Then, There's A Wing...

 
Aside from making dinner and dessert last night, all I did all day was stitch. I accomplished quite a bit, as I completed the body and tail of my adult, perching bluebird.

All I have left to do on this one is the wing, which I managed to start before dinner. As I'd lost daylight by then, too (anyone else notice it's getting dark waaayyy too early now?), I stepped back until I can again work in natural light, with my magnifier lamp as backup. 

Once again, as I look at my photograph, I see where I unconsciously ended up with multiple light threads that appear as long lines in the body. I'll go back and partially cover those with other colors to avoid that look. Otherwise, I'm happy with the way it's progressing.

I leave the legs until the end, as I want them grasping the wooden fence. If I stitched them now, the surrounding stitches would bury the feet - a look I don't want. So, all the birdy legs will be completed last. I'm also contemplating how I want the little bug this one's holding to look. I'm thinking I may use vellum for the wings. I have to play with that idea first. Otherwise, I'll make stumpwork wings to add later. So many options!

I'm going in for a full shift at work today. My boss put out a request for someone to cover her shift, and no one else offered to help, so I jumped in. The good thing is I won't have to work my usual evening hours, as someone else offered to pick those up for me. Six hours standing is about my limit, so I was really grateful for her stepping in for me.

I won't stitch any more today, but I will be seated at my hoop tomorrow. By the time I get home from work, we have an early dinner and then I'm usually drooling in the chair within an hour. Handsome just smiles and lets me sleep. He's a good guy that way. See you tomorrow!