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Mary Corbet

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I learned to embroider when I was a kid, when everyone was really into cross stitch (remember the '80s?). Eventually, I migrated to surface embroidery, teaching myself with whatever I could get my hands on...read more

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Goldwork Project: Finished and Ready to Frame

 

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I’m happy that I managed to finish the goldwork project I’m planning to give to my niece as a wedding gift. In fact, I think that’s the only worthwhile thing I accomplished last weekend!! I’ll show you a few photos…

…but unfortunately, no “complete” photos! I’m dying to show you the whole piece, but, as I mentioned before, we need to wait until the design is published in January!

I hope you understand and will enjoy instead these little up-close “mystery” photos.

Finished Goldwork Piece

Here’s a close-up on some chipping inside an outline of pearl purl. A friend commented the other day that the close-up photos always make the piece seem as if it is much larger than it really is; then, when you actually see the piece in real life, you’re surprised that it’s much smaller and delicate looking. So, even though this looks large, it isn’t – it’s about half an inch wide, and half an inch high at the tallest point.

I think my chipping is a little too crowded. I need to work on that. When I do chipwork, I either end up with chipping that is too spaced, or chipping that’s too crowded.

Finished Goldwork Piece

This project includes a little bit of everything – I think that’s one of the reasons I liked it so much! Here are some beads and pailettes for you.

Finished Goldwork Piece

And another bit of chipwork.

I love finishing a project. But I don’t love the “let down” at the end. There’s nothing quite like finishing and stepping back to look at a piece. It’s so satisfactory! But then… gosh. The end is bittersweet, because now the fun’s all over!

To avoid the let-down, I moved very quickly into the baby booties, but it isn’t quite the same, you know! On the bright side, I am planning an ornament for a swap, and I do believe it will include many of the techniques on the project I just finished.

So, here’s a question: can you guess what the goldwork design depicts, just from the photos you’ve seen so far? You can find a couple more pictures of this project here. Just curious!!

 
 

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(14) Comments

  1. As always, your work looks gorgeous. I’m guessing it’s a pomegranate, from the color and the shape of the red pieces…

    1
  2. Hmmm, quite a mystery. I’m going out on a limb here and guessing some kind of pineapple design because it’s a wedding gift and pineapple is a symbol of hospitality. But that’s a lot of red for a pineapple. I love the goldwork. So sparkly! Can’t wait to see the finished product.

    MGM

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  3. I was thinking the same thing as soon as I saw that second picture! Only I wasn’t going to tell. . .

    Awesome symbolism for a wedding present!!

    This looks absolutely incredible. How on earth can you keep your stitches so perfect?!! The chipping looks great, just a different look than if it were less “crowded” (as you say). Wow and yum.

    What is the thread and color number of the pomegranite color?

    Christiana

    6
  4. Absolutely beautiful, though I no nothing about gold work I thinking the chipping looked wonderful. If anyone says otherwise remember these two words, “Artistic License”. My first guess is the bride and grooms initials, though I would like to put in a second guess of something with a bow.

    9
  5. The little glimpses look like pieces of butterflies and dragonflies. What lovely work you do, the beading is especially nice.

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  6. I also thought about butterflies from the last picture, but I don’t think that’s it, so I’m stumped.

    But I would like to know what thread you used for the red silk embroidery. It looks like silk and it’s a stunning colour.

    Beautiful work, as usual.

    CA

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  7. Hi, everyone! Thanks for your very nice comments, as usual! There are some notable mistakes on the piece, – but I decided not to show those !! 🙂

    Within minutes of posting this article this morning, I moderated Michael’s “I think it’s a pomegranate” comment. And I had the same sensation as when someone steals a punchline! But I won’t hold it against you – it was a very observant piece of logic there. It IS a pomegranate!

    I’ll post completed pictures in January – I promise! And that means you even get to see it matted and framed!

    13
  8. Oh, Carol-Anne – sorry – yes, it’s silk. Soie d’Alger (twisted, spun silk), and I don’t recall the color numbers. I’ll look them up and let you know. I LOVE the colors, and want to use the same colors on an ornament. They’re very rich!

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