Needlework magazines are a great source of inspiration, but there are only a few that I subscribe to faithfully. Among them is Inspirations Magazine, "The World's Most Beautiful Embroidery Book," to which I've subscribed for quite a long time now. Well, when the current Inspirations hit my mailbox, I was glad to see I wasn't the only one on an embroidered box kick. And hey, if Inspirations can feature an embroidered box, then I suppose I'm in pretty darned good company!

Inspirations is published by Country Bumpkin in Australia.

Now, it's true. It's not an inexpensive magazine. In fact, it's an expensive magazine, as magazines go. But for me, it's worth it! Take Inspirations Issue #65 that just came out. It's packed with twenty beautiful projects. Each project comes with photos of the finished piece (the photos in their magazines are stunning!), complete patterns, materials lists, and step-by-step (illustrated) instructions for completing the project. Twenty! Although each issue doesn't always feature a full twenty projects, they do feature many projects from start to finish - enough that they call the magazine a book rather than a magazine.




Ok, enough slathering over the magazine itself. What I wanted to get at is this: I'm not the only one with my mind bent on embroidered boxes. Perhaps there's a trend here! On the cover of Inspirations #65, there's a wonderful little embroidered box - an etui - with lots of little needlework accessories that match. The style of the embroidery is definitely Quaker, and the box is really beautiful!



Inside, there are step-by-step illustrated instructions for completing the box, as well as the embroidery pattern and materials lists. I love it! I want to make it! Or... I want to make something similar, anyway.

Of course, there are other projects in the magazine that bear mentioning, so what the heck? I might as well mention some of them!



There's a crewel work project that's very pretty, while at the same time being small and manageable.



There are some other needlework accessories to make - this scissor case and fob feature a small needlepainting design that is quite striking.



There are a couple leeeeetle stumpwork projects that are manageable in size - perfect for trying out stumpwork without launching into a complicated design. The ladybug above is just that - a ladybug on a leaf.



There are several designs to stitch and use in paperweights, like the little goldfish in the photo above. Instructions for finishing the project - installing it in the paperweight - are thorough and clear. The larger goldfish on the left is a promised project for an embroidered blanket in the next issue.

Aside from these projects, there's a darling embroidered crib set, an embroidered doll with heaps of curly hair, an appliquéd and embroidered quilt, and on and on!

This was a great issue of the magazine - I don't think there's anything in it that I don't like! And so many ideas for projects!

But back to the box - I was happy to see the box on the cover, and even if I don't stitch that exact pattern in that exact style, the instructions are really helpful.

If you're looking for some project inspiration, you might consider purchasing an individual copy of the magazine if you aren't up to subscribing. Individual copies can be had through various local outlets - check your local needlework shop to see if they carry the magazine, or maybe call a nearby bookstore that might carry it. In the US, Wooly Thread carries individual copies. And, of course, you can always order straight from Country Bumpkin (to which I have no affiliation, beyond being a fan!)

Now, back to my needle 'n thread, because guess what? I've started a new project....

Labels: embroidered boxes, Embroidery Projects, embroidery resources, hand embroidery information, Inspirations Magazine

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Thursday, February 18, 2010
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Did I mention that Embroidered Flowers for Elizabeth by Susan O'Connor is out? And that I want it?

I'm not a book-comings-out watcher, normally. There are very few embroidery books on the market whose arrival I anticipated before the fact - a couple Jane Nicholas books, perhaps, (Medieval Flora being one), but that's about it. Oh, yes. I'm glad to hear certain books are coming out, but I don't write them down on my calendar and wait and watch. And wait. And watch.

Susan O'Connor's Embroidered Flowers for Elizabeth is one of the exceptions, and I'm happy to say that......

IT'S OOOOUTTTT!!!!!!



The book is published by Country Bumpkin - the folks behind Inspirations Magazine (the newest issue #65 is wonderful!) - and right now, the only way to get your paws on it is to order it from Australia. I'm sure it will eventually be released worldwide, but for now, it's hovering Down Under.

Lo! A strange feeling creeps over me! It is one of determination. I must order the book, and I must order it from the Antipodes. (Actually, it's not "determination." Wrong word. It is sheer covetousness, and you'd think I'd drum up some virtue and get over it, but....)

