Dire Cats Complete!

It is done! As in really, really done! I have gifted it to it's recipient long past. It was a gift to the family who took two of my foster kittens in. I feel like i agonized over every detail of this piece instead of just diving in which I've done with every piece before this. From stitch to thread color to thread thickness, I considered every single second I stitched. It was exhausting, but so much fun! Bright check goldwork that fills the paw was a little fiddly, and I need to get a set of metalwork scissors in order to cut it more precisely. I think my favorite part about this was the Blind hem stitch I used to attach the muslin backer! It had been years since I had even seen the blind hem, let alone done the stitch! I don't know that I ever had. A few youtube videos and a few tries and restarts had me stitching away though!

Dire Cats: Embroidery Done!

It is done! Well, the embroidery part anyway. Now I will make it into a banner wall hanging. This beast took months, I think because a lot of it was procrastinating. I knew what I wanted the design to look like, but I agonized over what colors should go where, what stitch, etc. The goldwork paw was tedious, but the result is just sublime! It's still on my sister-in-law's frame, so it's hard to see the top reads Dire Cats and below reads Fur & Purr. It's a little play on the Game of Thrones Targeryn house sigil. It will be a gift to the family that adopted two of my foster kittens. 

 

 

Moonlighting

I've been working on the Dire Cat project with lots (to me) of satin stitch and I needed a break, but needed to get my creativity out too. So, this came into being. Stitches used: chain, braided chain, lazy daisy, stem, French knots and a tiny bit of satin. It took about 2.5 hours from start to finish, and is about 2.25 inches wide and 2.5 inches tall, approximately.

This will be part of a collaborative project between myself and hubby for a neighbor. We're making their daughter a growth measuring stick, and this will go at the top! (Any bits of ink you see will disappear in a little while - air soluble marker.)

Framed Mjölnir

Apparently I'm not a great photographer. It's okay, I can live with that. There are some GLARING (to me) mistakes in this piece, but it's framed and I will not touch it as it is. I am seeing thread ends through the fabric, and the lightning bolts got messed with a bit when framed, so that the metal work isn't laying as close as I'd like to the inside embroidery. I just keep reminding myself to let it go.

Completed Mjölnir!

I finally completed the Thor's Hammer embroidery today. I was procrastinating because of the wire work (goldwork) that I was afraid I would mess up and ruin the piece. It was the first time I'd ever done goldwork. The piece didn't really pull together for me until I stepped back and saw the completed work. The cross with upward facing arms is the Norse/Viking symbol for protection.

Embroidered with silk embroidery floss, goldwork wires and metallic filament for accent on the lightning bolts.
Art by tattoo artist Mad Mike Dowis, embroidered with express permission by me.
Now to the framers!

To be donated and raffled off for Lucas Thor's medical bills.
https://www.facebook.com/lucasthor/

When you really don't feel it, don't go with it.

I tried a little bit of gold work with red check purl and a dark grey smooth purl wires, but I just didn't care for it, and it was REALLY fiddly. I also wasn't loving the rustic X work in red silk, so I snipped it all out. I now plan to simply outline the rectangular areas in red silk stem stitch. Sometimes simple is better.

Progress

I've been working on my first charity piece for a while now, and am just thinking I should add a post about it. The piece will be raffled off for funds to help a little boy and his family. Lucas Thor is a 5 year old boy with Chronic Granulomatous Disease. He has received a bone marrow transplant, has a G-tube for feeding and medication and was lucky enough to be in the movie Patriot's Day! His family is a large, blended group of awesome humans, all dedicated to helping Lucas.

For this piece, I couldn't think of a more appropriate subject than Mjölnir, Thor's hammer, for a boy whose middle name is Thor! 'm at the repetitive stage, doing the silver "nail heads" and the red cross-hatching. I don't love repetitive work, so it's slow progress. I added some polyester gold metallic filament to the lightning to give it some pizazz! All the other thread is silk. 

I'm still planning to outline the silver "nail heads" and the red cross-hatching with metal wires, so all the design lines will be covered up. If I can ever get through the nail heads and cross-hatching! The outer border lines will also be done with metal. This piece will be badass!!

The silver symbol in the middle which looks sort of like a Christian cross with upward bent sides is the Viking rune for protection.