In 2001 we were contacted by Gary Schneider who had an idea. He was already a master cross stitcher and was looking for a new challenge.
Gary said "I'd like to do one of your patterns on 26 count linen using silk thread". That sounded like a real challenge(!) and by then we know nothing about the fantastic patience and his exact methods that's by now have inspired so many.
In March 2001 he started his journey that since then been followed by thousands of stitchers around the globe. Let's start of with an interview I made with Gary right before he started "The Project".
Thanks Gary, and Happy Stitching!
Interview with Gary Schneider March 5, 2001
“Hi Gary and welcome to "The Project" and a BIG Good Luck!”
“Thank you!”
“Where do you live?”
“I live in Yorba Linda, a small, older community in Southern California.”
“How long have you been doing cross stitch?”
“I started cross-stitching about four years ago. I was on Christmas holiday and the area was pretty snowed-in, so I decided to go to a craft store to see what I could find to do.
The clerk suggested I try cross-stitching, saying to me, 'Famous men in sports cross-stitch'. So I said, 'Why not', and bought a little piece called Back Yard Angel.
I have loved cross-stitching ever since.” “What kind of materials do you work with?” “As far as materials I work with: Well, lets see, I have only stitched on linen. I originally chose 32-count to 36-count linen because it is the fabric that generally was used in the early days of cross-stitch.
Having completed several projects on linen, I find that the finished projects appears to have a less uniform look, sort of a handmade feel to them. An even weave material like Aida cloth does give a nice look to a finished design, but, I usually work one-thread over and this type of fabric does not allow that.
For floss, I use practically everything. DMC, Anchor, rayon, metallic, silk. I have used all of them in one chart. In most of the charts I have done, I have modified the original floss call-out to achieve what I think gives the picture a unique feel. I use what makes the design feel right to me.
Oh yes, lets not forget seed beads! I use beads like floss. I have found that a 15mm bead is exactly equal to a 2-threads over cross-stitch. This size bead will work great on designs stitched on 16 or 18 count Aida. 11mm beads work for areas of scattered beads, but gets too crowded when stitched together in filled-in areas.”
“Where do you usually get your patterns from?”
“I usually search out a specific chart because I have an idea of what I want to do. I do attend some stitching shows and look at the new charts. I like to browse the chart section in well-stocked needlecraft stores, always looking for ‘what to do next’. Someday I plan to convert some Victorian designs I have to cross-stitch charts.”
Some of Gary's
awards
“Do you ever participate in competitions?”
“I love to enter competitions. Usually, I enter local county fairs and our California State Fair. My entries have won awards at every competition I have entered.
Sometimes I chuckle and say to myself, “Maybe they just wanted to give a man an award.” I must say, when one of my pieces won the 2nd Place Best of Show award, it was very nice to hear the women in the audience applaud as I walked up to receive my ribbons and award.”
“Why have you selected this pattern for your next project?”
“Why I have selected this project? Well, that is very simple to answer- “Not because it is easy, but because it is very challenging…” *smile*”
“What are your initial feelings about this project?”
“When I looked at this design I was totally blown away. I said, “Who in the world would attempt such a project?” What do they mean, ‘No back-stitching, no half-stitches’. How can they achieve such realism in the final product?
Secretly I said to myself, half-joking of course, “Hey, give it a shot-you can do it.” ”
“What do you think about buying patterns over the Internet?”
“A great place to buy as you have the opportunity to view the design, ask the designer questions, and you can narrow down your search to specifics without thumbing through many charts.”
“What do you think about being able to display this project on-line like this?”
“I think this is a wonderful opportunity to share with others. The complexity of this project will offer learning and sharing techniques that will enable ‘stitchers’ to use in their projects.
I am hoping to receive tips from others that will make this project easier”
“What awards can you see for this work?”
“Well, this is a tough question. I certainly cannot assume it will win any awards. However, I would hope that when finished, the judges of the competitions would be as blown away as I was when I first saw it.”
“What procedures will you use to do the picture?”
