HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Christmas is coming to town...

Are you in Christmas spirit already?

I've noticed some neighbors around here have started decorating their houses already and even light up Christmas trees in the evenings.

Hmm, in spite of the fact I am still in Thanksgiving mood, can't not to deny that Christmas spirit is definitely in the air!

happy coming holidays!
Natalia

Dollhouse Petit Point Rug "VERA" - Work in Progress

I finished stitching dollhouse miniature Kazak rug.While it is stretched on the board, I picked up another rug that has to be finished.

Petit point rug is in progress. This is my design and I called it "Vera" to honor my Mom. It translates "Faith" in English. 49 count silk gauze, Gutermann silk floss.

have a great Sunday!

Natalia

Silk gauze and Selvage

How to find out where selvage was if you have a cut piece of silk gauze without selvages?

For example, I have this piece of 35 count silk gauze. Before to mountain on the frame I need to figure out where selvage was and mark it.

There are 2 terms that are used when we talk about a woven canvas/fabric: warp and weft. Warp is the tightly stretched lengthwise core of canvas and weft is woven between the warp threads. Since warp threads are coming lengthwise out of selvage our task is to identify where is warp and weft are on this piece of 35 count silk gauze.

If the piece of silk gauze is not marked or has no selvage, pull one thread from the vertical side and one from the horizontal side.

Compare them. One thread will be crinkly and split in 2,

horizontal side

and another thread will be smooth:

vertical side

The warp threads are treated to withstand the tension in weaving. Weft thread is not.

The smooth one is warp and this is where the selvage was.

It means, when my piece of silk gauze is ready to be worked on, I will frame it this way.

Now, if you want, you can take a piece of silk gauze with selvage and repeat this experiment again to see what I mean.

Natalia

Dollhouse Miniature Petit Point KAZAK Rug - Work in Progress

Here is my new update on a Dollhouse Miniature Petit Point Kazak rug in 1/12th scale. Little reminder: 49 count silk gauze, Gloriana silk floss.

Somebody might not like me bringing too much of red color in the field of the rug. First, I yelled at myself too, but then I started liking it more, probably adjusted. Frankly speaking, the red color I used for the border was over and, since our the only one local needlework store in the city was closed last summer, I was forced to buy silk floss on-line. I ordered the same number, the same name. However, it arrived brighter than I used to have.

I planned to finish this rug last month. Hopefully, I will have more time to finish it in November, or let's say this year. I have already stitched 2014 on the rug - the year it has to be finished.

Happy day!
Natalia