Saturday 3 November 2007

To backstitch or not to backstitch?

Since I had Thursday and Friday off work I was able to make some significant progress on Baby Spots. Now I'm wondering if the floss called for on the stork stands out enough on the fabric I've chosen. I really didn't think the fabric colour I've been using differed all the much from the chart. I'm using a potato lugana instead of lambswool linen. The DMC floss choice for the stork just doesn't seem to make him stand out enough on this fabric. In the picture it actually looks a bit better than the real thing. So.... do I backstitch the stork or not and if so, what colour should I use for Bs? Or... do I frog out the stork and restitch him in white? Any and all comments are welcome. Personally I think I should restitch it. I'm hoping that when this piece is done I can try finishing it off as a cube.

My fabric for my Cdc SAL has finally been shipped. I'd ordered it on the first of October but I suspected it might take a little longer because I'd chosen a Kiwi Illusions fabric which generally takes 2-3 wks to arrive at the ONS. Sure enough they emailed me to say the fabric had arrived and was shipped on Wednesday. The SAL started on Nov. 1st ( although a few jumped the gun!) so I'm hoping I don't end up too far behind. If you check out the Snowbird's SAL you can see the group's progress.

I spent most of the week cleaning up my gardens and planting some tulip bulbs. With any luck the squirrels won't get them this year. Last year I didn't have as many come up as I thought I'd planted. I remember my Mom planting bulbs in the garden only to find them coming up in her yard or even in some of her planters when spring arrived thanks to said squirrels!
Now the only thing I have left which I really want to get done is to pack away my summer clothes and bring up the winter ones. Ugh! Depressing isn't it?
My DH recently took in one of my pieces to be framed as a wedding gift. One of the gentleman in Bob's choir recently turned 87 and surprised us by announcing he was getting married today. His wife died about 7 yrs ago and 5 yrs ago he became good friends with one of the ladies attending his church. They have been constant companions since but most of us thought that they were just that.. companions. Particularily since there is a 20yr age difference! Guess they fooled us!! We only found out about the wedding 2 wks ago so I pulled out one of my pieces waiting to be finished and gave it to my DH to take in and have framed. It's by Dinky Dyes and is called Cottage Garden. I wasn't able to get it there in time otherwise so I let Bob decide on the frame. After all the gift is from both of us, right? Unfortunately I wasn't able to attend the wedding either because I had to work.
As well I've posted pictures of the other two pieces I recently had framed during one of Michael's half price sales. I'm really pleased with the Brittercup Best Buddies.











Hope you all remember to put your clocks back an hour tonight! Gotta love it, an extra hour of sleep!!

9 comments:

  1. Lynn all your framed pieces look just wonderful!

    Hmmm I think the stork looks fine to me. If you feel it needs a little BS you might want to use a very light grey? Or something slightly darker than your fabbie? Just ideas. But then again he's not that big so it wouldn't be a big deal to re-stitch him either!

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  2. You might want to do a bit of backstitching around the stork to help it pop out.
    All your pieces are great. I love the halloween one for sure. and the buddies!
    The squirrels get mine too.. .I just keep feeding them every year. There are usually some left in the spring.
    They say to put some chicken wire over them and the tulips come through and they can't get to them. But that just doesn't seem right to do all that work. Good luck!

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  3. Your framed pieces look wonderful !! I am sure your friends will love the piece you had framed for them.

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  4. Hi Lynn,

    I absolutely love your Dinky Dyes piece. The colours are gorgeous!! I don't have any Dinky Dyes threads yet, but seeing your finished project has got me wanting them. It's a lovely gift for the happy couple.

    Your newly framed pieces are very nice indeed, but especially Best Buddies, which I should stitch for Phoebe and Rupert. The colours are about right too.

    Is Michael's a good, safe choice for framing stitching?? I've got pieces that I'd like to have framed, and we keep getting half price discount coupons for framing at Michael's in our local paper. But I've been hesitant about taking anything to them because I am worried that they might not do a good job.

    I liked the extra hour of sleep on the weekend. Always welcome.

    Cheers.

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  5. I agree with the other comments - I think the stork looks fine the way it is. Your framed pieces are wonderful and that piece makes a lovely wedding gift! Congrats to the newly wedding couple!!

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  6. Hi, Lynn! It was time I caught up with you...I'm so behind in my blog reading and comments! Sorry! All things look great from your end. Your little stork looks fine to me, but I agree that if you want to bstitch him, I would use a light grey. As far as I can see, you really don't need to, though. Your whole piece is adoreable! Such a funny tale about the elderly church man...and so typical! LOL
    Hugs,
    deb

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  7. Your framed pieces look so great! The wedding gift will be a very special present.
    I can see the stork fine by the way!

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  8. The stork looks fine to me. And what a charming idea to give a framed piece as a wedding gift!

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  9. All the framed pieces look beautiful. I can't decide if I like the Brittercup one best (I love their designs and this one is so cute) or Haunted Halloween (I love Halloween designs too). As to Baby Spots, I'd wait till you're done and see how it looks with the other items finished, sometimes that makes things pop out more. If not, maybe try backstitching with a pale gray to set it off?
    Sue

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