Rotation Changeover - 2022 Rotation #1, Slot 5 (not counted thread) complete ?

Let's talk about the Unicorn.  First of all - it WILL be finished.  However, there are going to be some changes, because if not, it would be headed for the donation bin.

1) I did NOT enjoy the rose and ribbons in the cockade on the unicorn's head.  I ripped out the entire thing twice and some bits of it several additional times.  There's something about the combination of satin stitch and a canvas ground that just makes it so that I'm not at all happy with the way it looks.  I ordinarily don't mind satin stitch - it's never my favorite stitch because I am very critical of the way the thread lies.  But this project is worse than usual; the needlepoint canvas constrains where you can put your needle too much for my liking.  Usually when doing needlepoint or counted thread on canvas, you would be doing a very geometric type of satin stitch - like the bargello bits at the bottom of the "Four Elements" pieces I did a while back (see them all here - about halfway down the page).  I LIKE satin stitch in those applications.  Bargello on canvas in wool is quite lovely.

I want my stitches to be perfectly parallel, but in a more organic motif like a ribbon or rose, one follows the curves of the shapes.   I need to work on getting the technique down better for sure (also the same issue on my long and short shading).   The next 'not counted thread' project (Eagle in the Pines) will be good for that, I think.

2) I disliked doing the satin stitch on canvas so much that if I have to do four more rose and ribbon motifs in the corners, I know I will abandon this.  I don't want it to become a UFO or be donated.  I still like it overall.  And honestly, the cockade doesn't look that bad now that it's finished.  I just do NOT want to do it four more times.

3) There's an issue with the way that the corner motifs extend out to the very edge of the project.   When assembling a needlepoint pillow (or any needlepoint project that is made into an object instead of being framed) the construction seams are supposed to sit one to two stitched threads in.  That's so no unstitched canvas shows on the outside.  You can even see on the cover photo how the outer motifs are chopped off in several places by the pillow construction.   

4) Speaking of the cover photo. 

Back ground is navy blue, right?   The canvas is painted a dusty purple and the yarn in the kit is teal!  The canvas paint is supposed to be the same shade as the yarn for a couple of reasons.  First, so you know approximately what it will look like.   It's never perfect and the texture of even the flat basket weave half cross will make a big difference as light bounces back from yarn a lot differently than it does from paint. But a well painted canvas gives the stitcher a good idea of the color balance of the finished project at least.

Second, there is always a chance that a tiny bit of the canvas might peak out between stitches.   It's more likely with a textured stitch than with half cross (continental or basket weave), but if the canvas color matches the yarn, your eye won't land on those tiny imperfections like it would if there was a high color contrast (say teal and purple!!!)

5) Materials issues.  The kit supplies are not generous.  And there's no way to match the background yarn.  I mean the kit is nearly 40 years old!  I'm afraid of running out of yarn and even if I could match the color with a similar Persian 3 strand, 2 ply wool tapestry yarn like the kit yarn, dye lots are always an issue.  For everything but the satin stitch, the three ply tapestry wool is separated and two 2 ply strands are used in the needle.

SO, there is a plan.

First - source more teal thread.  The best match as far as type of yarn is the Colonial Paternaya wool, but the color I need is out of stock (the colors on this yarn go in and out of production rather abruptly and erratically), but there's a colorwork knitting yarn, Knit Picks Palette, that has a very similar construction.   It's a two ply softly spun wool that has a lovely heather teal that will give a lot of depth.  One strand of each held together in the needle should work and will double the coverage of the kit materials.

Second - paint the canvas VERY carefully so as to not get any paint on the yarn already stitched.  I have purchased a set of the high quality artist's acrylics needed.  Regular big box craft store paint isn't recommended because it can flake off from the abrasion of the yarns.

Third - I will need to decide if I want to do a flat background (basket weave) or something more textured.   Basket weave will be easy and make the construction of the pillow more straight forward, plus it's nice and hard wearing.   This pillow will be going to my granddaughter and will probably be sat on, leaned against, used to clobber her brother with, etc.  But that's a LOT of basket weave LOL.  

I'll report back on how step two goes when I get up the nerve to tackle it.  But in the mean time, the stitching on this slot is completed and I'm on to the start of 2022 Rotation #2 with the "Modern" slot and a little Victoria Sampler cutwork piece.