The last two! They won't scan clearly because the bead and the little bell throw off the depth capability of the scanner. I like but I might start out the wrapping on the last one a little differently next time. It was going over too many pairs of thread and doesn't lay as nice as if it were broken up somewhat.

I had such a hard time scanning and photographing these. If I put all 5 on the paper, the paper reflected light back or the image was blurry. I tried a few different colors and finally just snagged this ONE shot! They are not washed or blocked yet.

I tried the last one on the printer and it didn't seem to reflect the light back so much. This was the last of the five. I like some better than others but I think they will all make nice gifts.

I also would like to make some with the ruffled cord but have to make the cord first. I have a couple of test pieces I made in the past but I don't think they are long enough. I might try it later but I need to finish up some other things first.

More Bells...

I finished up the second one last night and then the third. I decided to leave the second one as it was. This is kind of an experiment, seeing how different fillings look in the same frame. I can always redo it later if I really really hate it.

I figured out what I was doing wrong with the circles in the second bell. That's one way but it wasn't what I had in mind. The third bell is correct. Mostly. LOL!

On the third bell, I was going to make a series of chain stitch lines on each side of the circles but my first attempt looked pathetic so I tried something else. Like the circles, I need to figure out again how to do what is in my head. I sort of like having several bases made up at once. I can compare what I'm doing with what I've done before better. When it's off the base, it looks so much different, usually better, but it's not as easy to see how I did something sometimes.

I got the rest of the bells couched earlier this week. I considered stitching them last night but it was late and I was tired. I went through some boxes instead.

It occurs to me now that I should make some with the ruffled or curved braid. That will be the next batch, but I have to crochet the cord first.

...days later.....

I wasn't happy with the way this was turning out so stopped. I've been busy since then and just finally looked at it again yesterday. I like the design concept but not the way the stitching was going. I may tear it out and try again. I was also appalled to notice in a different light that the filling thread is a different shade from the outline. It's all white, yes, but different shades of white.

Those little circles work better when moving vertically than horizontally. Since these will be gifts, I think I better do it over.

I've come across so many things I want to do while sorting and cleaning this week. There are 4 bags and 1 box of cardboard to go out in the trash tomorrow. I took a big box of painting and craft magazines to a friend yesterday and 3 boxes to Goodwill today. I'm certainly making progress but have so much yet to do. I snuck in a bit of tatting tonight, an angel for an aunt who is recovering with a broken leg. I'm going to call her tomorrow and see if she would like to learn to tat since she is confined.

Tomorrow is another cleaning day. I hope to manage to shampoo the carpet in the living room along the way but it may have to wait until the weekend. I need help moving heavy furniture around. So I'll see what my son has planned - if he will be here tomorrow night or will I wait til the weekend?