Wednesday, May 12, 2010

My Contest Entry


Stickideen von der Wiehenburg is having a contest with everyone stitching the same quaker sampler but making it your own by what you choose to stitch it on and stitch it with. Mine is going to be on a HDF 38ct. Linen and I'm using 4 different kinds of silk. The main varigated color is Cherry Cordial from Waterlillies which is one of my favorite silks of all time. The others are HDF, Splendor and NPI silks in various shades of rose and mauve to match the waterlillie. I started this yesterday and I think I'm going pretty good on it. They have set a completion date of November so I think I have plenty of time to play with the colors and where I want to place them. If you like doing quakers you might want to enter this contest yourself. They are giving away a nice prize and it seems the larger amount of stitchers who enter, the larger the prize will be so you might want to check it out.

I would love to know if any of you have entered competitions before and what you thought of them. I know alot of stitchers enter their work in their local fair and I've never done that. A funny story....I use to sell my finished work on ebay and I had one store owner/designer who lived in Idaho purchase many of my things. I guess she was impressed with them that she entered them in the Idaho state fair. She told me that the work had won several ribbons and wanted to know if I wanted them and I told her no. If I didn't keep the project, why would I want the ribbon? Anyway, that is my story of state fairs and how I became to be entered in them. I hope everyone has a fabulous wednesday and a productive one.

As always, Barbara

4 comments:

Bekca said...

I'm afraid I am yet to enter any stitching competitions, I need to get more confident with my cross stitching!
Can I ask how you use silks and specialist threads like the ones you're using on this design? Are they stranded like normal cottons or do you just use one length?
I wish you every success for the contest! :)

Barbara said...

Bekca, most of the silks are used exactly like the cottons with one exception. When I stitch with silks, I don't use the loop method because the fiber going in two different directions seem to fight each other. I pull two strands and hold them the same way they came off the skein. Make sense? I'm only using the different kinds of silk because I couldn't find all the colors I wanted in just the one brand. Basically they are all the same with the exception of how they feel in your fingers. I prefer a softer silk...Waterlillies, HDF and Gloriana compared to a stiffer one like The Thread Gatherer. Also, don't let your confidence hold you back. Look at it this way...I am doing the same as you in making an X. The different is I have probably been doing it longer and that's it. I've never let anything hold me back in my needlework and I try to instill that confidence in others. We are all making the same X. Thank you for your good wishes and I'll keep you posted on my progress.

Sweet Sue said...

Thx for the update Barb, have fun and good luck to you! I read contest rules, didn't notice any mention of the stitch count. Would you say this is a small sampler? I would consider entering for the fun of it, my skills are prim and basic so I have no compulsion to be competitive, but admire finishes with advanced skills:)

Barbara said...

Sue, please check your email. Thanks.