Santa of the Forest and the Tassel

Santa of the Forest is finished.

 

After stitching on this piece off and on for 15 years, I was able to finally get it finished and framed. It is stitched on 36 count natural linen with 2 strands of DMC cotton thread. I did have a few problems with the colors. Since I started years ago, at least 1999, the colors of at least one of the threads has changed a bit. When I began the 489 red was a medium dark but true red. Now it has quite a bit of pink in it. Usually that would not matter a lot but since I stitched about half of the piece with the old color then ran out-- that was a big problem. I finally found an Anchor color that almost but not quite matched. It is close enough that I am the only one who will know where the different threads are used.  I am pleased with the embroidery and know that we will enjoy it for many years. I usually  do not stitch pictures like this. In fact I have only stitched three large ones from Lavender and Lace. Turns out that all three of them are Christmas pieces. I do have a couple of smaller ones that I want to do. I put one called Emma's Garden on stretcher bars so that I can stitch on it between other projects.

 

This time of year, when I can, I usually try to finish some things and relax without the pressure of new designs. I have wanted to assemble the tassel that I bought when we visited the Declerq shop  in Paris. Finally I got busy and did it. It took parts of 3 days but I am pleased with the finished tassel. I learned a lot but mostly that you need to be generous with the threads. A fat tassel looks much better.

 

Tassel finished

Santa of the Forest and Katherin

I have been working on Santa of the Forest for quite a while. Actually more than quite a while, as I was looking through the bag that it was kept in I found a receipt from 1999. I have always like it; am glad that I am getting back to it and am getting close to the finish. Here is a photo with the white part of the beard stitched.

 

This is a photo of a painting that I was going to name after one of my ancestors. The original is actually from Italy in about 1660. When my father asked me for a picture that he could paint for me, I picked this one because it is really sweet and of a girl of about the right age for my Katherin but it is from 1660 and Katherin needs to be from 1670. So the painting will be her sister or cousin.

My father was born in 1923 and at 91 years old he still does fabulous things.

I have had fun deciding on her story and how she came to stitch a needlework casket. I am going to do some fun pieces to fit in my casket.