Moonlight Reflections Stitchscape

I wasn't quite sure what to call this stitchscape; Dark Cliffs, Night Time Waves, Moonlit Ocean, Velvet Stars.... Names just weren't grabbing me, but I have settled on Moonlight Reflections which I think is rather apt. And it is finished!!! The second in my Supermoon series (ooh, I like the sound of that!), and combining elements of the Supermoon Stitchscape and White Cliffs Stitchscape, two of my favourite so far.

I really love the gradient of blues fading through the ocean and into the inky sky; it's almost like a blue ladder, and each step has a different treatment to it, some sparkly, some beaded, some simply back stitched. The bottom layer has stripes of back stitch, some of which are whip stitched with sparkly thread and enhanced with french knot and bead waves, the layer up has whip stitches and sparkly running stitch, the next two layers are back stitch following the batik dye pattern, and the final sea layer has small stitched circles underneath the beginning of the reflection.

The blue is nicely framed with my moonlit cliffs, which I have tried to enhance with a two-tone effect. The side of the cliff has a lighter section full of crossed long stitches, beads and french knots, and a darker fabric underneath with cross stitch in two colours following the pattern. The grassy section on the top of the cliff has also been split into two colours, one lighter than the other. The darker, underside has back stitches following the pattern of the gorgeous fabric, and the top fabric has a very delicate whip stitch.

It's quite hard to photograph the inky, starry sky as the colours are so dark. The fancy yarn and little beads were Christmas presents from my family, although they hadn't intentionally co-ordinated them, that was a brilliant coincidence! I had half thoughts about the Northern Lights with these as the colours are almost like petrol in the way they change in different lights. I do love the deep sparkle they give the top of the stitchscape, which is then matched with sparkly, metallic threads and shiny beads at the bottom to balance it out.

Also for Christmas I was given a square(ish) hoop by The Mother as we had seen them at one of the London shows we visited last year and I commented on them. Naturally I have had to immediately try it out, although it is quite big, about 30cm across at a guess- currently my biggest ones have only been 20cm in a circle!! I think this 'scape, immediately named the Snowy Alps Stitchscape, might take me a little longer than usual!!

I am cracking on with it though, and thoroughly enjoyed stitching these beautiful feathers. The DMC Silky embroidery range is fantastic (I might have bought a few more Silky colours this afternoon whilst leaving work...) and combined with the metallic thread it adds a great lustre to the piece which it really needs with the matt fabric combinations. As always, I shall keep you updated on how this piece turns out!!