Gecko is complete...

It took most of the day...but he is done. And, I enjoyed the process, even though I was tired because I was pushing to finish.  

  I used a lot of beads to cover the cabochons and to fill in space here and there. More bullions, French Knots, and back-stitches were worked around the beading. To add some shading, I used longer back stitches in the pretty knitted rayon from Color Complements throughout.  

I changed my mind on the head bead as it seemed to conflict with the eyes as I started working. So, I covered it with five spokes and did a wrapped rose in rayon perle.     

  These darker beads are called twin beads...I put an extra one in the photo (on it's side) so you can see what they look like. Strange little beads...and I thought that they might be too dark. But, when the gecko was finished...they were fine. Sometimes things don't look "right" because there is so much empty space around them...but after you have worked more into the area...they make themselves at home. Ha!  

 

I worked around the cabochon on the left...but these other two were too close to the sides. So, what you can't go around...you go over!

I like the little three beads on their ends...but the beading thread will be covered some with green sewing thread. I thought about using a green marker to color the thread...or removing and starting over. But, the green thread worked enough to make me happy. All of the background was filled with back stitching in the yarn fiber.

The final gecko has some good dimension and I'm pretty happy with him (or her).

Gecko Begins

This has been such a very busy month with classes...mine and StitchMAP's. So, I have not had any time to stitch this month's HEX Challenge...and only have two days to get it done! So, I began last night with the outline of the gecko and the brick behind. Both were done in Stem Stitch.  

  Stem Stitch is not the first choice of many people for a design that has such tight curves...the instructions actually said Back Stitch because of this reason. But, I like doing my own thing with designs...and rarely (as it never most likely) do exactly what instructions say for anything. And, Stem Stitch can be very easy to work around inside and outside curves...even tight ones...if the length of the stitch is just shortened. For these tight curves, the inside curves stitching is reduced to only a couple of threads for each stitch...and it works around the line perfectly!  

  Next was to select some beads and threads. I pulled a whole bunch of greens from my stash. But, most of this will not be used as the gecko is too small to hold ALL of this.   

  I did find some tiny cabochons in green. These were part of a MIX of cabochones that I bought and wondered what in the world I'd do with these teensy ones. Goes to show...don't discard anything! Ha! These will be temporarily held in place with a tiny drop of E-6000 glue until I can encase them with embroidery work or beading.  

The eyes are first to deal with. The gecko has "bulging" eyes...and I didn't want them to be green like the body. So, I went with a 4mm round black bead. Olive green bullions, stacked on top of each other, create an eyelid for each eye.  

The next area for consideration are the feet. This gecko's feet are pronounced, like a tree frog. I placed a little bead near the end of each toe.  

These beads look like round beads probably...but, they are actually drops. These are tiny, about 3mm, and I purchased them for tiny spider bodies.  

Each toe is rounded with one or two bullions...which mimic the eye lids nicely...and French Knots to fill in the foot. Well, that's the progress so far...now, I'm off to stitch some more!
 

Mr. Owl

This year, Shari has been having a Hexagon Challenge each month. I'm helping to design some of them...and this owl will be for November. I have two more November lessons to finish designing and stitching. Then, I have all three of them to write the instructions for. It seemed like such a good idea back last December to agree to do three classes in November of the next year...thinking that I would have all year to get them done. But you know my muse...she likes to work under the short deadlines!  

HEX this month...

My contribution this month to the StitchMAP HEX challenge projects is how to stitch a spider-web with beaded spider. A very "necessary" thing if you do any traditional style crazy quilt work. 

Here is a closeup of the body beads as I'm stitching on the legs. You can also see how the spokes of the web are "wrapped" as the circular rounds are stitched...and the embroidery work of the branch (Stem Stitch) and leaves (Triple Detached Chain). I like to have some kind of plant life around and/or across my spiderwebs when that fits the space...so liked doing this little HEX with a branch. It makes it a bit more realistic. And...pretty little beads keep the spider from being "scary".
 

Blackwork First Attempt

I'm pretty happy with the results....especially for a first attempt. It is small enough to have actually gotten done in a couple of days. I might do more...but, the project will have to be one that really intriques me as the same pattern for a large area could get boring.    Of course, MY blackwork...is not black...as my muse rarely does anything "by the rules". This is one of the three HEX designs offered at StitchMAP this month.  

A rose.....

These past couple of days I've been working on a special cross-stitch rose project...one of the March challenges at StitchMAP. I love roses...so doing this was a pure joy. This year, Shari is having a hexagon challenge each month...three challenges actually...because each month has three different designs/techniques/etc to choose from. You can do just one...or all three. I'm helping out with some of the challenges...like last month there were two designs from me...and one from Shari. There will be different designers each month. The cool thing about this rose is that it is all one color (which I wish was a bit darker than the light pink I chose).  

  It starts with some 2-ply full cross stitch work...  