It's true - I haven't ordered mine yet, and the book has been out for a couple weeks. You see, there are two drawbacks to the CB website: 1. They don't take Paypal for international customers, and some debit cards don't work for overseas orders, so unless you're a credit-card person, you have to devise another way to order; 2. The shipping is - whoa - high, but they can't help that. And I suppose every time I order from CB, I don't have to go browsing through their website finding all kinds of other things I want to order, which only increases the cost of shipping, not to mention the cost of the order.

Ok, enough about the mundane details behind this maniacal need for hobby-related goods.



The fact is, without having even seen it, I know this book is completely up my alley. It is ... it is Me. I realize it wasn't written with Me in mind, but it is really my kind of book, my kind of stitching, my kind of inspiration, the type of embroidery I really love to do and love to look at and love to plan to do and .... just.... love.



And hence, I have waited. I have anticipated its arrival. I have planned. I have saved. And I will purchase!

If you haven't seen the preview for this book yet, do visit the Country Bumpkin website and flip through the Flash preview of Embroidered Flowers for Elizabeth. Try not to become twitterpated, or you'll be in the same boat I am.

I'll review the book more thoroughly once it's in hand! In the meantime, if you've had the opportunity to see it or buy it, what's your take? Will we like it??

Labels: book review, embroidery resources, Inspirations Magazine, long and short stitch

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Tuesday, February 09, 2010
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Now that Inspirations Magazine issue 61 is officially out, I wanted to share with you the finish on this goldwork and silk embroidery project that I showed you last October.

Before the photos, the background information: this project was designed by Margaret Cobleigh, who used it as a guild project to teach some silk shading and goldwork embroidery techniques. After preparing the kits for her guild, she had a couple left over, and I am ever-so-grateful that I had the opportunity to procure one!

Margaret also submitted the project to Inspirations Magazine. It's being published in issue #61, which is just out now. You can see a preview of Inspirations 61 on the Country Bumpkin website right now, and you can also see that the kit for The Golden Pomegranate is available for sale. (US readers, if you look at the kit, make sure to change the currency options to US dollars - it makes quite a bit of difference!) If you don't subscribe you Inspirations magazine, you can buy an individual copy of this issue if you want (through Country Bumpkin, and probably through some US suppliers, like Wooly Thread, for instance). If you already subscribe to Inspirations, then you know that you'll receive the complete instructions, photos, and the pattern within the magazine. If you decide to buy the kit and you don't have this issue of the magazine, you'll also need to buy the issue in order to have the instructions.

So that's how that works.

I was first attracted to the pomegranate design when Margaret sent me a photo to show me what she had designed, with the understanding that I couldn't publish the photo, as she was submitting the project to Country Bumpkin. Well, I was besotted! I love everything about this design - I love the colors (the reds are fantastic, and the greens are perfect), I love the goldwork, I love the way the goldwork is arranged and the variety of goldwork techniques, I love (LOVE) the trellis center on the pomegranate, with the beads and spangles... well. Like I said, when I first saw the photo of the project, I was besotted.

Another point that I liked about it - it's not a huge project. It's small (about 6" x 6", I think), so it's manageable in a reasonable amount of time. Margaret's instructions are crystal clear and perfect for someone who wants to try goldwork for the first time. The project is interesting and varied enough for seasoned goldworkers, too.

Anyway, I was happy to get one of Margaret's "leftover" kits... and I started to work on the pomegranate pretty quickly. All told, it didn't take 3 weeks (maximum) to complete it. Keep in mind, that's stitching in the evenings and a bit on weekends - I have a full time job and a life, so I wasn't stitching day in and day out! It was a nice, pleasurable, non-pressured stitching situation.

I had decided before I embarked on the project that I would make it as a gift for my niece, who was married in the middle of November. The pomegranate has been a symbol for ages upon ages of new life - so I thought it an appropriate gift.



I like angle shots - this isn't perhaps the best angle shot, but one of my favorite elements of the design is the pomegranate "crown" filled with chip work.



Here's the pomegranate itself. I love the fact that the stitching is shaded with the understanding of a light source from the top left. Notice how the pomegranate, on the top left, is lighter, and on the bottom right side, the top edge is also lighter? The top left leaf is couched in a lighter green as well. Nice, isn't it?



