Stitch of the Month
January 2009: Glittering Kimono

by Tony Minieri

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A picture of Tony’s finished piece will be available in December. Please check back then to see what this will look like.

See the results that were stitched by members of the ANG Board of Directors and the ANG Internet Committee (Available in December) (There will be a link like last year for examples that will be sent in the fall. They should not be shown until December.)

The finished design, including the background is approximately 10 inches wide by 11 inches high. The Kimono itself measures 8 ¾ inches wide by 10 ½ inches tall. Make a copy of the diagram shown above and take it to a local copy shop and increase it 200 percent or the appropriate percentage to have the design measure the size listed. Copy the Kimono onto your selected canvas. For more information on placing the design on your canvas see this page. Make sure that all areas marked with 4 (the bottom of the sleeves and the two halves of the center band) and the bottom band of the kimono that is not numbered are all 6 (six) threads high. The stitch that goes in this area is that wide and does not compensate to a smaller size.

SUPPLIES:
14” x 14” Piece of #18 Canvas in a color that coordinates with the colors of the design. I used Santa Fe Green.

Stretcher bars to fit.

#20 Tapestry Needle
#22 Tapestry Needle
#24 Tapestry Needle
#26 Tapestry Needle
#26 Chenille Needle

I also used a very dark brown Anchor floss to backstitch the inner outline of the sleeves.

Should you want to work in your own colors, here is how to choose them.

Begin with the over dyed silk. Make sure it has at least three different color families in it.

For Family A, you will need a stranded silk, a Vineyard Silk Classic, a Fyre Werks Soft Sheen, #8 and #16 Braid (same color) and a blending filament or Accentuate to couch the #16 Braid.

For Family B, you will need a stranded silk, a Vineyard Silk Classic, a Fyre Werks Soft Sheen, a Mandarin floss to match as closely as you can to the canvas color and a #12 Braid.

For Family C, you will need 2 different values of a stranded silk, #12 and #16 Braid (same color) and a blending filament or an Accentuate to couch both braids.

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The stitches for this project will follow over the course of the year. Section 1 will appear in February, Section 2 in March and so on.