Project Update--8/25/2015

I am long overdue for a project update.  I am slowly plugging away on the mystery Steotch-along.  In fact, I'm so slow that it is no longer a mystery to me.  And frankly, it shouldn't be a mystery to anyone else after seeing this shot of my stitching after "Week 4."

My husband is already calling this one for his work desk.  Believe it or not, I am almost done with the cross-stitches on this.  Week 5 is completing the cross-stitches, week 6 and 7 are about backstitching for definition, and Week 8 provides a quote for a final touch.  The fractional stitches (as well as all the  endless but slightly differing shades of brown, gray, and peach) are making this one a challenge, but it is fun to see the picture slowly develop into an image with weight and shape to it.

I also completed both July and August frames for Story Time Sampler.  July is "The Lady of Shalott."  This is a poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson based on a King Arthur legend.  People who are more familiar with the poem were in a heated debate about whether she should be smiling, as the FPS characters usually are.  I decided to give her a more pensive look.

July 2015

August is The Phantom of the Opera.    This is my favorite frame after The Wizard of Oz.  The characters look so adorable, and I like the lush curtains surrounding them.  It brings back fond memories of seeing the musical on Broadway with my dad when I was in high school.

August 2015

Four months left!

FPS also started their latest club pattern, A Very Merry Christmas Town.  I completed Clue #1.  At this rate, I am going to run out of friends to give gifts to!

Clue #1

Things have been busy, but I am getting back into the groove and looking to new crafting adventures.  Find out more in future posts!

Moments of Embroidery Awesome

Yes, I know that I've been posting infrequently.  I don't want to leave my dear readers hanging, but I can't reveal the details yet.

I can tell you that part of what has been occupying my time is that I have been directing a production of Henry V for high school students.  The show went up at the beginning of the month, and my kids were amazing!  It's traditional for the cast to chip in and get a gift for the director.  In this case, my stage manager (and fellow stitcher) gave me a piece of embroidered art!  She stitched the names of all of the cast members on linen next to a bunny.  I believe the bunny is a reference to our favorite group game we would play for energy.  DON'T LOOK IT UP.  It will get in your head and never leave.  Anyway, I nearly cried when she presented it to me in front of the cast.

People are finding so many inventive ways to use embroidery--even animation!  One duo used embroidery to create an animated music video of "Chad Gadya," the song that traditionally closes the Passover seder.

Sure, it's machine embroidery, but I can forgive them because it looks awesome.  You can read more about their process on this blog.

What are you using embroidery for today?