The trellis interior is really my favorite part. I love the pomegranate seeds (beads), and I'm a sucker for trellis couching. I think it's a beautiful interpretation.



The only part that I had real difficulty with was the vein on the leaves. I didn't remember until after I couched the pearl purl on that it was supposed to be wavy. So I pinched it into a little wave, but it doesn't look nearly as nice as the leaves on the prototype in the magazine!



Finally, here's the frame job. I had it framed in a custom frame, with all archival materials... the frame is slightly over 11 inches square. It's black with a gold crackle (in tiny veins) working through it, but that doesn't show up so well in the photo. It's triple matted, in green, then gold, then a velvet red mat. The triple matting holds the glass well away from the raised gold and the beads.

I was so happy with the way the project turned out that I was loathe to part with it! Apparently the bride loved it, though, so I'm glad did!

And thus ends the story of The Golden Pomegranate.

Labels: finish work, goldwork, Inspirations Magazine, needlework pictures, pictures, silk

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Friday, January 23, 2009
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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Thursday, October 09, 2008
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I am so very grateful - and somewhat embarrassed! But - thank you! In yesterday's mail (which I got late yesterday evening), I found the following...

It's the Inspirations magazine #33 that Wooly Thread announced for sale last week!



Two very kind (anonymous) readers ordered a copy from Wooly Thread and had Jan send it to me.



Look! It's the CAMELS! Aren't they lovely? And so... smug, in a camel-ish sort of way. Can I add one of them to my carrot list? I think perhaps I can!

I don't know how I can thank you, whoever you may be! It was a very kind and generous of you, and you can bet I do appreciate it!

When I tackle the camels, you'll be in my thoughts!

Labels: Inspirations Magazine, personal

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Sunday, September 14, 2008
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I am so excited about the new A-Z of Goldwork with Silk Embroidery recently published by Country Bumpkin! So excited, in fact, that just thinking about it gives me goose bumps! I want to tell you all about it, and tell you what I especially like about it!

This past summer, Country Bumpkin released a new book in the A-Z needlework series: A-Z of Goldwork with Silk Embroidery. I have lots of goldwork books - lots and lots, actually - but this one catapulted itself to the top of the list with the first read-through. When I first saw it, I was infatuated with it - but after reading it thoroughly twice, I think it's True Love!



First of all, like the other books in the A-Z series, this book is full of photos - over 650 step-by-step photos on different goldwork techniques and silk embroidery techniques. The bulk of the book is goldwork, and the instructions are written and photographed in a way that makes what is a more complicated embroidery technique accessible to practically any level of embroiderer.



What I especially like in the book:

1. The section on starting and finishing: there's a thorough going-over of different techniques for applique. The book details how to work the embroidery (for example, on a linen ground) then cut it out and apply it to ground fabric. This is really helpful, especially if you're interested in historical needlework or ecclesiastical embroidery. The photo instructions clarify different ways of achieving a professional finished edge.... very, very nice! I love this section.

2. The book covers thoroughly different methods of padding - another area of great use to the historical or ecclesiastical embroiderer. Padding over card, felt, and other material (such as string) is covered thoroughly.

3. Step-by-step pictures of S-ing with purls over pailettes... and S-ing in general.

4. Clear photos (and options) for couching twists.

5. And wow - a pretty thorough section on Or Nue, with side boxes of excellent tips for mastering this exquisite technique.

6. A thorough section on goldwork filling techniques.

7. A thorough section on different ways of working with purl - including all types of fillings and different stitches that can be worked with purl.



The book is full of information besides the above points, but those are the topics in the book that I like best.

There's a section at the front of the book that covers the different types of metal threads, as well as the tools necessary for goldwork. I've found this information in other books, too, but hey - it's nice to have all the needful information in one book!

Scattered throughout the book (in true Country Bumpkin fashion) are stunning examples of goldwork - photos that will make your mouth water!



