There's no place like home. . .

Hold on a second, are we in the right movie? Maybe you didn’t know that The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind have more than a few things in common. First and foremost, both originated from books. Both were produced by MGM and directed by David Selznick who must have been a very busy fellow because both were released the same year, 1939, which film experts believe to be the best year in film ever. And at the Oscars, both were nominated for Best Picture (GWTW winner), Best Art Direction (GWTW winner), Music-Original Score (WOZ winner), Outstanding Production (GWTW winner) & Special Effects (neither which is baffling). In all, Gone with the Wind won 10 awards out of 15 nominations whereas Wizard of Oz won 4 awards out of 6 nominations—not that it’s a completion, personally both are 1A and 1B as my favorite movies. But to me the most important thing they share is an ongoing timeless theme and one beloved to my heart: Home

Now I have been told that I often think differently than the masses so if you’re scratching your head, let me explain. Scarlett does everything she can to save her home and Dorothy goes on the journey of a lifetime to return to hers. Both go through unbelievable adventures yet essentially end up where they started, back home. Both movies end leaving you with the impression that brighter days lie ahead for both heroines.

What does that mean in relation to our work in progress? It means I’m stitching Tara, of course! Do you know that most needlepoint projects aren’t completed because people either don’t know what to do with or get bored with stitching their background? I’ve been told this by more than one needlepoint expert and I can see that as being true but not the case here because the designer gave us a built in pattern to which there’s only one logical choice in my mind, cashmere stitch outlined in gray tent. I wanted the cashmere stitches to seam very smooth and flat so for that I’m sorry to have to say it folks, but we’re going to have to strand. Yes I know, I know, no one ever wants to strand, never mind their background, but the look warrants it. And I have a quick tip to help you. I have been stitching “in transit” (train) of late and I find if I strand the whole cut length into little bundles and then wrap them lightly around a finger or two, making a little wheel of the amount of strands I need, they stay neat and then I don’t have to strand every single time I need to start a new thread. I sometimes do several lengths at a time if I need a lot. It just cuts a step out for later. You could even thread up multiple needles and have them ready if you are trying to keep the momentum going. So try pre-stranding and you might not hate it as much. Oh and I’m assuming you all know how to strand properly so it’s not a jumbled mess. In case you don’t, I tap the top of the cut end so the strands fan out, grab a single strand, hold the rest of the strands with my other hand and pull straight...don’t try to separate them like a cheerleader split, that’s where you get into problems. This always works without fail and it will save you a lot of wasted thread and personal headache. And while we’re talking about stranding. I hear the question again and again— three or four stands? For me, on 18 which is usually what I work on, it’s almost always three, but I often like a lighter coverage, but if you are changing the color from what the canvas is painted or need full coverage because you’re covering something up, I suggest four. One thing I like about standing (yes, there IS something to like about stranding) is if whatever you are using isn’t covering, in a pinch (aka too lazy to rip out and start again) you can always go back and add one to two more stands on top of what you’ve already stitched to get the coverage you need- my needlepoint students and I affectionately refer to this as “popping a stitch” (needless to say I have a fun group of students). You can also do that to do very pinpointed padding (like I did with Scarlett’s lips back in this POST—link). Is this technically correct? Probably not, but practicality is always wins out with me, especially when the alternative involves ripping out. So I’m going to strand away because it will lay very flat which is the look I want. I’m using four strands in Splendor 800 in bright white for the white bricks/slats and Pepper Pot Silk Oyster 004 for the gray outlines. I’m using four strands because as you will see, I am going right over a few things again that I’m going to add back later (like Ms. Melanie’s veil and the tassel—more on those in future episodes).

We also need to stitch the shutter. I began by stitching the shading on the right using a cashmere stitch and then tent stitching the shading of the vertical slats in Vineyard Forrest Green C-069. I then used four strands of Splendor 907 to do a cashmere stitch down the right and left sides using the vertical shaded lines as my guide/boundary. That naturally creates the slats across. This is a great example of how you can break up a single color using a series of directional stitches to give it interest and look more realistic. Also notice I reversed the direction of the slant on the slats, as opposed to keeping them the same slant/angle as the sides. I did this for visual interest. It’s subtle but I think it works.

