CHICKEN SCRATCH

This is the beginning of a sampler for Stitch Explorations 2009, a challenge in stitching techniques from Sharon Boggan. January's study is Chicken Scratch. It is basically weaving through straight stitch anchors and is a needlework commonly stitched over a checkered fabric. A typical example might be a gingham apron embellished, which could be fancy for a hostess or simple as a young girl's 4-H project. To me the traditional look is nostalgic, homey, the textile equivalent of comfort food.

I decided to begin a sampler for the 09 stitch explorations. I've admired Sharon B's rollable sampler and also liked the way she incorporated some current event. I just happened to begin my sampler the day of a presidential inauguration, and I chose patriotic colors to record my stitching. The cloth is a light gray hardanger fabric, and with the exception of the sparkly white, my threads were all basic cotton floss and #5 perles. This sampler is for me as I play and experiment with the stitches, so I don't worry about counting threads and proper centering; I just eyeball it.

What I tried to explore here was using different stitches to accomodate the weaving and also the use of multiple colors. The first solid across block of stitches is a failed experiment. I was going to weave small circles around large cross stitches. When it didn't work out, I added more stitches just to make it decorative. The first two circles in the following row are woven through stacked arrowheads. The next circle I think might be interesting in larger scale. I wanted to see what it would look like if three colors were used to weave concentrically through three straight stitch anchors. I couldn't get it to look right, so I switched to just one color for the weaving. You'll probably have to look at the enlarged picture to see the staggered effect. The fourth circle also utilizes 3 straight stitches in varying lengths as anchors. Fifth circle is another dud. The final segment has circles woven through 3 rows of cross stitch.

The next band is where I went from neat circles through even cretan stitches to freeform cretan stitching. I really love the irregular circles and the odd shapes formed in the negative space. In the final band I began with close set cretan stitches with the second row alternating points. The uneveness caused the top and lower circles to slant, while the center circles stayed normal. I think the effect might be more interesting had I reversed the threads. The rest of the band was more freeform play. It may appear like a couched thread, but what I actually did was scatter arrowhead stitches in varying size and orientation, then wove the thread as randomly as I could through the V's. Thread tension didn't show up when I sketched the idea, so the outcome was not as interesting as I'd hoped. Maybe more v-stitches in a different color and another color for threading. In fact I think I need to do just that to fill in that area and make the January segment look more balanced.

ANGELIC MAKEOVER

The before angel is below. You can see I've made her halo larger, added a butterfly hair ornament, a magic wand and lots more fibery stuff including tulle and hand dyed scrim.

PROSPERITY DOLL

As previously mentioned, January's project in Chaska Peacock's Creative Sparks group was to create a doll that would represent us and what prosperity meant to us individually. We were to make dolls from a technique Chaska taught us that involved wrapping a wire armature. She gave us two examples of her own, one with her picture for the face and the other with a mirror face. You can see other examples from the class on her website

I initially had major reservations about using my own likeness on this doll. I learned a tragic lesson in being careful what one prays for, and I've avoided petitioning for personal favors ever since. After some deliberation I decided I could make a doll that simply represented prosperity,

good fortune and things people usually wish for. If I clarified in my intent that none of my loved ones would suffer as a consequence of fulfillment, then generalized wishes would be okay. I was going to include names of those with whom I'd most want to share the luck inside a tubular fabric bead I would make. Wouldn't you know the doll exerted its own creative guidance and eliminated the dilemma altogether.

As the doll took shape I noticed masculine characteristics. Not only did my doll choose to be male, he chose to be magical, as in anything-is-possible magic. My doll morphed into a genie!

Unlimited wishes could be mine for the asking. Neverending stash came immediately to mind -- after world peace and abundance for all, of course. I could wish for the moon. Instead I opted for the world on a silver platter (that ought to cover about anything).

Here are the details. I painted my guy red and named him Red Genie. I wrapped his arms with size 8 perle cotton floss. I wanted him dressed in red, but I only had small pieces of silk from my CQ stash, so instead of one robe, he sports separates. The paisley fabric was only long enough to cover from high waist down, so I made a tube and gathered both ends. I deliberately put the seamline down the front and ruched it slightly to give the suggestion of harem pants. I made slippers with curlicue fronts from air dry clay and painted them gold. They just peek out at the bottom and purposely look off-balance because, hey!, he's tripped over Happy Cat, who facing front has his right hand raised to bring personal riches and facing back has left hand up to promote good business and many customers. I don't have a business or clients, just covering the bases. One never knows. An apron of claret hangs from the neck down and is bordered with a piece of woven ribbon that repeats around the neck. A leftover snippet of paisley made a sleeve and draws across the back to blouse over the gathered waistband. Two rectangles of red silk stitched together in the back with gold metallic make a shawl that covers the bare shoulder. The ends cross in front beneath the arms for an added detail. He has some wired beads around the neckline and a handmade Chinese knot with charms hangs as a pendant (found it at a local Chinese restaurant). I used French wired ribbon for a sash and simply twisted the ends at the side to make a fan shape. Red Genie's turban is a swirl of silk chiffon from one of my dye batches. Atop it is a miniature Christmas ornament that is "bejeweled" and shaped like a turban or oriental onion dome. My man's face is glued to a bottle cap glued to a flat filigree medaillon.

He is looking down in shock as his silver tray spills. The tray was cut from the foil vacuum seal from a coffee can; a piece of lace is the doily.