An Overused Word

As I was finishing this canvas, a survey was reported that Americans found this to be one of the most overused words in the language. Makes sense, then, that there's a canvas for it, right?

I originally saw this canvas, by Renaissance Designs, in black in Fireside Stitchery. My daughter loved it, but of course wanted it in pink. It was special ordered for her & came with threads & a stitch guide by Marina Ketterman (of Fireside). In theory it was hers to stitch, but since she wanted it for her newly painted room, you know who this got assigned to, right?

This was really fun to stitch. The background stitch really makes this canvas pop. It was done in a Sparkle Braid in a hearts darning pattern. The border is done with a Double Hungarian using Very Velvet & Waterlilies. There's a different stitch on each letter, and beads on some of them as well. I did change one or two things on the stitch guide. I find it hard to work Petite Velvet on 18 in any kind of smallish diagonal stitch, like Nobuko (which I find annoys me sometimes) or Diagonal Mosaic (which never does). The finishing touch, in my opinion, is the outline stitch around each letter in Kreinik braid.

I am continuing to work on my next Ponza canvas, which I am working up with Sharon G in the Shining Needle Society class. This class is such a terrific idea; the opportunity to work with the designer on a canvas--incredible.

I will need some more threads for the Ponza canvas, which necessitates a run to Edwardian Needle. I will probably just wait until my Tony M class on November 11 to get the balance of the threads; Sharon just gave me some excellent suggestions. So in the interim I have a little canvas I worked up (almost done, photo sometime this week). And I just got my package from the Shining Needle Society Baskets class--this looks like there are lots of stitches I will use here! This class starts on November 1. Also on November 1, the second to last stitch will be revealed for the ANG SOTM kimono. I will have plenty to do between now & my Edwardian visit.

For those of you concerned about my stitching sister, Linda is caught up in renovation hell. She is not happily handling the chaos & mess of this renovation.....it pains me to hear her misery! But I can't wait to see it done! I have restrained myself from visiting during construction. Every once in a while she gets in a little stitching. But she spends a lot of her day as the carpenter's assistant. I think they (and she) will be done with the bulk of the work in the next 2 weeks. I think even one thing out of place will drive her crazy though. My prescription: she needs at least two uninterrupted weeks in her sewing room after this is over.

Stitch away!

Denise