It's fitting that my first post on this blog is one of the first truly intermediate patterns I've completed (with blended threads, fractional stitches, and backstitching - and french knots, but frankly I omitted those). The pattern in question is Girl-deer with coffee by Maria Brovko, one of my favourite Eastern European designers (keep an eye out for my next post, which will also be one of hers)! I believe I stitched this in early 2018, and I would have framed and hung it late 2018 when The Frenchman and I moved into our current apartment. It's currently hanging about the big comfy chair in our living room - appropriately, I glance at it pretty much every morning while drinking my morning coffee!
I completed this project on a 14 count fiddler's aida, most likely by DMC as that's about all you can get in big box craft stores (AKA Michael's) up here in the Great White North. It's stitched over one with the suggested DMC floss, and doing the fractional stitching was a bit of an adventure! I actually originally started stitching on a 28 count linen but couldn't manage the counting at that point.
The pattern is absolutely darling! I love the little coffee bean details (I honestly did not know what they were until I did the backstitching), and I would wear everything Coffee Girl has on in the image, to be honest.
Isn't her face just adorable? There are a few fractional stitches to bring out to the details in her eyes, if I remember correctly, and some fractional backstitching for the detail work of her features. I definitely made a few counting errors in her neck and collarbone (remember, first intermediate pattern) but was able to adjust fairly easily to bring it back on track. I love her little owl friend, and her giant second - and third - lattes! Relatable, to be honest. I drink a lot of coffee.
This was the first pattern I completed that used half stitching for dimension, which I have become absolutely addicted to. I do find it makes such a difference in the quality of the finished piece. I particularly love the half stitching in the cloud of steam coming off her coffee!
I will freely admit that the branches around her are a bit free-styled. The pattern is really very clear and easy to follow, I promise - I just wasn't very good at backstitching when I finished this! Maria's patterns all come with a black and white version with just regular stitching, and a version with the backstitching overlaid, which is incredibly helpful. 10/10, highly recommend!
A note about this blog: I lost my job due to Covid-19 and have honestly been a bit lost the past few months. I'm starting a new (temporary, but hopefully to be extended) contract job in a few weeks, but I figured I need to do SOMETHING with my time other than cooking, cleaning, stitching and drinking beer. A bit about myself - I'm Canadian, in my mid-twenties, finished with school (I was planning to be a Communications Scholar, until I actually did grad school), engaged to a wonderful man from Quebec City, and I have an absolutely silly foxhound/whippet mix whom I love with all my heart. I've been stitching for a few years now, learned with a friend of mine and was pretty much immediately addicted.
And now, I send this out into the ether that is the internet! I welcome any comments or questions you might have, if you have any. Enjoy!
- Cedie
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