Getting Started on the Little Jacket
The basic technique I’m using for the Little Jacket is the same as I used for the Coat of Many Flowers, so the block colour comes from pieces of felt cut to shape. Most of them are the light and lofty felts I use with my embellisher, but this dark brown is slightly denser and more variable in colour. The variations aren’t as clear in photos as they are in real life, and I have a faint hope that if I wear it enough some of the lighter colours will fade a little more than the dark ones, and pull out the contrast a bit more.
This is the first of the motifs I worked on. A long-legged variation on chain stitch on the central petal is set off by neat paired blanket stitch edgings on the outer petals. I’ve decided that the yellow is to be an accent colour, and I’ve ensured that I have small bits of it it scattered across the whole jacket. In this case I’ve not used contrast colours to stitch it down. I’m not sure about the whipped blanket stitch on the lower half, but I needed something to contrast with the single twisted chain stitches on the uper half, and I don’t think I will continue unhappy with it once the whole jacket is finished.
By contrast, I’m not at all happy with this one, and I don’t know what to do with it.
I like the crested chain edging on the brown petals, and I like the odd combination of rosette chain and blanket stitch in the yellow-green pearl cotton, but not how I’ve placed it or the effect it is creating. The stitch running in a spine down the lower brown petal is called “Wing Stitch” in the book I found it in, and again, I like it, but not what it is doing here.
I can see some unpicking in my future!
However, episode 66 of SlowTV Stitchery is now live, in which we consider the state of progress on Tynemouth Priory and plans for the sea, learn from Granny Weatherwax, and start planning more Watermill Stitcheries.
Love how that first flower came to life with the additional stitching. Hope you can sort the second one.
I find unpicking very satisfying especially when it’s done to ‘right’ something we can see in our work. Having said that, this looks perfect to me. I do know though that if we don’t like it ourselves it has to go!
Flower one is a success. I think the dark triangle in the middle of the flower two either needs to be made a feature or toned down. It is too strong at present and grabbing the attention from the yellow circles. How about stitching all around the circles, not just part? That should fix it.
Love the flowers!
Embroidery on felt is really attractive, and a great fun to do.
I have not seen Wing Stitch before as far as I know. Interesting!
I love what you are doing here. On the basis of all your embellishing activities I have ordered an attachment for my machine to give this a go.
I like the effect of the different embroidery stitches, especially on flower one with the long legged chain stitch. I have never heard of Wing stitch. Interesting work as always.
I’m loving the embroidery on the first flower! I agree with Sue about the second flower–stitching around the entire circle of each one would give a more flowery look.
It was interesting to read your thoughts on the various stitches and their placements etc. I very much like all of it – it’s beautifully stitched with the colours rich and interesting… but, it’s your vision, and you know what you’re looking for.
I love the rosette chain and blanket stitch combination as well as the Wing stitch – need to look those up in my stitch books!