Bargello Ta-dah

The first bargello cushion panel is done!

It still needs to be blocked to shape but all the stitching is done.
When I took it into work last week we were all in agreement that it actually looks more like lavender fields rather than drifts of bluebells. But I don't mind. I like lavender too.
It didn't take as much wool as I expected. I started with 2 skeins of each of the eight colours and had to go back for a third of each, although for 2 colours I only needed the extra to complete one row! So there's enough left to make a little something extra. I'll have a chat with Lyn about that tomorrow.
Oh - and a word of warning about not picking up enough tapestry wool to complete your project when you initially choose your colours. If you go back for more and inadvertently pick up a different dye lot, they can vary. A lot! The Anchor wool that I used is lovely to work with but doesn't have dye lot numbers. DMC is nowhere near as nice to work with but does have dye lots. Just saying.

The other girls have been making some lovely pieces in fine mesh canvas with embroidery threads. They all looked stunning and completely put mine in the shade really...

Lynn had the next panel cut ready for me and had chosen some Very bright colours! She wanted some dramatic peaks and troughs, so firstly I "sketched" with wool, then put in pencil lines. I stitched the first row and kept going back to look as I wasn't completely happy.

 I wasn't sure about having all the peaks and troughs being so tall, so unpicked one of them and drew it again with a much more shallow curve.

Here are the colours Lynn chose - a very bright rainbow. To start with, for the first set of colours, I'll do every row covering 4 threads. The next set will cover 5, then maybe 6 and so on.
Hopefully, that should give quite a psychedelic effect. Maybe!

This is all I've done so far - I've spent Far too much time on Pinterest this week. It's rather addictive!

I have also made a Fimo crochet hook handle in pink this week, ready to make my crochet cardigan. There's something quite satisfying about using a hook that matches the wool! And naturally, it needed a little matching cover made using the cotton yarn I've bought...

I saw these hooks on Pinterest - where else?... - four or five years ago and straight away had a go at making my own. Here's the LINK. They are so much more comfortable to use than just a metal hook. Indeed, all the hooks I actually use now have a hand made handle, all in different colours - often to match a project!

I haven't actually started the cardigan though. In this photo, you can see the test piece in the Chinese pattern I'd found  (on Pinterest ) but you can't really see the pattern because the yarn is variegated. And it's complicated enough that you need to concentrate on it, so with all that work I want it to be visible! So I'm now rethinking.

Naturally, that may involve a little searching on Pinterest...

Till next time!