MARCH TIFC COMPLETED

APRIL TIFC

Again, I'm opting for the palette portion of the challenge. I hope the colors at least resemble those of the palette; the computer I had to use away from home may not have had the most reliable monitor. Above are the colors Sharon B generated and you can see the photograph she used for inspiration here.

In my last post I mentioned I had found DMC flosses and a few perles at a CA fabric store, along with some woven raw silk. This store also has two rooms of trims! I bought beads by the yard with a metallic finish in bright copper/burnt orange that just doesn't show true in my pix. None of the colors do, but I'll hold to blaming the cheesy monitor. On my sketch you'll see how I named the colors, but I really wasn't sure if the second one was brown or browny purply plum, so I used both! The pale lemon is all but lost on the ivory/cream background. First picture below is closest to actual color. Below that is the entire sampler. The bright, shiny bead strands simply don't "pop" as visually as they actually do, compensating for the lighter colors lost on the pale background.

SNEAK PREVIEW OF MARCH TIF

Colors from the March palette reminded me of oriental rugs which made me think of the decorative grandeur of the Ottoman or Moghul Empires.

I allowed my Creative Inner Child to fantasize about magic carpets, sultans and Scheherezade. Then I made a crude sketch for a design of paisley motifs and scooped up some black burlap and all the threads, ribbons and yarns I had on hand I thought might match the palette. No time to search for beads, but there was a good LRS where I was headed in CA.

I cut a piece of burlap and backstitched the perimeter I wanted, allowing enough border to fringe. This seemed natural because the weave of the burlap was so loose. Once I started on the actual stitching, I quickly realized I was not conforming to the lines of my original sketch. I drew another more closely resembling the form and direction my stitches were indicating.

April was upon me before I could get to the bead store, so I started on this month's TIF, which went quickly given that I had no decisions to make regarding which stash to use. I made do with what I could eke out from what I had with me, supplemented with some flosses and perles found at a local fabric store ,where I also invested in some ivory colored, loose woven raw silk for the background.

I don't have too much left to do on March's TIF, just a little more stitching and beading. I'll post a finished presentation in a day or two.

GREETINGS FROM CALIFORNIA

Dear Readers,
My quickie two week visit to CA has been extended two more weeks. My 92 year old young father had hip replacement surgery to replace a replacement he had over 25 years ago, and I'm staying while he recovers. I'm pleased to report he is up and about and doing splendidly and should be able to return to independent living soon.
I popped into the local senior center today to check the TIF assignment for April, and I wanted to let everyone know that I have been spending my spare time finishing up my March TIF (I'll upload pix when I get home), working on an Ample Knitters' KAL sweater, the Oblique Cardigan from the Knitty archives, and dutifully writing three pages of "Morning" as part of the Artist's Way challenge with the cyber chapter of EGA. I'm looking forward to some free time to meet up with friends and do a little stash shopping -- after all, I have to buy materials for this month's TIF so I can start on it out here.