LilyStitch

Tekabarune: Lower Bow

2013-08-05T06:56:00.001-04:00

Tekabarune: Mallet (cont.)

2013-08-03T08:25:00.001-04:00

The last bit I need to complete before working the sides of the boat is the Mallet handle. The original had a circle/hole in the center of the handle that touched the boat but not the top one. The top one's center was worked in fuzzy effect. I chose to make them match and do round and round couching, covering the entire handle.

Still not sure which metallic ill work the body of the Mallet in. The white is still the padding thread and the one brown vein is a test for possible metallic. Ill decide once I finish the sides of the boat.

Here is the piece to date:

Tekabarune: Sheild

2013-08-02T07:13:00.001-04:00

The Sheild in the foreground also needs to be worked before I can return to the ship.

Alternating #5 Gold an Silver in round and round couching separated by Katayori. The couching thread is the same color as the outer Katayori band which gives it a wonderful sheen.

I mixed a rainbow #1 metallic in the Katayori which gives it an extra flair, too.

The original design calls for white flat silk which would be used as one of the Katayori but I've chosen not to use it. The white on the black ground fabric would be too stark. Instead, I've chosen a regal purple.

Tekabarune: Waves

2013-07-20T11:17:00.002-04:00

After finishing the top of the bow, I quickly realized that I need to do the waves and "bubbles" that sit on top of the the bottom of the bow or sides of the boat.

Per the box chart, I'm using #5 Gold. The box chart also calls for # 5 Silver. I've decided to stay away from the silver because I'm finding that it REALLY pops on the black and gold speckled ground fabric. It's interesting that all the pictures I have found of this design is on light fabric (white, light gold, and light blue) - so these really fun thread choices are challenging.

Above is a close up of waves and bubbles. The waves are two strands #5 gold couched. The bubbles are single strand #5 To and Fro.

Below is how the design looks right now. The drum is seriously incomplete on purpose... I haven't decided what the metallic for the To and Fro on the body will be. The JEC "honey gold" just fades into the background. The white is Couching thread. The one brown vein is where I covered the Couching thread with brown silk.

The other two other areas that I have to work before I can do the body is the shield and handle on the drum. Back to stitching!

Tekabarune: The Bow

2013-06-24T08:23:00.001-04:00

The drum poses particular challenges in choosing the colors of the metallic so I've decided to work the body I the ship first.

Fortunately I have two pictures to reference: the original design picture and a picture in Audrey Francini's EGA one women show booklet. Unfortunately, both are on different color backgrounds. The original is on white and Audrey's on blue, while mine is on black.

The design calls for working the ship with regular gold. I've chosen the black because gold pops on the black but I don't want the ship to be all bling. The ship is worked in #4 gold so I do have a choices. I've chosen the darker of the brown golds.

When I first started working it, I hose a couching stitch color that matched the metallic perfectly. I quickly decided that there wasn't enough contrast ambit didn't look boat like enough ( see picture above). My solution was to use black couching stitches.

Final picture of the bow:

Tekabarune

2013-06-23T07:55:00.001-04:00

A couple of months ago, I was lucky enough to take a gold work class from Kazumi from the JEC. I wasn't planning on beginning a new piece but the opportunity presented itself to learn a great deal. One of my current instructors recommended Tekabarune and off we went.

When Tekabarune was originally stitched, it used all of the sizes offered in Japanese Embroidery metals as well as a whole heck of a ton of techniques.

Above is a picture as I stitch on the design in back stitch using gold vouching thread. As always, I was running a little late and was able to do everything but the crane.

During class, we worked mostly on the drum but took instruction for everything else.

Cords

2013-01-21T22:57:00.001-05:00

I'm tackling Cords phase these days. I actually took instruction on this phase several years ago and am glad to finally be returning and hopefully completing in 2013 or 14. The double central braid in red below is a bit wavy so it will be pulled out and redone.

Having a bit of fun with the colors… Fall themed. Here is attempt number 1001:

and attempt 1002 (more balance):

Christa,Lilystitch www.lilystitch.com

Autumn Leaves

2012-10-29T09:54:00.004-04:00

Autumn Leaves is the piece I chose to do for the Fuzzy Effect phase of the 10 Phase Japanese Embroidery ciriculum. This technique is not my favorite but is highly prized amongst the Japanese culture.

Autumn Leaves is worked on black so many of my pictures are not the sharpest and whitened out. I found in working this piece that black observed color and turned them to shades of white. That middle leaf is a great example.

Because that leaf turned so white, I decided to pull it out and rework it. Below is probably the best picture I was able to take show the real beauty of the twisted silk on the black crepe.

So all is finished except the central veins. The lines you see are just a running stitch to indicate where the veins should go.

Hopefully I will finish the veins up pretty quickly then onto pasting and framing. Oh what a happy day that will be!

Christa,Lilystitch
www.lilystitch.com

Inspire

2012-10-08T22:51:00.001-04:00

The laid Pearls are now in! I'm uploading a quick picture from my phone but will try to publish better ones tomorrow.

It maybe a week before I am able to get to the "dots" as I have lots of good family stuff keeping me busy through the weekend (Octoberfest here I come!). Here's to your inspiration!

