Isolated Stitches

So I've made a decision.  I'm doing the 2nd of the Beyond TAST challenges - the Isolated stitches.  I found this crazy cool rooster below.

So I've made a start.  I'm using a mid blue fabric simply so I could still trace the image through it.

The Bullions look awful I know, they're going to get picked out.  I'll use them on one of the other feathers where they will be packed in tighter together.

The Bullions weren't floating my boat so I made a start on the other bits.  The original picture has 'cut out' areas which won't work so I'll fill those areas in and then stitch on top using a blue to match the background (as best I can).  Like that white section there, that will have detached chain on top of it I think.

I'm still not convinced this is going to work... but in the name of exploration we'll see.  If nothing else I'm learning something about bullions.  Like how NOT to do them! haha

I've not used this white pen before either... so fingers crossed it will wash out.  Its come out of the trial piece of fabric today but I've heard so many stories about these pens reappearing.  Not that I've had trouble with usual pen before and this is an Adger pen like that one so fingers crossed.

One Fish Two Fish

I've added my jellyfish, he doesn't look bad.  I couched down the tentacles and while its not perfect its OK.  So just got to finish off Herringbone and then I think I'm caught up.  Whoop whoop!

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A little progress...

A couple more fish added to my sampler in the last couple of days.  Just figured out a name for this 'One Fish, Two Fish' you know like Dr Suess? One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish and so on.  I almost know it by heart I've read it to my daughter so many times.

Sorry for the slightly blurry pic.

Still no decision on the Beyond TAST challenges.  

Current challenge - Couching:

I've had a play with a few types of couching and either I suck at couching or DMC floss isn't an ideal thing to use for couching.  Probably the first option. 😀  I did get a not bad result with a single strand of thread doing Bayeux stitch, but gosh that could take a very long time.  And I can't decide between a medieval style project or a modern style.  Decisions, decisions.

Previous challenge - Isolated stitches

I've found a chicken that could work for this.  Yes I know a chicken! but I kind of like the theme I've got going with the challenges so I'm sticking with it.  But I don't know I'm just not feeling it yet.

So I'm sticking with my little fish for the minute until I make a decision 😀

Meanwhile though I'm going to blur the line a bit on One Fish, Two Fish and do a jellyfish for the couching... or at least thats what I think I'm going to do.  I guess we'll soon see how if it works out.

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Beyond TAST

So what next?  Do I do the isolated stitch challenge for Beyond TAST that I missed while doing the rooster OR do I do the next Beyond TAST stitch which is around couching.  I have an idea for the isolated stitches one and I'd love to have a go at the medieval type embroidery.  Have already spent way too long trying to find a 'medieval chicken' picture on the internet.  But creating a isolated stitch kind of collage chicken would also be fun.  Decisions decisions.  Apparently couching can happen quite quickly so I may be able to do both in the time allotted for the challenge.  Either way I have to find an image first! 😀

And meanwhile in the Bat Cave...

So I've finally decided on a theme for my stitch sampler/fabric book - Fish! Yes fish... I know, I know, I usually do chickens.  But I find it helpful to have a starting place and I thought I'd try something a bit different but still with a starting place of X.  So fish it is.  Although I'm already thinking I should have made them a tiny bit bigger, but we'll see.  They don't seem to take too long so I can always start again, right?

Fabric:  My fabric is some shirt linen I got at the local craft store in a natural type colour.  Pretty cheap and cheerful.  

Fabric Size:  My piece of fabric is um..  I don't know... maybe a bit bigger than A4?  I have room for 2 pages of fish on the same piece.

Fish Size:  Each fish is about 1 1/2 inches long by 1 inch tall.  I've sketched out some fish shapes on a bit of paper to use as my 'pattern'.  I've marked out sections so I can fit 12 fish on each page (3 fish across on 4 rows).  Although I might just do 3 rows on each page, will see how it looks once I have 3 rows of fish.

Text:  I'm free styling the text this time because tracing through this fabric is difficult and the colour of the fabric is also not good with my water erasable pen, especially when I make a mistake.  Both of which probably suggest I'd be better off using good old white calico like usual but I'm trying to step outside my comfort zone a tiny bit.

Thread:  Just my regular DMC floss.  Colour wise I found a colour combo I liked the look of so am going with the for now.  There was only 5 colours in it, so I'm adding other colours in 

the same groupings to provide some variation which you can't really see in the shot of the fish below. (For colour ideas this tatami club have some beautiful combos if you're interested check them out.  Just google 'dmc colour combo tatami' and then look at the images)

So the idea is to stitch along with TAST week by week.  But of course as I'm late to the party I'm already behind so I'll just potter along and see how we go.

Right I'm off to google more pictures of medieval chickens.  Did you know there is a chicken or two on the famous Bayeux tapestry??  There is, I promise!  Only problem is its on a spit after its been roasted for dinner.   Haha not quite what I'm looking for.  

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