Travelling in the Right Cercles

As I work on filing my state taxes this morning (yes, I know they are due today and that procrastination is bad,) I realize what a small fraction of my business is actually conducted within Washington State. It's truly a wonder of modern technology that I can participate in global commerce.  It is also a wonder and a blessing how the language of the craft transcends the language barriers; graph paper filled up with little symbols means the same thing everywhere.  I realize that not all stitchers have access to the same materials I used, but it is also true that not all stitchers would choose the same things anyway.  That in itself is a beautiful thing.

So let me present to you, two version of Cirque des Cercles completed at far ends of the globe. The first CdC is by Michelle in New Zealand.  She used Moonee Ponds silk from Dinky-Dyes. Such a lovely range of blues and purples.

And from Tanya in Kharkov, in the Ukraine, this elegant version done in metallic DMC on 18 count black Aida.  The beautiful framing job really makes this one sparkle. I'm not sure about that date in the corner - as I said, I procrastinate - but not THAT much. In any case, I'm so glad she shared it with us.



I offer a full-on Snoopy-style happy dance to Tanya and Michelle for their fabulous finishes.  Great job, ladies, and thanks for sharing these pictures!

Thinking Outside the Box

An overused expression, perhaps, but the target idea is always a welcome one - some fresh way of looking at things. In this case, Becky has been thinking outside of the box, specifically on top of said box's lid.

She's stitched up two of the seasonal mandalas that were featured in Just Cross Stitch last year. She stitched the Summer Mandala (top) on 22 count hardanger fabric and found it fit perfectly into this 4" display black box by Sudberry.  Autumn (below) was done on 32 count fabric and fitted into one of their larger oak boxes. Both were stitched up with DMC, which goes to show how nicely something can be made from our favorite ubiquitous cotton floss.  Becky says she's finished the Winter Mandala and the JCS Ink Circles Christmas ornament too. Looks like someone has put their JCS subscription to great use this year!

Thanks for sharing these great projects with us, Becky!

A Bead Off

My mailbox has been overflowing with great photos from stitchers all over the world! 

I've been accused of being a bead off on occasion, but this is a whole other category.  These two I want to share with you are beaded versions of Cirque des Cercles. I am in total awe of these masterpieces.  The upper piece was stitched by Karen, done with 100% beads! The lower model was stitched by Maria, who used some lovely iris-finish beads to accent the motifs done in an overdyed thread.

Here are a few closeup shots:

Let's close this post with my saying how sorry I am I to those people who had just about made up their mind on how THEY were GOING to stitch up their Cirque des Cercles.  It's such a double-edged sword - being inspired vs. now more choices to pick from.

Thank you to Maria and Karen for sharing their fabulous photos.