In the back of the book, there's a nice design gallery, with instructions for the various projects featured there, from a beautiful golden butterfly, to a strawberry pincushion, to the gorgeous flower border that's featured on the cover of the book. There are several other designs and projects featured here, and they all have patterns, supply lists, and instructions. It's a great section for finding a good goldwork project if you're just delving into goldwork, or for getting the inspirational juices flowing, if you want to design you own project.

There's also a nice index in the back of the book, which is always helpful.

The section on silk embroidery covers the basics of silk work as it would be combined with goldwork - so you get individual stitches (reminiscent of stitch instructions found in other Country Bumpkin publications), and you also get techniques, such as silk shading. This is just a small section of the book, though, so don't expect in-depth information on techniques like thread painting. You'd find better information on that subject, for example, in the A-Z of Thread Painting, or in Clare Hanham's Beginner's Guide to Silk Shading. Still, the section in this book is useful, and it fits, because it addresses the typical types of silk embroidery often found with goldwork.



A little glitch in the book: on pages 10 and 11 there's a little editing problem. The instructions for making a velvet board (for cutting your metal threads) are repeated under the heading "how to prepare a sling" (for plunging threads). So the sling instructions aren't there, but Country Bumpkin has posted the instructions for making a sling for plunging threads on their website, if you're looking for them.

Final analysis: Golly. I love this book. It's at the top of my Favorites List! If you're considering venturing into goldwork for the first time, this is the book to have. If you've ventured into goldwork, but want to expand your knowledge of the art, this is the book to have. If you're an expert at goldwork... ok, fine, maybe you don't need it! But... it's a pretty darned good book for reference, I think.

Where can you find it?

You can find it through Country Bumpkin, but if you're in the States, the shipping is a bit pricey. Look for it in States through Wooly Thread. I'm sure there are other local needlework shops that will carry it, too, so ask your needlework shop if they have it or can order it for you.

I think this book is a good investment, if you have even the slightest interest in this type of embroidery. If I could combine all the enthusiasm that I've ever felt for individual books all together into One Big Gush of Enthusiasm, this would be the book I'd do it for!

If you don't have it yet, get it - or put it on your Christmas list!

Labels: book review, embroidery resources, goldwork, Inspirations Magazine, silk

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Thursday, September 11, 2008
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Last weekend, I put the final stitches on my "Breath of Spring" project! It was such a fun and colorful project to work that now I'm sorry I finished it. Working a project that you really enjoy is like reading a good book - you want to get to the end to see the finish, but when you get there, you're disappointed that the journey is over! Still, I'm happy the embroidery is finished. Now, it's just a matter of sewing up the bag (oh dear).

So here's the whole garden. The embroidery stitches employed in this project were all straightforward, easy stitches. The most difficult stitch was the bullion knot; otherwise, the project is worked predominantly in stem stitch, with lots of French knots (lots and lots of French knots), some blanket stitch, some long-and-short stitch, fly stitch, and straight stitch. That's about it, actually!



The whole project is relatively wide - about 16" wide, actually. It's supposed to make up the outside pocket of a large linen tote bag. Everyone who's seen it, though, seems to think it should be framed, and that it would only get ruined on a tote bag. I, on the other hand, am determined to finish the tote bag!



Racing towards the finish line this weekend, I had heaps of fun embroidering this little guy! He's a terrific grasshopper.



He's mostly worked in long and short stitch (the wings, the head, the lower body), and the front, jumpy parts of his back legs are long bullions. The skinny sections of the back legs are straight stitch, but because they were such long straight stitches, and since this is meant to be the outside pocket on a usable tote bag, I decided to anchor the straight stitches.

It is, in fact, the bugs that make this garden come alive, I think. Oh, don't get me wrong - I love the colorful grasses and flowers - but the bugs are the lively element.



There's this fellow, that I already wrote about at length. I love this little guy!



Then there are the little ladybugs, worked in fly stitch, satin stitch, straight stitch, and French knots.



I never did fix the one with the wonky dots. Should I? Methinks.... I probably won't.



Then there's the bee, that actually has really widely spaced eyes. I read somewhere (I think it may have been a Snapple fact!) that bees have 5 eyes. Mine just has two eyes, far apart.



