GITS and stitching

I got a lovely package in the mail last week! I had signed up for the most recent GITS (Great International Temari Swap) and my assigned partner was Joan. I got all excited when I found out, because she is a fantastic temari artist; my excitement was completely justified because look what was in the package! Isn't it beautiful?



It is a combination 8, with a combination of kiku and HHG stitching making beautiful big flowers all over. I love the color combination. and it shows Joan's creativity, combining traditional forms to make something original and fantastic. Thank you so much Joan!

I moved my scroll bars back to the "north to stitch some of the corner motifs between the "onion" scenes, and was just gob-smacked by how beautiful this is turning out:


I decided that the leaning lighthouse is due to my material being mounted imperfectly on the stretcher bars. You can see the same distortion on the corner I am stitching. The big parts in the next section of stitching are delft tiles: 8 tiles in all in 4 different patterns. After that comes a botanical sketch of a tulip, including the bulb, repeated in all four corners.

I love botanical sketches, and have stitched several in the past (pre blog, so I don't have the pictures to show you). I can tell you when they were stitched, though... 19 years ago, when I was going through chemo. Every once in a while, when I realize what a blessing I have received, of additional, healthy life, I just get overwhelmed. DDs were both in grade school when I went through my treatment, but I have received the blessing of seeing them grown, and getting to know my grandkids. God is good!