OhSewCrafty Blog

• Pattern: by Joan Elliott
• Materials: 32 count “winter skye” reflections lugana by Silkweaver (old), threads, etc as charted
• Size: 11″ x 15.25″
• Time to stitch: 8 months, among other projects

My fourth Christmas cross stitch, and my fifth Joan Elliott piece, is finished!  I really love this piece, I think she is so pretty, my favorite elements include white doves, her halo, and her wings, though a bit fiddly to stitch, are exquisite.

 The fabric is 32 count opalescent lugana mottled light grey “Winter Skye”, from my ancient Silkweaver fabric of the month stash.  The color seemed perfect for a snowy winter scene, and the opalescence added a touch of sparkle appropriate for this angelic holiday theme.  The fabric was easy to count and stitch on.

The pattern is great, no errata.   Joan Elliott creates gorgeous shading while using a reasonable number of colors.   Around 3 spools of Kreinik are used (2 different colors), for cross stitching and backstitching.  There are french knots, too. Speaking of backstitching, it is extensive and done in several different colors plus Kreinik.  I mostly charted my own to avoid the “stair step” look, which is just not my cup of tea.  The backstitching creates many details and makes this piece special, but it required a lot of patience.  It would probably be better to do it as you go along.  There are a lot of beads, too, though most do not require counting for placement, so the beading goes quickly.  I use this Tacky BOB case, which really facilitates beading.  I’m not one for lots of stitching gadgets, but I consider this case practically indispensable, especially when the project involves multiple colors of beads.  

Framing is TBD, but I need to figure it out quickly since I want her on the wall by early December.  Up next, I may start another Christmas project, or maybe something by Joan Elliott- I’ve long admired her elemental goddess series.