Then there's this water-bug mosquito-eater thing. You can tell my entomological skills are rather lacking - I have no idea what this one is. It reminds me of those bugs that I used to see, as a kid, skidding across the top of Parker's Pond on frong-catching expeditions. It also reminds me of those really big mosquito-looking bugs that aren't mosquitos that we grew up calling mosquito-eaters, because they were such big mosquitos that we figured they ate small mosquitos. Hm.



This splash of brightness is probably the focal point of the garden - it certainly is the first thing you see. It's worked in a variegated thread, except for the markings, in long and short stitch.



This is the svelte side-view butterfly (I do like the white wings on the natural colored linen - they stand out!).



And this is the slightly overweight side-view butterfly, with the big head.

So those are the bugs - and here are some of my favorite garden views.



I like the combination of the cheery yellow, the bright green, and the blue flowers in this clump of flora.



And I like the thistle climbing the buttercup that points to the big butterfly...



And though it didn't receive much attention in the blogging of this project, I like the wispy grasses that fill out the garden.



I also like my garden from the side. The caterpillar looks ripe and pudgy, and I like all the wavy grasses.

So that's the project - 'twas great fun. If I can bring myself to tackle the construction of the tote it goes on, I'll be amazed. And you'll be the first to know!

But what do you think, really? Should it go on the tote, or should it go on the wall? Maybe everyone else is right...

My next project, already underway, is a small goldwork project that I'm giving to my niece as a wedding present. The wedding is in November, but I won't be there. Still, I'll send along a little symbolic something in goldwork. I'll show that to you eventually, but there's a story behind the piece, so I can't blog the whole thing right now. I think I can blog snippets, though, that don't show the whole design. I'll find out if I can, and if I can... welp. You'll be the first to know!

So - tote? Wall hanging? or tote? or wall hanging? Decisions, decisions...

Labels: Breath of Spring, Inspirations Magazine, needlework pictures, pictures

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Wednesday, September 10, 2008
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I'm not exactly a bug fan, though I do like to look up close at some of the stranger buggy creatures inhabiting God's earth. Caterpillars have always been fascinating to me - and this one, sitting atop his embroidered leaf, content in all his bullion-knot-pudginess, is quite appealing, as far as caterpillars go.

I've managed to add a few more stitches to my Breath of Spring project - and among them is this little fellow. He cracks me up.



After I stitched him, I was pretty pleased, though some of the bullions are a bit wonky in the middle. But he is just too cute. I love his little legs.

His body is made up of bullion knots in alternating yellow and red, and his head is satin stitched in black, with French knots for the (rather large) eyes. His legs are little black straight stitches.



I was observing with pleasure his colorful addition to the garden, when my sister stopped in. After expressing her approval, she told me a story. You see, my sister is a kitchen-garden-fresh-food-and-veggies fanatic, and each year, she plants an elaborate kitchen garden. To keep fresh herbs handy for cooking, she has a line of small clear vases on her kitchen counter, in which she places bundles of fresh parsley, basil, and whatnot from the garden.

She noticed a small caterpillar on some of her inside parsley one day, but decided to leave it there to see what it would do. While I pictured caterpillars in her soup, she continued to tell me how the thing, over several days, molted, then molted again, getting bigger, changing colors, and on and on.

The very day of her visit, she had been working at the sink when her gaze fell on her vase of parsley. It was moving and shaking! Low 'n behold, the caterpillar (which had originally been the size of a tiny inch worm and now was progressing towards finger-sized) was wriggling about in great consternation. Then - bam!

It's skin popped off and hit the counter! (I don't really mind my inanimate caterpillar...)

Within a short time, it had worked itself into a kind of question-mark shape, and had formed around itself a chrysalis - the recognizable chrysalis of a swallowtail butterfly. I thought that was pretty neat.

I know my caterpillar can't compare with the swallowtail that will eventually emerge on the salad on my sister's counter - and in fact, unless the colors run, my caterpillar won't morph into anything else...



...but I still think, as caterpillars go, he's pretty swell.

Labels: Breath of Spring, Inspirations Magazine, needlework pictures, pictures

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Saturday, September 06, 2008
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I haven't done much stitching (ok, I haven't done any stitching) for the past week, but last week, I managed the thistle on the Breath of Spring project I'm working on.

