Following a day at the RSN, Hampton Court, last Saturday I can show how much I have progressed with my canvas work piece. Or rather, I can show the lack of progress! I spent most of the day trying to work on the hand in the foreground. It took nearly two hours to decide on the stitch – a raised tent stitch and then the rest of the day on the colour combination and number of threads. The hand went in four times and was unpicked four times. I have to say that I am still not sure as to whether or not I like it!
I am finding stitch choice with this canvas piece very difficult – especially when so many tutors have such differing advice. I sometimes think that if I had a deadline to work to then I would just put down stitches without thinking too much and thereby stop getting myself into such a muddle! Hopefully I can get the horse finished and start on the coat before my next lesson at the end of October.
Meanwhile, Autumn has hit the garden. The kirengeshoma, late aconites and pinapple plants have come into flower. My trees (all in barrels because we have a smallish garden), are now showing autumn colour too.
Enjoy the late autumn warmth and stitch happy!
All the best with the stitching, you have so much patience, I love the work you do.
Thank you for all the lovely Autumn photos, I just love the colours of your trees. 🙂
Happy crafting.
Thank you, the colour is the best part of Autumn!
That looks so hard!
Not so hard, but you need to be careful with your counting!
How frustrating it must be to have so much differing advice from those supposedly “in the know”. The more I read about the RSN courses, the more I doubt I could do one without challenging the tutors constantly! Why not follow your instincts as you suggest you would do if on a deadline?
Couldn’t agree more!
It does sound as though the tutors aren’t helping as much as they think they are!
They are trying to be helpful – it is just that they all have their own opinion. If you are a novice sewer like me it can become very confusing!
Deadlines and a real dislike of unpicking anything are what motivates me. It really is looking good so keep plugging away.
Thank you Sally – I will keep trying!
It’s looking good Deborah, although I will need to look up raised tent stitch, that was one I didn’t come across! It can be frustrating always getting different advice and suggestions. I think canvaswork might be worse just because of the number of available stitches! I agree that perhaps doing it with a strict deadline might be good for a variety of reasons. It’s looking good, and ultimately it’s your piece so you can make an infomed decision!
Hi Catherine – I couldn’t find anything on raised tent stitch either – one of the tutors suggested it and it is simple a bar of thread under the usual tent stitch. It does give it a little more body.
Interesting – thank you! I may have to try it when I finally get to another canvaswork piece!