Friday Flaunt - Under the Sea

Playing catch-up with Willowberry Design's (Cheryl Goss) free "Under the Sea" BOM that started in January has been fun! Nope. It's not on my Ten in '10 list, nor on my "watch my progress" list. I'm doing it simply for the fun of embroidering again.

It's been many years since I've embroidered. In my evolution through various stitcheries, crafts and sewing, embroidery was way back there in the early 70s. After working through some macrame and crewel embroidery, I took up counted cross-stitch in 1977. In 1979 I opened a counted cross-stitch shop in Altoona, Iowa, called "The Stitchery Niche." When I get into something, it's usual that I get into it in a big way.

Anyway, these are the February and March "Under the Sea" blocks on 7-1/2" X 9-1/2" pale blue Moda marble background fabric.

I have no doubt I'll finish this series, as I'm enjoying the process - coloring, and stitching with my new Cosmo six-strand embroidery floss.

Thanks to a dear friend in Council Bluffs, Iowa, who I met on the Internet back in 1996 when the Internet was new, I have more Cosmo thread. Deb gave me 20 skeins for my birthday. I can't think of anything more thoughtful she could have done.

Here's my 40-skein Cosmo collection, all bagged and tagged, and ready for stitching.

Cheryl posted the April "Under the Sea" block, Wilma and Wayney Whale that I started right away.

Cosmo colors, my lightbox to trace the design with a brown Micron Pigma pen...

...600-grit wet/dry sandpaper under the background fabric.

I've begun pencil-shading with Derwent Coloursoft pencils, selecting colors that blend with each Cosmo color. When I'm finished with the coloring, I'll paint those areas with Folk Art textile medium. The medium protects the pencil colors so the finished quilt can be machine-washed.

I leave you with a picture of sweet Hogan. Sweet now, but not so much on Monday!

The stinker - and I mean that literally - during our Monday morning walk in the park, rolled in goose pooh. He had quite obviously leaned his shoulder into it - both shoulders actually. Eewww. Thank goodness I had an old sheet to protect the upholstery during our car trip home, but nothing protected me from the smell! At home, a good rag-washing helped a little, but we were off to a groomer a couple hours later. He's soft, de-furred, and smelling like vanilla now. Mmm. Much better!

Have a happy and blessed Easter. He is risen!