The main point was to try couched/laid threads, as in the Bayeux Embroidery. At around this time I read Heraldry for Embroiderers by Vicky Lugg, and was smitten by the heraldic lions. I made a lion...and it came out rather unsatisfactory (bad edges).
It is on (14 count?) cotton,and I decided the cloth didn't look very appealing at all, and I should embroider all over it. Problem one: using leftover weaving linen. Bad idea because 1) you have lots and lots of short lengths (and since this was before I knew about starting/ending threads with no knots...lots and lots of knots) and 2) it quickly wears to the point of fuzzy catastrophic failure. Problem two: huge difference in density between lion and background. (And I didn't remember that when I made the "white pods" embroidery!)
Anyway, I plugged away at it for intervals, but it has been dormant now several years, practically done. I gave up on a few things I wanted to do - it has enough issues that there was no way to "fix" it, and so many knots that it would have been impossible (I really wanted claws).
Oh - and to fix the bad outline around the lion, I twisted two colors of embroidery thread into cords, and couched them down.
Also done, shades of white/stitch variation sampler. Some of the effects only show if you are at an extreme angle (picture two). My hands-down favorite is the diagonal satin stitch. My hands-down unfavorites are left as examples of what not to do.
I suppose eventually I will lose track, but today is eight weeks without kitty.
3 comments:
One very cute lion!
Have you seen the 'samplers' in Erica Wilson's Book on Embroidery? Yours SO reminds me of those...they are variations all on one stitch tho as they appear.
Hugs for Princess. Just remember that you gave her a happy and loved life.
So do you have a new project in mind? :-)
Those are lovely.
It takes a long time to recover from the loss of a beloved companion.
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