Decorating the Topiary (with Kreinik)

Looking back on the blog posts here, I see that I've been playing with this thing since December 24! I'm still playing, but it's beginning to be interesting now.

An experiment, it is - but I'm learning the variables of working with the Kreinik on it as I embellish. Be sure to go to Freebies, etc. to see the new metallic "Hot Wire" that Kreinik now has - a new thing. I found it just when I needed it for embellishment trials here.

Anyway - back to the decorating. For the lower swag, I used #12 Holographic 002, and it's quite showy in the "heavy chain" I found at PINTANGLE in Sharon B's stitch dictionary.

Incidentally, I don't remember if I've shown this picture before or not - the arrows are pointing to my mistakes in not stitch counting symmetrically on these two swags. They are supposed to look horizontal when the tree is made into a cone, but they should have been perfectly centered - like the bottom. So far, I've hidden this effect with a generic sillk ribbon flower.

Also, I was able, since stitch drawing that bottom swag symmetrically, I was able to do the chain stitch without tent stitching the line first - much easier, and of course less time consuming.

I realize I seem to be jumping around a bit here, but this is how I've developed it so far - just a little at a time to try out special effects.

The Feather Stitch put down first makes a great background - pretty but understated - for whatever decides to come next. This, too, is on Pintangle in the Stitch Dictionary.
















I made this bottom shot with a bit of sunlight on it, as it was suppose to show the Holographic heavy chain - it's beautiful in person. The Feather Stitches Kreinik 002 #4 braid) were deliberately made to be irregular, but basically as perpindicular as possible to the chain so that they will be positioned correctly when the tree is made into a cone.

Recently, I saw somewhere a charming little ornament frame made with twisted DMC Memory Thread - so had to try it with the Kreinik metallic. It was more difficult to twist, due to the texture of the metallic covering, but I did find a splendid use for it - little candly canes! Here is a picture of a short length of it twisted as cording - you can see this on the other blog, as well as a candy cane (peppermint) made of three cords.
This is how it looks at the top now - I'll let it rest for a day or two.

The Four Faces of 002 (Kreinik Metallic)

This was originally planned to be "three faces," considering the plain, the High Luster, and the new Holographic, but upon assembling the spools on my work table, I realized that the faces of the 002 have many more visual properties than just the three!

In this first photo, I'm showing the #12 braid and the 1/16" ribbon, which are the two I use most. From left to right, HL, Vintage, and plain. Each has it's own visual qualities and great for achieving different effects!

Then comes the new Holographic!! The picture is showing the blending filament on the left, the 1/16" ribbon in the center, and the #12 braid on the right. The braid isn't pretty as it looks on the spool, but unwound, it is absolutely beautiful, and has a quality and dimension that's quite different from the other "faces" of 002.

I found this true also of the 002V several years ago when I had a spool in my stash, and didn't care for it - then I tried it, and have been a great fan ever since, and use more of it than any of the others.

This is what they look like on my work table - but one should use them judiciously, and not try to cram too many different ones onto one small piece, as this is "overkill" and ruins the overall effect of a design. Gaining some experience in working with each will give you an idea of what you want to use where. It's good to have choices!! Once again - consider that all of these are the 002 in different forms and finishes.!!

Next, check out how beautifully the Holographic colors work with the Memory Thread (Color Infusions). When this metallic first "came out," I was gratified to see that two reds were included - both the "Christmas" red, and the darker one I like to use for different dramatic effects. These too are available in ribbon, braid (all 4 sizes), and blending filament.

There are two pinks also, but the darker one - what I call "fuschia" or "hot pink" doesn't blend well with the Memory Thread, so it went back to its box.

The "chartreuse" green is one of my very favorites - and see how nicely it blends with the M.T.! The orange will be wonderful with other M.T. for fallish looking things, as there are, in that line, soft browns, tan, olive green, etc. Lots of possibilities for new designs!

To see a really really beautiful and appropriate use of the Holographic metallic, go see Liz Morrow's gorgeous new bargello piece! In this case, the work shows the intrinsic qualities of the thread as it enhances the design - works well together! This picture looks a lot better on Liz's blog than it does on mine. She also showed, in earlier posts, the ribbons in progress.

I forgot to mention that the Holographic braid is much much softer than the High Luster version of the Kreinik metallics. As much as I like the HL versions, they are a bit stiff.

