A Few More Stitches

After taking a bit of a break from the canvas work spectacle case, it has progressed by a few more rounds. Somehow, it's surprising how just 10 minutes here and there eventually do add up. Once I had the spacing worked out for the Smyrna Cross Stitch,

had added in the green trellis effect, and a row of cushion stitch, I was looking forward to stitching the oblong rice stitch. That's the long dark green cross with a rusty red and a little pop of pale green to light up the centre.

I think it looks intricate and rather Christmassy, but it was straightforward to stitch.

Some changes I made to the original pattern meant I had to work sparingly with the limited amount of variegated thread that came with the kit.

I wasn't sure there would be enough for the last few cushion stitches.

In the end there was just sufficient for what I wanted to do, with none at all to spare. That little bit in the needle was all I had left.

I've filled in the last few stitches and now there's just one more round to do before the embroidery is complete.

On a completely different note, we are carefully following the progress of Cyclone Oma which is moving closer to the east coast of Australia. It is currently 900 kilometres offshore. At one stage it was predicted to be on a direct path for Brisbane. Today however it seems unlikely that it will cross the coastline. The wind has already picked up where we are, a few kilometres in from the coast, and we do need the rain, but not a direct hit from a cyclone. In the meantime we have checked the gutters, gathered all the loose items outside, filled the car with petrol and done another grocery shop. The gas bottle is full, we've got candles and also matches. All this just in case Oma gets much closer.

Satellite image, ABC news

Till next time, keep safe and happy stitching!

Reticella - Should it be White?

Reticella embroidery has always intrigued me. It's a form of whitework embroidery that combines cutwork and needlemade lace and it's generally identifiable by the square shape of the motifs.

South African embroiderers may remember the extraordinary embroidery of embroider and designer Hetsie van Wyk. See photos of Hetsie's embroidery here and here. Following the detailed instructions in her book Embroider Now, I once tried doing a little piece of Reticella - in pink.

I had just been on a visit to family in Zimbabwe and I had been able to find some Zimbabwe cotton. At the time it was a favourite among local embroiderers because it was an inexpensive evenweave type fabric that could be used for counted thread embroidery, particularly cross stitch and pulled thread work.

It was ideal for experimenting and trying out new stitches and techniques and I was tempted to buy not only the traditional white or ecru, but also small lengths of coloured fabric.

I find there is something especially alluring about white embroidery on white fabric. The question was to see how a piece of traditional whitework would look when embroidered on coloured fabric with matching threads.

Although I need more practice with the technique, I was fairly happy with this little piece of Reticella on the pink Zimbabwe cotton. But, I still think it's hard to beat whitework embroidery embroidered with white thread on white fabric. I'd love to know what you think.

Till next time, happy stitching!