Serenity Harbor update from me....

We are getting close to the end of our sampler and my intention was to have the revised section 11 available on the blogs for the free download. This was made for the people that have been fabric short :(. These are the alternate bottoms that can be used by everyone if you like. 

I will post the free sections 11 and 12 at the same time in December on the Serenity Harbor Blogs. I hope you understand that I do have them designed but I have to make adjustments with the symbols and then print and download. I am so busy at the moment with the kits….but I promise these alternative bottoms will be available in December….hopefully on the 2nd 

Thank you and have a great week of stitching

Donna

The short fabric fix is here !!!

Good Day

Here is my note detailing the short fabric dilemma

This is a note for all, we have had a problem for some stitchers……. their fabric might not be long enough for the finished design. It was mentioned on Facebook that I gave the cutting dimensions for the fabric to be cut and I did not…….I did agree though that a piece of 32ct linen cut with a length of 40.5 inches  being stitched over (2)  should be enough fabric with 5.7 inches extra and that is just short of 3 inches.

I did give the design area dimensions for all stitch counts on the floss supply list that you received when you started the project. It was up to the person cutting your fabric to decide on a cut size.

The problem seems to be with fabric that was from Fabric Flair but this could happen to other fabrics also. With this said the only conclusion I have come to is that the fabric might state 32 threads to the inch when in fact it does not have 32 threads in an inch …..Even only 1 thread short for every inch would make the fabric size off with such a large design.

I did contact Fabric Flair Aug 21^st and was told they would get back to me and I have not received anything as of today.

So I am making sure that whoever this has happened to will still be able to finish the design and not have to start again….that would be terrible……..so I have redesigned the bottom of the sampler.

Here is the first alternative

This one has 24 stitches less than the original (original ct is 557)

Stitch Count: 533……..  

·        take 557 (original)div by 16 if using 32ct fabric =34.8 inches
·         Take 533 (new #1) div by 16…………….…………….=33.3 inches
·         You will save 1.5 inches

This is the second Alternative

This one has 41 stitches less that the original. (Original ct is 557)

Stitch count: 516……..

·         take 516 div by 16 if using 32ct fabric =32.25 inches

·         You will  save 2.55 inches (from the original)

Since I have designed these to fix a fabric mistake and since more people would like to stitch an alternative other than just the people that have short fabric…..I will not be collecting names but offering them to everyone, ..... they will be available as a PDF ………….I will not be printing them.

I will have a link on the Serenity Harbor Blogs for the files when the time arrives for their release.

If you are a shop owner and your customers are interested please refer them to the blog/blogs for the files that they can print, 

There will still be sec 11 and 12 for the first alternative and for the second alternative there will only be a section #11.

Even though creating two new design alternatives has involved several additional design hours and pulling my hair out (hopefully just the grey ones) there is no additional charge should you decide to print a PDF alternative section. The project price will remain at $72.00, even if you choose to print off section 11 and 12 you are still responsible for the original price. 

I hope this will address any issues that may exist. Bless you all!! And Happy Labor Day

Warmly

Donna 

PLEASE READ, Section 8 and 9 large leaves

Just a heads up :)

For the large tree in section 8 and 9 the leaves are not showing the full straight stitches. I have made a copy of these sections together for you. See photo below.....if you would like to print this for yourself you can either click on the picture below, save it to your computer and print or click on the words PDF FILE and you will be directed to a larger picture so you can print it for yourself from there. 

Thought I would share this before you got to the straight stitching sections on the trees :)

No stress ....... just relaxing and enjoy your stitching

donna 

Grayscale photo of progress

I figured out how to make the conversion from PDF to JPG (used an online converter). So you can see what I will use to help select colors/values for the missing pieces (see previous blog).

Update on my Serenity Harbor progress

I am (sort of) finished with 15 of the 24 sections. I ripped out the half-round tree leaves because I didn't like the hues and the corn-like leaves because I didn't like the contrast. Because of that, I haven't yet finished all the seawater puddling (see previous posts).

To help me decide about how to replace the half-round tree leaves and the corn-like leaves, I did a grayscale PDF of my progress so that I can see whether the values are "playing well together." When I get ready to fill in the missing pieces, I can scan my thread choices to see whether the values are the correct density to show up well in the piece. I was hoping to be able to upload the grayscale PDF, but no luck. Blogger only allows jpgs. If anyone has any clues about how to convert a PDF to a JPG, please let me know.

Kit update

Check out my main blog for a kit update 

Note for Section #8

I was on my way to the printer for Section #8 and dotting my i's and crossing my t's when I noticed something to share with you :)

 * Note: The suggested color for the green house is DMC 730, but laying this floss on top of  DMC 3051 is appears to be similar and the green house might not show up as much as desired. I suggest that the color for the house and the tree next to it be changed to DMC 732. The green house was previously started in section #7 and has 10 stitches, if you have not stitched them yet then please consider changing the house for a lighter green……* The program I used for designing had the color looking much lighter than it really is and I want to make sure you are happy with the color choice and wanted to give you a heads up :) before it became a concern for you.

hope you are enjoying your summer of stitching.

donna 

Section #7 going out soon :)

Section #7 will be going out soon today and a note of interest that  **the symbols for DMC 832 & 3051 might look a bit similar but they are not, so keep watch for these in the grass/mounds and the symbols for White and DMC 642 for the church are similar too. Maybe you could take a pencil and color in the symbol for DMC white if it will make it easier for you and you could also  pencil around DMC 832 & 3051 separating the sections. 

