The Marriage of Minds

Phew! Almost finished with "The Marriage of Minds" by the Drawn Thread. I have not done the leaves on the tree at the top because I ran out of the thread I needed. It's on back order. Here are pictures!



Here's a picture of the pattern book so you can see what the model on the cover looks like.




This is the project I just started. It's by the same designer, and it's a bit smaller. My mother bought me the pattern and the cloth (gorgeous natural Glenshee) a few years ago for my birthday and I am just now getting around to it. Like most of Cynthia Zittel's patterns, the model is done in Needlepoint, Inc. silks. She provides substitutions for DMC embroidery floss as well. I love to use silks but I don't have enough money to use them all the time. I have bought some of her patterns with the silk floss included, which is great because you get just enough to do the pattern rather than buying a whole skein. This time, I went with the DMC. Unfortunately, the substitutions for the variegated floss were ghastly when I compared them with the beautiful cover model. As I often do, I made up my own. DMC has a new line of variegated cotton floss that is quite pretty and I was able to find nice alternatives.



This is what I've done so far. I only started yesterday! This is the pool in the middle of the garden done with the variegated DMC cotton floss. Around the edge are cobblestones stitched in a reversed cushion pattern. I think it looks very inviting. If you tilt you head left (I forgot to rotate the picture!) you will see the waves going back and forth. Hopefully, this pattern will only take me a couple of months.



I am thinking of beginning this pattern also. It's by From Nancy's Needle and it is supposed to look like an Amish Trip Around the World quilt. Cross-stitchers are well-known for having a rotation so we never get bored (I suppose this is true of other crafts persons as well). Sometimes this has the unfortunate result of a UFO (un-finished object). In the past, as soon as I begin a new project the older one goes by the wayside. I think the accepted strategy is to set up some kind of schedule. This project on the weekends, that one on weeknights. This one at home, that one to take out. This one for a week, then that one for a week. I will have to think it through.


I want to start this other pattern because it is canvas work instead of cross stitch, and that would be an interesting new challenge. It's pretty basic canvas work as far as I can tell. I have done the same kinds of stitches as specialty stitches in cross stitch projects. I will have to order canvas and tack it down to stretcher bars. That will be a strange new feeling after getting used to my fabulous PVC Q-Snap frame.

By the way, I am feeling quite proud of myself. I went to Brick City Cross Stitch when I visited my mother in Ocala yesterday and all I bought was a pretty needle minder. Needle minders are just two magnets. You put the pretty part on the top of your fabric and the plain magnet on the backside, and then you can rest your needle there. This one is purple with white dragon flies.

Here is a link to another pretty magnet set from the same company, and when you scroll down you can see some of the other choices.