“I plan to do the project using silk thread. Of course, this immediately presents a problem in color matching to the DMC callout used by Golden Kite. Silk thread has a different reflectivity than cotton thread so. I have carefully hand-selected the matching colors of silk thread to DMC. I have not relied on manufacturers’ color conversion charts as they are not as reliable as the “artist’s eye”, the person doing the project.
I chose silk because I believe it will give the image a more painted look. I believe this will give a nice textured look to an old surface.
The fabric is 26-count linen. In running tests on different linen thread counts, I found 26-count to be just right for it does not bunch up the floss and make it look ‘puffy’.
The color is antique white and I will stitch one thread over with two strands of floss.”
“Thank you, Gary! We look forward to updates on The Project and once again...: Good Luck!”
”Thank you!“
Gary
The Master
We are very proud to present Gary Schneider, a Master of the art of cross-stitching.
Gary lives in Yorba Linda, a small, older community in Southern California, USA.
A little history on "The Project" original artwork
by Gary Schneider
The actual name of The Project is “Picture Gallery With Views of Modern Rome” painted by the Italian artist Giovanni Paolo Pannini.
Pannini was born in 1691 in Piacenza and died in 1765 in Rome. He was trained as a stage designer but became famous in Rome as the leading painter of real and imaginary views of the city.
He was the first artist to devote his painting to the study of ruins. A sister painting to this is "Picture Gallery With Views of Ancient Rome".
He also did paintings of festivities and historical events and taught perspective at the Academie de France in Rome.
His decision to concentrate on ruins and imaginary views evolved after his move to Rome in 1717. Pannini often created paintings documenting Rome's public celebrations and festivities, as well as happenings of historical significance.
Close attention was made to the slightest details of the various buildings, statues, and plazas in his day. This attention to detail is very evident in the Picture Gallery.
The painting resides in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston USA.
The original is a massive 67" x 96 1/2" (170 x 244.5 cm).
Gary's Earlier Work
I took this picture before the framing was done. I did this design for my granddaughter.
This picture has a number of mixed media in it. I widened the blue border and did it with variegated floss. I controlled the repeat of the shades by darkening the corners and keeping the same shading repeated through the sides. It took a lot of floss.
The Victorian fretwork is done in three shades of 11mm beads. Winnie-The-Pooh is my granddaughter’s favorite character, so I found a sun-catcher, converted it to a cross-stitch and put it in the design.
I stitched the picture on 32-count linen, two threads over using two strands of floss.
This picture also has a number of mixed media in it. I made many modifications to this chart.
The gold border is done with seven shades of gold colored metallic thread. Each row (14 of them) in the border and each ‘jewel’ is backstitched with silk floss to retain the reflective quality of the metallic look.
The jewels in the border and in Santa’s necklace are 15mm beads.
The fringe, necklace and lantern are all done in different shades of gold metallic thread. The ‘flame’ in the lantern is two shades of blending filament.
I used rayon floss instead of cotton on Santa’s coat to give it a velvet look.
The fur is cotton floss.
I added one strand of blending filament to the snow on the fence to give it a reflective look in the moonlight.
Notice that the face is cross-stitched one thread over. This was called out on the chart, and was noted that the design was not suitable for Aida fabric.
This is stitched on 32-count linen, two threads over, using two strands of floss.
The face is one thread over using one strand of floss. The chart is by Stoney Creek.
I did this picture almost three years ago.
This is my first attempt at one thread over stitching.
Here again, I used various types of floss. The gold border, which I added to the chart, is stitched in 3 shades of gold metallic thread.
The beige background is stitched with cotton and the little leaves are stitched with silk floss. This gives the wallpaper a high-low look like old flocked wallpaper.
All of the roses are stitched in silk floss to give a soft silky look to the roses.
The rose petals that have fallen are stitched in rayon, since they are closer to the viewer I wanted a ‘wet’ look to them.
The gold highlights in the violin are stitched in five shades of silk floss. This gives a very warm feel to the ‘old’ violin; the darker areas are stitched in cotton floss.
The strings of the violin are stitched in silver metallic thread.
The blue moiré cloth was done in silk floss.
This is stitched on 36-count linen, one thread over using one strand of floss. Finished size of the design is 5 inches by 6 ½ inches.