While we’re talking about the concept of home, let’s talk about my second one, my local needlework shop, B.F. Goodstitch. Something bordering on magical happens when I walk through those doors, it’s just comfortable. It doesn’t put on airs, if you love needlework, you’re welcome. The owner, Fidelis (what happened to her? She was supposed to be stitching this too... I think maybe I’m monopolizing the canvas), went to the Royal School of Needlework in the UK. She knows about all kinds of needlework, not just needlepoint. Her knowledge is such an asset because she can help you figure out how to do anything relating to needlework, and I do mean anything. You need to pad Geisha’s hair, she knows precisely how to go about it. You can’t figure out what material to use for raised 3-D cat whiskers, well she just so happens to have horsehair in her stash (no joke, that actually happened). Not a single thread is the right color match for your Sharon G corset canvas, she knows how to manipulate an overdyed thread by flipping it onto itself adding a blending filament and a light stitch to make it all work...she has saved my stitching sanity more than I can count! I always feel so inspired when I’m with her. When I count the blessings of my stitching life, she is the top of my list. That’s another thing about homes, it’s not about the building, it’s about the lives inside, it’s about the people. 

Many years ago Fidelis and I had a conversation about where this art form would be going. We agreed that there was going to be “crossover;” crewelwork/long-and-short, elements of goldwork and stumpwork were all going to start being incorporated and if you follow many of the designers and/or teachers or are even just an observer on the original Needlepoint Nation Facebook group, I’m sure you will agree, that day has come. Hopefully we, as stitchers, will keep evolving which is why education through a local needlework shop is so important! Online shopping may be easy but we need shops to help enable us to build a local needlework community and just as, if not more importantly, provide hands-on education. It’s only through education will we grow as fiber artists. B.F. Goodstitch recently hosted a class with JP Sligh of Labors of Love on how to paint your own needlepoint canvas. JP’s partner in crime, Mark Young, attended too and was great company. It was a surreal moment for me to not only meet the designer of this Gone with the Wind canvas but to have a conversation with him about my progress so far and my plans for the remaining areas. They are both such nice gentlemen and very generous with their talent/knowledge. I’m not usually a picture taker but I just had to get a photo to remember the occasion. 

It was such an educational day. If you have the chance to take JP’s class, you should because the way he teaches do not require  any artistic ability on your part to apply his techniques.

We still have some background left but such an emotional topic has tired me out like a lady who missed their nap at the barbecue, so we’ll cover the remainder of the background next time... we are over the halfway point now, only two characters left and the rest of Scarlett’s dress to finish. Many stitches and techniques still to come so don’t miss an episode, subscribe for updates for delivery to your email.

In the meantime, just remember the moral to both stories ... there’s no place like home. . .  because after all, tomorrow is another day!

“Frankly my dear.....

....I don’t give a damn.” One of the most famous movie quotes in history, by the time you get to this line in the movie and Rhett finally says it, you just want to stand up and cheer! Finally someone tells Ms. Scarlett they have had enough! And like I said in my last post, he’s my favorite character because he just doesn’t take anyone’s crap! But most of all he’s a survivor above all else and that really appeals to me.

If you know anything else about Rhett Butler, you know that he looks sharp as a tack so I want to impose that with my stitch choices. We already stitched his jacket and skin tone. Now what to do with the color of his shirt? It’s a small area and I wanted the fabric to look like a small check, so I stitched in a skip tent pattern but as a cross stitch in Pepper Pot, color Salt 02 and by doing the stitch as a cross stitch, the stitch appears more square reinforcing they checkered affect. To stitch his eyes, I used a Kreinik (brown) metallic #12 Braid 002. The pupils of Rhett’s eyes on this canvas were painted all black. I thought it made him too sinister looking so I replaced a few stitches with the brown metallic to slightly soften the look. I stitched the mustache and the eyebrows in long and short style diagonal stitches in DMC pearl cotton 5 in black (310). I like the contrast of using a different thread for facial hair than the hair on his head.

Rhett has that dark and handsome thing going on and he has that unflawed jet black hair. I really wanted it to look dark, thick and slick. When you want that dense look in the best thin in my opinion to use is Rainbow Gallery’s Flair. I used black (F501) and just more than a touch of light gray (F591). While we only need a touch of the light gray — and we could have done without— it makes him look distinguished and it helps break up that expanse if black so it’s not too one-note. Similar to how I stitched Ashley’s hair, I found my part line and drew a line with blue dressmakers chalk (which is in a pencil form). I then stitched long and short in both directions leaving the vertical row for the part unstitched/empty. I stitched down the right side first then I worked from the top down on the left side in the black. Once I got to the silver streak, I had both colors going in separate needles at the same time. I will often do this as I find it an easier way to shade. Remember though to maintain good thread management so you don’t get tangled up on the back side. Once I stitched the bulk of the hair, I then went back at the end and stitched tent with the black Flair over the empty vertical part row. I find black much more forgiving when doing hair. It’s so dark and dense it hides a lot of stitching flaws so if you’re cautious about trying “Flair for hair” (I love how that rolls off the tongue), I recommend trying it in black for your first attempt.

