Home from the Hills

After a little break (can’t say restful but that’s another story) I have been struck down by the first of the winter bugs. A streaming nose and throbbing head are not really conducive to fine hand embroidery so I just retreated and felt sorry for myself –nobody else did! ENOUGH. I’m compus mentis again and eager to get on.

Peace and quiet in the Cheviots

You know, I’m sure I say this every module, yet I still haven’t learnt my lesson, what seemed a good idea at the time is turning into the usual marathon and I panic about whether I will finish on time. The or nue skirt took ages to do and then to plunge the threads and the leather nearly saw off my fingers but now we are getting to the meaty part of the project and I can finally see where I am going!

Laying threads for the upper wings

I’ve started on the angels wings and as there are multiple parts to these it gives quite a lot of scope in the threads I can use. I began with laid and couched threads on the large wings close to the torso. These are a mixture of threads: jap, twist,  rococo and passing threads laid in random and to make them even more interesting they are in silver, gold and copper with silver, gold and copper thread to couch down. This has given the wings a hint of depth as they shade in towards the body. Tracy has some beautiful Spanish threads and the rococo is lovely and fine to work with. There is more to overlay to do on this but I’ll save that for later.

Starting to look like a wing........?

I am now outlining the lower wings with silver plated pearl purl – first the small inner wing in super pearl purl around the leather and then the large, outer wing with no.1 pearl purl. Once that is down I can start with the chip work. Again this will be silver, gold and copper chips randomly sewn down and fading out away from the edges. That should provide a bit of sparkle!

And just in case that wasn’t enough homework I am starting on the wheel my angel is standing on. That is to be done on a hoop separately and appliquéd on later.

Plenty to go on with then…………. 

PS  If you are in Durham next week 25^th -27^th October check out Fowler’s Yard where Tracy Franklin is holding an exhibition of her students’ work – there will be a number of pieces by RSN Certificate and Diploma students.