WIPW - Kafferepet Completed

Work In Progress Wednesday, that was started by Sharon Boggon of Pintangle, has been a great way to spur us on, to work towards completing needlework projects that have been taken too long, or even taken up long term residence 'on the shelf'.

For me, one such project was a wallhanging called Kafferepet. I made the first block in the summer of 2007!, and with the help of Sharon's WIPW I have now reached the goal and the quilt is completed!

I have made progress on other projects, too, but let's start with:

Kafferepet
It all began in 2007 when I made a block for NHK's Partnership charity quilt project. The theme was 'Tea Time', and I made a platter of seven 'goodies' usually served at a traditional, and slightly old fashioned, Swedish coffee gathering, known as Kafferep in Swedish.

Kanelbulle, Schackruta, Vaniljhjärta, Uppåkrakaka, Chokladsnitt, Gaffelkaka, Syltgrotta are the names... (For NHK's Partnership Quilt Project 2008)

Once the block had been donated to NHK I knew I wanted one for myself and made a new one.

The cinnamon roll was replaced with a biscuit called Kongress. 

As I love the china that the biscuits are on, I decided to make a small quilt featuring the cup and coffee pot as well.

 From there the project grew with blocks of buns, cup cakes,

raspberry cordial, spoons and all the other things connected with this kind of coffee party.

From the ladies of my family I had been given lots of hand made lace that I used for the sashing. I backed the lace with blue and yellow fabric, the colours of the Swedish flag.  

The quilt was extended with a border of appliquéd summer flowers. 

By the time I had joined TAST (Take A Stitch Tuesday) in 2012, I started embroidering stems by using 48 different TAST stitches. 

Another border, with bobbin lace held down with other TAST stitches, completed the top.

Now in the last week I have worked on the back; the hanging sleeve was stitched on and the label completed.

Lace, appliqué and TAST stitches, all in celebration of Swedish coffee culture.

The front looks like this:

(measuring 100x105 cm)

and here are some details of the quilting

As can be seen, all quilting is done with embroidery stitches.

To celebrate the completion I just had to arrange a Kafferep and set the table.

'Coffee is served!'

TASTy Beads Galore
This week I used TAST #107 Beaded Loop Cretan

Pile 'em On

Apart from adding some more stray stitches and the speared orts, technique here, I began on some pulled work outside the circle.

New Growing Red

Here are the goods for my next project, red wool en mass, fabric and yarn.

 Wishing those who celebrate Christmas a Jolly Holiday, and wishing you all, Jolly Stitching!

WIPW - The last spurt.

My Work In Progress Wednedsday report is shorter than usual this week. The Swedish cushion was completed last week and is of course off the list, there is No TAST reference chart work to report on either, but I've made progress on:

Kafferepet
I have prepared the hanging sleeve, but not stitched it on yet. The label itself is on, but the decorative lace and appliqué is not completed. I'll add embroidery with the perle 8 seen in the photo.

It is the beginning of the last spurt.

Pile 'em On
I added more thread play to the tangle. One addition was the keyring with trapped thread ends. I wrote about the process here. As usual I got good feedback from my online friends. Thank you so much.
Chris Richards suggested adding a pearl or jewel in the centre. I think I will act on that suggestion, once the piece is finished.

By the way, Chris has made some fantastic bead embroidery. Check this one out.
After seeing Annet's WIPW and Royce's Schwalm embroidery my fingers are itching to start on some different work outside the large tangled circle. I think it is time for some order in the mess!

TASTy Beads Galore
I tried to improve the flower that Chitra gave inspiration to. I have added stronger coloured thread. Unfortunately the red fabric steals the show with its overpowering raspberry red.
The flowers have grown in size with more Beaded Barb Stitches and there is also a Beaded Barb Stitched stem.

It is time to move on to another beaded TAST stitch for next week. Séverine's fantastic work has given me a lot of inspiration.

There is even more Work In Progress Wednesday inspiration to be found at Sharon's website, Pintangle. Click on the link and see what others have made.

WIPW - The Swedish Cushion Completed!

If you click here and read the information on Pintangle you will learn all about Work In Progress Wednesday.

How quickly Wednesdays come around! It is time for another WIPW report.

Kafferepet
I have completed the Woven Crosses that anchor the lace. That means that the top of the quilt is finished. Yes!  A picture will be shown next week.

Here I have collected the material for the hanging sleeve and the label that I hope to start work on soon.

Pile 'em On
More orts and stray thread have been worked into the 'mess'. The latest addition were the purls I made.

TASTy Beads Galore
I was most impressed by some stunning flowers Chitra, of Jizee6687's Weblog, made on her sampler with TAST #139 Beaded Barb Stitch. I wanted to make something similar. Alas, my colours are dull and the spacing not so impressive; I'll have to try again.

TAST Reference Chart
I stitched down the labels for the latest ten stitches.

Then I prepared another sheet for future TAST stitches. There are 81 squares! Sharon, I hope you don't feel this as any pressure, but I'd love to have them all filled with TAST stitches eventually!!!

Chicken Scratch
Out of the blue I had to make another train trip. I let the Chicken loose and she Scratched hard and actually completed the design.

Before I turn this into a cushion I will work another pattern of thread in some areas to add a bit of pizzaz.

