Rainforest Crunch

Ah, the obsession of our needlework habit!  I work on Mirabilia's The Peony Garden on my Stitchmate upstairs in my office most mornings.  In the evening I sit downstairs with BF and watch TV from about 7 to 9pm.  I wanted a project to work on down there sometimes.  And I have always wanted to try needlepoint projects, like Laura J. Perin or Needle Delights Originals.  Such color!  And some different stitches. 

So, yesterday I experimented.  I printed out a free Laura J. Perin project, grabbed some floss and some 18 count linen and went to work.  I am not one to work on canvas, although that is what most needlepoint projects are done on.  I just don't like it.  And who says all needlepoint projects have to be done on canvas anyway?  Pfftttttt is what I say to that!  I like evenweave or linen. 

Well, I did not like the 18 count linen at all.  I purchased some cork linen, not having used it before.  And while three strands of DMC seemed good coverage on 28 count linen, it became very bulky after a while and it was tough for me to see the holes.  So, I tested 2 strands of a dark red DMC on a corner of the pink dahlia 28 count Jobelan I am stitching The Peony Garden on and it covered well!  I wanted to test a dark thread on a light fabric just to see.  Jobelan is such a lovely fabric to work on, my absolute favorite.

Well, last night I decided I was going to do Rainforest Crunch by Needle Delights Originals, given that I had just purchased the pattern, and especially after seeing the Spinster Stitcher's color conversion.  So, I pulled out my recently purchased DMC floss color card (with actual thread!!! yes, I found one on a UK cross stitch store website for $30) and I start looking.  And promptly gave myself a headache.  Picking alternate colors is difficult!!! And I decided I wanted overdyed floss, but not silk, as that would cost me about $100 in the silk alone!!! 

So, today I am going to make a trip to The Stitching Post to purchased some 28 count Jobelan and 13 different Weeks Dye Works and 2 different Rainbow Gallery Petite Braid, as the original color scheme calls for two colors of Kreinik, but I am partial to the RG Petite Braid.  Stay tuned for pics!  And wish me luck.