Long Live King Tut

Happy Dancing!!!


It took me a good year (with a couple of longer interuptions) to finish this one - and it has been worth every minute.

It was a kit by Lanarte "Tutankamum", design is by Joandoor.
I used the fabic in the kit (it's a printed fabric and it really adds to the piece) and all threads, except the metalic gold - I have no idea how the little that was in the kit should have been enough. I needed two spools of Kneinik 102 #4 braid, and there's not much left on the second spool. Of most of the colors there was plenty of thread left, though for a couple it was a bit tight. One color was missing when I got the kit (well, I got it half price in London, so no reason to complain), but a quick e-mail to Lanarte got me the DMC number I needed.

The week after next I'll see that I get a frame (I've got a long working week ahead of me, away from home, else I would be in the store tomorrow morning). From the very beginning it was slated to go to my guest room, as it has a bit of an Egyptian theme (well, honestly, it's more Stargate than Egyptian, but the colors are perfect)

If I ever come across Nefertiti in the same series in a sale (at least 25% off, prefered more) I'll get it too, but till then King Tut will be on his own.

Hah, best bit of finishing such a big piece (size is 39 x 49 cm - 15.5 x 19.3 inches - stitch count 209 x 230) is that now there's a new spot free on my schedule. I haven't decided yet, but best chance has the Castle Sampler by Teresa Wentzler. I need to check if I have a suitable fabric here. Though I'm not going to rush anything, and probably try to clean up a couple of other (much smaller) projects I've got in my basket. Maybe some knitting .... (wanders off to check my options)

just a quick update

... on King Tut (update no. 11)


The lady on the left has a head now :)

Of camels, headphones and the stars in the sky

OnThursday I've went to a concert by the classic radio station. A symphonic orcestra of 60 people (as I counted them) playing movie scores.

It took place in the old opera building in Frankfurt. The orcestra was pretty good, though the horns suffered a bit from not quite hitting a note now and again.
I enjoyed the concert a lot, they had a nice selection of many of my favorites: Bernstein (Magnificent Seven), John Williams (Harry Potter, Indiana Jones and, of course, Star Wars), Hans Zimmer (Gladiator), Jerry Goldsmith (Gremilins) and many others.
There was a funny story the moderator told about how Mike Batt, after writting the music for Caravans, went to Marocco and found himself a camel. He then put headphones on the poor beast and played the score for it. According to him, he knew he had a success when the camel started to run ;)


Last night was very cold but also very clear, so I dragged my Nikon outside, put it on a tripod and tried to make some star pictures.

This a looking east from my balcony. Orion to the right hand side.
I decided I really need to get a remote release for the camera. Even with the tripod it's practically imposible to stop the picture from moving in a 10 seconds exposure (I have to leave the finger all the time on the release, so it's inevitable that the camera shakes a little). This is the best of the lot.

King Tut is making progress, though not update picture. Sorry.

Finish 1/2008

First finish of 2008: Needlecase Guardian by Teresa Wentzler. Stitched with all recomended threads on a 32ct anitque white linen. Didn't have the correct beads, but found a good replacement in my stash.

( I whited out the name as this is going to be a present)

I finished it as a needle book, following the instructions.


I really do love those smaller TWs - just enough to be a bit of a challenge, but not so much you're getting frustrated.

Following the early happy dance, I'm now back to good ol' King Tut.

I finished the head dress, so 'only' (*cough, cough*) the left side lady is left to stitch.