Stitch of the Month 2020 - Updated 12/5/2020

December 5, 2020--All twelve months of this ANG Stitch of the Month project designed by Kathy Rees are done.  This was lots of fun with plenty of challenges.  I want to make this into a pillow and am trying to determine what type of border to add to the star so it'll have a larger surface.   Stay tuned.

SOTM 2020 through the December Lesson

November 9, 2020--The November instructions called for filling in the upper right and lower left areas.  However, as suggested by Tina of NJNA Chapter of ANG, I used the Balloon Stitch instead of the Hungarian Stitch recommended by Kathy Rees, the project designer,   It's larger than the called for stitch and reflects more light.  The December stitch should counterbalance the larger designs done in this and prior months.

SOTM 2020 through the November Lesson

October 12. 2020--October's stitch covered the second portion of the four different background patterns.  Coming to the end soon.

SOTM 2020 through the October Lesson

September 6, 2020--Below is a photo showing September's stitch, the Diamond Pavilion in the upper left and lower right blocks.  We are definitely approaching the finishing line with 3 more months of different background stitches to be done.

SOTM 2020 through the September Lesson

SOTM 2020 through the September Lesson Closeup

August 10, 2020--The August lesson is now stitched.  This lesson covered the last leg of the 8 legged star and as with all the others, got done very quickly.  The next four lessons will cover the background stitches.  This should make for easy stitching while watching TV.

SOTM 2020 through the August Lesson

SOTM 2020 through the August Lesson Closeup

July 5, 2020--Here's a photo of the 7th star leg stitched as part of the 2020 ANG Stitch of the Month (SOTM) lesson for July.    Half way through this project with one more star leg to do.  After that it's background stitches with the possible addition of a border.   Have six months to think about what would look best.

SOTM 2020 July

June 5, 2020--June's lesson for the 2020 ANG Stitch of the Month (SOTM) is the sixth star leg consisting of waffle stitches.  My favorite is worked up in the 2 corners (left and right).  Two more legs to go in blue, then the background will be next.

SOTM 2020 June Closeup 

SOTM 2020 June

May 9, 2020--Last night I stitched up May's installment (number 5) of the ANG SOTM 2020 project.  This month featured the Milanese stitch which I love when using threads that must be laid such as multiple strands of silk floss, Neon Rays types of ribbon, etc.   However, using variegated Caron Watercolours for a number of this month's sections didn't show off the stitches as well as some other type of thread could have.   But that's why I love doing these ANG SOTM projects--I learn so much and develop confidence to try new things.  Now i have to wait until the next lesson is available on June 1st to continue working on this 8 legged star.

SOTM 2020 May Closeup

SOTM 2020 May

April 5, 2020--Here's the fourth installment of the ANG Stitch of the Month project (SOTM) for 2020.  The designer, Kathy Rees, skipped a star leg and continued on with the red colors using cashmere stitch variations.  Am now thinking about a border to close up the design.  Hmmm.

SOTM 2020 April Closeup

SOTM 2020 April

The pink lines on the canvas are basting threads.




March 19, 2020--Just finished stitching March's lesson.  This third leg of the star highlights Smyrna stitches with some interesting variations.   It's a fun project to stitch...just wish I were doing this under better circumstances (no COVID-19).

SOTM 2020 March Closeup

SOTM 2020 March

February 3, 2020--It didn't take long to stitch up February's lesson.  In fact, was able to get this done while watching the Super Bowl game last night (or mostly listening to the game).  However, I did look up at the television to watch all the commercials and half-time show.  Most of the ads were very entertaining and it was interesting to see the difference in energy levels of Shakira and Jennifer Lopez.

SOTM 2020 February Closeup

SOTM 2020 February

January 25, 2020--January's lesson is stitched.   Based upon the instructions, I can tell this is going to be a lot of fun to work on.

SOTM 2020 January Closeup

SOTM 2020 January

January 2, 2020--The ANG 2020 Stitch of the Month project looks to be fun while offering stitching challenges.  The star designed by Kathy Rees will be great as a "stand up", hanging ornament, etc.  I think I'll encase mine in clear plastic and make it into a front door ornament for use on Independence Day.

So far I've downloaded the two files for January (one is an introduction and the other is January's stitching).  I really like the blue and red colors used by Kathy,  and found some of those threads in my stash.  Then  ordered what I don't have.  I already had a 12" x 12" piece of 18 count mono canvas in white, so will change the background stitches to a very pale, almost white, color rather than the ecru color Kathy used which went with her suggested egg shell colored canvas.

