FGP#19 Background Right Angle Weave

I removed the nail in the bottom corner and filled in the hole with a bead as I worked the right angle weave in that corner. When I get over to the other corner, I will do the same. The piece remains attached to the board by the nails in the top corners and loops. I have placed the picture template under the figures to follow for placement. Next time I will sand the board. I am getting splinters in my finger tips.

There is a second way to add picots to the edge of brick stitch in preparation for butting against right angle weave. First, with the thread coming out of a bead in the brick stitch row, add 3 beads onto the thread. Pick up a thread bridge with the needle (you might have to skip a bridge depending on the size of the beads). Snug the three beads down so that they rest in a triangular point. Go back through the last bead only. Now put 2 beads on the thread and move over to the appropriately distanced thread bridge. Pass the needle under the thread bridge (again, you might have to skip one), snug the beads down and go through the last bead. Continue adding beads 2 at a time, passing the thread back through only the last bead. This forms a picot edge of little 3 bead triangles with shared base beads. The top bead of the picot is the one that will be picked up and incorporated into the 4 bead circle of the right angle weave structure.

I am also doing some brick stitch rows that will become the dance floor pattern--all gray please. There is no red in a black playing card. I have also removed the brassy beads as I felt they were too distracting.

I do like the way that right angle weave complements the figures. I feel that the change in texture that the right angle weave structure provides helps the figures stand out from the background.

I added my signature initials to the bottom by bending brick stitch ladders into letter shapes and surrounding them with right angle weave. When the signature block is done, it is incorporated into the corner stitching. I do like a subtle signature so I chose dark gray on black leaving the texture of the beads
to define the letters.

After establishing where the brick stitch lines will be placed, I removed the picture from behind the figures and added nails in the sides of the piece to make sure that the wire frame stays spread out tom the required shape.

In doing the right angle weave, interior spaces are filled first so that the figures and their spaces can be flattened and pressed toward the edges. If I worked from the outside in, I could end up with wrinkled figures. The right angle weave is then connected to the frame to completely encompass the figures. Shading in grays is worked to maintain high contrast between the figure and the background. I have to always keep in mind that fact that this will be photographed and reduced so the figure outlines must not be subtle.

I must also say that I had forgotten how much incredibly slower going stitching in single needle right angle weave is than brick stitch. Also, right angle weave around irregular figures can be confusing. However, I believe that I have previously stated that I believe in fudging--if the bead doesn't fall off--it's right! Stitch on. Joanne