Nemesis

*Buttonhole or Blanket Stitch
"formidable and usually victorious rival or opponent"

I was reading the Nordic Needle newsletter and came across this bookmark collection project underway for Reading Literacy.
Nordic Needle has taken it a couple of steps further:
For every hand stitched bookmark you send to them before May 7th you'll be entered in a drawing for a $100 gift certificate.
They're also doing a Bookmark Challenge contest - due May 3oth.

So I decided my next Hardanger (with color) project would be a bookmark.
I can't seem to visualize by designing on paper yet and so it became another design-as-I-go trial.
And error.

I'll probably keep this one and try again for a more kid friendly donation.
I wanted it to be narrower but forgot the buttonhole stitch all the way around would be necessary. Until I had already done what I thought would be the outer edge. Adding the buttonhole border means doing about a bazillion more eyelets before needle weaving can begin.

I'm almost ready to cut. I'm using 1 strand of matching DMC floss for the eyelets & woven bars. It's a little like sewing with a strand of hair. But it matches the size 5 DMC variegated Perle Cotton. Need to talk ACMoore into carrying the pretty balls of size 8 & 12 perle cotton. Black, White & Ecru are all we can get without ordering online.
Come on... we need the pretty, pretty colors!

*Besides not being able to "see" the first time around trying Hardanger, the buttonhole/blanket stitch is what pushed me over the edge in giving up on it.
It's coming easier but I can't say I like it much better yet.
And I've never cut the outside edge away yet.
I'm a little afraid.


I almost forgot:
The front of the Needlecase do-over is finished!
Well. Except for the buttonhole edge or hem or whatever they call to do for finishing it.
(Free Pattern here)

I jumped to something else first.
Surprised?