Is this done? Suggestions needed!

[Mrsblocko]

I bought this book called the New Carolingian Modelbook many moons ago.  I was sitting around lamenting that I had the book forever and have only stitched one thing from it.  I was fawning over the book and said to myself, Why don't you just make yourself a sampler?  So that is what I did.  (With the exception of 2 designs I found for free on the internet.)  Here are my results:


My question is, I have several inches on the bottom should I put another band or write something(the book has a few alphabets in it, but they are for a fill in stitch, not a Spanish stitch like the rest of the piece), or just leave it as is? My husband thought I should put a border around the whole thing, but since the whole thing is basically borders I didn't like that idea.

I have no idea what I'm going to do with it when I'm finished, I just stitched it up for the sake of stitching.

Any advice and suggestions are greatly appreciated.  I've been staring at this thing for 2 weeks and am stumped.

[kittykill]

Hmmmm....I like it the way it is-it looks balanced. If anything, I would put a border around it, like your hubby suggested.

[SkitzoLeezra]

Love your work!
Yes, you're finished with it.  
In my hardly ever humble opinion, I vote no border + framed with barely a border of fabric much like you've cropped the photo.  How about a narrow black frame so the thread colors "pop"?

[AGFH]

I have to agree with SkitzoLeezra on framing it with almost no fabric showing around the edges.

And can I just say that this is gorgeous! I especially LOVE the band with the faces.

[jemimah]

Great work! I also wouldn't add anything but a frame. Maybe with a plain matboard.

[bananabanana]

any news on the done-ness?
I think it looks done. I would love to see it if you have framed it.

[Mrsblocko]

Nope no frame yet. I have a limited crafting budget and framing is a bit on the pricy side.  So it is added to the stack of "to be framed needlework."  It will get done eventually though!

[bananabanana]

Ah, yes I have a little pile like that too.
I thought about turning some into cushion covers so they could get out of the pile and on display, but I couldn't bear the thought of them getting all pilled and dirty so I gave that up.
I really like the colour gradation you have used.

[Mrsblocko]

Thanks! I used blended threads to get the color transition to work out so nice.  For example, the first band is 2 strands of red thread, then the second band is one strand of orange and one strand of red, the third band is 2 strands of orange, etc.   

The jester band, which I added as an afterthought (and turned out to be my favorite) was done in one strand of purple and one strand of red.

[penelopewaits]

i think it looks amazing as it is. it just wants framing with a nice mount.