Wednesday 22 December 2010

Christmas Ornament/Card Swap

I thought that I blogged pretty much every thing that I stitch. Sometimes when I look back as a reference, I am surprised by the gaps in my recording.

For the past three years I have taken part in a Christmas card/ornament swap on the Embroiderer's Guild forum. I stitched and sent my offering to my swap partner a couple of weeks ago but waited until I was certain that it had arrived before blogging about it.

When I looked back to see what I had written about the previous swaps, I was amazed to learn that I had not even mentioned them! The first swap I took part in was in 2008. The swap that year was for a Christmas card and ornament but that year, and everyone since, my time was limited so I decided to make an ornament/card. I wanted to practice a technique that I had learnt that year, Flax leaf, and try a technique that I had not done before, 3d effect.


On the back, I simply stitched the date.


In 2009 I changed the shape of the ornament and stitched a variations of Flax leaf that produces hexagons. I don't have a picture of the finished ornament.


We also stitched small gifts in that year and I made a tiny beaded pin cushion for my swap partner.


This year I changed that shape again and practiced an other technique that I learnt this year. After stitching a foundation in flat silk, I over stitched the bottom of the ornament with short stitch holding done with #1 silver thread. I hope that this will give a little sparkle to the ornament. At the top of the ornament I attached sequins with the same silver thread. The shape of this ornament was more difficult to finish than previous ones. I always like to finish the edges with a cord. On this ornament I used a twisted cord made from several strands of silver metallic thread.


Happy Stitching. Happy Swapping.

3 comments:

Hideko Ishida said...

Your ornaments are very beautiful! Especially I love the first round one. It remind me our flag but much more beautifully sophistcated!

Ann Christy said...

Really beautiful. Happy Christmas and may you enjoy another year of happy and beautiful stitching.

Rachel said...

Truly ornamental!