Well I wasn't able to stitch in the car but I was glad I had it along as I did get a little stitching done in the hotel while we were stranded in Seattle last week. Remember how wimpy this cherry blossom tree was? One of the reasons was that when I started this project in 2010 I challenged myself to use a goodly supply of Edmar threads.... which I hated and have been able to give most away. 
Trying to do hundreds of French knots with rayon thread drove me crazy and I quit.. I tried everyone's suggestions such as changing which end I knotted, wrapping the thread a different way around the needles, pressing the thread....and it was always a tangled mess... Rather than pull out all the Edmar thread, I just filled it in with knots of both silk and cotton threads and I'm happy with it.
So I filled out the tree and added more knots around the image...again cotton and silk threads. I took the "silk" snow off the mountain and after trying silk thread, perle thread, Glossilla rayon, and cotton thread, I am using a Krenik metallic and sticking with it...no more changes.
But from the very beginning of this challenge project there was one thing I was really looking forward to and that was the TAILS.... I can see that I will finally get there now.. In 2010 I did this fan and bead combination in anticipation of beading the tails. I had hoped to use the fan somewhere on the block...if not the block, on the border. In fact I did have it on there once and took it off. I love the little dyed shell beads
But if I hadn't already changed everything possible on this block, I took aim at the peacocks themselves today.. and guess what? Into the computer for a critical look and major changes ahead for them..
Right off they are too large to be in proportion for the lavish tail I had in mind. Since I did them on felt, taking them off and doing a little size reduction will be no problem... I would have taken them off anyway because I want to change their placement. One on the right will be not only smaller but also 1/2" higher. The walking peacock will be also smaller and nearer the pond.
So the two sketches show how much better balanced the block will be with modified, altered and rearranged peacocks. I can't remember ever having a block the has taken so long and gone through so many changes... By rights there was so much to be changed I should have just scrapped this project altogether... BUT by golly I wanted to do those darn tails............................One tail (or maybe both are going right off the block...)
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4 comments:
so interesting reading how you have developed this project like you hate rayon threads and have given early all mine away too. The peacocks are going to be so beautiful so looking forward to seeing their tails, I am sure tou will enjoy doing them with your amazing creative skills happy stitching
Love the way you put it on your computer and fiddle with the design. Pope Francis on Saturday warned against populism, saying it could lead to the election of "saviours" like Adolf Hitler.Hat do you use for software?
As always, I find it interesting to know how you go about fixing a piece that you're not happy with. I can also imagine the nightmare it must have been to attempt to do French knots with rayon thread - that stuff is miserable. I find that if I moisten it thoroughly before I start to stitch it seems to help, but even that doesn't work with French knots.
You made me smile - I hate Rayon threads too and I am sure I have used every trick in the book to tame them - I decided last year I would not buy them anymore and gave away a heap so I did not have to use them up! (I sent you an email about something to your yahoo addy - not sure if you still use it )
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