HUGS from Robin - part three

Hi Everybody... Robin here.

Let's continue with my HUGS progress. I have a lot to share with you.

When last we spoke, I mentioned I had a design concept in my head and was going to try it out on the computer. Actually, my mind was spinning with the blank canvas possibilities.  I needed to see them and confirm them before I could stitched them. I studied my books from Amy Bunger, Brenda Hart, Suzanne Howren & Beth Robertson, SuZy Murphy, Ruth Schmuff, and Julia Snyder, and finally decided to go with inspiration from my Jean Taggart books.

I never met Jean Taggart but hold her in highest regards from stories told to me by Amy Bunger and Tony Minieri. I have two of her books, Laid Fillings for evenweave fabrics and Darning Patterns for evenweave fabrics, and refer to them often. Since my original intention for this HUGS canvas was to showcase a Laid Filling pattern, going with Jean Taggart just made sense.

Hugs • Gayla Elliott • GS11
available from Alice Peterson Company

First, I came up with the border. It's a Hearts border; after all, we are talking about hugs! I was wanting something which "showed the love." It looks like a brocade ribbon, don't you think? I feel it will have many uses beyond this HUGS canvas.

Dream • Gayla Elliott • GS 4
available from Alice Peterson Company

Then I needed to deal with the center area. I was still smitten with the diamond pattern on the Dream Pillow; I wanted a diamond pattern, too. I wanted a Laid Filling "diamond" pattern... also known as a Diagonal Trellis filling pattern.

Diamond Trellis filling pattern

Diamond Trellis filling pattern with solid diamonds

I counted the number of threads between the border to find the center point. Then, I laid out a grid in the computer. I was seeing so many possibilities for this canvas. Should I work the entire center area in the Laid Filling or should I break it up by adding alternating solid color diamonds? Again, it was easy to figure it out in the computer. I am going to give different scenarios in my stitch guide.

I'll share more with you the next time. Which colors to use? Which threads to use? Again... the possibilities are endless.

Until then... Hugs, Robin