10.08.2010

Thankfully, it's finally done!!

You may remember photos of this piece in a hoop, being worked on in a previous post.
After several inquires as to whether this was going to be offered as a pattern and even emails coaxing me along to hurry up & get it done...
I can finally say,
IT'S DONE!
I charted this design last year and over the coarse of time, kept changing the turkey. I think I have this chart saved 5 different ways...5 different turkeys! I chose to go with the turkey whose tail feathers look like little pennies on a penny rug.

Today's goal was to have a Friday Finish! The piece was done, just ready to be framed or sewn into a pillow...
BUT
my eye kept taking me to a pumpkin,
a pumpkin that didn't show up,
a pumpkin that needed to be a different color of floss
SO
I spent most of today ripping out a tiny flipin' pumpkin and restitching it in a thread which gives a nicer contrast. At one point I felt like just covering it up with a patch... Did I mention ripping out 28 count over 1 isn't fun & it takes forever??

NOW
onto the frame of choice...
I know I'm going to get asked, is the frame available? This is a frame by Hog River Frames that I purchased several years ago. To my knowledge they no longer are selling frames...boo hoo, cause I loved their frames. If this isn't the case, please correct me and let me know how to get in contact with them...thanks a bunch! And I beg you not to throw rotten pumpkins at me for choosing this frame BUT I live in small town Iowa with not much for frame selection AND there wasn't time to special order a frame PLUS I needed to get this finished SO it can get into the hands of my customers BEFORE Thanksgiving...how's that for a run-on sentence? The frames were painted pitch black...not quite appropriate for the Give Thanks design. So I decided it was time to try out the Country Living paints that I ordered at the Creative Connection Event back in September.
I gave the black frame a coat of the Country Living Chocolate textured base coat, then a coat of chipping cream (this is what makes it look so wonderfully chippy & old) and then a coat of Cobblestone. After the piece was dry, I took an old spatula and scuffed the frame up and then rubbed on a coat of the Country Living Toner. These products work amazingly with wonderful end results.

The Give Thanks design fits an easy-to-find 5" x 7" picture frame. Go to your local discount store and pick up a cheapy frame and give these Country Living products a whirl ladies & gents...you will love it!

One last thing...the Give Thanks chart is worked on 28 count Cashel linen. The motifs (including alphabet, pumpkins, keys, turkey & bittersweet) are stitched with Weeks Dye Works flosses. The pattern is now available for purchase on our website. We will begin shipping these patterns on Tuesday. We will be closed Monday (Columbus Day), as there is no mail.

And a little heads up...shop with us online on Monday for our 2ND Annual Columbus Day Free Shipping Day. More details to follow...

Have a good weekend. The weather here in Iowa has been beautiful, the trees are about at peak color and the leaves are just beginning to rain down. Hoping to get outside for a good walk this weekend and enjoy the colors and smells of autumn in Iowa.

With thy Needle & Thread,
Brenda


4 comments:

Marguerite (Tina) Smith Hart said...

Beautiful work Brenda and yes the frame is perfect. I will definitely have to check out those paints, although I have zero idea what the toner is for, the chipping cream I can kind of figure out I think...:)
I love working with wood also and was planning a trip to the local antique mall to see what old frames they had for sale.
Have a great weekend!
Tina xo

Nancy said...

It's just beautiful!

Anonymous said...

It's beautiful Brenda..I LOVE it!(:

El Desván de la Gata Perezosa said...

beautiful work