Or Nué - Filling the Gap

Merry Christmas to you all.  Hope you had a relaxing and safe festive season.  It was lovely to get away but I didn't get done as much as I thought I would.

The Or Nué piece has been occupying my thoughts and what little time I have been stitching.  Two of the circles have finally come together.

I couldn't wait to fill in the little gap.  The angle where the circles met was to sharp to bend and turn the passing thread so I had to dovetail the passing thread.

I started on the outside edge of the piece and worked as far into the corner as possible with the green silk.  I then cut the passing thread leaving a 2.5cm (1") tail which I took through to the back of my work.

I find it is easier to sink the thread to the back by unraveling the gold thread off the cotton core of the passing thread prior to taking it through to the back. I stop unravelling the gold thread about 2mm's from where I intend to sink the thread to make sure none of the cotton core shows through. 

Once the angle between the two circles became a little wider I then was able to bend and turn the passing thread.  The gilt passing thread is well suited to this method. It is made by by winding a flat, very thin piece of wire around a thread core in a spiral manner and produces a thread that is quite stiff and not fluid.  Consequently when it is bent it tends to hold its shape fairly well until couched in position.  A pair of tweezers with a fine point are very useful to bend and turn the passing thread.

It is quite a challenge concentrating on getting the corners right as well as creating the shape of the leaf.  As you can see by photo below, there is one stray stitch, which happened to be the last green couching stitch.  I can't live with this so will go back and "reverse stitch"(unpick) this little bit and redo it. 

 I am sure with more practice I can improve this technique.  I have been reading the posts on goldwork from Carol Anne Conway's blog Threads across the Web getting a few tips.
 Her work is exquisite  - just looking at the amazing execution of her piece titled Karahana inspires me to keep going.

 

Comments

[coral-seas]

I haven't done any Or Nué (yet!), it is something that I would really like to try, especially in the modern style with circular or wavey couching. This is really looking good and an inspiration to me.

The real gold that I used for Karahana is much more malliable and bends into very tight spaces. Also, untwisting the Japanese threads makes them easier to bend, couch the corner then retwist it before continuing. I don't know if the same trick works with passing thread.

What size is your design? It looks quite large and is going to be stunning when completed.

[Elmsley Rose]

Fantastic job! I love this piece.

[Elizabeth Braun]

I have tremendous repsect for anyone with the patience and stick-at-it-iveness(!!!) for or nue! Well done!

[judy]

Lovely work. I have just order a book on goldwork. Heaven know if I will ever be able to do this kind of stitching. Hugs Judy

[Gold n' Stitches]

Judy, just jump right in. You'd be surprised how many familiar stitches are used thoughout goldwork projects. And just think of any new stitches and techniques as a new adventure, - there for the challenge!

Sandy