The first Crystal Caves, Topaz, is finished! Actually I finished it last week the night before we left for Reno, but this is the first chance I've had to get a pic of it and do a post. I'm pleased with the way it turned out, but the Kreinik Holographic Ribbon I used doesn't show up well in the photos. I'll have to find out how to photograph it. This pic was taken in a sunny spot, sun coming in the window.
Something I learned: Once I completed the stitching all the way across, I was surprised that it seemed to come much to close to the frame. There should have been plenty of room. I measured again and the canvas was cut the correct size. Hmmmm. Then I thought, check the gauge of the canvas. Well! This piece of brown Zweigart canvas counted 18 stitches/inch acrosss & 17 down! Unfortunately I had used it the "wrong" way, with the selvage at the bottom, because that is the piece I had available. The moral to this story is that the vertical thread count may not be the same as the horizontal thread count. I checked several other pieces of canvas in my stash and they were all either spot on or only off by less than a thread. This brown canvas may have been an old piece I had. I think today's canvas is more accurate than it was 30 years ago! Anyway, from now on I will check the canvas thread count, in both directions, before I cut it!
