Mabel's designs

[Squirrel]

It's looking great Mabel and it is coming to life very well.

[Mabel Figworthy]

And... stitch

[Squirrel]

What a beautiful set up, may I join you in the other chair please?

[wendywombat]

Me too! Although it looks a bit damp outside so perhaps we can take up some chairs INDOORS!!

That Tree looks fantastic BTW!

[rcperryls]

Me too! Although it looks a bit damp outside so perhaps we can take up some chairs INDOORS!!

That Tree looks fantastic BTW!

I agree! Is there room for another? I'd just love to watch.

Carole

[Podolyanka]

I thought it was only I who looked first thing at the surrounding and atmosphere, then noticed the WIP. Mabel, I agree even to that plastic chair (normally prefer more comfortable seats).

[poppy]

What a peaceful, lovey setting to stitch your willow, Mabel! Even a cup of tea to boost.

[Mabel Figworthy]

If you're talking about the white chair outside, it's actually painted cast-iron -- good and solid! But not particularly comfortable.

At the moment there are rather more chairs than we'd like in the dining room; you may remember we got the two small armchairs from my in-laws, and had to get rid of our two blue giants. They need to be sold, but there is so much else to do that we're not getting round to it so they are cluttering up the dining room. I managed to keep them out of shot here

I had interesting views while stitching today, as we had, in no particular order, bright sun & blue skies, rain, hail, grey skies, high winds, all within a couple of hours. Lexi got caught out and halfway through my session rushed in absolutely soaked !

Anyway, I managed to finish the tree - yay
Here are two pics, one taken in the shade and one in the sun because they show the stitches in a different way.

[poppy]

We also had hailstones today and bits of ice are still on the grass

Your willow is truly wonderful and the water looks like it is flowing.
This project makes me want to learn embroidery.

[Garnet]

Torrential rain, hailstones, back to torrential rain here today, floods in some parts too, where is Spring?

Mabel your tree is so so beautiful, the double seed stitch works so well, it.

[Squirrel]

Sounds like heaven to me Helene and Maureen - all that hailstone chill would be oh so welcome here. After a lovely cool few days - albeit with storms and torrential rain - it is steamy hot again. Autumn got lost somewhere me thinks. If you find it please send it back.


Mabel - apologies for pirating your post.

What a difference in the 2 photo's. The willow tree now looks alive and very well too and the water lazily moving along quietly. Fabulous.

[sina28]

Mabel, I do love just everything about your willow tree, but what most excites me is the water underneath. I can even hear it flowing!

[Podolyanka]

To me the tree looks very true to life. A weepeng willow is one f plant symbols of my country, they usually grow long rivers and on the banks of lakes and ponds, and your tree reminds me of one particular willow. A great design!

[wendywombat]

Wonderful weeping willow!
In the 'sunshine' picture that water Does look as if it's flowing past (as previously mentioned by others )

The Best picture (to date,) I think that you have created!

[Mabel Figworthy]

Thank you all - I'm glad so many of you picked up on the water, I was particularly pleased with how that turned out . I was a bit nervous about the chain stitches because I thought they might be too chunky compared to the rest, but it worked *yay*
Have asked the designer of the original logo which inspired this (and who had said I could use it if my version wasn't "too similar") whether it is different enough - if he gives the go-ahead I will write up the instructions and turn it into a chart pack!

[Serinde]

You have a real eye, Mabel. The water, yes; but don't forget the tree bark. Lovely. Hope the originator gives you the go-ahead.

[rcperryls]

Absolutely beautiful!!! I even love the little bits of grass sticking up in the grass at the base of the tree!

Carole

[Mabel Figworthy]

I've been doing some work on the colours for Soli Deo Gloria, my silk and gold flower; and the blues were a problem. I bought a series of five blues in Au Ver a Soie's Soie d'Alger, and ideally I would have used shades 1 (darkest), 3 and 4, but unfortunately shade 4 had a distinctly purplish tinge which made it unusable . In the pic below you can see shades 1, 3, 4 (below the others) and 5 (lightest):



So I used 1, 3 and 5 for some samples, but the lightest shade is simply too light:



It took contacting several shops, but West End Embroidery had shade 4 from a dye lot that wasn't purplish



So I'm good to go with this one - except I'm now wondering whether to use the three darker shades, or the three lighter ones

[rcperryls]

That's what happens when you have too many beautiful colors to decide between. Can't wait to see what you finally choose!

Carole

[Mabel Figworthy]

Aargh! the third pic was the same as the first! Have now edited it.