I’ve been stumbling about on the Mission Rose project, doing the goldwork embroidery on the outer frame.

I have (er…I had) high hopes of finishing it by Christmas! But in the past two weeks, every time I’ve started working on it – and I mean every, single time – the same thing has happened that has hampered my progress. It cracks me up!

First, let me show you where I am, and where I’m going.

I’m working on the outer frame of the Mission Rose project. Here, I’m couching gold threads to form the slightly heavier outside frame around the project.

Unlike the inner goldwork frame on this project, which is very smooth and shiny, I wanted the outside frame to have a little texture in it, and to be not-quite-so-shiny, so that there would be some contrast between the two frames.

To this end, I chose four different gold threads to cover the frame. Starting from both outside edges and working towards the center, I started with a couched pair of bright gold #5 passing thread, then a pair of #4 passing thread with a silk core that’s a lighter gold, then the #5 again, and then the #4 again.

After couching the pairs of passing threads from the outside in, in the remaining space, I couched a pair of fine check thread, and finally, on the very center of the frame area where there was only a tiny space remaining, I couched a nice gold twist.

This changing of the gold threads gives the outer frame a little texture. Although the passing threads shine, they still look slightly different from each other, both in color and size and in the way they are wrapped, which keeps the outer frame from looking just like the inner frame.

In this photo above, you can see the difference in the two passing threads a little better. The #5 is the larger thread, and it is a little shinier than the #4. The wraps are larger. And the color is slightly different – it’s a slightly darker gold thread, while the #4 is a lighter gold.

The check thread (it’s the warbly thread on the top inside of the yellow felt line) adds the most texture because it’s a wavy thread.

And the photo above gives you a better sense of the look of the whole frame, in relation to that very shiny inner frame.

Strange Timing

Now, I live in Kansas, and I realize that some people may have the impression that Kansas is pretty remote. Maybe even a little primitive. Off the beaten track. However, we do actually have all the modern conveniences of life here, like running water, electricity, and so forth.

But – that having been said – it is very weird that, including just yesterday afternoon (again!), every time I have taken out this project in the past two weeks and just started getting into it – zap! We’ve lost electricity.

The outages never occur when I’m eating lunch, when I’m running errands, when I’m doing laundry or washing dishes (oh, please!). No. They only happen when I’m working on the Mission Rose.

I’m starting to get a complex.

Good thing I’m not superstitious, eh? The project would never get finished!

I’m pushing for a Christmas / New Year finish on the Mission Rose. Everything is in place for it – I just need to couch away on those gold threads.

I’m also trying to finish the Hungarian Redwork Runner in the next few weeks – we’ll see!

2014 will see an exciting new project here on Needle ‘n Thread – it’s a little different from what you’re used to seeing, and it’s definitely a different style of design. I think you’ll find it fun! I Can’t Wait to get started on it, but loose ends must be tied up first.

What do you think of the outer frame on the Mission Rose? Do you like it, or do you think it’s too much? I’d love to hear your take – feel free to have your say below!

You can follow the Mission Rose project from start to finish by visiting the Mission Rose Index, when you’ll find all the articles relating to this project arranged in chronological order.