TAST2012 - Week 45

We have reached week 45, oh, it proves we are nearing the end of this year's TAST project. Luckily, thanks to Sharon's generosity, we will continue to learn in 2013 as well. The tempo and how it is presented will change slightly, but the teaching will go on.

Now, for week 45 and its Open Based Needlewoven Picot stitch, Sharon lent me her 'Running Fingers'. This is a pun on 'Stitching Fingers', the showcase we use for our work. If you haven't visited, please do so,  to see lots of beautiful work.

With those 'Running Fingers' I worked hard and completed my piece early yesterday afternoon, 36 hours after I had first read the instructions! I had time to sleep, too!

Before I go on, I would like to say THANK YOU to all those who kindly left comments on my work last week. The Picot stitch is so inspiring and it was difficult to decide what to do with it, that is why I had three pictures, the corn cob, the sandals and the bush. The versatility of the stitch was proven by all others who used the stitch in many other fantastic ways.

So what to do for week 45, the Closed Base and the Open Base Needlewoven picots being so similar? Well, I have a dear friend, Jacquie Harvey, who is an accomplished and ribbon bedecked hand quilter, have a look for yourself, here. When she saw the stitch she said: 'I suppose it could be used for baskets'. Well, of course it can! My first choice was therefore to make a basket with plants:

Before I started stitching, though,  I thought of Jacquie and her dressmaking skills. The Festive Season is coming soon. How about making an evening gown? Would that be possible with this stitch? There is only one way to find out, give it a try!

This is what I ended up with.

I made two Open Based Picots for the bodice, three each for the skirt, the basket, the leaves and the flower. Most of them are fastened to the background fabric.

Materials used: Old sheet for background, Pearl cotton 5 for the gown, Stranded floss for the pedestal, basket and flower, rayon for the leaves, metallic quilting thread for the shoulder straps and hanger's hook, old scrap of ribbon for the hanger and sash, beads for buttons and floral centre.

I thought I'd show you how I managed to weave the plant without snagging the basket. I inserted a piece of paper between the basket and the new stitch:

It made the stitching fast and hassle free.

I bet there will be many fantastic things to see so check out the comments on Sharon's blog.

Happy stitching to you all!