Here is my TUSAL jar with my current project, Kustom Krafts Little Snapdragon:
stitched on 32 count Evening Sky Murano from Crafty Kitten
What's on my Shelf?
This is a feature I'm going to include on my TUSAL post until I run out of books! I started a Page on my Happy Dance blog for my Stitching Library and realised what a huge task it was so decided to break it down to one book per month. For the next four years...
Title: Love Kills Slowly Cross Stitch
Author: Ed Hardy
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
ISBN: 9780740797613
ISBN: 9780740797613
So, the premise of this book is to produce cross stitch which has "no cutesy babies, gingerbread houses or jack o'lanterns". They offer a "modern twist to cross stitch". Which is quite amusing as the designs here are thoroughly "old school" in tattoo terms!
There are 30 different designs featuring skulls, roses, swallows, hearts, banners, butterflies, animals, more skulls, more roses etc. All very much the style you would see on the flash wall of an old-school tattoo studio.
You can imagine a sailor having any of these on his biceps!
I find it ironic in that trying to avoid "your grandma's cross stitch" he actually produces "your grandad's tattoos"!
The designs are fun, I even bought some denim blue fabric to stitch them on. But there's a good reason why I didn't. Have a peek at this chart:
The book recommends using 2 strands of thread for the colours and SIX for the backstitch. 6 strands will give the designs that heavy handed black outline so many tattooist used to use but there is NO need to replicate that on the actual chart. You really can't see the symbols under those thick black lines at all.
Just for comparison, here's a tattoo recently completed by my friend's daughter:
photo copyright - Honey of Curious Crow Tattoos
Such lovely fine lines and beautiful shading too.
Finally, it's IHSW coming up this weekend. Here's what I will be starting with:
Fire by Circle Cross Designs
5 comments:
Look forward to seeing what you get done this weekend!
That's a beautiful pattern.. love the colours. Very interesting patterns in the book
There are various reasons for getting a tattoo.
Beautiful design indeed.
I love rock’n’roll so I can't avoid skulls.💀
Your snap dragon is really coming along! You must be getting close to a finish? It's beautiful. I love the dainty pattern of your Circle Cross Designs piece. What a cool pattern! Your book looks interesting, and I understand why you haven't stitched one yet. Too bad it's such a thick line for the backstitching!
I guess that book is not really my kind of tea. I mean, the idea is fun, but as you say, the tattoos are so 'old school' - and there are WAY better designs around these days, both for tattoos and non-traditional cross stitch! (Also, 6 strand backstitch? Yikes!)
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