Winners of Floss/Fabric Giveaway

Still Winter on Gracewood

A brief post today to announce the winners of the Floss/Fabric giveaway.

In the few years I've been designing I knew I had accumulated a lot of floss and fabric but after sorting through the 'stash' I was amazed at just how much!  Since I can't go into needlework shops to check out items I've had to order them online just to see what they were like and how they stitched.

I've also learned that as much as I like darker fabrics, for purposes of exporting images on the software and photos of finished work, they just don't translate well.  And as much as I appreciate the beauty of hand dyed silk floss the variations that can occur, even in the same batch aren't a good fit for creating models for a design.

I'll be sticking with white, off white, cream and ivory evenweave fabric along with silk flosses like Rainbow Splendor, Gloriana and Caron.  I believe these best present the designs through the medium of a computer.

The 'stash' was large enough that I've been able to make up four good size packages and after putting all the names in a bowl, Terry drew out the following names - Terri, Julie, Kim S and Faith

If the winners will email me at bungard.gracewood@gmail.com with their addresses I'll get the packages in the mail to you this week.  If for any reason I don't hear from someone in two weeks then I'll draw another name.

Thanks to everyone who participated!  I'll try to have a giveaway of some sort every few months.

Carolina Framed & a Fabric/Floss Giveaway

Here we are just past halfway through winter and before we know it the tasks of spring are going to be upon us.  So for me at least, this is prime stitching time.  It has been an 'old fashioned' winter for many in the US as the snow and cold many of us remember from childhood has returned in full force.  Today 49 states have snow, including Hawaii, now that is a winter to boast about, lol

While 'stitching time' is still in full swing, I'm offering a floss and fabric giveaway.  I need more room for projects I'm working on and found that I have a good deal of  mostly silk floss, and cotton fabric that might find better use in another stitcher's stash.  Just leave a comment stating your desire to be entered in the draw and I'll announce the winner next blog post.  Whatever part of the globe you live in you are welcome to enter.

'Carolina' is framed with another terrific frame from the Frame Guys.  I chose a weathered red frame and I think it works really well.

Carolina

I didn't set up the white box to photograph this one framed so please forgive the bit of reflection on the right of the photo. This does show the colors most accurately.

Wimsey is progressing though it is sitting aside in its frame right now as I finish the ornament for Just Cross Stitch magazine.

Wimsey

In addition to this being prime stitching time for me it is also prime KDrama watching and I hope to tell you of some great ones from this season's viewing next post.

Till then, happy stitching!

A few shades of Wimsey and a New Project for Just Cross Stitch Mag

Even with a rambunctious Jasper parking himself on my lap whenever he sees me pick up the stitching frame, I'm getting some work done on Wimsey.

 

And I thought I'd show how different this design might look if other colors were chosen. 

This is Alternate 1 that changes one of the colors from dark gold to dark lavender. Amazing what a different feel it gives.

And Alternate 2 changes all of the colors to shades of mauve and teal.

 

 

 

The fun of playing with software and colors!

 

And a new project for me, Just Cross Stitch magazine has asked Gracewood Stitches to contribute an ornament for their annual Christmas Ornament edition.  I've accepted their invitation and have come up with a design I'm really happy with, though I can't share it until the magazine comes out this year.

 

Now if I can just shift this large Chessie head on my lap to accommodate the frame it is competing with I hope to get some stitching done on this very cold and snowy weekend.