Goldwork project part 3 - the design

This seems to be taking a long while but I am doing so many different things at the moment I am struggling to find time for them all. 

I have chosen the design elements, photocopied them, outlined them in a stronger black and cut them out.  Put some 28count blue linen into a eight inch embroidery frame and arranged the two dragonflies and the flower.  When I was happy with the layout I held each piece behind the frame and traced it onto the fabric.  Then I back stitched over the pencilled lines so I could follow the design once I began the Goldwork.

A chair is a sheltered part of the garden - this is where I sat to do the prep work for my embroidery.  It wasn't really warm enough to be sitting outside but it is supposed to be summer so I thought I would give it a go.


So now the design has been chosen and prepped, I have my birthday present GOLDWORK by Hazel Everette ready by my side so here I go.................



http://www.amazon.co.uk/Goldwork-Techniques-Projects-Pure-Inspiration/dp/1844486265/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1340572489&sr=1-1 

MY GOLDWORK PROJECT - everything ready to begin

My goldwork parcel from http://www.maceandnairn.com/shop/category.php arrived last week.  I confess I was slightly disappointed with the size of the piece of leather but overall I was very pleased with the my starter pack.  It gave me all the things I need without telling me what to sew. All I need now is a design. 

I had thought that either a seahorse or dragonfly design would be nice, which is why I was sad about the size of the leather - it narrowed my options. 

Having said that I do think that this starter pack is very good value.

In Maidstone a couple of weeks ago I found some Australian craft magazines, one of which was about goldwork embroidery EMBROIDERY AND CROSS STITCH PRESENT STUMPWORK AND GOLDWORK.  I really enjoy looking at other countries crafting magazines and tend to buy most of the ones I find.  This magazine has a very extensive and user friendly website (which I have bookmarked for future reference)  http://www.craftlovers.com/

So on to my design ........  the seahorse not being practical I was left with a dragonfly.  I had a rough idea of what I wanted so I looked through a couple of the design source books from SEARCH PRESS, I think I have the whole range of the design source books.  SEARCH PRESS is one of the best places I have found to get books for crafts - definitely worth a look.http://www.searchpress.com.

 

This is the dragonfly I have chosen.  The design is in ART NOUVEAU DESIGNS by Judy Balchin.  

I think that as a starter piece it should work really well.  (I was very tempted by a snail design that was on the next page).


I will let you all know how things progress.

The other parcel I received last week was bargain bags and the sample pack from http://www.strawberryfayre.co.uk/     I was very impressed with these, I have no idea as yet what I am going to make but the bargain packs had a lovely mix of fabrics.  Some of the pieces are large enough to line the paper mache bags I am making for my ETSY shop, http://www.etsy.com/people/dreamtimemakes?ref=si_pr

I didn't get any fabric I didn't like and as for the sample pack of 200 plain and 200 patterned it will be very difficult to choose as they are all beautiful.