"E"

2012-10-06T11:37:00.001-04:00

Late last night I began work on E…

I placed a small piece of Purl Pearl in that opening, stitched some guidelines in, and began working the laid pearls.

The "e" Problem

2012-10-03T08:30:00.000-04:00

This is a picture of the "E" before I even begin to stitch. As you can see by the black circle there is going to be problem where the gold Pearls need to be separated. I've drawn in approximately the direction they will be laid with the red arrows but there is a not a separating line of Pearl Purl. I'm going to need to add that before I stitch the e…..

Pictures to come!

Christa,Lilystitch
www.lilystitch.com

I and R

2012-10-01T22:55:00.000-04:00

Christa,Lilystitch
www.lilystitch.com

"P"

2012-10-01T11:29:00.000-04:00

Christa,Lilystitch
www.lilystitch.com

Halfway there...

2012-09-25T23:32:00.002-04:00

Christa,Lilystitch
www.lilystitch.com

Needles at Rest

2012-09-24T21:36:00.001-04:00

Tonight has become my normal evening to stitch but for some reason I find I'm not very motivated. That is ok. If I give myself the gift of rest, I am more energized the next time I cozy up stand.

Hope your evening is rich with experience!

"S"

2012-09-20T08:16:00.005-04:00

Christa,Lilystitch
www.lilystitch.com

Inspire: "N + S"

2012-09-18T07:46:00.002-04:00

Christa,Lilystitch
www.lilystitch.com

Inspire: Laying the Purls

2012-09-17T09:52:00.003-04:00

For the center of the letters, I am using #5 Gilt Bright Check Purl and #5 Gilt Smooth Purl using waxed, yellow Gutermann cotton thread.

Christa, Lilystitch
www.lilystitch.com

Felt Padding

2012-09-10T22:21:00.002-04:00

Back to Padding!! In the "n s" picture below, I show an example of the under-padding. This is what it sounds like - the layer(s) of padding that is ,eamt to build up the padding. It is intended to make a depth in certain areas. Often, one might use many layers to get a ton of height although I use the one as the letters are too thin to use more.

I just love the softness one affects by using felt padding.

I have traced the drawing onto felt and then cut out each letter:

Here is a photo log of the top layer of padding:

Christa, LilyStitch
www.lilystitch.com

Inspire

2012-09-08T21:38:00.001-04:00

Pearl Purl outline is complete. Onto padding.

Pearl Purl Outline

2012-09-07T08:29:00.000-04:00

Christa, Lilystitch

www.lilystitch.com

"Warts and All"...

2012-09-04T08:05:00.004-04:00

With blogging, one has the option to cover up your mistakes however I think there is an honestly and ability to help others if I show my mistakes from time to time (biting knuckles moment).

So the other night, I'm happily working away on Inspire and thinking about next steps and design elements when I realize that I've totally jumped the gun by beginning work on the padding. I was to the s when I said to self: "now how are you going to outline with pearl purl correctly with all that padding on? It's going to be awfully hard to get nice, clean outlines…. DOW!"

It was a that point I went to bed.

Next evening, I decided not to take out the all of the padding, just the top layer on the "i" (I'm putting int two layers - the letters are too small to do more and I'd rather do the felt rather than cording).

As a good little Outliner, I am working the letters that I envision on the top then outlining the parts in the background so I begin with the "e"(also be as far away from my dirty awful as possible ;)

Christa, Lilystitch
www.lilystitch.com

Inspire

2012-08-28T18:47:00.000-04:00

Design

Lately, I've just been so challenged by my new job that I come home too tired to stitch or anything (including Blog!). All of my projects seem to have lots that I have to think about in order to stitch on them which is the last thing I want to do when exhausted but yet too stimulated to sleep.

One of my many blessing is that I work with really eager, talented folks who want to make a difference. I find inspiration in them as I work to inspire them… so I got to thinking about that word and how I could incorporate it into something I could actually stitch when I'm too tired to think but awake enough to ply needle and thread.

So it came to me - why not make the word a work of Needle Art? It would be perfect for my desk…

So here it is: "Inspire". It will be a piece of English Goldwork worked on Silk Fabric.

Christa,Lilystitch
www.lilystitch.com

LilyStitch Update

2012-07-02T09:17:00.002-04:00

Many apologies that the blog has gone quiet for a bit of time. I've accepted a really nice job that has taken up the majority of my time for the last few months. Everything is settling down and I'm able to resume some, if not all, of my stitching and sharing activities now. I'm excited to refocus on some of my ongoing projects like the JEC Autumn Leaves and beyond.

Please come back in the days and weeks ahead to read up on the Needle Art Journey!

Many Thanks!

Christa,Lilystitch
www.lilystitch.com

Bead idea

2012-04-29T16:44:00.003-04:00

We are MOVING, again. Well, tomorrow we are moving. Over the past week, we have packed and packed and packed.

Then the movers DIDN'T show up so I am just enjoying an unexpected free afternoon stitching on Oreo.

I'm going to bead the O R E O part but didn't think far enough ahead to keep my beading tray out for use. In looking around the packed boxes I quickly came up with a great solution if you ever find yourself in this predicament:

Packing tape! It's great. Catches all of your beads And the little container. Happy Bead Stitching!