TeamSnafu wrote:you could find a variegated thread in any colour would be a great idea make a pattern from scratch out of different patterns bits here and there i have a few i did my own it's looks great my granmother loved it before i could take a pic of it . i was gonna hang it on my wall but i thought i'd be getting them back later on so let her enjoy the work now. i also made a cross stitch pattern for my husbands it's a baseball logo of the chicago indians i gave him choice of background colour he picked pink i was supprised and i had th drawn up and all stitched in 3 days not to bad for my first project from scratch i should show some pics of the patterns i havent gotten rid of yet but i have to find them we are packing slowly to go states side so when i find them i'll post themup in the forum. you would be surprised what you can do when you put your mind into it.
Cindy
D'you know Cindy, I've never done any designs for myself. Which, since I used to draw and paint when I was in my 20s & 30s is quite surprising. But I have no confidence in my ability to draw any more - "use it or lose it", they say, and I've lost it!
But I could certainly try! I have christmas cards to make, so I could try out a couple of simple designs and see how they go. Thanks for the encouragement!
I'd really love to see your own patterns! And the actual pics of the completed designs if you still have them - but I'll be patient and not ask you to unpack 'em right now!
So: Here is the completed Acorns blackwork, which is actually in brown and gold. The gold in the acorn cups doesn't show up much, and the pattern in the cups is not exactly the same as was supposed to be. There should have been little dots of gold in one strand of Kreinik, on each side of every brown cross of the squares, but it didn't show up at all. So I used two strands of Kreinik and made crosses. I have decided I hate Kreinik.
Well it looks gorgeous. Well done!!!
*pushes FD towards the rainbow gallery petite treasure braids*
Not that I'm biased or anything, but I think you'll be hard pushed to beat them!
There's nothing better than a good friend, except a good friend with CHOCOLATE! Forget love! I'd rather fall in CHOCOLATE!
Current With Faith
Dogs
Snow Leopard (Haed)
Big Cats
Yes, I must have a look at them. I really don't like Kreinik, just from that one little sample! I kept the threads short, but they twist, tangle and fray with the greatest of ease, and the white central thread tends to loop out through the gold... and they don't like being threaded, either - the end unwinds into lots of filaments as soon as it touches the needle. You have to be so careful to get the thread dead centre of the eye, and if you fold it to put a loop through the eye instead it frays even more.
Sorry you had trouble with the metallics. I was convinced by Threadbear, bought the Petit Treasure Braids and they are wonderdóful, so I think she is right!
Agi
"The world, as a colourful knot of threads, has turned into a memory, and now you cannot be sure whether it was real." (Géza Ottlik, Hungarian writer)
Thanks! That is nice work with the multi thread. I shall certainly try some.
Had a look at the petite treasures range as well, and they seem very pretty, but a bit pricey. I may get some in the new year, but not yet as I have enough stitching to do for now! There is some metalic to do in The Storyteller, as well, and yeah it's Kreinik blending filament.
They are pricey, I must admit and usually I won't go for pricey if I can avoid it. In this case though, when you think of all you save by actually being able to use the thread and frog and reuse if necessary against threads that break/fray and have to end up throwing some of it ...it probably doesn't work out too badly.
Well, that's what I tell myself anyhow!
There's nothing better than a good friend, except a good friend with CHOCOLATE! Forget love! I'd rather fall in CHOCOLATE!
Current With Faith
Dogs
Snow Leopard (Haed)
Big Cats
As we're riding hobby-horses I'll put in my bit for Madeira no 40 metallics (or DMC no 278, or Madeira Glissengloss -- they're pretty much the same thing). I find them very easy to work with and the thickness is about that of one normal strand (a bit thinner) so you can use a loop start for using it on its own, or it easily blends with other threads!
And the nice thing about the Madeira no.40 is that it's only £2 for a 200m reel
I love the acorn blackwork, it came out very wonderful. I use the Krenik all the time and I really like to work with it. I guess it is just one more of those to each his own things. If you have looked at my angels all of the metallic in them is Krenik. I really get along well with it.
If you are looking for some one to help change you, look in the mirror
Fljotsdale, you can have a look at some of the available colours here (the top picture) and buy them for £2 each plus 95p postage at Tandem Cottage. I've found that the mumbers are identical to Madeira's Glissengloss threads, so if you have a look at those here you could note down the numbers you like and then call Tandem Cottage and ask them whether they can do those in Madeira no. 40
Thanks Mabel. I've had a look, and found some colours I think I would use but the order system seems weird - or maybe it's just me being a bit stupid! so I think I may look for 'em elsewhere than Tandem Cottage.
And Backwork Rosebud framed:
(Removed 'cos it was nasty. Look at the one further down. )
I am very pleased with the frame I managed to find for the Acorns blackwork, but not very satisfied with the frame on Rosebud. I had no idea it would be so difficult to get a square frame locally. I wanted a smaller, narrow black frame but the silver was all I could find. I put the red bit round it to make the aperture smaller. I shall continue looking for a better frame, though.
Tsk! Fingermarks on the glass!
Last edited by Fljotsdale on Mon Oct 27, 2008 12:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
There's nothing better than a good friend, except a good friend with CHOCOLATE! 
I'll put in my bit for Madeira no 40 metallics (or DMC no 278, or Madeira Glissengloss -- they're pretty much the same thing). I find them very easy to work with and the thickness is about that of one normal strand (a bit thinner) so you can use a loop start for using it on its own, or it easily blends with other threads!
so I think I may look for 'em elsewhere than Tandem Cottage. 
Much simpler! 
