Well there’s good news and there’s bad news…
On the positive side, I have finished stitching the tree.
Sadly however, like everything else stitched on this scrim, it has succeeded in doing a very good impression of the Leaning Tower of Pisa…
I’ve cropped the picture above so you can see the scale of the problem – to be square, the stitched area should reach all four corners – oh dear.
I’d been discussing ways to stretch it over a frame with the Other Half, but I’m afraid the angle is going to be too extreme. So now I’m wondering about stitching a complementary colour into the missing corners.
So perhaps not quite so finished as I hoped.
)O(
In other news, I have started a new piece. After all the tent stitching in tree, I’ve decided to go for texture in the new work, so lots of different stitching this time. I’ll post about it another day, but if you want a preview, take a look at the little widget I’ve added on the bottom right hand column – it’s my latest Instagram snaps.
I have to thank Elizabeth at Bottle Branch for alerting this techno-laggard to Instagram (huge thanks Elizabeth!) – she mentioned in a recent comment, that the Daily Tree Project would be ideal for Instagram, and I wanted to know more about it. I wasn’t sure at first – I’m not the biggest social media type you’ll find, but when I saw that I could incorporate it into this blog, it seemed to be the perfect way to give snapshots without doing a full post. (I think if you follow me on Twitter, you should also get a link to new snaps).
So if you scroll down there, you’ll find snaps from the new embroidery and today’s tree photo. I really like the idea of putting snaps up more often, although I’ll still do a proper monthly Daily Tree Project update post. So if anyone is interested in a more up-to-date glimpse into the current WIP or the latest tree pics, feel free to scroll down and have a look. (If you click on the snaps, you’ll see a bigger version).
Happy stitching.
)O(
Dreaming In Stitches 
Ah, the dreaded problem of keeping things square! It is a lovely piece of stitching though. Very impressive with so much variety and colour, all with tent stitch. Adding a bit more stitching may work fine, if you can keep that bit tight and square! I also love your new piece, it reminds me of work by Gustav Klimt. Look forward to hearing and seeing more of this this.
Thank you Alister. I adore Klimt, something magical about his patterns and textures – perhaps a little bit of inspiration has burrowed into my mind 🙂
I think the choice of colours is beautiful. The new piece is looking fab.
Thank you. It is quite colourful although difficult to take a decent picture – so some sections seem unnaturally highlighted.
‘Tree’ is so beautiful and must be saved, so good luck with the squaring – and with the new piece – such an wonderful beginning!
I always seem to need to go straight into the next piece, but I will find a way with tree – some good suggestions in the comments, I’m going to be brave and have a go.
wet stretch it, wash it, and whilst its still sopping use drawing pins to pin it onto a large piece of plywood (cheap and easily available) you can be quite rough with it whilst its wet – I’ve got things more skewiff than that straight agian, just leave it to dry completely before you take it off. if you’re as rubbish as I am at angles and things get the man to do it, men are generally quite good at geometry
OK, I’m going to take your advise. I’ve managed to get some results on other pieces with steaming, but this is going to need to be wet. I have the plywood ready, just need to get the angles right – fingers crossed…
It is so beautiful – where will you put it when finished? Your new piece is also looking interesting – you are so talented. Good luck with the squaring / stretching!
Thank you very much, I’m going to give the wet stretching a go – should be interesting! Have no idea where to put it, but I hope it will find a suitable home 🙂
I use almost the same blocking technique as opusanglicanum, only I just pin things to my ironing board and leave them for a week or so. (Shows you how often I use the iron.) Looks like your piece might be too big for that but I second the idea of trying to correct the shape without more stitching.
So glad you’re on instagram now. I like to think of it as a photography app, not a social media app, though it is both. I can imagine all your tree shots stacked up there like tiles.
Thank you so much for introducing me to Instagram – I was a bit slow on the uptake, but once I understood how I could use it, I realised you were right. I’m going to be brave and go for the wet blocking approach – worth a try I think, I’ll let you know how it pans out.
Oooh, it looks as though that stretching might work, hurrah! I love the new piece as well, your designs all have this gorgeous flow of line, colour and shape.
I daren’t go near Instagram or Pintangle, just too dangerous for someone who takes far too many photos already 🙂
I am now cautiously optimistic – this morning it’s dry and looking pretty straight! I shall leave it there for another day or two while I offer prayers to all the gods of creative endeavour, then let you know.
I know what you mean about photos – I suppose having been brought up needing to save up for every roll of film and then the processing, digital has thrown open the flood gates and I’m gorging myself.