Hello friends, and happy Tuesday! I hope you all had a wonderful Independence Day and were able to check an item or two off of your lists.
This past week was a whirlwind for the Mister and I. We spent most days trying to hunt down furniture for the bedroom, with not too much luck. The evenings were spent working hard on Sleepy Hollow to get that finished. I completed it Sunday evening! I have to admit to actually getting a bit teary eyed over it. I loved stitching it, but it was a little sad putting the final stitches in it and knowing it was done.
This project introduced me to stitching with silk (the moon is stitched with Caron Waterlilies in Lemon n Lime), metallics (Kreinik), and beading. I was a bit nervous about using the metallics and doing the beading, but quickly got the hang of it. One minor change I made was to switch the stallion’s eye from DMC 304 to red Kreinik. It gave it a great fiery sparkle. I also loved how the Kreinik sparkles on on the stirrup, the saddle, and the bottom of the cape. That stuff is fantastic!
The border around the scene felt like it took as long to stitch as the scene itself. Eash completed skull, bat, or jack-o-lantern felt like a mini-finish though, so it didn’t feel too tedious. I will note that there is a whole lot of back stitching in this pattern, so if you don’t like backstitching, this is not the chart for you! The chart labels it as a “generous amount of backstitching”. Um… yeah. Most definitely.
I finished the chart with my signature in the bottom right corner of the scene. It’s a long signature, but I think it’s extremely important to sign and date your work for future generations. So long as those future generations do not donate that hard work to Goodwill.
I’m also incredibly proud of the back of the work, also known as the “hoop butt” or “hoop booty”. I made a real effort to keep it as neat as possible. I knew that I would be sending this piece to Jill Rensel for framing, and I wanted to make sure thread tails wouldn’t pop and that there were no threads run across the back that would show through to the front after being stretched and framed. I will post a picture when I get this back. It should be around 12 weeks or so.
This was a super fun stitch. I loved everything about it! For those who like stats:
Chart: Sleepy Hollow by Glendon Place
Fabric: 17″ x 26″ 28 count Lugana in Haunted by Picture This Plus
Finished Stitched Size: 12″ x 17.5″
Stitched: 2 strands over 2 threads
Flosses: Called for DMC and Caron Waterlilies in Lemon n Lime
Started: January 16, 2017
Finished: July 9, 2017
Total Stitching Days: 69
This week’s To-Do list:
- New cross stitch start – Ghoul Tidings by Plum Street Samplers
- Continue working on master bedroom
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Stitch ALL The Things 
Beautiful, will look amazing when framed. How proud of it you must be. And keeping it all nice and tidy on the back as well. Exciting to start a new project.
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Thank you so much! I have to admit, I was really chuffed at how well it looked when I was done. I am happy for a new start though, and it’s a smaller project so I will have a finish in a week or so. I needed a break from working on a big project!
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It’s been years since I put my last cross stitch project in a tin and there it sits. I am not envious of your project, but in awe. I know what it takes to make the back look that way, and you did well! Congratulations!
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Thank you so much! I really did put in a real effort to have a neat back this time. Most times I’ll fudge drawing the thread across the back, but not with this piece! I truly was worried about drawn threads showing through to the front after it was framed. I’m super happy to get this sent off to the framers and see what it looks like when it’s fully finished off!
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Hi Christine,
Wow – this really didn’t take you that long to finish. I am really impressed since this is your first attempt with beads and Kreinik AND your back looks fabulous!!! I used to own a CS/framing shop, and have done CS for years. You did a really, really NICE job {{hugs}}. I wonder how it’s going to be framed – and it is a little sad finishing up a project. Better that than being relieved, don’t you think?! So, what’s next? I have been working on the same project since . . . I don’t remember when I started it. HAHA – it’s buried under some appliqué hand stitching. ~smile~ Roseanne
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Thank you so much for your comments; your experience with having the CS business and framing really made me feel good about working so hard to have a neat back! I’m not sure what Jill and Amber will create, but I did request a black frame I saw them use recently that looked like it had carved bones on it. I think that will be perfect for this piece! I can’t wait to see what they come up with for the mats and embellishments. I went to mail it off yesterday from the post office, but they don’t have any of their triangular tube boxes in stock. They told me I had to order it from the website. So mailing this is put off for 3 to 5 days while I wait for those to arrive. I’m anxious to get it to them to get framed! Up next is Ghoul Tidings by Plum Street Samplers. I need a little project for the moment! LOL!!
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Hi again,
That sounds like fun. It is nice to have an ongoing project just for those spare moments. ~smile~ Roseanne
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I am so impressed, Sleepy Hollow is absolutely gorgeous, and the back is nearly as pretty as the front! YAY for a beautiful finish!
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Thank you!! I am so excited with how it all turned out! And now I won’t worry about being judged as a bad stitcher when they frame it. My other backs are messy, but not this one! LOL!!
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Wow! Your Sleepy Hollow is awesome! How cool that you learned/used some new techniques on it! Love the bead work in the border. I have no idea how you made the back so neat. Congrats on a fine finish!
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Thanks so much, Sharon! I loved stitching this one up and everything I learned during the process!
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Could have sworn I commented on this here the other day…must’ve been on IG instead. I know I’ve said this on every post about this X-stitch, but it needs to be repeated often: IT”S AMAZING! I cannot wait to see it once it’s all framed up.
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I’m so pleased with how it turned out! I’m anxious to get it mailed off to the framers, I’m just waiting for the postman to bring the triangle “tube” box since the post offices here don’t carry them.
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