I decided to have “Reaching for Faith” professionally blocked and framed. Here it is, complete!
Reaching for Faith Framed, a photo by Carmen CS on Flickr.
Prayer: Father, I praise You and thank You for making us artists, in Your image. Help me to do my art for Your glory.
Here is the fully stitched piece.
You can see that the canvas has gotten somewhat distorted during stitching. Blocking the piece will correct this.
Reaching – Unblocked 2, a photo by Carmen CS on Flickr.
Prayer: Father, the process of going through life can stretch us. Thank You that Your grace and love can always bring us back to our full beauty, as You intended us to be.
There are many books that can give you fancy stitches for a variety of looks. My favourite is
Sometimes it’s just fun to mix it up!
Reaching – lower right, a photo by Carmen CS on Flickr.
Prayer: Father, help me to find creative ways to enjoy my life and service.
To make the stained glass, I used a variety of variegated threads to give the colors. I also used fancy stitching to suggest different kinds of textured glass.
Reaching – upper right, a photo by Carmen CS on Flickr.
Prayer: Father, I praise You for the complexity and beauty of Your creation.
The initial inspiration for this piece was seeing Romanji, my little black cat, silhouetted against a window with stained glass privacy film. Romanji is black with the occasional white hair peeking through.
I liked the idea that he cat should not be totally black, and added a variegated black-to-grey fiber into the flat DMC black thread to get this effect.
Reaching – fur highlights, a photo by Carmen CS on Flickr.
Prayer: Father, thank You for the gift of free will. Help me to make choices that bring me further into the light, and turn away from the dark.
For me, the cat represents me and my sinful nature, yearning for the peace, love, and healing that only God’s love can provide. Those claws are not out. Faith directs my tentative reaching.
Reaching – Cat, a photo by Carmen CS on Flickr.
Prayer: Father, I know that only Your love can save me. Thank You for sending Your Spirit to guide me in my life choices.
And here is what the filled tubing stitches up like. You can see the variegated colors of the filling through the tubing completing the look of the flame, but it also seems that the arch continues.
Reaching – Through the Flames, a photo by Carmen CS on Flickr.
Prayer: Father, shine through and over my darks and lights.
Now the tubing must be expanded to cover the filling. The most important thing is to keep track of both ends of the filling. Don’t let them get swallowed by the tubing!
Reaching – Tubing – Pulling the Tube On, a photo by Carmen CS on Flickr.
Start by holding on to the short end of the filling. Then grab the other end of the tube and pull it down toward the other end of the filling. Its bunches will pull out as you do this.
Reaching – Tubing – Expanding the Tube, a photo by Carmen CS on Flickr.
Once you’ve got the far end moving, pause and pull the near end of the tubing up to just reach the end of the filling. Grab hold of this end firmly and don’t let the filling end pull down. Then just keep pulling the other end of the tubing until it just reaches the other end of the filling.
Reaching – Tubing – Filled, a photo by Carmen CS on Flickr.
Voila! Custom-filled tubing fiber!
Prayer: Father, I thank you that my life is more beautiful with You surrounding me!
To feed the filling into the tube, thread it onto a large dull needle. Leave only a very short tail.
Reaching – Tubing – Starting the Fill, a photo by Carmen CS on Flickr.
Then insert it into one end of the tube.
Stroke the tube from the end of the needle until it bunches up near the head. Make sure the needle doesn’t pierce the tube. If it does, just back it off. My right hand is grabbing the bunch so it doesn’t let go, while my left strokes the tube.
Reaching – Tubing – Tube Fed On, a photo by Carmen CS on Flickr.
Here the tube is completely bunched up on the needle.
Reaching – Tubing – Pulling the Filling Through, a photo by Carmen CS on Flickr.
Finally, pull the bunched tube down off the needle onto the filling. Pull the filling through until the loose end comes free, and unthread it from the needle.
Prayer: Father, help me to find You in all the details and little chores of life and craft and ministry.
Where the arch passes behind the flame, I wanted it to look like it shone through. To get this effect, I used a tubular rayon ribbon, which can be filled with another fiber. I used 2 strands from the flame fiber as the filling.
Reaching – Tubing – Tube and Filling, a photo by Carmen CS on Flickr.
Prayer: Father, I want you to shine through my life! Please wrap me in Your love and You light.
NeedlePrayer 