TAST design challenge, or disqualified?

For the first TAST design challenge of the year, Sharon of Pintangle, suggested we made something with four of these stitches:

Herringbone Square
Laced Herringbone Square
Back Stitch
Straight Stitch
Chain Stitch
Detached Chain Stitch
French Knot

After I had made the Crown of Thorn with the Breton Stitch, I thought I'd make another crown for the TAST design challenge. This one with gold, gem stones, pearls and all the works:

I used purple (royal, you know) velveteen and Herringbone Squares, Laced Herringbone Squares, Chain Stitch, Detached Chain Stitch and French Knots for the precious metal and stones.

Then I started thinking, (a bit late, eh?): 'Wait a moment, Sharon said FOUR stitches and I have used FIVE'.

I left school a long time ago, but obviously I have not learned to read yet!!! So I am disqualified from the start, sigh!

The Crown of Fools

TAST #59 Breton Stitch

It is Easter week and I have been working on the Breton Stitch which is one of the Herringbone Stitch family. It is also the #59 TAST stitch.

First I put some rows on my sampler.

As I worked I found the stitch has a twiggy, branchy, twisty look about it so made a Crown of Thorn by weaving the various threads in and out of each row:

I used Perle 8 in brown, smooth silk in beige and the wonderful blue/green variegated silky thread from De Haviland. The drops of blod were made with a Japanese thread of Egyptian cotton used for sewing kimono slips.

WIPW - SSE embroidery

Since I completed the 'Bellaflora' quilt I have not worked on any of my UFOs for the Work In Progress Wednesday. Instead I completed the first part of the Sumptuous Surface Embroidery course I am now doing with Sharon Boggon.

It is a GREAT course which I warmly recommend to anyone who wants to 'keep on loading stitches' to  a flat surface. Anything goes, and I tell you you can use up all those odd bits of thread, yarn, beads, buttons that might be cluttering your workroom.

First we learned a lot about design and I mean it I learned a lot!
In the first leg of the course we are working in monotone, and I had a lot of light blue and grey thread left from making TASTy bird; selecting the shade was easy!

The rectangle measures 17 cm x 12 cm.

Looking at it I can see I need to improve my linear stitching; should I name this piece Wonky Hearts? I need to take a lesson in Backstitch from the Queen of Backstitch, Jacquie Harvey!

Felt flowers

The cherry trees in Toyo are at now their best, here against the glass architecture of a business complex

or placing a Buddhist temple in a cloud of pink petals

or prettifying the fishing boats near my home.

The cherries put me  in a 'blossoming mood' and I made some fantasy flowers in felt for a birthday card.