And The Christmas Card...
I Thought you would like to see, Dear Readers, the completed Sky on the petit-point Christmas Tree Skirt. Yes, I did a lot of stitching on the weekend. I do think it looks lovely and as Birgit has commented, the way the sky shows off the Snowman and the Snowdeer are particularly satisfying. All that remains to do is the snowy ground around the border, and since I was not-commuting to work this morning I made a start. I thought it would be easy, just add the white in the circle shape, but discovered that it was Not easy at all! Making the circle edge completely round is a delicate mix of ever changing rows of stitches, and counting the correct number of stitches for each row requires that you know exactly where you are on the chart at every stitch! Yikes! After the easy task of just filling in the sky background.... making the snowy Ground required vigilant attention.... and lots of taking out stitches!
Here you can see the Snowman and the
Snowdeer with the finished sky.
Here you can see where I have started to add the snow.
And at a certain point I realized that I
needed to stitch the outer edge first,
making a "line" at the edge that
I could fill in afterwards.
It was easier to count the placement of the edge stitches first...
Until I came to where I had added
the Cavorting Deer to the design...
and I am afraid I made them a little too frisky,
and they overstep the border edge of the snow!
Even though I had drawn the deer onto the pattern guide
within the snowy edge,
when I was stitching I did not stick exactly to my drawing.
You can see in this closeup that I have had to "bump out"
the circle edge the littlest bit to fit around the deer!
I am hoping that once it is all stitched and hemmed,
it won't be noticeable at all!
But it has made it very difficult to get back to the
"proper edge" of the circle design.
But I am Sure that what some of you Really want to see
is the finished Christmas Card Drawing.
The Post Office delivered it in Record time so here it is!
Please judge it Gently, Dear Readers, as it is not the Prettiest of my cards.
But it was not a pretty year and we all struggled to cope
with more changes and more danger than we ever imagined.
As always it is pen and ink and watercolor on paper,
drawn to actual size of the printed cards, 8.5 by 11 inches.
I did not count the hours this year....
nor did I count the trips up and down the stairs
to double check my details....
And there is at least one glaring mistake!
But I hope you never notice it!
Stay strong and stay well, Dear Readers,
and I hope you are Comforted by the
Glimmers of Hope for this New Year!
I love how this looks! I don't think the little jog outward will be obvious at all
ReplyDeleteNo he podido resistir bajar a mirar lo primero tu postal de navidad! y una vez más me has dejado maravillada con tu arte, has sabido plasmar con tanto detalle y delicadeza lo que ha sido éste año en cada línea,en cada dibujo, en cada viñeta...es magnífica!!!!! Y por supuesto no encuentro ningún error! Enhorabuena otro año más!
ReplyDeleteLa falda del árbol de navidad se ve tan bonita con el cielo completado! que bien se aprecian el hombre de nieve y el reno albino.
Que graciosos los renos que "escapan" un poco de la línea,yo creo que lo hace único!
Besos.
tanto el bordado como la tarjeta me parecen espectaculares, te felicito
ReplyDeleteI think it's perfectly all right to "bump out." Why do you need a perfect circle? Your difficulty in staying just right reminds me of my knitting these amazingly complicated Japanese knitting patterns. I use post-its to keep me on the right row in these very small instructions, but every now and then I find myself going the wrong way! Or my old eyes need a magnifying glass to read the symbol. Your tree skirt is gorgeous. Stay well and happy,
ReplyDeleteMuch love, Mom
Your Christmas card is amazing. And the embroidery is perfect.
ReplyDeleteOne tiny "bump out", if you didn't point it, I'd never noticed. It only proves that it's handmade and double precious.
ReplyDeleteThe card is stunning! I can imagine how valuable your collection is to your beloveds.
Take care and keep safe!
Hugs, Drora
Fabulous Betsy! The card is lovely and fun evem if you don’t think it is pretty. And the rug will turn out fine I am sure, despite the over-excited reindeer frollicking! Could you add an extra stitch all the way around the edge to round off the circle more? I don’t do these sorts of things because of my inability ti keep count....
