Getting a Head

(warning there will be several 'head' puns while I work on this piece)

Today I had time to start on this & I decided to start by finishing the techniques which looked unfinished. This allowed less thinking & let me spend some time with the piece which is helping me make future decisions.

Here is what I did today:

And here (as promised) is the updated finishing of the flutterby:

Over the next few days, i should have more time, in between my part time job, picking my daughter up from school, taking her to my friend in Timaru for the school holidays & then being involved in the local performing arts competitions... then back to work again.

linked and confused

the confused part is not unusual, but the linked thing is kind of cool...

basically I am participating in this:

oooh and I made that work too :)

anyhoo, the post I entered in the competition was my first one I made for this blog - I'm not sure if that is ok, or if the "Tool kit" was supposed to be in this post, but heck, I'm a crafter not an internet guru.

in any case here is what my kit sometimes ends up looking like.

Also I need to do another pic of the butterfly, my mum gave me a suggestion for finishing touches, which I implemented...now she is happy with it & I will get it back off her after guild meeting on Thursday where she wants to show it off.

In the meantime, here is some more of my letter done, but I am putting this to one side while I finish someone elses UFO.

Illuminated Letter

Now I'm back into it - with a lap-frame making stitching much easier - I have started a project which I bought the pattern for back at conference last July.

Illuminations for Embroidery, an Annie M. Design. Letter K.
Part of me was reluctant to buy this as in my mind, it kind of looks like a B, but I was swayed as I want to do the technique & I had a voucher for Nancy's to spend. Also they told me that it has the lines top and bottom as this was the medieval thing to do.

So after feeling successful with my first go at gold work, I dug out the pattern & set about ensuring I had the necessary supplies. Firstly, fabric - luckily in my stash I has a beautiful piece of Dupion Silk, exactly the size required - yah!!

I also had the silver required - purchased with the pattern. Then tried to sort out colours to go for the flowers, leaves & some padding thing & the inside filling of the letter.
Got my carbon-type paper for putting the pattern on fabric, then off to the shops for some calico, and the padding thread. also got some invaluable advice from my Mum to make sure I was on the right path for the colours. (Hurrah for Mum!)
here is the pattern traced on, ready to stitch.

See - it looks like a B.
And after the morning at the A&P show here is todays work.

And a close up of the silver...

I'm not sure I am overly happy with the top & bottom lines, but I will do more of the actual K before I unpick those lines to re-do. I seem to be developing some form of perfectionism, which feels very weird.