Thursday, June 24, 2010

A Frame, a Start and a Conversion - or - Quaker, Quaker, Sampler

GR&DF what super comments - I do thank you all for them!!! I am such a nut for the Quaker pieces - it doesn't matter if they are reproductions or the newer versions using Quakery bits and pieces. It seems that the Quaker fad has sort of run its course and not as many pieces are being released as they were a year or so ago - but I stocked up and have plenty of Quaker stash to keep me busy.

Last night I dug out a BBD - LF piece I did back in 07 to frame up. I picked up the frame this weekend and think it goes very well with the piece. Here is a snap -


I have seen this stitched up by many stitchers - It is "Quaker Garden" a Loose Feathers piece, I used the recommended floss and linen - at the time I would have never thought of choosing anything else but what was called for - such sacrilege!! It was also this piece that started me on my love of the stitched Quaker. Here is another snap of it hanging in the stairway -


It fit perfectly in this odd triangular space and sort of finished off the other stitched pieces I have cascading down the wall - yes, that is my knee in the lower right corner.

I was also at the point between pieces that I really do not like. I like just sitting down and picking up a WIP - but one has to start a piece to have a WIP to stitch on. I started in on a chart that is on a loan to me called "Red Alphabet" by Sheepish Designs. It will be a quick piece to stitch but I think very pretty. Here is my pitiful little start snap....


I am using WDW "Brick" - the model on the package shows it worked in a silk, but I already have 3 skeins of the "Brick" and so I chose to go for that from the stash as that was the conversion suggested from SD. I am stitching it on a piece of linen from LL called "Flax" - 32ct.

A while back I had an email about my process in converting from what is recommended to other fibers and so I think I will take the opportunity here to show exactly how I do it. Not that this is the best way but it is my way. Here is a snap -

This is what I did last night - a conversion for "The Garden Path" - I usually put down some white paper and then get together the called for floss - in this case it is DMC - then I haul out the silk or the over dyed or what ever kind of floss stash I want to stitch the piece in question and just get to going through it all until I hit on either colours that are close to the DMC's or colours I like that sort of coordinate with together. Here is everything - the DMC with my conversions of the different silks I will use. Now I need to get at the linen stash a pick something from there.

There you go sports fans. Thank you again for stopping by and for the kind words!! Do come again.

Take care,
edgar

25 comments:

  1. What a fabulous finish. Love your stitching wall. It is looking great.
    Also, thanks for the tutorial of how you convert your floss. Looks like a great method.

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  2. I love your latest framed piece.

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  3. Your framed piece is beautiful!! Can you show us more snaps of what is on your wall?

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  4. What a super post today!

    I love that BBD and every time I see it around I get more desperate to stitch it, lol! I think I have startitis; or maybe I just can't "settle in" about what to stitch!

    I enjoyed also seeing the frame for it (quite nice) and the stairway location (with bonus knee, of course. :D).

    Also interesting about your conversion technique. I'd get my threads so disorganized if I did that, but then they already are! :P Today I think I'm gonna put some effort into fixing up my "stitching shelf" which is about a 4' "half-shelf" that sits at my elbow. It has wips, linen, pretty much anything I stuff into or on it, and it has gotten too far towards out of control!

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  5. Lovely framed piece. I do love the soft colours for quakers.

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  6. I love your wall. I;m in awe of your framing.

    hugs
    -missy-

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  7. that frame looks great! I have this in my WIP basket, it has been sadly neglected, maybe its time I pick it back up.
    Take Care

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  8. That frame is perfect for your Quaker Garden. It's one of my favorite stitched pieces. Love your new start and your BP Companion is gorgeous! Congrats on a beautiful finish!!!

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  9. Great sampler wall and a sweet new start!

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  10. Your framed piece looks wonderful! I bought that one on etsy awhile ago. It is so pretty I think I'll have to stitch it. You have inspired me to look for frames whenever I'm out at antique or thrift stores. Also if you like quaker, have you seen the quaker Halloween? It's really cute!

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  11. Your QG finally has a good home, very pretty, congrats! Nice texture detail on the frame, love it ~ your stairway finishes really dress up the space nicely. Since I've just finished my first Quaker, as usual, here I am discovering something after the fad has passed, the last one, on the last seat, on the last bus-lol:)

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  12. Love your 'Quaker Garden' and the
    frame is just perfect for it! Was
    that an estate sale find?! Looks good on the wall. Hope you don't run out of wall space soon!

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  13. It's amazing that you found a frame that was the perfect fit for that Quaker! It's an unusual shape. Gorgeous frame job! Love where it's hanging too. Thanks for explaining about how you do conversions. I'm going to have to remember that. I wonder if I can do one too.... I don't have a good eye for color IMO. Nice Sheepish WIP too!

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  14. What a prefect frame for this piece! I have seen this design before and absolutely adore it.

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  15. I'm always envious when I see that someone has framed their own piece. My dad tried framing something for me and it about drove him around the bend! It's still sitting in my stitching room awaiting a frame...

    BBD has some gorgeous charts!

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  16. Your newly framed piece is beatiful! Thanks for the sneak peek into your conversion process. That was fun!

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  17. I love the framing and thanks for letting us see the stairway. I just might have to try more conversions. Your way seems quite easy.

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  18. Another beautiful sampler! I share your love of Quakery pieces and have been stockpiling charts too. I know how trends come and go and I don't want to find myself longing for another OOP graph - better to have too many than not enough -- that's my philosphy for stitching!

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  19. Love to see how you convert the floss. Since I don't have a stash of silk I often print out the colors from various on-line shop pages and then match the colors to whatever cotton floss I have around. Your method is right up my alley though. Both tidy and artisitic! Just finished a Quaker myself,thanks to your generousity. On that same note, thanks for the Royal magazine and the floss. Somehow the Threadworx was not nearly as black as it seemed on the website, but it will certainly go to good use. Thanks again!!

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  20. Oh how I love your stitching wall!

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  21. Oh that your embroidery are beautiful I have also make this BBD it is magnificent in your staircase all these paintings(boards) it is wonderful bravo to you! Best regards marylin

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  22. Edgar, What a great finish! You should feel so good that you got this big sucker finished!

    I too, am nearing the finish line on a big project and can't wait to have it done. Mostly because there are so many other projects screaming my name....

    I would like to be in the drawing for this piece, thanks for the giveaway.

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  23. Love your Quaker piece, gorgeous frame too.

    Thanks for the tutorial. It's nice to know how you do it, I tend to change and adjust as I go :-).

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  24. I love this quaker piece. A beautiful finish.

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  25. Love that frame job, and nice start!

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