ReplyDeleteEh, what exactly do you mean with "Please judge it Gently, Dear Readers, as it is not the Prettiest of my cards"??? Okay, we could have a little discussion about "pretty" and I would point out that according to my rudimental English skills "pretty" would never be the adjective of my choice when it comes to describe your cards. I'm more into something in the range of awesome, stunning, gorgeous, breath taking, terrific, blows-me-away and/or beautiful... but okay, if you would insist on "pretty" I would never let you go away with claiming this card would be less pretty than the awesome, stunning (etc. you know by now) cards before. To me this is another masterpiece in a row of masterpieces!
ReplyDeleteYear after year I am in awe how you manage to put your scenes and images important for the year into a "drawing pattern"... starting with the letter of the year to the framing you always have, may it be a Christmas garland, a tree branch or in this year (of course) stones. Because this was one of the main tasks you did last year: Making the already impressive stonework of the castle even more impressive. And all the windows and shutters which took you so long to realize...and of course the most stunning fireplace ever being built and the tiles (even the red star center tile shows up) and not to forget building the castle's top... everything is there. And even your wonderful improvement of the light chain of the Christmas trees in the castle... I loved seeing the little dreamers admiring this beautiful tree with the improved candles and the beautiful bird ornaments so much. And let's not forget that you even managed to celebrate your special love... of course I'm speaking of the love for hinges. ;O)
And as always there are so many more lovely details to be discovered... and yes, I admit it, it touched me to discover the beary gang following your stitching progress. Another card with BiWuBearies on it!!! What a big honor! And I also loved the castle peeping through the door in the kitchen scene and... ah, there are so many details I happily discovered that probably the comment form might explode if I'd mention them all. And if I ever should be forced to say a negative thing about this Christmas card it would be about the very little space your fabulous stitching projects received. *LOL* No, just kidding, you found a wonderful way to add them - because they belong of course to your 2020.
Chapeau for another masterpiece which captures so well the gone by and very special year! To me it's always a big pleasure when you publish it and I really need to mention that the quality of your drawing is once more excellent. Your talent never stops to amaze me.
And speaking of masterpieces and being amazed... it's amazing to see the tree skirt with the finished background and the developing snowy ground. Yes, the background makes the tiny motifs shine bright and stand out more clearly. But I'm sorry that the darling reindeers are causing you some trouble. As Shannon already said... perhaps you could make the skirt one round bigger? And if not... better a bump because of frolicking reindeers than a round boring corner. ;O)
Hugs
Birgit
What a stunningly pretty Christmas Card for 2020 Betsy.
ReplyDelete('Pretty': pleasant to look at, or attractive or charming in a delicate way ~ Cambridge dictionary)
Another masterpiece, perfectly capturing the good and important thing in life in a 'pretty' horrible and average year we have now left behind.
The card perfectly captures that staying within our own walls, we have all been reminded just how important family, friends, safety and good health is and (perhaps) to treasure these important things and not take them for granted. All your cards, I have seen are fabulous, but this years card is extra special, I think.
As for your Christmas tree skirt 'bump-out'.. I am quite certain it will not be noticeable at all once it is finished and those frisky, jolly reindeers are just too fabulous.
Hugs, Anna
I quote Harriet: "I think it's perfectly all right to "bump out." Why do you need a perfect circle?" I think it is as your Mom said, because I thought exactly the same, Betsy! As you know I often don't like perfect work, as life has always imperfections too, so why not in mini...???
ReplyDeleteYour tree skirt is sooo beautiful, and I think that each one of the deer, there on the edge of the skirt, are making it even more "perfect". The whole Christmas tree skirt is a true gem, Betsy, it's fantastic work.
But your Christmas card is drawn soooo detailed and beautifully, this year you've chosen for not so much color and that's exactly right with the past year. But there must be a flaw, you say??? I haven't seen one, but maybe this old woman has less eyesight now she has got one year older ;O).
The recipients of your annual Christmas cards will be so happy to receive it from you.
Stay safe, take good care, dear Betsy.
Warm hug, Ilona
Well done with progress on your tree skirt - it's a lovely piece of work and the Christmas Card? It's lovely, you have a great talent. Well done!
ReplyDelete