More Embroidery with Fibers and Ribbon -- Preparing for Beads and other "hard" items

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First let me say that I am playing with the new scanner, so the picture to the left is from it, rather than the camera. It gives things a different angle which I'm not sure I like.

It has been a couple weeks of playing with fibers and stitches. The clump of fibers that I got at the quilt shop has been fun. Bottom left, the green tuft stuff is couched down. Then did the seam with a cretan stitch in a Dinky Dyes silk. Above the points are just stitches radiating out in different lengths in a bit of Gloriana silk limited edition overdye.

Added french knots in the Dinky Dyes silk to the Wheatear Stitch. Continuing along the seam is some green with sparkles rickrack (definately not your mothers rickrack). It is also held on with more of the peach Dinky Dyes silk in a cross stitch.

Along the wine seam is a combination of stitches. Decided to try doing some stitch build up - it sort of worked. Did 2 lines of straight running stitch in gold Gloriana. Then took a silky bundle of thread which was designed to be used as a bundle, with a gold to green coloration, and wove it between the running stitches. I then whipped the criscross legs with a dark blue Weeks Dye Works cotton. Then added 3 legs over each of the sides - on one side in the blue and the other in the gold. I'll top these with beads. My initial thought is that the whipping was too much, but the bundle was soooooo fly away. I will try the weaving again with different threads on a future piece, but think it will be done softer to take advantage of the possible curves.

Added buttonhole stitch half wheels in a dark green. Need to mark the fabric next time to get a more even look. They may go away.

Used a whipped chenille ribbon in a curved form to cover the light gold seam. Since with will be partially under the dragonfly, I wanted something that wasn't fussy. Added single chain stitches to look like buds on the feather stitch in the wine Gloriana silk.

In the center section, I did a bit more outline stitch in a medium green Needlepoint Inc silk. Then used wine Treasure Braid to highlight the center of the arabesque. It really doesn't show on the scan, but it gives a nice wine glint.

After the run of light green chevron stitch, the green needed more. Had been given some blue/silver rayon which I used for the stems in stem stitch and then some more Dinky Dyes peach in single chain for buds. The result looks good - like vases.

Below the chevron stitch is a ribbon of light green, blue, pink held down with a odd thread from the bundle. The thread was in blue silver tones and unraveled. After using it to herringbone over the ribbon, I also used it to do tight single chain stitches emerging from the pumkin colored ladder.

Also picked out a couple of the peach roses on the light green and did satin stitch with some thread ends from the Dinky Dyes. The colors meshed so well, I could not resist.
Spent lots of time playing with ribbons - some 4mm, some 10mm, some smooth silk, some like shoe ties, some grosgrain. Did the classic ribbon roses - still have no consistency with the ribbons, so each is very different. Tried the flatter flowers. Tried single chain stitch. Tried a knot with or without the added fly stitch. Did lots of french knots in silk threads. The bullion knots suck so only the 2 done in silk ribbon remain. Think I want the spray to come a little more onto the gold silk - perhaps a bit more sparsely. The ribbons and silk flower spray is a bit tight together. Think I need to loosen up more on my sprays. It does, however, add some very nice 3D effects with lots of differing heights represented.

Tried picking out some of the curves on the embroidered fabric. I re-embroidered 2 in wine silk and 2 in green silk. Then added 4 of the rose from the rose trim to the center area. Think I want to pick out a little more of the tendrils to spread the effect and make it not soooo splotchy.

One seam still undone. Think it needs something, but something light.

Still haven't decided whether or not to do something to the wine braid or just let it be. Part of me wants to soften it somehow. Part of me says leave it. Comments? (via reblogger, joggles forum or flickr)

So much to absorb! Been wanting to jump into the beads, but have been resisting mightily, but my resistence in wearing down. Beads soon.

It is also interesting to see the effect of having a 10" square, versus everyonee elses 8" square. Very different space dynamics.

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