on a Pumpkin, from JCS Sept. 2010 issue: Finished and assembled 9/30/10. Stitched on 28ct Country French Latte linen using the suggested WDW fibers, trimmed with hand-made black cord and a hanger made of Mill Hill beads.

The Kreinik Cornucopia and Prairie Schooler Pumpkins and Harvest Time Turkey were pictured on an earlier posts. 9/21 and 9/26.

As I have said, September was Catch-Up month and apparently October will be as well, since I am way behind in the goals I set for ornament stitching. In addition to the above-mentioned WIPs, I still have the following to do in order to be properly caught up:

---design and stitch a Quaker Fish for the July Bride's Tree SAL, front and back.

---stitch Workbasket's Quaker Flower in shades appropriate to a Rose, for the Bride's Tree SAL August ornament, front and back.

---find and/or design and then stitch a Quaker Teapot, for the Bride's Tree SAL September ornament, front and back.

---find and/or design and stitch a Quaker Pinecone, for the Bride's Tree SAL October ornament, front and back

---four more Thanksgiving ornaments, to make one a month for the year to date

---and, just because I want to, a three more of the Halloween ornaments from JCS 2010 Halloween issue