The Swedish Cushion
A cushion that is completed, however, is the Swedish one.
The full panel looks like this:

and contains 124 different TAST stitches (the 16 beaded TAST stitches are not included). 

In addition I have used Cross stitch for the initials and Anundsjö Stitch for the small blue and yellow emblems.

If you look closely you can see that in many areas I have used a mirror image and tried to use stitches that were as similar on either side. In the end that gave me a headache; I had added TAST #132 Kiko's Flower in one of the paisley designs:

and got no TAST stitch that would balance the act in the other paisley. It felt as if I had painted myself into a corner and could not get out... What to do? Well, I had seen Kiko's Flower in the Totsuka Embrodery Stitch Book #8 and the same author has a similar stitch in another of her books, Basic Stitch, that looked about the same. So I added that, the Triangular Bullion Stitch:

So there are in total 127 different stitches.

The made up cushion looks like this on one side,

and this, on the other side.

Work on the cushion was started in the middle of August last year, and it has taken a year and a half to complete it.
The fabric is cotton and easy to work on, but hard to photograph. The threads are mainly perle 8, stranded floss and coton a broder. In each corner there is a tassel of red ribbon, and by opening the zipper on one side you can remove the inner cushion.
It will be a delight to have this cushion on display and I am sure it will give me a lot of inspiration for future projects.

Thank you for all the support and encouragement you have given me.

WIPW - Weaving Crosses

Work In Progress Wednesday was initiated by Sharon at Pintangle and is a support program to help us work towards finishing various needlework projects. More information here.

My progress since last week Wednesday:

Kafferepet
I have started anchoring the lower edge of the lace with TAST stitch #77 Woven Cross Stitch.

Swedish Cushion
What better stitch to add to the Cable Chain stitches I added in December last year, than the latest one: TAST #140 Threaded Cable Chain?

Pile 'em On
Some more stray thread ends ended up on this pile. Some are curled, made as shown here. The circle is taking on more of a clear form.

TASTy Beads Galore
I worked a leaf in TAST #102 Beaded Triangular Stitch.

TAST Reference Chart
The last TAST stitch of the year, #140 Threaded Cable Chain, was added. It looks good on a curve, especially when you adjust the size of the loops, don't you agree?

WIPW - Sorry its Blurred

Work In Progress Wednesday helps you work towards completing needlework projects. Check it out at Pintangle.

 I have taken most of the photos with my mobile phone, so the pictures are blurred. Sorry!

Kafferepet
I have almost come full circle on the embroidery quilting of the inner part of the lace.

Next step is to embroider the other edge of the lace.

Pile 'em On
More rough embroidery has been piled on, and you can see a circle beginning to emerge...

TASTy Beads Galore
I tried to use TAST #116 Beaded Vandyke Stitch for the yellow flower. Not easy, not well made, not looking good... I can not put the blame on the blurred photo!

Chicken Scratch
I had the opportunity to make another train journey and continued working on this piece. Although I have not much left, I begin to feel the pattern is rather boring and will see if I should add some more designs, maybe in a heavier thread...

Swedish Cushion

Yesterday we got a new TAST stitch, #140 Threaded Cable Chain, and this will be added to the cushion and shown next week.

There are still a few blank areas on my fabric which could benefit from a cluster of stitches, but with #140 I will have added all the non-beaded TAST stitches we have learned. I don't want to repeat the same stitches again, so what should I do? I am calling this the Swedish Cushion so why not add a true Swedish stitch, although it is not, and might never become a TAST stitch? 

May I introduce you to the Anundsjö stitch:

It starts like a split stitch, either splitting one thread or dividing two threads.

The anchoring stitch goes into the fabric outside the split stitch.

Then you add another stitch, either as a detached one or following a line.

I think the charm of the stitch is its irregularity and scratchy look. 

The story has it that it was 'invented' by Brita-Kajsa Karlsdotter who took up embroidery when she was elderly and her vision had become slightly impaired, explaining the uneven look. 

I used it on the cushion to make small emblems like these:

The centre is worked in Chain Stitch and Laid Filling Stitch often found in Halland Embroidery, another traditional Swedish style from the west coast county of Halland.

WIPW - The Chicken Scratches Again

Read about Work In Progress Wednesday, check the links, and why not join in. Click here.

Kafferepet

I have turned a corner with the embroidery on this quilt.

Swedish Cushion

To even out a blank area I added a cluster of TAST #30 Cast On stitches, although I already had inserted four Cast On stitches in another spot on the cushion in June.

 

TASTy Beads Galore

I worked three leaves in TAST #139 Beaded Bard Stitch. Sorry for the blurred picture.

The stem of the #135 Beaded Fern Stitch plant was extended and there is now a flower made with the same stitch as well.

Pile 'em On

More stray ends of orts ended up on this 'rough' free form embroidery.

TAST Reference Chart

TAST #138 Barb Stitch and #139 Beaded Barb Stitch found their way to the right boxes on the reference chart.

EXTRA! WIPW Chicken Scratch goes travelling again

On my Chicken Scratch cushion,  that I started two years ago, and haven't work on since last November,  I worked as far as I could on a recent train journey. Will I not progress on this again until next year November? Then I wonder how many years it will take to complete?!