Beautiful Threads!! (and the Ornament Continues)

First - good news! I remember while working on the Coral Reef ornaments, and using threads from the stash I had bought from Sharon B. of Pin Tangle, that I was hoping she would soon show more of her gorgeous hand dyed threads on the ArtFire store - and now she has.

I waited, of course, until I had bought what I wanted (I used restraint) before calling attention to it, as I saw it on her blog post yesterday. For anyone who doesn't follow this blog - it is delightful, informative, and inspirational for any of the fiber arts.

I'm especially enjoying the packages of threads as they are, as it's like having a stash of exotic and;/or useful and beautiful threads to choose from for my needlepoint projects that aren't like most of what's available in the shops. Also, there are built in color schemes in some of them. Do go take a look at Pin Tangle, and click on the link to Sharons Artfire store.

Next, the ornament: I had to take the big bright button off after all, as it was even more obnoxious after two days of not looking at it than it was when hid it from myself. I simply substituted a simple "woven" grid with #8 Holographic braid (Kreinik, of course). Then made a bit more progress on other parts. It's almost finished - and I'll do this as ideas occur for the last few small areas.

It's amazing how bright/white the YLI Ribbon floss (or any thread) looks when worked with long stitches, so the light strikes more surface. The background, the light being broken up by basketweave stitches, looks darker and duller, but what I needed to best display the look of the Memory Thread and metallic. I started a new one yesterday - another of my "traditional ornament shapes."

I decided it would be a good idea to make it red, but using the needle blending, starting with DMC floss #321. However, the stitch I'm using - my version of T-stitch - is letting some background show through, so I'm in process of ripping out and using a different stitch.

Basketweave would be too flat and dull looking for the surface. I could have painted the canvas red first, but was too lazy to do so. More on this another time, unless I decide to abort the mission and do something else.

Another Memory Thread Motif and Holographic Ribbon

This one started as a sketch on a scanned copy of the ornament before I started stitching it. I find it the easiest way to figure out some of these things.
One thing I know is that I should have drawn the entire ornament on an even count instead of odd - that is, an even number of stitches wide, which is determined by how I start at the top. It would have made these Memory Thread motifs fit better on top of the stitching, as I had to work in the spaces between stitches and not on the stitch itself..

Anyway, the fact that it isn't perfect is fine - it just shows that it was made by hand and not by a machine. For this one, the little top stitches with the Kreinik Holographic ribbon were made horizontally instead of vertically, as in the cloud filling.

In the study of Fine Arts in the studio, one learns to never force a medium to do something not inherent in its' nature, but to use it to best advantage, for its own qualities and to convey an effect desired by the artist. Using needlepoint threads falls into this category, and I'm tempted, myself, to try to force the Memory thread to do things for which it really isn't suited, just because it's fun for playing.

On this ornament, I've used it to achieve a wonderful effect I couldn't possibly get with anything else - it's raised above the surface of the stitching, and is simple and smooth - and was easily manipulated, once I figured out how to handle it most effectively. The color is also very nice for this ornament.

As for the Kreinik Holographic Ribbon - WOW! The best way I can describe it is that it has a refractory quality rather than reflective. That is, it appears that the light of the spectrum is broken up by the surface rather than the gleam/sparkle/shine/glitter that one usually sees on a metallic thread - Kreinik included.

It's an amazing look, and I wanted to use it in such a way that it shows this quality. I'm using the 1/16" ribbon for the horizontal bands, and also for the round "button" thing at the bottom. This may have to be removed, as I'm not sure I like it - it's very very bright, but I'll put it away in a drawer for a day or two - and then finish the other areas and see what I think.

I may do the same thing, but use the braid instead of the ribbon, as braid doesn't lie flat, and has a delightful "spun" texture on the surface.

The Holographic braid didn't excite me when seen on the spool, but when I threaded my needle with a strand - it came to life, and is really beautiful. I'm waiting for the #12 braid to arrive, as the #8 is small, and would take forever for this stitch - and probably not be as effective.

It's the same stitch I made up for the sea urchin - the raised spider web on 8 spokes, but going counter clock-wise back over two and forward under one. A rather interesting effect.

ADDENDUM: I forgot to mention that I used DMC floss and Kreinik Holographic Blending Filament on the red knob at the bottom of the ornament. The BF has the same qualities as the ribbon and the braid.

