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Friday, May 8, 2015

Progress on Owl

 I  have made some progress with my silk fantasy owl.  This is the piece on silk for the Embroiderers Guild 50th Anniversay Exhibition this year. I am posting this away from home from my iPad - so can't control the photo sizes.

From where I was when I last posted on this project, I moved to the area below the breast feathers and tried out the Bokara stitch I learned with Alison Snepp in 2011 then used in the chair project. Once again, this stitch served me well.


I also admit to its addictive hold over me, once I get going with it. I extended it. I also used satin stitch and open chain stitch to try to keep the rows of feathers in the outline drawing.

Using variegated silk thread both helped and hindered the effect I was after. While it got me variation within the band, it gave me rigid divisions between the bands vertically. I had to go back and alleviate this by blending with single colour thread. There is still a bit to do - and a couple of places to unpick.

I had originally intended to leave the breast in open fly stitch, but then filled it in. It really IS like colouring in with thread - try a bit, see how it looks, then add a bit more from the pallet.

It is coming along. I have the tail feathers and irises to go, as well as a bit of blending - best done in daylight.





4 comments:

margaret said...

such a lovely colourful owl beautiful stitching

Monica said...

It is looking amazing, Jillian! I love all the rich colours and the hand dyed threads. And all the great stitches! Beautiful textures. Onwards!

Katherine said...

This is looking gorgeous! No wonder you are enjoying working on it. I think I wouldn't be able to leave it sit for long either.

Katherine said...

This is looking gorgeous! No wonder you are enjoying working on it. I think I wouldn't be able to leave it sit for long either.