Mabel's Tree of Life SAL - mounted and ready for framing

[Mabel Figworthy]

Time to give this its own thread - because I've chosen my threads

Two versions, one crewel wool on twill, one silk & goldwork on linen (more details on FoF). I can't show the transferred designs yet because, well, it's a secret until 1st January but here are two possible crewel wool versions (one minimalist and one with more colours), and the Silk Mill silks and metal bits & bobs for the other version.

[fccs]

Beautiful!!!

[wendywombat]

This is going to be fantastic, Mabel!

[Serinde]

I might need to delve into my Renaissance Dyeing wools... Or the DeVere yarns I gave myself for Advent last year. They are thin -- probably the same size as a strand of DMC...

[Mabel Figworthy]

Definitely go for the smaller of the two versions then, Serinde!

[mags]

I really want to do this but not sure my hands can cope without ready-made holes in the fabric.
But I have found a suitable piece of fabric in my stash, have ironed a small transfer onto an offcut and I am going to see how I get on with that.

[Mabel Figworthy]

Good idea Mags - have a try and see whether you like stitching without holes! (Well, only the holes you make yourself )

[rcperryls]

I found that stitching Mabel's "Elegant Cats" for my vet on what was actually sheet fabric was much easier than I expected when I had the proper needles for it. Because of the design being transferred not having "holes" wasn't nearly as difficult as I thought it would be. Looking forward to the SAL. Thinking I will probably go with the silks or with using regular DMC floss. A lot of the silk threads I have are variegated and I'm not sure how that would work.

Carole

[Mabel Figworthy]

Carole, if they are mildly variegated (relatively close shades of one colour) they could work quite well - instead of three shades of, say, pink you would just work with a variegated pink. It would look different, of course, but off the top of my head I can think of only two stitches where it wouldn't work, and alternatives are given for those. If the threads are very strongly variegated (going from very pale to very dark, or containing lots of different colours) it probably wouldn't work so well.

[Serinde]

Or you could cut out the bit of the thread colour you wanted specially from a variegated thread. But I do agree with Mabel that more shaded varieties might work best.

[Mabel Figworthy]

Got my fabric hooped and framed, I have never worked with a hoop this big before, and lacing the Millennium frame was a first too - I'm on a great learning curve
(Details on FoF)

[Podolyanka]

Funny how your cat does not react to such a beautiful collection of threads. My Yorkie would have them under the armchair within seconds. At this he would take most of them in one go. Once (he was a puppy back then) he stole a sock. I told him off and among other things said, "If you take them, at least take them in pairs- it will be easier to find them". Believe it or not, since then he has always been stealing socks and my bobbins with threads only in pairs!

Seriously speaking, your preparations are done professionally, the hoop and the frame look so inviting. Happy stitching and designing!

[Mabel Figworthy]

Lexi does take the odd swipe at my threads if I leave them out too invitingly, but generally she'd quite good. Clever dog to learn how to steal things in pairs

[wendywombat]

I read about this on FoF and I'm amazed how you got the lacing so neat on the millennium frame!
I have never had a problem getting the tension really tight when using my frame...I checked it out last night...tight as a drum!!

We had a German Shepherd who used to take 1 shoe that belonged to the person who shut her into the house if they were just popping out to the shop.
I warned my late MIL Not to leave her shoes lying about in the hallway when she went out for newspaper....result was I had to replace a Very expensive pair of shoes as Sophie had chewed one! That dog was so clever she could identify whose shoe she was taking!

[Mabel Figworthy]

Clever dog

Yes, the tension on the Millennium frame is really good straight out of the box, and on most projects for which I've used it there was no need to do anything extra at all. But the only goldwork project I did on it did suffer a little from not having positive side-to-side tension (only the usual indirect side-to-side tension), so I thought I'd give it a go!

[Mabel Figworthy]

Earlier this week I made a last-minute change to one of the leaves - I shouldn't have, really, but I had this sudden idea which I just couldn't ignore, and I'm glad I didn't ignore it because I'm really pleased with how it worked out . You'll have to wait until part 8 to see the whole thing, but here is a teeny weeny sneak peek:

[rcperryls]

So excited when I got my email. Signed up on FOF already and got my name and password and now to get my supplies!!!!
7 different countries already? Maybe even more by now? Will you keep this thread for those of us who don't do FB? or is it going to be hard for you to keep track of both the FB and CSF groups?

Carole

[Mabel Figworthy]

Carole, the FB group is very much an extra, not a replacement. I'll have my own thread here, only of course I can't show the projects as I'm stitching them (as I usually would), but I'll post parts as they go live. I know at least two Forum members have signed up, and it's really up to you whether you want to add pics here, or start a combined thread or have separate ones or any combination of those !

And there will be the SAL blog, of course, for subscribers - there will be pics of the finished parts there plus stitch pictures/descriptions/instructions/close-ups (please don't look too closely at my nails...). you can comment there as well, although you can't post pictures. But you can send me pics for the SAL Gallery - I'm hoping for lots of those.

So plenty of non-FB ways to stay informed!

[Serinde]

I'm dithering. Not because of the design (mystery though it is)but in choosing colours. I'll get over it.

[rcperryls]

I'm dithering. Not because of the design (mystery though it is)but in choosing colours. I'll get over it.

That is almost the hardest part. Even with the guidelines of dark, medium and light, there are so many colors and threads to pick from.

Carole