OK - SAL Canvas Work

I would enjoy stitching any of them, with the exception of the Blackwork ones. The Gardens and the Seasons look like a lot of fun. I like different stitches, and different threads. Can anyone tell me the count of the canvas used??

It looks as if Laura Perrin gives pretty good instructions, and I can always cry "help".

Maybe I had better sit my butt down and finish the Project From Hell....which started off as sheer fun.. Masses of confetti stitches, using five shades of green for the Grass. If I had realised what a PITA it would have been, I would have just used variegated floss, and be done with it. Right now, I am just scattering the colors around, with no regard to the instructions. When it looks half-way decent I will stop, finish the backstitching and writing and RUN to the framer. The aunt won't know the difference!

Gill

Well, I admit to voting for the Stained Glass on the Rainbow Gallery (which also happens to be an LP piece). However, if you want one from her site, I vote for Grandman's Flower Garden - small, easy stitches and uses mostly plain old DMC - and you could substitute for the Caron if you like.

Linda

Those were my favorites. Like the stained glass one on the Rainbow Gallery page too.

Giggle snicker.

Cheryl

I think most of her things are done on 18 mono canvas. I kind of like the Seasons best, but would go along with the majority happily.

There's no need to cry and get your work all wet. And I doubt you'll have to yell for help. There's enough people here who just love to give help even when you don't want it, so surely they will be happy to help when you do.

Several of us have done pieces like this in the past and we have some wonderful teachers here who actually can explain what to do clearly, so surely you won't have to yell too loud. A quiet little request ought to do it.

OK..how hard is it to see 18ct canvas? 18ct Aida is about beyond me now...I tend towards 25-28 over 2 even weave, linen etc. Maybe the holes appear bigger in canvas...man, I m a newbie at this. It is rather exciting!

Summer Breeze may be a bit blue for TM; they all look so pretty, though.

Gill

I've never done any canvas work, but I'm willing to have a go. Whatever is chosen will be fine, as long as you listen out for my screams for help !

=A0There's enough people here who just love to give help

OK Lucille, where was the spew warning?

Linda

Canvas is an entirely different animal. Email me off list - I'll mail you a nice sized 18 count piece.

Linda

OK Lucille, where was the spew warning?

Linda

Shame on me!!!! ;*)

One problem with canvas work is investing in the stretcher bars, although I did ornaments without bars. On those small pieces I was able to control the tension of the thread and use a laying tool without mounting the canvas on anything.

Of course, that's probably all wrong, but it worked for me!

Just thought I'd mention that...although the patterns are free, there's an investment if you want to be "correct" and mount the canvas on something.

Maybe some of our Virginia-based canvaswork award winners can advise?

sue

Well, you skeptic, Sue. The stretcher bars for canvas work are relatively inexpensive. A pair (2 lengths or sides) is usually around $2. You have to buy 2 pairs, and tacks (don't use staples). Another $3 or so. All are reusable. There are expensive, adjustable stretcher bars, called "Evertites" - but you should only invest in those if you're really going to be doing more canvas work, and if it's a piece that will be on for a while, or has a lot of stitches done with threads that will create tugging and cause the canvas to loosen.

Small pieces, absolultely can be done in hand, controlling tension with a laying tool. But, that said, these geometric pieces are much, much, better done on a frame. A lot of the stitches will tend to pull the canvas askew, and the frame keeps things square. It takes a lot of practice to be able to maintain good enough tension to not have some blocking nightmare at the end if you work a large geometric in hand. IME, the most experienced, talented, skilled, needleworkers - designers and teachers - that I know do pieces of this type on stretcher bars.

IME, with most of the Laura Perrin pieces, it's really a good idea to have a laying tool of some sort, work on a frame, and enjoy. You have to verify her charts - they're very nice - but are prone to some little errors - a missing stitch, or compensated stitches not indicated on the chart (left blank) or sometimes, the color code will indicate one thread, but you can tell from the sample - and the piece- it should be something else. But, Laura is very, very nice and IIRC has some errata posted on her website.

