Floating Giraffe Handpainted Canvas Needlepoint Stitching Fun!

Every one should stitch a children's hand whimsically decorated with spots, turned into a Giraffe floating above a river with a menacing Crocodile.  I loved stitching this canvas from the Crocodile to the startled Oxpecker bird to the floating clouds.  I believe stitching should be stress free and a great deal of fun.  This one was easy and made me smile as I was stitching.  Here is my stitched canvas...

Floating Giraffe Hanimal Designed Painted and Copyrighted by: Anne E. Shoemaker-Magdaleno HouseofChabrier

Close up of the stitching on the Floating Giraffe trying to get a drink of water.

Perhaps you noticed I just left the paint on the Giraffe, and that was deliberate.  To me it's like a floating stuffed animal in a make believe world where you can escape Crocodiles just by magical wishing.  The background stitch is stitched in Sky Panels page 98 in the June McKnight book.  I adapted this stitch by eliminating the blank horizontal line between stitches.   The Sand is stitched in Brick stitch, page 48 in June McKnights Decorative Backgrounds for Needlepoint..  The crocodile is done in a satin stitch and tent stitch using Kreink Braid.  The Sky was stitched with 2 colors of Kreinik blue threads, and the clouds were stitched with Rainbow Gallery Gold Rush XS Crystal Clear.  I love the Rainbow Gallery Crystal Clear thread.  This thread is fantastic because it lets the blue color of the canvas glow through.  I can use this thread as I did on this canvas to paint with the thread like watercolor.  In a watercolor painting you allow some of the sky to remain the white of the paper where the clouds are.  At the top will be the heavier pigment, then you add water to lighten the pigment as you paint down to the horizon.  This RG Crystal Clear allows you to stitch over the cloud, over the blue to create a 3rd blue color and blend into the two Kreinik blue threads. No other Kreinik braid would work, and I tried when I misplaced my clear RG Crystal Clear, and had to clean up all the stitching area to find it.  The other crystal colors are too white, and obscure the paint.  Why didn't I use all Rainbow Gallery thread ...well I ran out of the Crystal blue braid and a couple of other Crystal colors on the Large Peacock canvas.  The sand is done in Dmc or Anchor cotton, and the little green dots on the hills is done in Kreinik Silk Perle.  The borders are done in Kreinik Braid. The Giraffe's mane and tail are done in Rainbow Gallery Wispy Fringe AR10 and Rainbow Gallery Fuzzy Stuff F207 dark brown. 

If you are interested in purchasing any of these canvases please write me at:  anne.shoemaker@cox.net

Remember the canvas will be slightly different from this canvas.  By stitching this design I know I want more space around the giraffe and the border.  That way the hoof isn't almost touching the left border, and the head of the Giraffe isn't crowding the right border.  The little Oxpecker bird has a little more space to fly away, and a little more space for the Crocodile.  I hope you enjoy seeing this little canvas stitched, and that it brings a smile to your lips and a little whimsy into your day.  Have a very good day, and a Happy New Year.

Thank you, for stopping by.