I like the thistle. It's worked with simple stitches - the base of the flower is long and short stitch in a dark green, crossed with a lattice of light green, and the thistley part of the thistle is stitched in various lengths of daisy stitches.



I like the variegated purple selected for this flower - it ranges from very, very pale, to a medium-dark.



Most of the detached chain stitches that make the head of the thistle shoot upwards, but there's a little skirt of stitches pointing down, overlapping the base of the flower (is a thistle a flower or a weed?) that add a bit of depth and reality to the look of the flower.

I should have layered my detached chain stitches a little better, starting first with very long ones, and then building shorter ones on top of that. Instead, I worked in a rather random way until I had the head of the thistle filled up. I'm not quite inclined to take the stitches out and do it over, though - overall, I think it looks ok.

One thing I might do over on this is the lattice work. On the pattern, it's drawn out in very evenly spaced rows, but I think it almost looks too even for such a haphazard, wild looking garden! We'll see.

So there's the thistle. Today, I just might tackle that caterpillar....

Labels: Breath of Spring, Inspirations Magazine, needlework pictures, pictures

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Thursday, September 04, 2008
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I've managed to work up a few more stitches on Breath of Spring, which is really turning out to be a super-fun project! Here are some photos of progress and plans!

When I last posted photos for this project called "Breath of Spring," I hadn't quite finished the French knot flowers that look like butter mints. But I finished those up late last night, and you know what? I really like them!!

I'd say I'm a little more than half finished with the piece:



The little blue forget-me-nots stand out a lot more than I realized they would. I'm not quite so keen on the really dark undersides of the foxglove (the bell-shaped purple and yellow flowers on the left), because they Really seem to stand out. But ... I still like them!



This is my favorite section so far - I like the butter mint flowers and the angelica (the other "white" French knot flower burst on the right of the photo).



Over all, the angelica looks white, but you can see that it, too, is worked in a variegated thread of pastel colors. I'm glad - if they really were white, they'd be too stark. I like the subtle shades of color.



A new ladybug - I like this one better than the first, but he's got a little antenna thing going on there, like the tip decided to disconnect. Funny, it took an up-close photo to make this clear. I didn't notice it until I saw the picture!



Here are the "butter mint" flowers. I don't know what else to call them, because I don't know what they're supposed to be! They are worked in slightly darker shades of pastel than the angelica. I like them, after all. I didn't think I would, but I really do!



And this is where I'm going next - the thistle and the caterpillar. I can't wait! That thistle looks fun.



And then, after that, the grasshoper. I'm kind of getting into this bug thing. Embroidering bugs is great fun. Kind of weird, but really fun. "I'm going to go embroider a bug, if you'll excuse me." Not something you say every day, you know?

So that's my progress so far. I can't tell you how wonderful it is to be able to sit down later in the evening, after long days at work, and just stitch for a half an hour or so before going to bed. It's great relaxation. I'm so thankful to have stitching as a hobby, aren't you? It's just... the Best!

Labels: Breath of Spring, Embroidery Projects, Inspirations Magazine, needlework pictures, pictures

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Thursday, August 21, 2008
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After finishing the whitework on the linen pouch, and doing whitework monograms on the embroidered guest towels this summer, I decided it was time to dig out something colorful to embroider! Better yet, something colorful that was already set up...

So, I took out "Breath of Spring," a project from Country Bumpkin's Inspirations Magazine, issue #56. I mentioned this particular project previously, when I was planning to finish it as a gift. But, you know, time just got away from me! So I've picked it up now, to (hopefully) finish relatively soon (boy, doesn't that sound non-commital!!??)



There are lots of things I like about this project!! For one thing, it's Colorful. Some of threads, when seen in isolation, might not strike you as Super Colorful, but when taken as a whole project, the colors are pretty varied, and very pretty!

Another thing I like is that the project employs a variety of stitches, so you never really get bored doing the same old stitch over and over again.

Finally, each separate element in the design is small enough to handle in one sitting, more or less. And once I near the completion of one little element, the excitement builds to move on to the next!

