If you're interested in technical details: I used two gold threads at once on the leaf area, couching with red silk thread then with a single ply of embroidery floss to create some shading.
The acorns each have a different form of basketwork in the cup part, string attached under the thread, then stitched over, using different gold threads.
The twig part is two threads worked together in the needle, one fine gold thread, one brown silk one, and I switched them over as I worked, to create the textured effect. And on the twig I used green silk thread, hardly visible but it does have a shading effect on the nearby gold threads. You'll notice that I left an open area at the base of the twig, just to lighten up the whole piece, so it didn't look like a wall o' stitches, not my favorite effect. I like this, since it seems to balance gently on those two points. What do you think?
And now I have a whole bunch of ideas jostling to get to the forefront of my attention: my sister has been making Dorset buttons, which I'd never heard of, and when I looked them up, I thought, self, there's a nice thing to do, and they can be incorporated into embroidered pieces...hm...and I have ideas from the goldwork class of motifs to try in gold threads. And then there's sculptured stitching, where I can do a form of or nue with a padded shape underneath, been wanting to do that since friend Florence showed me her stumpwork faces...who knows maybe they'll all come together into a series...anyway, nice thinking about just now. This is the easiest part of making art!
this is just lovely, Liz, especially the acorns wearing what look for all the world like little bobble caps. Beautifully done, all the way around.
ReplyDeleteSomething about the acorns pulls me in too. They look like they are "wearing" clothes, all snug for whatever elements come their way.
ReplyDeleteyou have made a beautiful acorn and leaf here
ReplyDeleteDitto to all of the above. I enjoy your detailed explanation of process.
ReplyDeleteFabulous. What I'd like to know is how you manage to stitch with that gold thread without it unravelling from its core. I have done some cross-stitch with it and it drives me almost insane. I am in awe of your skills.
ReplyDeleteThis is couching, Marrianne, where the gold thread doesn't pierce the fabric at all. It's the tacking thread that holds it down, and that's very fine, even the gold colored thread.
ReplyDeleteOnly the very finest gold silk threads would work for piercing the fabric, since as you say, the friction unwinds the outer gold covering leaving you with the core of thread, not what you wanted.
Oh the discussions we have with 'self' - aren't they grand? My problem is that most of those so-called discussions never get any further! Your goldwork is lovely, btw.
ReplyDeleteThat is so lovely, Liz. I think it is totally beautiful!
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