So... What Next?

I've spent the last week full of a horrible cold, topped off with going back to work 3 days a week, a school athletics trip, sick animals and just generally feeling fed up.  Which is very naughty when really I'm very fortunate for all that I have.  Anyway, needless to say inspiration has again been lacking.  I don't know how many embroidery samplers I've looked at recently and not a single one has inspired me to make a start on my stitch book.  Or anything else for that matter.  And I find that just ends up with me feeling even more uninspired.

So what did I do? Well I went back through my Pinterest boards and had a look at the things that I've pinned on the basis that 'I like them' rather than 'I should try them'.  I'm not looking for another big project as I don't think I'm going to have time for awhile, but I need something that I can pick up and put down as required.  And something to stop me having to watch all the Car programs on the TV that hubby likes.  😊

So what did I decide?  Butterflies.  In particular stumpwork butterflies that will let me also practice needle painting.  I bought the A-Z of Stumpwork last year and worked through the various stitches. Made a mini stump work sampler just to try out the techniques.  I also did the Celeste Chalasani stump work Poppies project on Craftsy early this year which I enjoyed.  Of course there are the books by Jane Nicholas and some of those look amazing.  But anyway... yes butterflies! I'm going to make some butterflies.  Well I'm going to TRY and make some butterflies.  So watch this space, there could be another disaster happening any minute haha.

I think I'll start with a fairly simple shape, I quite like these ones below.  Fairly simple shape to start with and nothing too intricate colour wise.

Tea or Coffee is done!

So I think its come out OK, especially seeing it was just using up some scraps.  I do like the way the stems connect the various flowers.  I still don't like those big flowers, although I wish I had done the first two a bit more open like I did the third one.  And I think that bottom area is a bit light on colour variation, compared to the top half.  (shrug).  I think it looks better in real life than it does in the photo.  It is what it is, gave me something to keep me occupied and I learnt a few things.  Another piece for the drawer. 😝

Thanks for stopping by!

A bit more 'Tea or Coffee?'

Don't you just hate it when you run out of thread?  Well a particular colour of thread.  

When I first started embroidering 2 years ago I dug out my old cross stitch threads and I had 3, nearly full, skeins of DMC 3371 (the very darkest brown) and I remember thinking 'I'll never in a month of Sundays use all that'.  

Never say never Kimberley!!!  Because I just ran out, not after finishing a flower or stem but right in the middle of it, probably another 2 inches of thread would've done it.  (grumble grumble).   But all is not lost, I've called the store closest to Hubby's work and there are 2 skeins (I'm not taking any chances) sitting on the counter waiting for him to pick up on the way home.  Who says he doesn't have his uses?? 😝💋

Anyway, not too much left to go now, although all the bits currently accessible in the hoop are predominantly 3371 (of course they are!).

I took the whipping off that centre flower, I tried living with it for a few days but it wasn't growing on me.  I've left the large light coloured flower to the right a bit more 'open' and we'll see how that sits once the lower bits are filled in.  The one thing about this design that I don't like is those big flowers and I must say that after stitching them they haven't gone up in my estimation either.  😀

Never mind though its all just for fun.

Latest learnings:

• Next time I decide to stitch onto a pieced fabric try and use a backing fabric as well.  I'm not sure if everyone finds this or if I just spend too much time pulling/tightening my fabric in the hoop.  The original swatches were pieced together using a machine, ironed flat and all that.  But a number of the seams have still looked a bit, um, just not secure as I've then hand sewn over them.  And I wonder if a backing fabric may have helped this.  (or just added to the issues haha).  Although I guess thinking about it crazy quilters often piece onto a backing fabric as they go to get all those fancy shapes, so maybe thats how they get around this type of issue.
• Next time I buy linen give it a good tug and stretch before buying it.  The darkest bit of fabric on the bottom left is some type of linen that I bought at the fabric store (its not an embroiderers linen) and the weave is so loose.  Although again I guess a backing fabric would help here.

What next?

So I'm starting to think about what do once this project is done and I really do like the idea of a stitch sampler and the more I look at the one I already started the more I think I've moved on from that and the style of it isn't for me any more.

So I found these drawings of leaves online and I'm thinking they make quite good inspiration for a stitch sampler.  Ideally I'd like a fabric book that I can just pull out when I'm looking for a 'look' or a certain stitch.  So I might ponder these for a few days and see if I can come up with a bit of a plan.

I also haven't forgotten that I need more needle-painting practice.  So I should keep my eye out for something not too serious that will give me some more exposure to that.

I'm back to work next week so stitching time is going to be drastically cut.  😂

Thats it for now.  Thanks for stopping by.

Tea or Coffee?

Well I've made quite a bit of progress on this during the last few days and pleasingly I've used a few different stitches (go me!).

Those big flowers have done my head in a bit.  There was too much of that yellow-y colour so I added a bit of the brown.  I don't mind the smaller of the two flowers (top of the pic), but I think I've gone a bit too far with the larger one (bottom of the pic).  But before I rip it out I'm going to fill in around it and see how it sits then.

In case anyones interested in the detail here is some closer up photos and the stitches used.  Please of course excuse the washable pen marks.

Dark French knots in the centre, surrounded by two rows of buttonhole wheel in the mid range brown.  And then buttonholed the whole way around the resulting outer circle.  Then in the dark thread again surrounded with herringbone, and fly stitch.  With more French knots inside the fly stitch.












Chain stitch filling, with split stitch stems, topped with French knots.












Split stitch outline, with back stitch detail in the outer petals.  Feather stitch detail in the centre petal with French knots on the ends.  And a sprinkle of French knots top.












Satin stitch centre, surrounded by running stitch. Then split stitch outline for the petals, with (badly) needlepainted centres.  Back stitch 'spokes' topped with detached chain.

Split stitch stems (its my favourite stitch) with detached chain leaves.  Satin stitch yellow, edged with more split stitch, and a bit of split stitch filling for the top of the flowers while I was there.

French knot base in the dark colour, with needlepainted 'petals'.  Centre stems are done in continuous fly (I thought this had a name all of its own, but I can't seem to find it).  Outer stems split stitch topped with French knots again.

So not a lot of different stitches, but already more than I expected I would use.  😀  While I generally try to stitch to two strands of floss for Chicken Little to keep them the 'same', its quite nice chopping and changing from 1 to 2 strands to get different effects.  

Learnings - So much more practice required for needlepainting.  (maybe that should be my next project).

Blogger limitations

I've also spent some time this week trying to figure out how to reply to comments.  It seems that this feature of Blogger is sadly lacking.  So please know that I do read the comments and its really nice to know there is someone out there reading my ramblings.  If anyone else also uses blogger and uses a third party comments thingie that allows replies then if you'd let me know which one you use that would be FAB!  Because currently I'm just a bit confused haha.  (Nothing new there!)

Excitement factor 9

Nothing to do with embroidery.  But the hens starting making a bit of a ruckus last night and we ran out thinking something was attacking them.  But no, we had a visit from the Three Little Pigs.  Well Ok not THE Three Little Pigs, but 3 wild pigs all the same, just young ones.  Hubby got this photo from our deck of two of them.  While we were super excited to see them we stayed safely on the deck as we weren't that keen to meet their Mumma (we're so brave - NOT!).   The poor things will probably end up on someones dinner table at some point in the future but for today we just appreciated their visit.  🐷🐷🐷💗

Until next time!