Overall, the piece is easy enough - I'd think any moderately advanced beginner could work it, as long as you had a good stitch dictionary (although I think the stitches are covered in the issue of the magazine...) But there are no really "advanced" techniques - the hardest stitch in it is the bullion knot. But this isn't to say I'm not learning anything as I work the project, because I am! Let me show you some close ups here, and tell you a couple things I've learned along the way.



This is the left side of the piece - the bell-shaped flowers are supposed to be foxglove. The butterfly is a duplicate of one on the right side of the piece. I like the one on the right side Much Better. Now, you might wonder how that could be, if they are duplicates...



This is the one on the left side (seen in the photo above). It's the second of these twin butterflies that I worked. I followed the directions on this one to the "T" - and I used 4 strands of floss on the bullion body and French knot head. For the most part, the whole design is worked in one strand of cotton. But this butterfly's bullion body called for 4 strands.



On the first one I worked, I didn't think 4 strands was quite the thing, so I worked the bullion in one strand - and I tapered the end, down to a longer straight stitch. As far as butterflies go, I think this one looks quite a bit more delicate and butterfly-ish. The one above (on the left side of the design) looks chunky and bulky and thick. I may go back and alter that, but I'm not sure if I dislike it that much!



The parts of the piece that catch the eye first, I think, are the buttercups. They're two shades of yellow.



They're worked in a closed buttonhole on the outside of the petal, and then long-and-short-stitch filling, to add the darker shading in the middle.



I like the side-view buttercups, too. There's just something about bright yellow flowers that's so cheeeeeery.



Ok, I love the lady bugs. But I really flubbed this one up! I'm definitely going to take out the French knots and re-work them. I have no excuse - just sloppy stitching at that point. Three of them look all cock-eyed and silly. I'll take those out and re-work them.

The ladybug bodies are stitched in closely worked fly stitch, which forms a seam down the body between the wings. I like that! Clever thinking on the designers part, methinks. The little head is just a few satin stitches.



I'm a little confused about these fellows.



And the more I work of them, the more confused I get. I like them.... but on the instructions, they are listed as "white flowers," and I checked and double-checked my labeling on my threads to see if I made a mistake. They aren't really what I'd call "white flowers"! I think the colors are pretty. But they sure aren't white. They remind me of baby shower butter mints.



And finally, worked here and there among the flowers are these clusters of forget-me-knots. I jumped in to work a few, so I could see how the blue sets things off. I like them! They'll have a little French knot in the middle of them when they're finished.

I'm really enjoying working this piece! The only drawback I've encountered so far is some of the thread used in it. I purchased this as a kit from Country Bumpkin, so all the threads came with it, although they did make some substitutions for threads they didn't have on hand. The substitutions were ok, and I have no problem with tje idea of substitutions at all. But I didn't like some of the threads in the kit, which is unusual.

This piece calls for some over-dyed threads from House of Embroidery (of South Africa). I have never used their silks (they hand-dye silk and cotton), but I'm not very impressed with their cottons! I love the colors - they're really nice. But the thread itself - a 6-stranded embroidery cotton - pills, snags, frays, and knots a lot. After using about a 16 inch length, I finally cut back to 12 inch lengths, because the thread was just falling apart. Strangely enough, though, not every color did so. The foxgloves (the bell flowers on the left) didn't, but they were worked in larger stitches, and not small stitches that required a lot of passing through the fabric, so perhaps this made the difference. But the the thread used on the wheat and the grasses definitely did. I don't like cotton threads that pill up and shred apart. But maybe I'm just being picky?

I'd love to know if anyone else has used this particular brand of thread, and if so, if you've had similar experiences - or if maybe I'm just doing something wrong. I switched to a larger needle, too, so that there wasn't as much contact between the fabric and the thread. That helped a little bit, but not much.

So that's my colorful project right now. I've got it set up on a stretcher bar frame, and I'm using my Needlework System4 floor stand. When I have time after work, it's all there, just waiting... a perfect palette of colored embroidery bliss! Ahhhhh......

I have two more projects I'm dying to set up before Labor Day weekend, so that I have projects to work on during the first semester of the school year without having to set aside large chunks of time for design and set-up work. So ... here's hoping! I'll keep you posted!

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

Labels: Breath of Spring, Embroidery Projects, Inspirations Magazine, needlework pictures, pictures, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Sunday, August 17, 2008
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