Pomarium 3/4 done!

Chatelaine: Pomarium

Fonal/Floss: DMC + many silks as suggested in the kit

Anyag/Fabric: Zweigart antique white 32 ct Belfast

 I have reached my goal, 3/4 and the middle of Pomarium is done. It is huge! 

I have started this 4 years ago, in 2016, around Christmas, and now only the last quarter is missing. Plus 2 little things: I used up the petite princess perle for the branches and waiting for them to arrive, and left out the little seed on the strawberries in the corners, and I realised only in the 3rd that there are seeds at all. I should go back and stitch them to the previous corners - they do not make a big difference, but think I will them this afternoon.

The show must go on - Pomarium

 I have continued the corner of Pomarium - the next one is a pale tree. I miscounted one stitch in one side and I have realised it only in the middle of the second tree, so I frogged the first and restitched, but finally it is done.

Chatelaine: Pomarium

Fonal/Floss: DMC + many silks as suggested in the kit

Anyag/Fabric: Zweigart antique white 32 ct Belfast

Pomarium Autumn corner

 I have moved on my Pomarium and finished 3 motives: a branch, I see as an Autumn one with yellow leaves and apples, a filigree garden and some flowerstems with perle. I lost /used my perle for this part (gloriana petite princess perle #187) and it is extremely rare to find it in the shops. I have ordered from Casacenina in the summer, but they could not find it either, so I cancelled the order. Then I had my luck with crafty kitten, because she has it on stock, so I ordered it, and it was posted yesterday. I wonder having Christmas deliveries in the pandemia how long will it take to get it... Sometimes it is unbelievably quick, I have ordered Ottlite lamp in November from US and it took only 10days from hitting the buy button to be delivered to my doorsteps, but I think it was one of a kind. However, I have many other parts to continue with!

Chatelaine: Pomarium

Fonal/Floss: DMC + many silks as suggested in the kit

Anyag/Fabric: Zweigart antique white 32 ct Belfast

Rosey quilt doubled

I have - almost- finished my rose quilt. I have added the backing, quilted the main blocks, and could not wait and added the binding as well. Last time I took it to my mother, who said it is enormous, and I can easily cut it into 2 and make 2 quilts from the top. So I did cut it into 2, and I was lucky, because the sewing went in a way, that halving the top meant only unsewing the middle seam - no partial blocks, no y seams. Only the sideborder needed a little adjustment to accomodate the seams, and voila: twinset of coverlets.

 

Sans Soucis

My Long Dog sampler, Sans Soucis (without problems) is going along nicely. I have chosen Silk trheads, Caron Waterlilies Black Forest (#63) for the dark borders, Mulberry (#153) for the animals and flowers, and Gloriana Rainforest (#67) for the filled scenes. For backstiching I use black Edmar Rayon, Iris (#206). I really like the outcome. 

Long Dog Samplers: Sans Soucis

Fonal / Floss: Caron (#63,#153) Gloriana (#67) Edmar Rayon (#206)

Anyag/Fabric: Tea dyed Zweigart white 32 ct line

Pomarium -sloooowly but steadily

Yesterday I realised time flew by when I am stitching. I started around 6.30 and when my son asked me do I know the time I told him around 8. Guess what - it was 10.05. 

Today I had a free afternoon, and I thought I will measure my stitching time. 3.5 hours went into a small corner - it was quite fiddly, but still I had never thought it takes so much time to make a mini progress.

Before:

3.5 hours later:

A close-up on the tiny rice stitches (one of my least favourite speciality stitch)

Chatelaine: Pomarium

Fonal/Floss: DMC + many silks as suggested in the kit

Anyag/Fabric: Zweigart antique white 32 ct Belfast

Fabric shopping part 2

I was waiting for a specific navy blue fabric arrived finally, and I managed to get it at least! Due to Covid there was a shortage of navy fabric in my favourite shop, all the dark fabric was in delay for weeks. I was asking the owners whether it has arrived, and the answer was "not yet". One afternoon I had a little free time, and I thought I will drop by to check some other fabric, and voila - the navy was sitting on the shelf -arrived just that morning!

I have bought some white yards as well, and some blues to add to the mix all 11.5metres added to the 15m bought in the summer - 26.5metres in total:

• 2m white-on-white 
• 3m white-on-white slightly beige
• 1m white-on-cream
• 1m flowery cream

• 0.5 steelblue
• 0.5m medium blue
• 1m dark blue
• 2m navy

• 0.5 m flanel - I made some boards with this

I also bought some 36 and 40 ct linen for cross stitch beginning of September. I have died them with tea, so I have several choices for my Long Dog Samplers. I opted finally for the 32ct Belfast linen.

Medlar

Chatelaine: Pomarium

Fonal/Floss: DMC + many silks as suggested in the kit

Anyag/Fabric: Zweigart antique white 32 ct Belfast

I have finished (Mespilus germanica). I do not like it a lot, despite the fact it is very healthy and full of vitamine C think it has no taste. 

However I remember a song from my childhood: 

3 little medlar well trodden flat, one of them says: why I have had not been an apple? If I would had been an apple I would not be a medlar trodden flat on the side of the ditch!

(Sound better in Hungarian, a real tongue twister: Három kicsi naspolyácska jó laposra taposva, és az egyik így szólal meg: mért nem lettem inkább alma? Hogyha alma lettem volna, nem lennék most naspolya, s nem lennék az árok partján jó laposra taposva!)

Rosey top is ready

There were several trial versions for my rosey quilt before I settled for the final one. I did not like the too white sections between the double Irish chain, so I added some green - it was too green. 

 

Then I added some lilac to the middle - it was too different from the chain

Then I added roses only - too plain.

Finally I have finished the quilt top for with greens and a rose in the middle, and still not sure whether this was in my mother's mind, but this is how the top is turned out.

Some close ups

 

Long Dog Sans Soucis

I have decided to start a Long Dog sampler. My favourite is Pilgrim, but before jumping into a major one I wanted to try something smaller - Sans Soucis came into the picture. San soucis means carefree - it is a nice world to think on, having no restraints, no virus, simply enjoying life... I was thinking a lot what fabric and thread should I use: my favourite silk is Caron Waterlilies and Gloriana, both are quite expensive, especially for such huge pieces as a Long Dog. I usually stitch on 32 ct 2 thread, for Sans Soucis I need 10 skeins, for Pilgrim it takes 20-22! If I stitch 40ct 1 thread it is only 4 and 9 respectively. 

  

I have ordered 40ct zweigart Newcastle to try - and it was awful. I tea dyed, and I liked the color, but stitching full coverage 40 ct 2over2 with 1 floss is really hard - I just hated it. I was thinking maybe I van get used to this, but there was no joy at all. Then I tried the 32ct 2 floss - and I just loved it, and having a hobby is about having fun, I opted for this version.

Next thing was the color. I knew for the dark borders I will use Caron Black Forest (#63), and my all time favourite is Mulberry(#152), so it will be also added. But since it is carefree, I wanted something fun as well. I have seen a green-blue version of the piece, so I was trying to add this to the mix. First I used Gloriana Wood Pond (#49), but it was kind of disapperaring in the fabric, so I frogged and changed to Rainforest(#67) - much better!

        

Long Dog Samplers: Sans Soucis

Fonal / Floss: Caron (#63,#153) Gloriana (#67) Edmar Rayon (#206)

Anyag/Fabric: Tea dyed Zweigart white 32 ct line