Eight Color Contest Segment 1

Recently I was chosen to be a co-conspirator and judge for contests on my artsy website for a club I participate in called Stitching Pirates.  My partner in crime and I are responsible for creating and hosting contests as well as judging cross stitch works submitted to each contest.  

Our first contest was the Tiny Pillow Contest.  I have to tell you the ideas I had for something I would do kept entering my mind but had to keep telling myself I am a judge and should not enter.  Then I asked why not?  After some discussion with my partner, we decided it's okay if we submit to the contest, we just cannot count ours as "real" submissions for the contest.  Of course, others in the club may always feel free to let me know how I did just for fun!

The premise behind this current contest is that it is fall.  Not everyone is down with Halloween and some people are sick of it being a big deal and some absolutely love it (I'm guilty of loving it).  So, I thought, "how about we just use colors?"  Shared the idea with my partner who then came up with a list of 8 colors, hence the name of the contest.  Keep in mind, in the world of cross stitch when you say "purple" there is an entire array of "purple".  Same goes for the other colors, except for silver.  There is only one silver.  It's a Highlander color...there can be only one!  There is, however, many types of thread that are silver.  Depending on the look you are going for, or texture, but in the end....it's just silver.  

Glow-in-the-dark has six colors.  Grab those and then run into a dark room and technically there are only three glowing colors even though you are holding six spools in your hand.  A little difficult to work with, but I am excited to have it and will be putting it into my work.

I had done some searching for a pattern I would like to do and came across a pattern that got me so excited I ordered it immediately.  I then ordered the Glow-in-the-Dark threads.  My excitement was so great I had to pull out everything I would need for the project.  Knowing full well I wouldn't be doing anything with it until my Chickie Bags for Breast Cancer Awareness were done, but one cannot be prepared too early!

I chose the lime green linen napkin that I had picked up at a yard sale for 10 cents about 15 years ago (just shows I can keep some stuff AND you never know when it will come in handy).  This linen napkin has been seriously used and has an almost evenweave to it.  Perfect for what I'm about to do with it.

Once my Breast Cancer Awareness Chickie Bags were finished, I mailed them off to the woman who is hosting the raffle in Anchorage so people can win them.  All proceeds will go to the Breast Cancer Research and those bags were my donation to help them raise more money.  I have to say they were my favorite batch yet!  



I crochet a little ribbon for each of them that also have two pink beads on them for a little sparkle.  A girl cannot have too much shiny in her day, ya know?  I am so thrilled with them, I could go on all day.  Just know that no matter how many more I make in my life, these are my favorite.

As I was saying, I put these in the mail and sent them off.  When I came home from work later that day I almost broke a hip doing the screaming happy dance because NOW I can begin working on my 8 Color Contest entry!

I'm not sure what makes this so exciting for me.  The colorful, cheery pattern?  Because it's wonderful cross stitch?  Of course you all will be the judge and tell me when it's finished just how FUN the piece is.  It is a total reflection of who I am, and that may be it right there.  No matter how you feel about this time of year, this is bound to make you smile.

Once I settled down from the screaming and dancing, I began stitching.  In one sitting I completed a small section.  Further along than I had anticipated in such a short amount of time!  Segment One of this piece (including prepping fabric onto frame) took approximately four hours.  I was amazed.  A 3"x 3" section done so quickly!

As you can see it really is cute.  I have realized this piece will go pretty quickly.  In cross stitch time, pretty quickly means about a week in real time.  This was done on Monday.

I could not wait to get home yesterday to do more!  But then I have felt a little under the weather so my stitching has slowed a little, but NOT my exuberance for this project. 

The second sitting and working on this produced the top of the hat.  All together we have a six inch tall hat.  The yellow squares are DMC 307 Lemon combined with Kreinik 054F Lemon-Lime Glow-in-the-Dark.  I had to fill in the two squares at the top part of the hat so I could see the result before continuing in case I wasn't satisfied. 

I have to straighten up the bottom square, but I would say it looks pretty darn great in the dark!  

I'm excited STILL, and cannot wait to finish this.  I have yet to decide what to make from it...a pillow?  Frame it?  It needs to be displayed to make others smile!

More progress reports as I go along!


Until next time.....