GOLDWORK PROJECT - EMBROIDERY COMPLETED

a little fuzzy but shows imitation jap being laid for the body

  I have just completed the last few stitches of my goldwork project and just in time as my Sister and I want to learn Stumpwork together. 

  
Couching imitation jap to outline the wings in a similar fashion to the larger dragonfly - but this time there isn't any paper underneath.

I styled the smaller dragonfly  little differently to try and give depth and distance.

In preparation for the anticipated stumpwork a little bit of needle weaving for the wings

 Imitation jap for the abdomen and wing outlines - couched.  Smooth purl cutwork for the thorax and a black bead for the head.  

Blue needle weaving gives a similar effect to the wings of the smaller dragonfly as the couched imitation jap used on the larger one. 

 So now the work is finished- yes it has been time consuming but so enjoyable that I have often been surprised to see just how much time has past.  It is not the cheapest form of embroidery but it is so very very beautiful and I can hardly wait to start another project.  The things I know for certain are that I must buy a proper pair of goldwork scissors using cutters as I did does damage the purl and twist etc.  The term cutwork confused me to begin with as I associated it with WHITEWORK and here it means something completelydifferent. Rough hands catch on the threads (not 100% sure I can always solve that problem).  I wouldn't have been so sure I could do this without the excellent books from SEARCH PRESS. http://www.searchpress.com/book/9781844487028/goldwork  

 All there is left to do is to display my work so I will get the maximum enjoyment from it. 

GOLDWORK EMBROIDERY - flowers nearly completed

 The first part of my design is nearly completed.  
I had a quick read of one of my books yesterday.  My Goldwork books have been my bedtime reading for the last few weeks.  And I haven't followed the 'order of work' to the letter.

 I should have done all the padding first, then the outlining before starting to fill the design.  I haven't done this because I wasn't to sure what it was I wanted to do.  Even as I was working along the first stem I changed my mind about how I wanted it to look.

 Even though I have freestyled my work to a certain extent I am very pleased with how the embroidery is progressing.  Yes, there are some mistakes - but this is my first attempt.  
 The different ways to couch the threads to the fabric give so much texture to the work


 

 and even working with a limited palette (copper in this case) there is great depth of colour.

Luckily I had some small beads that were the right colour.