Beyond TAST - Running Stitch

Not a lot of progress on my beautiful rooster...  I've not had so much time the last week or so.  I stitched his cheek and then unpicked it all and re-did it... Then made a start of his wattle (?) and unpicked that too.  Sigh...  I'm not happy with the reds available from DMC for this project... but I've made a call, its what I've got so I'm running with it... (running, get it?? 😄).

I think I also spent a good bit of time procrastinating about it... I've discovered I have a bad habit of stopping a project when it gets to the bit where I'm likely to ruin it.  Which is ridiculous, its no good only half done, is it?  Sigh... so deep breath... onwards...

Anyway here he is.  Not sure how I managed to photograph him so wonky... just as well I'm not doing this for the fame and fortune, eh? 😆  Don't you just love those blogs with all the immaculate photos, the embroideries artfully placed in the shot, the teaser shots so you can't see the whole project until it completely done??  I do...  I love to look at the pretty pictures.  But if you're looking for that, you ain't gonna find it here haha.

TAST 2018

Well Miss P managed two weeks quite exuberantly, but is now flagging.  My sister gave her a HUGE box of threads and I thought that might get her all excited, and well it did she even got her sewing out.  But it didn't last long.  She says she's still keen but we're not seeing much stitching action.  Oh well.. it was nice while it lasted.

Exciting News

In June last year I was contacted by a lady from a quarterly Dutch cross stitch magazine who wanted to use one of my Chicken Little photos for an article they were writing about TAST.  Unfortunately she contacted me via Facebook messenger and because we weren't friends I didn't see the post until a month or more after she'd sent it.  I contacted her but of course it was too late.  Sigh.
But! She's contacted me again and apparently they're doing another article that they want to use one of my chickens for.  So exciting!! (and totally crazy at the same time).  The article isn't going to run until the June issue and they could of course change their mind about the photos they use or whatever.  But it was so nice just to be asked the first time, let alone then be asked a second time.  Whoop whoop!

Thanks for stopping by.

Uh-oh

Ok well it seems everyone Beyond TAST-ing is being good and following along with the idea of trying pattern darning.  Maybe I should've tried harder to stick to the guidelines... but I had it in my head it was a suggestion and that it was about exploring where a stitch could take you.

Hmmm... now I'm wondering if I should share this handsome boy on TAST at all.  And if I stand a chance of finishing him in time before the next Beyond TAST stitch is announced anyway.  Not to mention that I'll be setting an expectation that I won't be able to live up to for future stitches.  Oh bums!

But I'm so pleased with how he looks so far though.  I'm even pleased with how his eye came out.

Anyway here he is so far... just running stitch, a lot of it, packed in tight, 1 strand of DMC floss.

Keep your fingers crossed for me that I don't muck it up... I think he's my favourite piece ever so far.

Thanks for stopping by.

PS.  Miss P is already saying things like "I have a whole week right??" (headshake). Will there be a week 2 of TAST for Miss P?? hmmmm we'll have to wait and see I guess 😖

Happy New Year!

I thought over the break I may have picked up some stitching but instead I've had my nose stuck in a book (or 12).  Nothing stitch related at all, pure escapism type stuff... bliss!

I did do a bit of appliqué to make a wee earring holder for Miss P, but not a lot of stitching.  She loves it and it does the job it was designed to do so a success!

TAST has restarted this week along with the new 'Beyond TAST'.  Both are using the Running stitch. I believe the idea of Beyond TAST is that you have a month to experiment with the stitch a bit, Sharons suggestion was to try 'pattern darning'.  I did a bit of a google for some ideas and then decided without an even weave piece of fabric that any form of 'pattern' would drive me batty as I wouldn't be able to get the stitches even.  So what to do?

Well, checking my chicken stash I came across this fellow.  Isn't he lovely??

Anyway I wondered about using the running stitch to create his feathers.  Running stitch as a filler stitch.  I don't have to get the stitches even, in fact it would look weird if they were and it will no doubt stretch my skills (and my sanity).  I'm not too worried about the feathers, I'm more worried about the beak and comb etc.  So we'll see, I've picked some colours and just need to sketch him out and get at it.  Or maybe I'll print him and then stitch over the printed image, he wasn't that easy to trace so that may get around some of the issues around shading and shaping etc hopefully.

Am also debating following along with the regular TAST and using it as a bit of a push to actually create a stitch sampler which I've been meaning to do for ages I just can't come up with an idea I like.  But as Miss P is keen to try TAST as well maybe if I stitch along with that as well it may keep her interested to actually stick with it.  She's only 8 so I wouldn't be surprised if she doesn't even make it into week 2.  But for now she's as keen as.  Here's her first TAST.

But back to work this week, so things like life might get in the way of all these grand ideas.  Time will tell!  Until next time... thanks for stopping by.  😊