A couple of years ago I designed and stitched a frog on a lily pad.
While I was quite happy with it, I always felt that it needed something more. It needed a waterlily and a bug, maybe a dragon fly. Also, I wasn’t 100% happy with the background fabric I chose. Also, I have learnt alot since I stitched this little fellow.
I recently finished stitching Golden Lotus, a project I designed in late 2009. This was the inspiration to redesign my frog on a lily pad.
So to work. I have taken design elements from both projects, tweaked them a bit and combined them into one project - On Golden Pond. Thank goodness for computers and CorelDraw Graphics Suite – it makes redesigning so much easier!
I have started on the waterlily. I know I am working back to front, as I haven’t even traced the design onto the main fabric, but the waterlily is the bit that has my head spinning – what technique will I use to edge the detached petals.
When I stitched the Golden Lotus I used felt padding to raise the petals up. This time I have decided to pad the background petals of the waterlily and add detached petals for the front petals to create greater dimension for the flower.
The decision for filling the petals was easy - long and short stitch, using Madeira Stranded Silk in 3 shades of cornflower blue. However finishing the edges took a little more consideration.
One thing I have decided is that I want to edge the petals in gold thread or wire. In the past, I have used two different methods for edging detached elements with gold wire/thread. The first method was on the Flying Fishclass I undertook with Avril Ambrose De Haviland. Here we used No 2 Gilt Pearl Purl.
I also incorporated this method in my patterns - Jacobean Tulips and Bird of Paradise, as well as these little brooches.
The second method was on the Persian Peony Tile class with Jane Nicholas.
With this method the petals are made firstly by stitching button hole over fine covered wire to create the edge of the petal and then filling the centre of the petal as you would for conventional stumpwork detached elements. Gold passing thread is then attached to the buttonhole edge using clear monofilament thread.
I finally decided to use the method used in the Flying Fish. It is much quicker to stitch and gives a distinct gold outline.
Tomorrow I will show you how it is done!
Your goldwork is marvellous. It is a pleasure for me to visit your blog. Thanks a lot for sharing your techniques !
Posted by: Coeur de freesia | Tuesday, 05 January 2010 at 07:47 AM
Thankyou for the two method suggestions - I'd never heard of the second one. I'll have to give it a go!
Posted by: Elmsley Rose | Tuesday, 05 January 2010 at 08:59 AM
Elmsley Rose
Tracy A. Franklin (http://www.tracyafranklin.com/) used a similar method to method two in a project that was feature in Inspirations magazine Issue 55. The piece was titled Heart of Gold, a goldwork brooch. The pearl purl was couched around the edge of the brooch using the traditional method of couching i.e. couch over every fourth or fifth groove of the purl. It was then cut out It was not sealed with glue Personally, I have greater confidence my pieces will not fray or fall apart when I seal the edges with the glue.
Posted by: Gold n' Stitches | Tuesday, 05 January 2010 at 09:52 PM
That frog looks amazing, one of my old clients would have died to get that.
Everything frogs he would pay anyprice lol!
You have got some talent on display here, keep working hard :)
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