Finally Framed the Fan!

Today I picked up Japanese Fan on Black from the framer and think it turned out good. I was apprehensive about not using any matting but now that it’s finished I like the simplicity and size of the finished piece. Stitching time was approximately 82 hours which didn’t seem possible, but when I totaled it up that’s what I documented. Time flies when you’re having fun. I will admit that I may have forgotten to enter the stitching time on one or two occasions so this is approximate. Counting the all the materials used, $30ish plus the framing $72 this whole project cost just over $100. Cannot complain about that. My final word about this Jinice Beacon project is that I think she is a brilliant designer, not because I tend to favor her designs, but primarily because I believe she has beautifully mastered bringing together stitch application, color and design into a cohesive and enjoyable project to stitch.

Thanks much for visiting today, I haven't been online much recently; I haven't been doing much stitching either (Camille Monet will find herself turning into a grandmother if I don't get her to the framers). But I did get the CanvasWorks rooster to the framer and should have it in the next week. I love getting things finished. Talk later.

Japanese Fan cont.

Once completing the small frame of stitching (one row of #16 Kreinik braid tent on either side of 1 row of Watercolor slanted over two) around the fan it was time to begin the lattice background.  Jinice's instructions were very good allowing for easy and methodical counting. The lattice work is done in #8 Kreinik braid in black HL (high luster) which connects well with the sheen of the bugle beads. In the photograph the beads appear to be black but they are actually black iris which is more or less an iridescent black.

The beads are sewn on with medium blue floss, two strands, and while unlike any other area of this canvas the blue thread runs across the back of the canvas barely showing through the unstitched background. This technique has toned down the stark black background, softening the relation between the brightness of the fan and the depth of the black canvas. I used Mill Hill bugles for this and ran short by about 1/2 package. (No I didn't drop them on the floor as suggested by DH.)

The final piecepart of this design is to stitch the outside frame using long (over 10) straight stitches in stranded wool, mitering the corners. Medici was prescribed, however despite recently reading that Medici is once again available, my LNS suggested using Silk & Ivory in a peacock blue. If this doesn't work out, I will go with a similar shade of Burmilana.

Once I finish all couching left undone to provide for the beading, I will "clean up" the stitched areas and then off to the framers. Yippee!

Thank you for taking your good stitching time to visit today!