Below is a photo of the basted star.  I started to do the outline in #4 pencil, but feared it might look too dirty where the white background stitching met the star.  Since the design graph is based upon 6 canvas threads equaling 1 thread in the graph, I basted using a count of over/under 6 threads.  Actually faster than counting out each length.

Everything looks a bit messy now because I like having my basting thread knots in front along with their tails to keep an eye on where everything is and easier to remove as each star arm is stitched.  You can see I stitch "in the well" and mount my canvas so it sits on the back of the stretcher bars.  The tacks on the inside of the stretcher bars are for small magnets which will hold needles.

ANG Stitch of the Month 2020 Basting

Below is a photo of the project as designed and stitched by Kathy Rees.

Star Crossed Ornament Updated 12/7/15

December 7, 2015--Finished these "stars" into two ornaments.  Love how they came out and they are quiet large--5.5" in diameter.  One of these ornaments will be part of my ANG Delaware's Seashore Chapter's Holiday Lunch and Ornament Exchange which is taking place today.  Hope the recipient likes it.   Tried something a little different for my signature on the back's red velvet fabric.  Just initials with the date (done on my Bernina sewing machine).  Like how it came out.

Star Crossed Ornaments Finished

Star Crossed Ornament Back

August 31, 2015--Completed all the stitching on the five arms and outlined the star with red Kreinik thread.  I like how the Kreinik seems to hide irregularities in stitch compensation along the diagonal lines.  The green basting thread will assist me in finishing the star as a round ornament.  Instead of adding stitches to the star's background, I'll back the canvas with a shiny white fabric since the canvas itself has opalescent threads running through it (can't see it in the pictures).  I'm very pleased at how well it came out.

Completed

Fifth Arm Complete

August 26, 2015--Moving along nicely--fourth arm completed.  Stitching two of these ornaments at the same time, so it's taking time to do each section.  The compensation stitches aren't easy to do along the diagonal lines of the star and I'm constantly aware of the chance to "over stitch" a pattern.

The project photo (first picture below) shows this as a round ornament with no background stitching.  I'm thinking of doing a light coverage darning pattern using a very shimmery thin thread in the background.  Hmmm....will have to play with that idea.

Fourth Arm Completed

August 18, 2015--Third arm of the star is completed.  Compensating the stitches along the angle of each arm is a challenge and I may have to outline each arm to cover up discrepancies and other irregularities (LOL).

Third Arm Completed

August 12, 2015--Second arm of this delightful ornament is stitched.  Looking forward to seeing how the colors will look when the third arm is done.

Second Arm Completed

August 7, 2015--The basting and first arm of the star is stitched.  There was lots of basting, but it was necessary to properly line up the inside and outside points of the star.  Also makes a nice guide for compensating.  Susan Jones, however, has written very detailed instructions on where to place the basting stitches and how to compensate the complicated stitches in each star arm, so very little has to be decided upon.  Easy, peasy :-).

Basting

First Arm of the Star Stitched

August 4, 2015--Started stitching Susan Jones Star Crossed ornament.  This project is from the July/August issue of Needlepoint Now magazine and the challenge of variations and compensation stitches is right up my ally.  Below is a project photo.  In process pictures will be posted as each arm of the star is stitched.

Star Crossed Ornament Project Photo

St. Margaret's Star

September, 2011--This was a class offered online through the Shining Needle Society by Michael Boren and Carole Lake to benefit one of three charities.  I choose the Ovarian Cancer National
Alliance.

October, 2011--Framed

Stash Star Ornaments - Multi and Green & Red

June, 2011.  These two colorful stars were done as a chapter project.  Some people call these types of projects "stash busters", but for me, not having much in the way of stash at the time, had to purchase lots of DMC threads.  No problem there.  Love adding to my thread collection.   These were the first ornaments finished by me personally.  Even bought a glue gun.   The back fabric has my name and that of DH (blanked out in the pictures) stitched using wash away canvas, along with the year we moved to Delaware.  The ornaments now hang on our community club house Christmas Tree along with personalized ornaments done by our neighbors.

Stars and Hearts

November, 2009.  A beautiful project for a beginner designed by Pat Dunayer.  Instructions were found in the 11/09 Needlepointer Magazine  My first experience stitching on 24 ct. Congress Cloth.