Embroidered Twinchies

Two inch embroidered badger.

 

Two inch embroidered pomegranate.

These images are embroidered twinchies, two x two inch squares with embroidered images.  These are really fun and challenging to make.  I started my twinchies by ironing a piece of black cotton and stitching it to a muslin background.  The two piece of fabric create firm base for the embroidery.  Next I stitched several two inch square outlines with one inch between each.  I marked the fabric this way so later I could cut them apart leaving half inch seams.  I decide on a black background because I had never embroidered on a dark fabric before.  After the fabric was ready I sketched a basic outline of what I wanted and then chose fibers and started embroidering.  The badger was made with one strand of DMC floss using a long and short stitch.  The pomegranate was a bit trickier.  The split in the fruit is actually appliqued fabric.  Two pieces fabric leaving an opening in the center..  Next tear shaped beads are sewn inside the opening,  Then I added a bug shaped bead and sewed a leaf.  It was a fun project that is challenging to embroider.

Christmas Scherenschnitte

With the county fair coming up I am getting together the projects to enter.  Below is a Christmas Nativity cutting I did last year.  The cutting came out really well but was a bit hard to cut.  I bought it from http://digital.papercuttingsbyalison.com/category.cfm?cat=23 The site now has downloadable patterns and it features some really nice Christmas designs.  I really love that it is so lacy and has so much detail.  At first glance it can be hard to see that the pattern has all the elements of the nativity.  I think this will be one of my entries this year once I get it framed.  

 

Nativity scherenschnitte.

Nativity scherenschnitte close up.

Art Classes

This past January, after years of using clip art and other peoples patterns I finally decided to learn to draw.  I had taken drawing classes in the past and they didn't go well.  I could understand the concepts of drawing but not put the theory into practice.  So in January I decided to take a drawing class through our community college.  I felt this was my last chance to actually learn to draw.  So I collected supplies and off to school I went, ready to humiliate myself if it meant finally being able to draw.  When I started the class I was at the stick people level of drawing.  I was even proud to be able to draw stick people.

 

Last drawing before starting drawing class.

 The picture above shows what I considered a good drawing, so I really had no where to go but up in the class.  The instructor empathized contours over several class sessions which really helped to get us started at really seeing the object.

Contour drawing of wood.

But what really got me thinking was that drawing is an illusion!  Drawing is using the minds tricks to make something two dimensional look three dimensional.  Once I understood the tricks it became much easier to draw!

So here are the last two drawings I've worked on.  

 

Lion drawing.

 

Human face.

These last two drawings show that I am still struggling but represent a huge step forward.  The lion is not proportioned properly and the mane is not that good,  The face was an exercise in balance.  This was my first try at drawing a face.  I had practiced eyes but not within a face and balancing the nose and mouth.  I know I can do better and will!

Been a while

It has been quite a while since my last post.  Unfortunately I've been unwell and unable to craft anything to post about.  Sadly, pain in my hands caused a lot of issues with holding a needle.

But I'm lucky that anti-depressants help the nerve pain in my hands!  So a couple weeks ago my doctor changed the dose of  my medicine and I could hold a needle again!  Here is a picture of what I embroidered last week.

 

Bee Eater from Trish Burr's book "Needle Painting" Embroidery. (front)

 

Bee eater (back)

Being able to embroider again feels wonderful.  There are some mistakes including the over sized eye.  Definitely need more work on shading and colors.  Still it isn't a bad start after such a long time of not being able to pick up and hold a needle!  Hopefully the bee eater is just a start!