Rissa's Cherry Tree Cottage

I had a rare treat last week, Lisa dropped by one afternoon! I helped her wrap her hoops with ribbon, we watched a dachshund floor show, then we actually stitched for a little bit until my husband came home. All I got done was the windows and window boxes, but that was better than not stitching at all!

Lisa's Cherry Tree Cottage

Here is my Cherry Tree Cottage from the Barbara Jackson class in Memphis, along with the pretty little basket.


And here is a closeup of the progress I made in class.


I haven't worked on it here at home yet, because I am stitching madly on a crewel GCC that is due....ummmmm....Monday. :o) However, my goal is to have the basket finished by the time of National seminar so I can use it there.

cherry tree - no black horse

This past weekend was the Tennesse Valley Region's 28th Share-A-Stitch seminar. It was held in Memphis, TN, a pleasant 6-hour drive from where I live in southern Mississippi. I signed up for a(nother) crewel class with Barbara Jackson: Cherry Tree Cottage. Here's my progress for 12 hours in class:


Even though this was my third class with Barbara in crewel stitching and many of the stitches we did in previous classes, the repetition was helpful to continue to improve my technique. For a good portion of Saturday morning, I concentrated on the stem-stitched cherry tree trunk, making sure that it was nearly, if not totally, impossible to see where the lines of stitching begin as the trunk widens. Even in a close detail photo, the lines blend imperceptibly.


However, on close inspection, I believe I need one more row on the left side of the trunk to completely cover the line drawing. The ladybug on the far right is coming out to be restitched as I let the slippery silk thread get away from me. And here is a close-up of my not-black-horse:


I also took my time with the curving sections of satin stitch (like at the base of the trunk and house), which were also in the first class piece I took with Barbara last year at the national seminar in Chicago (Shepherd's Purse). I was able to keep the correct angle of these sections better than I did 10 months ago.
Unfortunately, this piece must also be set aside so I can complete my Phase I Japanese Bead Embroidery project prior to attending Phase II in July.