People's Choice SAL - April Edition - Specialty Stitches

Only a week late this time for Jo's great People's Choice SAL. This month we're talking about specialty stitches. I do enjoy these, although wish I could do them a bit quicker.

I've done a few projects with specialty stitches and finished all but one I think.

Lakeside Needlecraft Specialty Stitches SAL by Durene Jones (2017)

Stitched with Chromatic Alchemy special edition thread on 28ct Realgar 

This SAL was a lot of fun, and I even stayed up with the weekly updates and got it finished in good time. I like using the thread to turn it into something interesting. 

Hardanger Cross (2017)

Hardanger cross modified from Hardanger Anchor designed by Mabel Figworthy's Fancies (free)

This was a gift for a good friend that was baptized. He invited everyone to his baptism, and it happened in the local lake, it was quite a sight!

Autumn Elegance (2016)

Stitched with Caron Watercolours on 22 ct ivory hardanger

This was completed for a friend, and the chart called for Autumn colours. I found these four colours that I thought worked well together and finished this as a pillow. It's mostly bargello

Homeward Trail (2015)

Stitched on 28 ct blue fabric, unknown type as charted

This has a cross stitch center piece, but there is a ton of specialty stitches to it as well. I started it in 2012 and managed to finish it 3 years late. It is one of the projects I'm most proud of completing

Box of Delights by Elizabeth Almond (2015)

 Stitched on 25ct Pewter Lugana with DMC 823 for outlines and various other colours for the "delights"

This has yet to be turned into anything, and it should make an easy pillow, so maybe with Rachel's Fully Finished Gallery I can get a move on with this one. :)

Song of the Weather Hardanger SAL by Mabel Figworthy's Fancies

I completed this one with various Watercolours and Wildflowers on 18 count Anne Cloth. I backed it with black fabric and it is now a lap quilt. It was fun to complete, and interesting to learn the stitches, although the wrapping of the bars did tend to make my hand cramp. I was likely doing it too tightly. 

As for my current WIP, I'm trying to finish Fleur-de-Lis by Brodeuse Bressane:

28ct blue linen with unknown Soie Cristale I think

I'm trying to stitch this in the colours of the Quebec flag, and I think it looks pretty nice now that I've changed the colours. I had started with satin DMC, and that seemed a little too much. I'm liking this so far. 

Also, I have a long-neglected UFO, the Tree of Stitches by Abi Gurden:

This has been stitched with various DMC variations on 28ct fabric. Again unknown, possibly cream Monaco, etc. I haven't touched this in about 7 years I think. 

I hope you all have specialty stitches attempts to share as well! 

Happy Stitching,

Tiffstitch