Monday, July 30, 2012

a note on basketweave...

happy monday! we had a great weekend touring the city, but i'm ready to get back to my routine 
(translation: stitching)

but first, a little note on basketweave...




as the needlepoint discipline grows and we continue to learn new methods and new tricks, i wanted to reflect on my ornaments that are in basketweave.

sure, looking back there are "i should of"s" and "if only's"...if only i would have known to scotch stitch the scarf. i should have used fuzzy stuff or flair for the snow. if only i had padded his earmuffs. 

but i look back on the first ornaments i ever did and i'm proud of myself. i'm proud that i've come such a long way. that i've pushed myself to constantly be learning from the experienced stitchers in our community. to never settle if i see room for improvement. 



literally the first ornament i ever did. i thought i was hot stuff by adding french knots to his beard! haha



while yes, there are those fleeting thoughts of "i wish i would have done fur on the coat's trim", and so on, i look at my first two petei santas with love. i remember my first class and my first teacher and how she told me i picked it up so quickly.



i laugh at my green naivety, thinking that i was at the pinnacle of all things needlepoint because i could basketweave, not even knowing that there were infinite stitches and methods out there. 



but then i taught myself the mosaic stitch after studying a finished ornament and wondering "how did she do that?" 



and then i got a little more confidence and said "hey, why not beads?" and i was hooked. and i haven't looked back. 


5 comments:

  1. These ornaments are beautiful. We all start off with the basic stitches and then we grow and grow and never stop. Needlepoint is a great adventure that just never ends.
    Linda

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  2. It's great to be able to look back and see how far you have come. I think I used basket weave and tent stitches, yes, except for the French knot for beards. :) for a couple of years. I'm just now taking on new stitches. That's what I loved about the nativity scene year long club because it was a chance to learn new stitches with guides. I'm taking my first class in September!

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  3. Baby-Been there and done that! The first stocking I did was for my now almost 20yo nephew. I remember sitting in the waiting area, pregnant with my oldest child, waiting for him to be born and basketweaving away with his stocking wadded up in my hand. Oh, my goodness! That is the worst basketweave you will ever see! The stitches are diagonal, horizontal, and every which way. Recently I offered to redo and he said no. Probably didn't want to fool around with Aunt Berry and her girl stuff, but I prefer to think it has sentimental value to him. The early ones do! And yours are very cute.

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  4. I adore your basketweave ornaments!! I was in a needlepoint store the other day peering into the showcase of previously stitched ornaments that were probably samples as well as others. Most were basketweave and I actually liked them that way and thought they were really neat. Sometimes I think I labor over what stitch I need to use and forget about what impact various threads and colors can have on the visual appearance, too. But I will say, learning new stitches is fun!

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  5. Gotta love basket weave! There is something so peaceful and therapeutic about it

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