Time for an update!

First: does anyone know how to make it so a photo can be shown on a blog post in a smaller size and then when you click on it, you can view it larger? I know how to do that on my movable type blog, but not on here... (or at least I used to know how...)

Since I finished the Tapestry 101 based sampler, I have done a small piece to test the warp on one of my little wood looms and probably will warp the Crisp today or tomorrow. Here's a photo:

The ends are not tucked in yet and the edges are not the way I'd like them to be, but this is only a sample... testing using 2 different setts in a piece. Where I was using a the 6 epi sett, it came out bulgey and the 12 epi sett came out pretty neat. I may do another practice piece before starting to weave. It could also be that this is a narrow piece, so combining the 2 setts/yarn weights is more pronounced here... also if I'm going to do 12 epi, I need something better than the fork and pick to use as a beater.. I may not use 12 epi very much in this piece. I beat the rows down with the crochet hook inserted into the opposite shed.

I know not all tapestry weavers tuck in their ends, but it is something that I want to do. A few years ago, I did a piece that had so many ends in the back, that it could have been one of those cut pile rugs on that side! It wasn't even... it was messy and I didn't like it. SO I will tuck in the ends of my pieces:

Here is the right side of Mew:

I've also been working on a needlepoint practice piece. It's inspired by one of Frank Stella's geometrics. I can't find the photo of the painting I found (in the color order that I am using) but it's either one of the Hyena Stomps or Les Indes Galantes. Les Indes Galantes is the closest except the color order is a little different. What I found may have been a variation someone made up, I don't know if it's one of the pieces Frank Stella did.

I attempted to paint the canvas using artist acrylic, heavy body liquitex thinned down). The paint went on nicely, but what I didn't think to do was to work out the design based on a specific number of canvas mesh boxes, so I'm not really following the painted design. Next time! Any experienced needlepoint canvas painters have any tips? I read a file about painting on needlepoint.about.com and I guess I just need to practice and maybe do a design on graph paper first!

Here's the painted canvas:

And here is the piece in progress:

I'm doing the basketweave stitch for the colored section and for the border, I'm doing a straight up and down stitch, I don't know what it's called, it only goes over one strand of canvas and I like the way it looks. I hope it blocks out straight. I may do a larger piece based on this design, I'm not sure yet...

I'm also making hats for sale using very bulky yarn.. they knit up fairly quickly! I'll post them another time as I would like to take pictures on someone's head.

I'll close with a pretty sunset: