Friday, April 9, 2010

Clark in the Dark


The Clark Gable quilt block star is coming right along.  In the photo above I have done three of the four steps to surround the black motifs with layered latticework patterns topped by crosses and then by another latticework pattern.  I had to stop before the last step as the power went out last night and was out until just before bedtime.  Although I had two glass kerosene lamps burning and also the propane lantern, it was simply too dark to finish, especially since it was raining.

Even though there are 8 sections to do, this stitch went pretty quickly despite the compensation. I did find it was easy to miss an area in the third layer, but that might have been because the light was fading.  The bottom layer is A4 (violet Impressions), the second layer is C1 (terracotta Alyce Schroth silk perle), the third is the black crosses using one ply of Splendor silk which is B1, and the last layer will be D1, a doubled strand of copper metallic Lume.

I read this article about the devices our ancestors used to stitch at night yesterday morning.  After my experience last night, I thought you guys might find it very interesting!
http://needleprint.blogspot.com/2010/04/lights-for-stitching.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
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