Acorn update

Slowly but surely I've been working on the Acorn design. Crewel stitching is so soothing. I feel confident in what I'm doing and love the feel of wool on twill. I've already finished all of the Bayeux stitching on the background of the small leaves and the orange berries and stem that lie within that dark green stitching. I like the color combination of the green and orange.

Working the leaves and the stems was straight forward. The stems are worked first using stem stitch and the leaves are done with satin stitch, angled towards the center. I used split stitch to outline them first. It all pulls together nicely with the orange being a great contrast to the dark green.

Prior to finishing the leaves and stems, I stitched the larger top leaves on both sides using long and short shading in two colors of green. The lighter green really lifts the leaf.  The leaf is divided into three sections and only the top section is stitched with the medium green thread. The bottom two sections are still stitched using the technique of long and short shading, but done in the same light green color. This adds texture without the usual color change associated with long and short shading.

I've just finished one side of the seeding all around the dark green leaves and stems. Using the lightest green thread, I stitched lots and lots of tiny seed stitches, filling the space with what looks like dots. I find seed stitch one of the most soothing and peaceful stitches to do. I love placing them equidistant apart but without making rows or organized stitches.

 That's my progress on the Acorn project. It's coming along nicely and I'm finding it a pleasure to stitch.Here's a drawing of one of the parts I'm working on. You can see the seed stitching if you look closely.If you're working on more than one project at a time, do you find you have a favorite project? Or does your favorite happen to be the one you stitching at the moment? Or does it shift?Let us hear from you!