Gridded Fabric

Several people have asked me about gridding, so here is a picture of a gridded piece of fabric. This is 28 ct dove gray Monaco gridded with ordinary bright turquoise thread. The grid lines are spaced 20 threads apart because I am stitching over two threads. On 14 ct where I would stitch over one, the grid lines would be 10 threads apart. The grid lines follow the grid lines on the pattern.

I like to have as much thread on the front of the fabric as possible, but my friend Valerie runs the grid lines 20 spaces apart front and back too, so that she has squares on the face of the fabric. When the piece is done, the thread pulls out easily.

Teresa Wentzler for the Girls!

Somebody said TW separates the women from the girls! Well, here's some TW for the girls -- Daylilies, Plums, Duck Family, and Thistle Sampler. I haven't stitched any of these yet, but I would like to do Duck Family and Thistle Sampler.

Easy TW #4 -- Thistle Sampler

Easy TW #4 -- Thistle Sampler. This sampler is 5 1/2" x 5" if stitched on 28 ct fabric. The model was stitched on 32 ct Belfast cream linen over two. There are only 13 colors.

Easy TW #3 -- Duck Family

Easy TW #3 -- Duck Family. This is my favorite easy TW. I have even bought fabric for it and plan to do it at some point when there is a lull in my stitching schedule. The model was stitched on 14 ct pecan brown Aida. It is 3 1/8" x 5 3/8". There are 11 colors.

"Easy" TW #2 -- TW's Cloisonne' Fruit Ornament

Easy TW #2 -- Plums. This ornament is 2 1/2" x 2 1/2". The model is stitched on 25 ct antique white Lugana. It actually looks easier than it is, but it's a small project that should take less time. I count nearly 60 colors. There are also gold glass beads that outline the fruit and the circular border around it, along with Algerian eyelet stitch and eyelet stitch. The fruit is stitched over one.

Easy TW #1 -- Daylilies

Easy TW #1 -- Daylilies. Daylilies is awfully pretty, and the only one of the four patterns I have here that has Teresa Wentzler's name on it. However, the other three are obviously hers, while this one is slightly different. This model was stitched on 25 ct cream Lugana. It is 4 7/8" x 2 3/4". There are 15 colors. I almost want to stitch this one.

Progress on Saint & Birds Icon

I planned to start stitching on the St. John and the Eagles Icon on vacation in Florida, but all I ended up doing was gridding. I didn't get much done either, because the light in the hotel room wasn't very good, and it was too hot and bright outside. The chart calls for 14 ct pale gray Aida and I decided to do the Icon on 28 ct dove gray Monaco, so I complicated my task a bit. But now that I have a good light, the task is considerably easier. The Icon is going to look great on the Monaco. I can hardly wait to get stitching.

My La D Da Charts

Here is the current list of my La D Da charts.

Angel Cat
A Puppy's Posies
Ark
Bo-Peep
By Her Hand
Eagle's Wings
Ever So Humble
Gentle Spirit
Glory Sampler
I'll Fly Away
Kentucky Snow
Leaping Cat
Little Red House
Love is Patient
Marion the Librarian
Marriage Sampler
Noble Wife
Red Heart Sampler
Rooster
String of Birds
Sweet Dreams
Three Dogs-A-Leaping
Watchful Eye
White Cat

From what I can tell, there are at least 36 more La D Da charts. So far I've just gathered them up cheap on eBay and haven't decided which one to stitch first. It might be Eagle's Wings, although I like Leaping Cat a lot. I'll have to see how I feel.

Saint and Birds Icon

This is the Celtic icon of St. John and Eagles I plan to stitch for a friend whose confirmation name is John and who loves eagles. St. John is symbolized by eagles. It is from a book called Celtic Cross Stitch by Anne Orr and Lesley Clarke. I will start this Icon in the next week, while I am on vacation in Florida.

Easter Kitty Moon

This is Stitchy Kitty's Easter Kitty Moon. I finished it on Easter, 2004. I stitched it on 14 ct Strawberry Milkshake Aida from Silkweaver. There is a lot of blending filament in the eggs, and the cat's belly and face are stitched with Rainbow Gallery Wisper. The design is missing a couple of buttons because I can't find my beading needles!

Bless the Graduate

Bless the Graduate is my first attempt at stitching on 28 ct linen. The name and date are stitched over one. I made it for my son Mark's high school graduation. He loves it.