A Different Point of View...

Over the time I've been working on this piece, more than a few have mentioned that it looks like my birds are coming right up off the fabric. I thought today, I'd give you a different view of my bluebirds. This is the nature of stumpwork embroidery. It's meant to be dimensional.

When I designed this embroidery, I first drew out the design onto paper, then traced it onto my ground fabric. Once that was done, I needed to decide which areas I wanted to elevate. As the bird with the babies is in the foreground, I wanted them to have more dimension than the bird in flight, so they would appear closer.

In stumpwork, the dimension is accomplished with padding, so once I decided on those areas, I stitched down felt, leaving an area I could stuff. When I was happy with the padded area, I closed the opening in the felt and went on to the next piece.

The bird in flight is coming in for a landing behind the other four birds, so I wanted to try to convey that in my work. I did want the bird to have dimension, but I wanted the head to appear closer as it's landing, so I added more padding to the head than to the rest of the body and wings. The rest of the effect is in my stitching and choice of colors.

You've seen my butterfly (the class project from the Royal School of Needlework) as well as my religious hearts, my bridal hearts, my corgi pin, my koi fish, my bird ornaments, and my frogs. Once they were completed, they were released from the ground fabric and finished as pieces to be worn or in some other way displayed, but not flat. I could actually do the same with these individual elements (birds) if I chose, but they're meant to be part of a wall hanging, so they'll stay "grounded". (Funny to use that term when one of them is flying.)

So, do my photographs help explain my process, and the meaning of stumpwork for you? Of course, I still have more to do, but I'm slowly working toward finishing the last bird and starting on the fence post. I'm also contemplating the fabrics and colors I'll use for the quilted portion of the piece. This is, by far, the most elaborate seasonal hanging I've done to date. I'll get there, but slow and steady wins the race.

I'm also contemplating teaching a stumpwork class later this summer. It would be a basic pin that could be taught to all levels of needleworker. What would you think about that?

I've already begun my scheduling with doctors, too. My first appointment will be Friday. My "supportive knee" is continuing to tell me I've made the right decision, so I'm more settled even than before about my choice. I'll absolutely share updates, but I want to focus on needlework for a while. More stitching today. See you tomorrow!