These are just suggestions because they are similar in symbols and I just want you to be aware. 

 Please have a safe a Happy 4th of July weekend

Blessings 

donna

"Puddling" an overdyed thread

For the darker water near the shores and horizon, I am using Dinky Dyes 068. For the lighter water in the middle, I am using Dinky Dyes 020. When puddling, I rarely work an entire row straight across, as that results in stripes. Instead, I might work 10 stitches to the left, then drop down a row and work 5 stitches to the right, then drop down another row and work 15 or 20 stitches to the left. It is a random process, but the size of the puddles of individual colors are dictated by the length of that color on the overdyed thread. Once I've used all the thread of a particular color in the strand up, I move to an adjacent area and work a "puddle" that color in a funky shape. Hope this explanation helps!

Joetta
Kansas

Halfway-halfway

I am working 1-over-1 in silks on Smoke Pearl Belfast Linen. I have been working from the top down for the left half of the design, with the frame turned 90 degrees. So, I am now halfway-halfway!

I have struggled mightily with the yellow-greens. That is definitely my poison color! I may decide later to rip out the bright yellow-green from the large tree at the bottom of Section 5/top of Section 6.

I'm using Belle Soie Weathered Vine for the arch frame, have made the large heron a darker gray/blue overdye, the boat is brown, and the tree trunks are a brown overdye. I'm puddling the light seafoam overdye for the water, so have left some open spots at the center to give myself some wiggle room.

Joetta
Kansas

Heads-up about Part #5 and the symbol for 890, part #6 same symbol for 436-printed charts only

Hi everyone, Just a note that on Section #5 the black star was used for DMC 890 and for Section #6 the same black star was used for DMC 436.........  DMC 890 was not used in Part #6 so if you follow each Sections charted symbols it is fine :) But if you have made a organizer and symbol for each color for the whole Sampler then as Cathy from Inspired Needle said "the sandy beach turned into a dark grassy wetland with a group of frogs being invited"

  ****PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS WAS FOR PRINTED CHARTS ONLY****

It was caught before the PDF charts went out and DMC 436 has the symbol of a HAPPY FACE from this point on :)

This was mentioned on Facebook but encase anyone did read about it I am posting it here for you too, Sorry for any confusion this caused anyone :(

Happy stitching

donna  

Almost imperceptible progress

We spent Sunday at my father-in-law's house.  Between the eating, the baseball game watching, and the poor lighting there wasn't much stitching.  Below you will see a photo of the tiny bit of progress I made on my sampler.  Oh, well...there's always next Sunday!

Ann70821 gets started!

It's not the best picture, I know, but it's the best I could get this morning!  Yesterday was Serenity Sunday and so I sat down and got started on my SAL stitching.  I'm stitching this on 32 count linen from my stash.  It's a very loose weave which I think will work well with so much solid stitching.  

I'm using the DMC flosses that the chart called for--at least so far I am!  I love the subtle differences between the two shades of yellow used on the sun.  It's almost imperceptible to the naked eye but it does lend a certain depth of field that makes the design pop.

For more information about the choices please visit my blog:  With My Needle

Have a wonderful week everyone!

a quick peek at what will be used in the kit

Serenity Harbor Fabric

Serenity Harbor Fabric

Updated From My Personal Blog - Meg

http://blog.fiberholic.net/2015/04/first-part-finally-done.html

A share from Barbara

I am sharing a photo for Barbara, 

She is using 32ct Vintage Flagstone, stitching over (1) and she said she loves this fabric color-looks like a sky), she didn't think the clouds or birds were showing up well, and the sun is a weak color so she decided to go back over the clouds and birds in a full cross to see if that would make them pop more. Some of the clouds are in Gloriana silks and others in SDA or NPI silks (Cathe's conversion).She has blended Continental and full crosses and it working out great. 

Thank you Barbara for sharing and the next one will be out soon !!

Parts 1 -3

I am using 32 count light blue Belfast and silks as supplied by Needle in a Haystack.  Great fun and great colors!

New to the blog

Hi Everyone!  I just ordered the first 3 sections from a store online with lambs wool fabric.  I'm hoping this looks okay with the fabric choice.  I'm very excited to start on this project.  It is so beautiful!

Hello and what fabric?!

Good evening, ladies and gents (if there are any)! I'm new here, although not new to Donna's designs. I just got my patterns over the weekend and will be printing them out probably tomorrow. Meantime, I am contemplating fabric color.

My initial thought was BLUE! The fabric is most visible at the top, which is the sky, but it is also visible around the edges with the border. I like the various shades of sand and beige that I have seen you all use, especially for the border area, but I'm really wanting blue for the sky. Can't do both. Then... I read Donna's note where she loves seafoam green, and sure enough, her water is green. Hmm. Would blue sky work with the green? To check it out, I scrounged around the Internet for an appropriate photo of green water with blue sky, and this is what I came up with:

The water isn't *quite* as green as it is in the sampler, but the strong contrast is there. I think I like it! I am afraid the border will lose some of its lovely definition if I use a blue this dark, so will likely go for a medium or light blue. Not pale or pastel, just definitely blue.

Pondering. And also considering size. Leaning toward 40 ct, over 2. But then should I do petit point and not cross?

Stay tuned for another edition of "Susanna's Brain Runs All Over Your Blog."

choosing colors

I just got my email from Donna last night... auditioning colors with fabric...

very excited to get started and catch up before the heavy stitching starts!
Stay warm!
KimV
the wooleystitcher