Not all wrong. Over on the Needlepoint list a while back, maybe the ANG one, the laying tool use was actually a discussion. With emphasis from some on using it to indeed keep good tension.

See above. Canvas is inexpensive - generally speaking, a piece for a 10" sq design, which should be 14" X 14" min, should run about $6 (usually about .03/sq to .04 /sq inch), stretcher bars another $4-5 (and you might find them at Michaels or ACMoore). Tacks, another $3 - so you're looking at about $8 capital investment for stretcher bars and tacks, then the rest is material for the actual project.

I would definitely not recommend working something like these on scrolls, though it could be done. Particularly for new to canvas stitchers, doing a not tiny piece, it behooves you to work on a frame. It is a different feel to get good tension, working with the canvas. Also, you will likely have to use larger needles than with linen - for most of these pieces on 18 ct, I have the students use 24 & 22 needles - even the occasional size 20 for some of the specialty threads. Big thing is being sure that the needle opens the canvas and the eye is larger than the thread diameter to minimise abrasion on the rougher surface that canvas presents. And to hold your needle more vertically as it goes thru the canvas than most people do when working on cloth (linen, aide, etc) grounds. Also, FWIW, with some of these canvas work pieces - it's a good idea to leave it on the frame until it goes to the finisher. Don't take it off mid-way---it's fun to try and restretch it on.

I think you guys will have a fun time doing it - and you might convince one of us Virginia canvasworkers to work along. I know there are some other really skilled folks who do this, and lurk on RCTN - with the occassional post.

Anyhow, I'm happy to chime in as I can - I have total confidence with all of your abilities, and I think it would be a fun thing.

Ellice - who's basking in reflected glory of her students, and planning out both a new original charted design, finishing th design booklet for one already done, and plotting a more advance class to teach starting in the spring.

I'll check stash - But I may have to call you on that offer too!

Cheryl

I downloaded a couple of the files from the Rainbow Gallery site, including the Stained Glass one. I'm not certain these come across with the clearest of charts and directions. They kind of look like they've been scanned one too many times. Or maybe it's just me. Stained Glass - being on the Rainbow Gallery site, calls for 4 different specialty threads from Rainbow Gallery.

The ones on the Laura Perin site seem to involve mostly DMC perle 5, maybe Watercolours, and ribbon floss.

Does this matter?

Donna in Virginia

Not a problem - I have plenty. Plain white, but good quality. And the pieces we're looking at all have full coverage.

Or you could paint it if you are really ambitious :)

Linda

That was my concern with the Stained Glass too - but I also noted that in her directions she said you could substitute DMC - which is what I was thinking. Of course Rainbow Gallery has lots of their specialty threads in their freebies - they want to sell their stuff! But I do think the piece could be stunning in just perle, maybe some floss or satin if you want something different.

Linda

Not a problem - I have plenty. Plain white, but good quality. And the pieces we're looking at all have full coverage.

Or you could paint it if you are really ambitious :)

Linda

I thought I had some but I can't find it. Where would you have stashed a piece of mono canvas?

Rolled up someplace.

Once we decide on the piece, Cheryl, Lucille and Gillian - email me and I'll send you each a cut.

Linda

I'm not currently that ambitious....

Cheryl

On the other thread, I wrote that I talked with our pal who framed your stuff about this SAL, and she's happy to get the threads pulled together.

I don't think it would matter that much if we're going to try to get the supplies centrally - since we have access to all of the above. And depending on colors - sometimes the RG threads might be swappable for Kreinik.

With Laura's, as you know - it's about picking a Watercolours that you like, than pulling the solid perles to go with. And the ribbon floss can be subbed for with 1/16 ribbon from Kreinik, or several of the RG threads, like Petite Sparkle Rays, or Neon Rays, etc.

Ellice