Hello friends, long time no see!

Well I’m back!

Been really busy, so here are some piccies…

Been also working on some new observations, hence I’ve taken some raw video footage of a very exciting discovery…more later.

Don’t want this post to be too long-winded, so here are the piccies with some short descriptions of what I was/am aiming for.

So until next time….keep sewing and keep learning!

This is a study in split stitch.  I had looked at Opus Anglicanum work in detail and did several try outs.  As I progressed with this, I chose finer and finer thread, until I made a mental leap and started something else…

Next I started this piece, which is quite complicated, but very exciting.  Its a gift for someone special, she’s seen it and is also very excited.

Here is the other figure in the piece…

While I was working on this, I decided to go back to the Medieval lady with her falcon and study bird feathers for a while.

That’s when I decided to make this…

As you can see, a different style is emerging in my work and its much more related to how I draw or paint. 

Notice the feathers on this little bird are sewn in the direction of the real feathers e.g. the stitch simultaneously describes texture and form. 

I have used stem stitch filling for the feathers, where the work is carried across the back, so that the grain of the work is always maintained, especially if you are trying to achieve gloss.  I was using plain cotton floss for this, but I noticed if you stitch it always in the same direction, it looks like silk!

Then I decided to make something special for my mother. 

We were recently reunited after 14 years.  She liked this card very much.  But alas since then, we have fallen out all over again.

Again the stitch used was mainly stem stitch filling, in the same direction with the thread carried across the back of the work.  The hair is couched.

Then I decided to make this:

Which is the overskirt garland embroidery on a Victorian ball gown worn by this figure:

Her bodice is complete and so is the overskirt now…

The bodice is supported by stiff card and laced very tightly at the back, over and over again.

I’ll leave you all now and hope that I can post again soon, but before then I need to have a wall knocked down and another built so that I can grow lots and lots of Clematis – wish me luck!

xxx

Technorati Tags: Stem stitch filling,split stitch