RSN Crewel: Day 1

Getting ready to stitch:

 After tracing my final design onto heavy tracing paper (vellum weight), I pricked holes following all the lines.  

 

  Below is the finishing pricked design.

Then you align your pricked design on top of your fabric to be embroidered and rub charcoal through the holes.

  Finally, I went back over the charcoal dots with a Prismacolor pencil.

Next:  Looming up

 I stitched the folded edges (top and bottom) to the webbing on my brand new frame,

sewed webbing down the sides,

strung the sides with heavy cotton string through the webbing, and pinned tracing paper over the areas that I was not going to be working for the moment.  Now to the stitching!!!!!!!

Progress at end of Day 1:

Started the trunk of my Tree of Life using a combination of stem stitch and French knot rows stitched tightly beside each other in 4 different shades of grey.