As I have shared before I recently started to embroider. Because my Mother got me started I wanted my first “to be framed” piece to be for her.

This post is for my Mom who today turns 60 ( shhhhh don’t say anything. She doesn’t want to think about it 😉 )

The real birthday celebration is happening at the end of the month with family hanging out and whale watching. My friend recently went to San Diego whale watching and said it was amazing, so that was all the persuasion we needed. However, I wanted her to see her present today…. well part of her present since it is going to be framed.

I got the pattern from Urban Threads http://www.urbanthreads.com
They have some great designs and it was very hard to choose. I just loved the whimsy of this one and I thought it kind of worked with the whale watching.
The ship is done in back stitch. I wanted it to have a different look than the water.

It is completed using four different thread colors that are put together in different combinations as you go down. I was at a loss of how I was going smoothly transition these colors. At the perfect time a blog I love to follow, Needle’ n Thread www.needlenthread.com , had a post that involved the technique of tweeding or blending two different colors to make a new color. Yes! I had the solution!

BTW Mary Corbet’s Needle ‘n Thread site is a FABULOUS place to watch tutorials on different stitches. There are basic and advanced stitches. Even though the projects she does are much more advanced than I am ready for I love that I can be inspired and learn.

The waves I completed in stem stitch to make them have a more flowing look.

I also used four colors to create interest. Some wave lines I made thicker to create dimension.

Of course it’s not perfect because I am a beginner but I was really happy about how it turned out.

I am so excited to frame it. The Screwy Carpenter will be doing most of that part though. I would say he is going to be helping me with that, but who are we kidding? He does beautiful work. I will be trying not to get in the way 🙂

Happy Birthday Mom! I love you! Praying you have a beautiful blessed day. And don’t worry about that 60 number. What a blessing to be granted 60 years! and many more to come!

– The Frabjus Lady

Update:

Here is a picture of the completed and framed piece in The Screwy Carpenter’s custom frame. It is Oak and trimmed on the inside with Purple Heart. It turned out beautiful! A nearby glass company cut me a out a custom piece of glass for a nice low price. I love it and Mom loved it too. 🙂 Next time I frame one (now that I have some experience) I will show you the technique I used.