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Weekly Update time... Yes I am still going



The end is in sight... I keep telling myself: The end is in sight

Jo

Indeed! Not far to go now and oh she looks so bonny!

The back stitching is so beautiful! Worth every minute spent on it!

Carole

The added detail is amazing!

Oh my, the backstitch is SO intricate.

The detail of her skirt is being brought to life beautifully and your backstitches are so neat and even.

I might have finished the backstitch and couching No doubt I will spot more as I go....

Next the beads. So I started by pouring them all into a pin dish:



Unbelievable I poured them in level with the bottom of the dish and some still escaped and only one of those that fell on the floor could I find

Next challenge:



The instructions say make a single loop of thread through each bead. What this does is shown on the bead by the black arrow. In the TW instructions for the really tiny Millhill seed beads they recommend doing two stitches like a cross through the beads to get them to lay flat. I will be doing this as it holds the beads as shown by the red arrow

I tried using a bead needle and that was absolutely horrible so I am stitching them on using a size 28 Chenille needle.

Jo

You have to find the way that works for you, and holds the beads down so that you're happy with the look!

About the beading needle, was it the length that bothered you? Because they are made for bead weaving (if that is the right term) they are very long so you can hold lots of beads on there simultaneously. There are also "bead embroidery needles", which are equally thin but much shorter. But if a #28 tapestry needle works then that's fine too of course

The beads will put the finishing touches to it for sure

Yes the beading needle that came with the kit is 56mm long, which means it is very flexible and it is blunt! By choosing the small Chenille needle I have a very thin needle which is short and has a sharp point so that I can stich through the existing stiches.

I worked on last night and got the beads and the backstitching around them done:




It looks like all that is to go is the snowflakes and her belt but I will have to go over her with my magnifier as I found a couple of stitches missing as I did the backstitching and I am sure I must have missed something

Jo

I don't know how I missed this yesterday

You are doing a great job of this gorgeous design.

If it helps with the beads, I found a tiny tin and lined it with felt to stop the beads trying to escape and I use a size 28 needle and double thread, I attach the bead as in the black arrow, then come up at the same place and lay the strands either side of the bead, then go down the same hole as in the black arrow. Hope that makes sense and hope it helps, though not too sure if it would work with seed beads, although it worked fine on Joan Elliott's The Gardener.

The Enchantress is, well, enchanting

That's how I do my beads too. Got the idea from Faby Reilly.

Serinde wrote: Mon Mar 14, 2022 8:46 am That's how I do my beads too. Got the idea from Faby Reilly.

I do my beads that way too. They look much neater to me.

Your pic is looking beautiful.

It's really lovely. I really admire all of you who have found ways to add the beads to your pieces. The one thing I really dislike doing is beading so it never gets done on the few projects that I have done which include beads. I don't tell the stitched ladies they are missing anything and so far, none of them have complained.

Carole

I go through my beads in a typical "X" when I want them to lay vertically on the fabric. If I want them to remain in a diagonal orientation, I do just one half of the "X" but I usually go through twice to help anchor them. I usually use a size 28 needle which goes through most of the beads I use. I hate beading needles because they are super pointy and they stab me, over and over. I think they are perhaps the devil's spawn.

Oh, and she is absolutely stunning!!

Thank you, I've just finished the french knots:



I had not realised just how many of them there was until I started scanning the chart. There was also additional french knots in her hair piece to represent the flowers.

Now for the exciting bit: The cording belt. I was surprised to find that there was not enough of the metallic thread to do this Luckily it is the same thread as in my Butterflies so I stole 6 lengths out of that set.

The instructions say take 6 strands of the gold thread and 6 strand of the metallic thread, stick the end to your table, position your needle mid way along the 12 strands and then twist the whole lot together. Finally folding the thread over in half and letting the threads twist together.

This is what the cording looks like after all of that:



I am having a strong coffee before I go any further .

Jo

How annoying there wasn't enough metallic thread - really a kit should come with the right amount! But what a piece of luck it;s the same as in your other kit - and the result is looking really good

It's a masterpiece! So many different techniques too I would have fainted and given up by now

Oooooh, she's looking really good, well done with all the French knots too.



The last time I had to make a twisted cord, I stuck the open ends to my electric screwdriver with blu-tack and let it do all the twisting for me to save my wrist. Bodging or ingenuis? Well, it worked brilliantly, so I'll be making all my twisted cords like that from now on.

Can't wait to see your cording all couched and done.

Thank you ladies,

They suggested knotting the cord on her tummy. It looked horrible... So I passed the twisted yard through the Aida (12 strands is not easy even on 14 count) and then popped it up on the other side. This is what it looked like:



Having stitched the cord on there was not left:



Time to get my magnifier out and see if I can find any missing stitches - I have found one before I look to take her off of the frame. Then I am allowed a new piece to make or should I go back to my Peacock

Jo

I think your solution looks absolutely right!