Super Mario Cross Stitch week 16

Epic Mario Cross-Stitch Week 16 (November 23 2008)Another week, and more work on the Super Mario Cross Stitch. I am working hard to get it finished, I hate doing white on white. I finished the white around the “tendo” part of the logo, still working on the “Nin”. I am hoping to have at least the white around the letters done by sunday, but I don’t know if I have the time.

I started using the Super Frame I bought last week, and even though it makes progress slower, the results are neater. The reason that it’s slower is that before I used the frame, I wouldn’t pull my needle to the back. This made things quicker, but not very neat. You only see this up close, so I never had a problem with it, but still, this is better.

The Lady and the Unicorn: The Unicorn tapestries

As a background to my new stitching project (A Mon Seul Desir) I want to study the background of the tapestries a bit. In this post I will condense a bit of basic information about the Tapestries.

The tapestry series “The Lady and the Unicorn” consists of six tapestries. Five of them depict the senses (sight, smell, touch, hearing and sound). The sixth is the final piece (or first), and has the title “A mon seul desir”. This roughly translates to “To my one desire”.

The tapestries were made in the late fifteenth century from designs drawn up in France (Paris). These designs (which are called ‘cartoons’) were used by weavers from Flanders (today Belgium) to weave the six tapestries. The sponsor for this work was Jean Le Viste, whose coat of arms is woven into the tapestries. Jean Le Viste was a powerful nobleman in the court of King Charles VII of France.

The tapestries were rediscovered in 1841, by Prosper Mérimée in the Boussac castle, where they were in bad shape due to storage conditions. In 1882 the tapestries were bought for the Musée National du Moyen Age (National museum for the Middle Ages) in Hotel Cluny in Paris by Edmond Du Sommerard. They have been the property of the museum ever since, and are on display there now.

Quick trip to the stitching store

My plan was to make a quick trip to both the craft stores in town this morning before I’d have to catch a train. The weather however was not cooperating so when I saw the harsh winds and rain I figured I’d go next week. When I walked to train I was fifteen minutes early so I took a quick trip into the biggest store that coincidentaly was also having a sale. I picked up a magnet board for keeping track of the pattern (€ 6.99 -15%) and a super frame. The frame is 49 x 27 cm or 17 x 11 inch. It was the last one they had, and I know of no other hobby store close by that carries them. So, I am one step closed to being ready to start. All I need is to wait for the pattern and threads to be delivered and to buy the fabric. Yay!

Cross Stitching threads

Well, I just ordered a part of the threads I will need for “A Mon Seul Desir“. The list given to me by Scarlet Quince says I will need 243 skeins for the piece if I do it on 18-count (which I will). This is a bit more than I will actually use, because for many colors I will need only part of the skein, but because I have no supply of my own, I will need to buy everything new. This morning I ordered 200 skeins of thread (through an eBay seller). I also ordered two DMC bobbin boxes and a total of 212 bobbins. I also ordered the DMC labels for bobbins. And the nerd in me is looking forward to organising the 200 skeins :D .

A mon seul desir cross stitch preparations 1

Two days ago, on November 18th I ordered the “A mon seul desir” pattern from Scarlet Quince. Today I got the shipping notice, so I will be expecting the pattern next week. I have been preparing everything else I need to get started. Things I need to buy are fabric, thread, new needles, new scissors, some sort of frame, magnet board for keeping the pattern clear, etc. etc.

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A new cross stitching project

I promised myself, that when I was ready to start working on the white in my Super Mario Cross Stitch project I would order and start setting up the follow up project. Well, as can be seen from the week 15 post, I am already well on my way with white, the piece is almost finished, so it is time for a new project.

Like I explained before, the Super Mario cross stitch was really a starter project to see if I would like stitching again, and would have the patience to finish a fairly large piece. I guess I do, so now it is time for something new.

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Cross stitching

When I started the Super Mario Cross Stitch it was a bit of a test. I have always like cross stitching, my mother is an avid stitcher who has many fine finished projects framed on the walls in her house. I have even done some small and larger projects before, but I never finished them. I know on some I made errors, and I couldn’t stand either taking it all out, or leaving it be. I guess I am too perfectionistic and lacked determenation to finish. Continue reading