This embroidery is based on a vintage photo I found online- I fell in love with his mustache. Although it was good fun to work on I'm not really very happy with the finished piece. I used to like little long and short stitches as a fill stitch but looking at this I'm going off it. I think as it's too stripey, or maybe it just doesn't work so well here as it 'flattens' his torso. Also the colours I chose were too bright, especially his skin. I realized this halfway through but couldn't face unpicking it all so I teastained it at the end, it's better but I'm not thrilled by the end result. Am considering staining it a bit darker still, or I might just put it away for a while and look at it with fresh eyes in a month or so, what do you think?
Another issue is what to do with him, I'd planned to put him in an 8 by 6 oval hoop and hang him with some other hoops I have on display, but I can't find one anywhere-I don't think they actually exist so I might stretch him over a small canvas or put some dowel at the top and bottom to make a sort of wall hanging- but am open to any suggestions.
I think my next project will be a sort of fill stitch sampler- maybe even a tutorial (oooo fancy!) in the meantime I'm testing a really cute pattern for
imagine gnats that I can't wait to show you and also stitching up some flash gordon fan art (oooo geeky!)
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I think it's lovely! We're always are own worst critics aren't we? Hopefully you'l grow to love it.
ReplyDeleteI use acrylic paint watered down at various strengths to add modeling to embroidery. I like how you did the legs and feet, the way you broke up the stitches. Actually I like the whole thing, and don't feel there really needs to be anything more done to it, but that is me.
ReplyDeleteThank you both. Interesting tip about using watered down acrylic, I need to give that a try.
ReplyDeleteI am going to leave him for a while and then decide whether to do any more to him - part of me wants to really splatter him so the stain is very uneven. Need to wait a bit though and see if I learn to love him as he is!
Well I love your wrestler! But then I always think the day I am totally happy with something I produce is probably the day I give up and stop sewing for a living! So long as it brings other people enjoyment, that is all that counts.
ReplyDeleteI like the wrestler too - love the colour and the texture in the embroidery, I quite often find fault with my knitting projects but the recipients love them, try putting him away fo a while and look at him with a fresh eye in a few weeks....sometimes works for me...
ReplyDeleteHiya I have given you an award, come over to my place to see all about it. Its called the Liebster award
ReplyDeleteIt's looks great! I think your fill stitches are wonderfully done.
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