As soon as I saw the flower in his lapel, I knew I had to stitch it as a woven ribbon rose. I think it’s rather busy how it’s painted but if you use the right ribbon and simplify, it could really be a feature. When doing woven ribbon roses, you need the appropriate sized ribbon and a matching thread—floss or pearl cotton is fine is that’s all you have but silk ribbon is just luscious. You probably won’t see your thread but having a decent match helps disguise it if it peaks through. I am using Planet Earth Fiber 4mm ribbon in the color Lollipop 011 which has a little over-dyed edge which will look especially nice once it’s woven into a rose. Using 3 strands of DMC 3687 I made a circle of 5 “spokes” in a circular pattern. On smaller flowers you can use 3 or on a larger you can do 7 or 9 but it has to be an odd number so that’s your most important take away. You don’t want your spokes too loose or too tight, remember these are going to create your petals and you don’t want them so tight they over wear your ribbon. Below are my spokes:

Attach your ribbon in the back either by burying it under existing stitches or piercing it with your needle and come up one canvas thread from the center. I tend to like to work clockwise but you can work in either direction as long as you keep going in the same direction. You then go around the clock weaving over and under, over and under. Keep going round and round and as you do, manipulate the ribbon a little so you get some nicely shaped petals. Once the flower seems pretty full, keep going until you make sure you can’t see any of the spokes’ thread and when you are satisfied with your rose, poke your needle under a fat nice petal through to the back of the canvas and end your thread as your normally would when working with ribbon. And here’s my finished rose.

  

If my description wasn’t detailed enough, Sarah Homfray has a great instructional video HERE. If you aren’t familiar with Sarah, she has taught for the Royal School of Needlework and is an enormously talented embroidery teacher. Many embroidery videos can be easily converted to needlepoint especially if you aren’t afraid to pierce the canvas (there isn’t a law against it you know), so if you ever want to try a new to you technique and can’t find a needlepoint video, I highly recommend looking at embroidery videos to help just remember you want the idea of it not the exact science (because this type of needlework work isn’t).

While we’re on the subject of silk ribbon, let’s work on that ascot. Now men’s fashion is not usually my thang but in reviewing some images of Rhett’s character, he has an array of neck adornment. Traditional ties, bow ties and neckerchiefs. I’m going for a broad silk necktie look, not to be confused with the narrower necktie that we’re used to today. To get the effect I am looking for, I decided to use River Silk ribbon in 10mm in color 310. I stitched a couple of long directional stitches about half way down and then long directional stitches on top of those to fill in the length. The stitches that go only about half way provide subtle padding and help with coverage towards the top. With a ribbon this wide, keep a light tension, don’t pull the ribbon to much, let it breath and billow on its own but don’t let it twist, use a laying tool to lay it flat. I prefer one with a rounded tip, not sharp for ribbon work. Then I used The Collection Designs Swarovski Flatback crystal in color 3700 6mm color Crystal which is a gorgeous irredentist purple/pink/green with a single The Collection Designs miyuki size 11 seed bead coincidentally enough in color crystal as the tie tack. The colors in this crystal are perfect for the look I want. It is subtle without being garish, just what it needs. And while I am mentioning The Collection Designs (also know as Embellishing Plus for their crystals, beads, etc.), they also make an awesome beading thread that is totally invisible, yet it’s very strong, and absolutely will not break or stretch. I originally purchased it for beading, which it’s great for, but I also use it for couching especially when I want something to appear to just float on the canvas or if it’s a heavier component, it’s what I always turn to. I would normally wait and do my ribbon and beading as the last components of my design but I’m trying to work in sections for the sake of the blog readers so do as I say, not as I do.

My version of Mr. Rhett is now complete. I think this is the perfect example that proves you don’t have to do anything outrageous to bring a character to life. He looks pretty damn (there’s that works again!) suave, if I do say so myself!

We are chipping away at our Gone With the Wind canvas and like the ladies in the mid-afternoon at the barbecue, I need a nap, although I guarantee if I snuck out, I would not be whipping a vase at Rhett’s head! I’d sense his presence anywhere. Who will make their presence known next? You’ll have to stay tuned to find out!

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