TAST/closed base needlewoven picot stitch ~ the fifteen minute challenge ~ Photo Art Friday ~

i have been really busy getting the last of the tomato crop into jars. we had a fabulously long growing season this year and as i was picking the last of the crop i didn't actually notice this particular heart shaped tomato. it was only as i was in the kitchen prepping them for canning that i really looked at it and discovered what i had.
i hope that it brings you the same kind of smile that it brought me~!

i thought that it worked for this week's optional prompt at Photo Art Friday which was to "showcase an image that features distinct line(s)".

i straightened and cropped this photo but otherwise it is as it was from the camera. no textures, layers or other additions.

are you all enjoying my recent involvement with Pixel Dust Photo Art?
i have had a good time stretching myself around whatever Bonnie's weekly prompt might be and feel that it is good for me both creatively and photographically.
it's also a big treat to get feedback from Bonnie and the other participants!

 

on Pin Tangle last week the TAST stitch was the closed base needlewoven picot or needlewoven picot leaf stitch.
Sharon suggested that they could be used for leaves or free standing flower petals. as i was working my first practice stitches i had the thought that they might also make really good feathers. maybe even turkey feathers . . . but, alas, i did not have the time to go down that road. i will keep it in mind for future projects though.
this all brought to mind the days when i was little and made those hand print turkeys every thanksgiving holiday . . . all the fingers representing a large turkey tail full of feathers and the thumb a turkey head and neck. and then came the years when my daughter did the same . . .

anyway, back to stitching, i chose to use this stitch on the wonderful husband's stocking and in two different places. first i placed a few larger closed base needlewoven picot stitches along a previously worked area where i thought that they might add design and textural interest. i used a variegated blue pearl cotton (size 8) and when i was finished with them i chose to gently tack the top end of them down. i brought them in just slightly and this created a bit of an arc in them which i like.

secondly i placed a few within the inverted v formation on my knotted buttonhole stitch (week 39). i chose a solid medium green pearl cotton (size 8) and made them smaller in hopes that they might resemble small green leaves. when stitched these 'leaves' are actually free standing and only attached to the surface of the work at the base of the stitch. kind of a cool feature, i think.

i found this stitch to be interesting but a bit on the fussy side. the weaving takes quite a bit of time and unfortunately points out more than ever that i need to get myself to the eye doctor for a strong prescription. even with a blunt needle and a strong light i was catching the other threads more often than i would have liked.

for this week's 15 minute challenge hosted by Kate at Life In Pieces  i was able to get in all 7 days once again. i think over the course of the past year i have achieved my goal of making this a priority and a habit within my life. if you think you need a 'kick in the pants' from Kate in order to do the same, i highly recommend this challenge. it's my understanding that she's working on a few changes for the upcoming year to keep things fresh and interesting.
my work this week included the TAST stitch practice, work on the christmas stockings, a label for the contemporary/modern piece, and creating some christmas ornaments for my guild's decorated christmas tree donation.
we have begun the tradition of presenting an already decorated christmas tree to our local resource/community center's annual auction event.
the proceeds go to the center for some of their operating costs.
each guild member is asked to bring decorations for the tree that we will donate. i like to make these little mittens every year. so far i have these two completed but i hope to make more in the upcoming week.

the one on the left is made from some paper fabric that i had in my stash.
the one on the right is made from my own hand dyed fabrics sewn around a fussily cut christmas print fabric. i embroidered some details and seams and crocheted a hanging loop. the snowman on the paper fabric has been outlined with a pen stitch detail. if you would like to see the details of any of my photos within my blog posts you can click on them for a larger view and even click on the larger view for an extra large view.

recent gifts include:

• a few more sunny and mostly warm days
• an appreciation for lights that come on at the touch of a switch and hot running water whenever i need/want it
• seeing the goldfish even though the pond is icing up a little bit on most mornings.
• working the dogs and getting good results