Then, some 2-ply half cross stitch work...see the needle? It is pointing at a sloppy stitch...one that I pulled back out and separated those threads in. I need a trolly needle...one that fits on your finger. But, I use my regular needle and pull the threads through with my left hand after beginning the stitch. The work is so much neater when the plys are laying side-by-side and not all twisted up. I'm stitching on waste canvas...water soluble...by DMC...what smart folks to come up with that product!  

  And finishes with some 1-ply full cross stitch, and 1-ply half cross stitch...to get the unique shading effect. The rose is outlined in backstitch of a shade darker than the other work. Very challenging to keep things straight in my head while stitching! But, also very easy to follow along...I just had to take my time and 'think'! It looks like a bit of a jumbled mess close up...with the full stitches going in the opposite direction on top than the surrounding half stitches...  

but back a bit you see that they adds in the shading effect.

Little Stitcheries

When I've had a minute this past month, I've been working on some little stitcheries. These are pattern weights, and are part of the Redwork Course over at StitchMAP that I've been helping to mentor...along with a few other ladies.  Finally got my little pile of work completed, and like them a lot! 

  I put a little lady bug on top of a tin and the weights all fit just inside. I finished the lady bug with colored pencil and she is super cute! The tin is handy to keep next to my sewing table for use.

     

Busy, busy, busy!

Wow, what a week! I feel as though I'm chained to this laptop!First, before I forget...there are ten more books loaded on my Etsy shop...and I also have two CQ Kits available; so please go check those out if you need that.

 Working feverishly on some classes for StitchMap as I promised to write a Beginner Quilting Course, Machine Piecing based on the Sampler Quilt Course I use for the college.But, if you have ever taught anything via the internet...it is a LOT differerent than teaching one eye-to-eye! Any information that "might" be needed to understand the instruction you are attempting to get across needs to be available to the student...without your having to be present.So, it takes more charts, photos, etc...and writing!At least, for MY classes that's the way it is. Some of you might have found easier ways...and video would be one of those...but I don't have that available to me. So, the written word with charts, tables, diagrams, patterns, and photos is what I have to work with.I'm on Chapter 10 of 14 chapters...so moving right along. All of the "finished" chapters still have to be edited and tweaked...and the last four will just have to wait until this weekend to be written. I'm just too pooped to think!

Ya'll are Too Smart for Me!

Yep...Shari is the lady in the last post! She came to spend a couple of days in my neck of the woods...after leaving the Texas Relief Effort donations in Bastrop...and before heading off to dear hubby's homestead north of here. I certainly don't mind being a "stop over"...as it gives us a chance to meet (other than over the internet) and we are spending our time wisely...working on more StitchMAP courses! I know that those ladies will be GLAD to hear that!Sssshhh....don't tell Shari that I took her picture!

StitchMap Moderator Challenge

Once upon a time, there was a lovely lady named Shari. She spent her day caring for her family and enjoying her needle arts. As she stitched, a little fairy came and whispered into her ear..."shari...share...". 

And Shari began to see a fantasy world before her where ladies (and perhaps a few men) were all stitching and talking and laughing. Those that knew how to stitch were showing those that did not. Those that could use their needle with the most skill were sharing that knowledge with those that wanted to learn how to make their needle work like that too! Each had a book with pages of instruction so all learned the proper way to work their needles. The group had some jesters laughing and encouraging each other. Much fun was had!

Really, this little story is my interpretation of a wonderful Yahoo Group that I belong too (well, actually, I belong to several wonderful Yahoo Groups... but today I'll talk about just this one). StitchMAP is a group where volunteers that know about a specific type of needle-art are willing to share that knowledge and their time with others that would like to learn more about that specific needle-art. Instruction is structured so everyone in the group is getting the same information; it progresses at a pace that is different for each person, tailored to their schedule and ability; each "apprentice" is assigned a "mentor" who helps them work through the course of instruction on a chosen needle-art technique; many photos are shared; and much general fun is also had with games and such!

I am lucky enough to be one of several moderators for StitchMap...and help mostly with preparing some course instructions. If you want to learn about needle-arts...Crazy Quilting, Hardanger, Silk Ribbon Embroidery, Surface Hand Embroidery, Tatting, Brazilian Embroidery, Needlepoint, Quilting, Blackwork, Cross Stitch, and other Counted Thread techniques...any other type of needlework that you can think of (and I can't at the moment...)..then StitchMap is a group you should consider. 

And the courses and instruction is FREE! No cost at all! There are simple guidelines (rules if you will) to keep everyone on track and involved...but you can progress at your own pace until you finish a course. And you can sign up for many things and have fun with other non-course activities to learn along the way too! 

Any how...the reason for this post was actually to post this sneak peek to my other moderators...because we are involved in a swap. Our precious Shari sent each of us a beautiful magic peacock feather at Christmas...and challenged us to make a beautiful object for a fellow moderator. We are soon exchanging these items...and mine went into the mail today. Can't say "who or what" until it is received...but I'll post a complete photograph next Tuesday!