Sumptuous Surfaces - finished piece

Finished stitching the first piece from Sharon B's Sumptuous Surfaces course and made it up into a postcard. Funny, looking at the actual piece the leaf shape (horse chestnut) doesn't show up so clearly, but in the photo the contrast between the emptier paler leaf and the closely textured darker background is very marked. Although the leaf part with the long stitches was worked in a hoop the threads have pulled the fabric up a bit. Maybe they do need a bit of couching. But I want the smooth lines really.I was finding the textured bit easier as I did more of it, but still don't feel I quite have grasped how to organise it, it is still a bit of a muddle to me. Sharon's course is lovely and has so much in it. I need to read through the lessons again and then get stuck into the second part of it, a similar project but using colours.

Sumptuous Surfaces latest

I've not done much more, but I am working at it, and trying to figure out why it hasn't grabbed me as I thought it would. There is something that hasn't quite 'clicked' yet about the whole process. But I'm sure it will in time. Meanwhile it looks a little strange.

Adding some texture . . .

. . . to the first, monochrome/neutral Sumptuous Surfaces project. Pic below is a bit fuzzy. Enlarging the one above will probably give a better close-up. Packing in stitches is harder than I thought it would be. I do a lot of random stitching that may or may not turn into a finished item. I think the aspect of this project that is giving me difficulty is that it involves working towards a planned design! There is meant to be a recognizable end product. Well, it won't hurt me to exercise a bit of self control.Thank you, folk who have commented on earlier posts, for the encouragement!

Sumptuous Surfaces, first stitching

I couldn't decide which pic to post so have put both on. This is the first stage in the stitching, outlining the main motif (the outer lines of the leaf) and adding some low relief (the veins within the leaflets). I then forgot to take a photo and began adding the next stage - building up some heavy texture in the spaces left, so ignore those bits for now! It is 6"x4", postcard size, on some linen I happened to have, using a linen thread dyed with coffee, a perlé and a flower thread. Stitches are barred chain for the main outline, stem for the centre veins and long straight stitches for the secondary veins.

A question I have is - the long straight stitches look the way I want, but, if this card were to be sent in the post, might they need couching down, as they might snag something in the mailing process? (Actually, I know that it is the thing to post fabric cards with no envelopes, but I don't think I ever would.)

Texture course . . .

The drawings promised in the last post - first one very rough idea - not so very interesting, I feel. This idea is better, but too complex. It has been recommended we use a fabric postcard format, so this is drawn actual size, but I can't quite see me managing to stitch it. But I like the idea....

...so - simplify by enlarging. This looks more manageable.

I can actually see how this might be stitched, wouldn't mind giving this one a go.

Joggles - Sumptuous Surfaces

I've decided to take one of Sharon Boggon's courses hosted by Joggles - Sumptuous Surfaces. It is about creating texture with stitches, which interests me particularly. It has a strong design component, which is useful, as although I've done design study relating to patchwork and quilting I've not done any directly relating to embroidery, and I feel the lack of it. So I have an idea - to do with moving and the potential for new developments, and a motif to express it - horse chestnut leaves. ( Sounds a bit unlikely? I'll explain it a bit more another time!). For now, here are some of my design exercises, in paint. There'll be some drawn ones next time.

First, made 2 print blocks, incising polystyrene sheet with a knitting needle, and a stencil from thin strong card, preserving the piece that was cut out.
Then I played around with them on the pages of my A4 size sketchbook. This was good fun but they don't say 'stitch me' to me yet.

Ink wash over the printed pages (acrylic paints btw)

Two postcard size efforts that are beginning to say 'stitch me', but I'm not sure quite how yet.

I've a couple more drawn ideas for the next post.