Tempting Tangles, designer and owner Deborah Dick, specializes in cross-stitch and needlepoint designs of antique style, as she claims for an “adventurous and discerning stitcher to create heirloom quality stitcheries”.

 

Adventurous? Me? Certainly!!!!  

 

One of the newest motifs, just launched February this year, “Tempting Teas” and it follows one of her previous works from the last year called “Coffee Compendium”.

Pretty, aren’t they?

40 count Zweigart Newcastle linen, “Days Gone By”. “Antique variegated” – fair description of the colours. Fairly dramatic blotchy colour changes, easily seen on the images below.

 

High count and tiny tiny stitches to come. Size 278 x 310 stitches, all full stitches, at least this is easy. My linen measures 45 by 50 cm.

Floss originally suggested and used in the embroidery is Crescent Colours Cotton with cross-reference to Dinky Dyes Silk and DMC. Sure I have decided to try Dinky Dyes as I never tried it before and thought that adding this slight silky look will complement the design.

I bought them all – for this project at Easter. Or at least I was completely sure had them all. Sure until started.

Well, one was missing so I had to find a substitute  – a variegated colours thread I have had in my collection for at least 50 years. Found in my mom’s sewing box, she had it before she got married, long before I was born.

It is DMC thread, according to the etiquette, the colours are actually rather similar to the one from the new collection of variegated colours. One more proof of quality, keeping the standard for more than 50 years?

Well, actually, DMC thread goes back to 1899, so why do I wonder!

Threads recommended but not the ones the original is stitched with and it is a mystery how my work will look like! Each stitch colour depends on the part of the tread you use, so it will be interesting to follow the tease.

One thing is certain – the tease is destined to be beautiful.

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