TAST - Sorbello Stitch

Finally got last weeks TAST stitch done so here's Chicken Little No. 87.  The Sorbello stitch is used to make her chain.  The stitch has a distinctive knot look to it, although you can't see that here very well as I've worked them quite close together.  But I quite like the chunky look of the stitch even though its only worked with 2 strands of DMC.  The chunky look kind of reminded me of rapper 'bling' hence the gold chain.

Encrusted Calico progress

Some more progress on the encrusted calico.  I added two threads across the centre of the bone button and added some buttonhole stitch across them.  It still didn't look like 'enough' so I added a large cross stitch at either end.  Not sure I like it, but it needed something.  Here's hoping it will grow on me 😀

The Beads are working I think.  There's enough of them there to add some interest and not so many as to shift me too far out of my comfort zone.

I love how the large button (top left) came out.  I used three of the colour range to create a graduated effect with needlelace (detached buttonhole).  And topped it off with a few beads to hide how it went a bit wonky in the centre. I'm not sure to how to avoid that but lets just say it was all part of the grand plan to use the beads in the centre.

Learning Number 3:
Work Picots before filling in around them.  Otherwise its quite frustrating trying to find somewhere to put the pins in.

Learning Number 4:
Save Woven wheels until the end.  You'll just end up catching them with the needle and pulling them out of shape.

Learning Number 5: 
Never, never, never ever mix all your beads together.  Even if your storage system is awful and bulky and just a pain in the backside.  You'll eventually find some better way to store them and then you'll need to either throw them out and buy some more, or spend hours and hours and hours throwing them all over the floor, I mean sorting them back into their colour groups.  I did the latter because I have masochistic tendencies obviously.  But they look lovely now, again.

Learning Number 6:
Based on my other learning more planning of the stitches is required.  Or at least a general idea of where the 'bigger' stitches will go based on the space needed to execute them (picots) and the durability of them once they're done (woven wheels).

Its all part of the journey though... so onwards and upwards.