Kreinik Holographic and DMC Memory Thread: a Great Combo for an Ornament!!

When trying out - or using any thread at any time - there should be a definite reason for it, beyond just being the right color or because it's lying on the table.

The new Holographic thread by Kreinik has an amazing quality, and it took me a while to find just the right project for experimenting. (now the ideas are flooding into my head). It actually appears to have "lights" within it, so must be used to show off this characteristic for the advantage of the piece as well as the thread. I also wanted to find other uses for the Memory Thread by DMC beyond just creating coral.

The thing that prompted this idea was a TAST project of Sharon B's, which she calls "cloud filling." (this is from week 10, Tuesday May 4, on PINTANGLE) Anne Stradal has also used this Cloud Filling on her blog - but she sees it as flowers growing on a trellis - a charming effect!! (The Cape Stitcher)

The ornament is from my e-pattern collection of Traditional Ornaments, and I'll build it a little bit at a time, as my preconceived ideas usually fall flat and require some ripping out and re-arranging. I'm using here the red Holographic 1/16" ribbon, and outlined it first, as always, to make sure the edges are neat and not jagged.

I wasn't happy with the first thread I used for background, as it was too white - but in retrospect, what I should have used was the DMC white #3865, which isn't "white white." This would have been combined with blending filament 032. What I've used here is YLI ribbon floss.

To begin the "cloud filling," I first made a tracing of the area, and penciled in where I needed to put the little loops of metallic ribbon. This allowed me to place the loops by referring to the drawing.

I like the ribbon here rather than braid, as it lies flat and really adds a dimension via the holographic glow. The loops must be made LOOSE, so the Memory Thread will go beneath it easily. I find using a size 18 tapestry needle to hold them off the surface while making the next stitch is a good idea - keeps them from being pulled tightly. Each loop is two stitches.


When all of the loops are in place, one may then start "weaving" in the Memory Thread. (I have a tutorial posted for using Memory Thread on my Freebies, etc. blog.)


On this piece, I came up from the back, and then going from left to right, just wove the M.T. over and under, creating the beginning of the lattice effect. I used a #18 tapestry needle to lift the loops so it would be easy to poke the M.T. underneath. Then, at the right side, the M.T. goes back down from front to back of the ornament. (this is explained in detail in the tutorial). EASY!!

Incidentally - the needle showing here is just to hold the M.T. back out of the way - and for lifting the loops, etc. The M.T. is entirely manipulated with the fingers - not in a threaded needle, which would be rather impossible.

In this detail, the arrow at top left shows where the M.T. is brought from back to front - and top right shows where it goes back down. The arrow at the bottom right shows where the M.T. will be poked back down from front to back. I think you can see in this close-up the remarkable qualities of these two threads - lots of fun to play with.


The ornament will be worked a little bit at a time, but will work as a whole when I'm finished (hopefully) - and not as a several separate parts that don't coordinate. This is where individual creativity comes in - and I encourage everyone to try it!!

Marine Life in Needlepoint

While looking at the pictures I have saved of the coral reefs, it suddenly dawned on me why the aquarium gravel we used to put in our fish bowls was invented. The area around some of the corals on the ocean floor looks just like it - this along with watching Anne doing the freshwater version of life underwater. It was looking at her "gravel" that made me realize it.

(If you haven't been watching this develop, do go look at The Cape Stitcher.)

Meanwhile, working on my saltwater version, I decided to be clever last night and create a gorgonian in needlepoint. At this point, I had decided that, again, Memory Thread was the perfect coral, and that the little red extended polyps it needed, as in a picture I have saved, would be best done with crossed chain stitches and a red French Knot. I got this far, and realized it was a mess - so spent some time taking them out, as I had already made the chain stitches almost to the bottom.

A friend mentioned to me that Memory Thread is not for stitching - just for surface embellishment. However, I have enjoyed "making stitches" with it in a limited amount - It is an absolute necessity for interpreting coral, and a few fly stitches and fern stitches are simple to do.

I had to make holes in the work with a large tapestry needle for pushing and pulling the thread wrapped wire through - but it can be done, and I rather enjoy it as a new twist in creativity. More on this later, as I intend to make little red French Knots all along the branches - without the chain stitches.