Monday 30 January 2012

wrestler



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!)


7 comments:

  1. I think it's lovely! We're always are own worst critics aren't we? Hopefully you'l grow to love it.

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  2. I 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.

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  3. Thank you both. Interesting tip about using watered down acrylic, I need to give that a try.
    I 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!

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  4. 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.

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  5. I 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...

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  6. Hiya I have given you an award, come over to my place to see all about it. Its called the Liebster award

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  7. It's looks great! I think your fill stitches are wonderfully done.

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