Saturday, March 26, 2011

Fall Trees Wrap Up

I put the last stitches in the Fall Trees this morning. What a fun project this has been - full of bright, fun colors and interesting stitch and thread combinations. What more can you ask for in a project?


I must thank Ada Haydon for sharing her creativity with us in these festive tree canvases and for allowing the stitch guides to be published in Needlepoint Now. Ada has done a great job with her Tree series and I look forward to stitching the Winter Trees sometime soon. She has also been a great cheerleader for me as I have stitched the Fall Trees. Thanks, Ada!

So, what comes next? Maybe this - Vintage Pears by Melissa Shirley. I started it early last year and put it away when the Halloweenies arrived. I think it might be time to work on it again.


The stitch guide is by Beverly Churchfield of Aristeia. I was just looking through the thread kit for this piece and the colors are just beautiful. Varying shades of greens, coppers, rusts, and browns. Beads and metallics will add subtle sparkle to the pears as well.

But, while I was looking through the project stash, I came across a canvas in Melissa Shirley's Wild Women series - Queen Elizabeth I. I think this was my first purchase from Amy's Golden Strand - way back in December 2008. This project has been languishing in the stash for a long time and, with my visit to Amy's in a few weeks, now might be a good time to get this canvas on to the stretchers and get it started. I think it probably overwhelmed me in December of 2008 but now, as a seasoned veteran of the Halloweenie series, it doesn't seem so daunting. There are lots of threads but the Elizabeth stitch guide is not as lengthy as one of the Halloweenie stitch guides. And, with the royal wedding fast approaching, it seems like an appropriate canvas to be stitching.




It's a dark, thundery afternoon, but thank heavens for the rain! The pollen has been horrendous this year and this is the first hard rain we have had that might wash most of it away. I considered a stop at the car wash this morning but now I'm glad I waited. The azaleas and dogwoods are in full bloom, my climbing rose is full of buds, and the perennials in the flower bed are showing themselves after a cold winter. Spring has definitely arrived!


Have a great weekend and get lots of stitching done!

5 comments:

  1. Melinda

    Congrats on your finish...the trees look great. I was looking at my Pear canvas just the other night and you are so right. The colors look so inviting and it is gorgeous

    I got my two Pilgrims out of my stash this morning...another class by Bev Churchfield last Feb that I took at Aristeia and I have both about half finished. Think I will see how much I can get finished this weekend. Maybe for this Thanksgiving?

    Enjoy your stitching weekend.

    Sue VanderNoor

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  2. Hi Melinda,
    The trees look fantastic. Cannot wait to see the surprise you have in store for us with the finishing.
    I love the pears but for some reason am drawn to Elizabeth. She looks like she would be a really fun stitch.
    Enjoy the rest of your weekend.
    Linda

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  3. Melinda,
    There is a certain harmony in your Autumn trees. Colorful fall leaves are another form of spring flowers. Just different colors. Fall colors give us a warmth that will take us through the Winter solstice allowing us to stay warm for the long winter to come. It turned out beautiful and your stitching is devine.

    Diane

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  4. Congrats Melinda, this looks beautiful! I am so glad you enjoyed working on it. (After all, I only stitched it once, you did it 3 times!) I will be anxiously waiting to see it back from the finishers. Please do post a photo, I would love to add it to the Finishing Gallery on my website. I will be looking forward to Winter Tree coming up in your rotation, but in the meantime I will enjoy watching you work on whichever of these two fantastic projects you pick. I would have to flip a coin to decide, they are both fabulous!

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  5. Your trees look great!

    I am just dying to see what you do with Queen Elizabeth. There are just so many things you can do with this canvas. Please keep us updated on your stitching with this one. Love it!

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