Twister

Good question. Twister is a piece of charted canvas work, typically done on

24 ct congress cloth. It's quite large, on 18" stretchers. You can do it on 18 ct mono canvas, but that is huge - requiring 23" stretchers. I'm doing it in Needlepoint Silk, 2 or 3 strands, mostly 2 - with a 26 needle. The book - which is the chart - is by Patricia Spencer, and includes a basic template that you transfer onto the canvas - essentially laying out the blocks of triangles. Most of the stitches are varations on Byzantine - slanted kind of satin - with various combinations of direction, smaller/larger differing stitches mixed in. There are a bunch of Milanese variations, paving brick sets, etc. And, well, I pretty much lay all the stitches - except the tent.

There are some groups which did it you can find with some google. Summer Louise Treswell led one group. Most people I know who've done this did it as a class or stitch-along. It's a big project, and her stitch diagrams aren't always "right" in terms of the best way to do the stitch - but the geomety is what the shape should be. Doesn't help that the cover picture versus her layout in the book aren't the same (in terms of motifs in which blocks).

It is a lot of fun to do - and if you're an experienced XS/Hardanger person I'm sure you could do it. Personally, I'd look for some smaller charted canvas that's similar - even do something off the ANG stitch of the month page - on congress before investing in such a big thing. The issue with something like Twister is you're not counting the whole design. The individual basic motif of stitch pattern for each segment is diagrammed. But you have to draw the template onto your work piece, and then find the best placement in each motif for starting the stitching. Once you get going

- it flows. Until the compensated areas - which means places where complete stitch motifs won't fit - so you have to keep the geometry while truncating and filling in. Can get confusing for some people.

Anyhow - let me know if you really are interested in this. I'm happy to give you some pointers, etc - since I'm teaching this as a year long stitch-along. And have detailed pix going up on the shop website, as we've had a hard time keeping the class meeting schedule working.

Ellice

I'm very interested in this, but it's not feasible right now as I don't have the goodies around to do it. I prefer your colours - way more subtle and blended.

I started a Teddy Bear Gathering (Gold Collection) a year ago, finished the cross stitch part around about July, and have not yet finished the outlining. So I think I ought to get cracking and finish that, and look at finding a way to earn an income (since nothing has worked thus far) and then I can plan projects like that.

Catherine (P S Does anyone need a website designed?)

Thanks - about the colorway. I did a slightly different one for one of the stitchers - it's more blue/violet with a different kind of rosey/fuchsia pink. It does look good in person.

Let me know when you're ready to try this....Just send me a direct line.

Totally understand. I have way too many WIPs myself.

Maybe....

Ellice