I'm Thinking About It...

This is what my workspace usually looks like when I'm embroidering various color threads into a piece. I sat down Monday afternoon and stitched (and unstitched) for a few hours, making only this little progress on my bluebird piece.

What you don't see is my lighted magnifier and the fact that my needlework is slightly tilted toward my chair so I might sit as upright as possible. Otherwise, my back would be aching. As it is, I remind myself to stop and stretch - walk around the house - for a little while every hour or so.

After making this bit of progress on the wings after two or three hours (I lost count), I decided to step away for the rest of the day. Sitting this close to my work, while it requires so many color decisions can get a bit overwhelming after a while, so I needed a break. You can see the image I'm using for reference, and all the color threads I've pulled to use in the piece, and I think you can see why stepping back was necessary.

That doesn't mean I ignored it for the rest of the day, or even yesterday, as I looked at it whenever I passed it to see my work from a distance. Even at this point, I'm thinking about color decisions. I knew that creating the translucent wings might be a difficult task. Perhaps that's why I hadn't worked on it since last November. 

I know I'm not going to let it linger, though. I may work on it a little today, trying a few colors on the feathers to see how they "work". You already know, though that I'm not reticent to remove threads if I see they don't fit with my vision. 

Tomorrow is the "big day", so I may not feel like sitting and leaning forward for a day or so. I'll have stitches in my back near my waistline, so I'm assuming that posture might pull a bit. We'll see. 

Otherwise, I do the option to make spoolies instead. I definitely want to make another badger, and there are a few others on my list, too. Cow, pig, walrus, lion...so I may just recline and have fun with those for a while.

Don't fret if I don't respond to comments right away. I may be too groggy to be coherent for a bit. I'll be back as soon as I can, though. See you in a day or so!

"Theodore Badger"...

 

Meet "Theodore Badger", my latest spool animal. I'm so in love with this guy. I know. I say that about all of them, but truly, this one just makes me smile. 

Theodore is a gift for someone celebrating a Birthday later this week, and will already in the mail on Monday, but I just had to take photographs before boxing him up so you could see him, too.

I made a wee vest for him, and even included buttons and a chain for his pocket watch. And what learned badger doesn't need his own pinz nez glasses perched on his nose? (I did sew those on so they wouldn't fall off.)

Handsome has already told me I'm going to have to make a second one for my spoolie shelf. I always show them to him first, and he declared there should be two. I'll probably work on this one's brother while I'm recuperating from my procedure this week. It's a great project when one is sitting in a semi-reclined position, I think. I'll be thinking about a good name for Theodore's brother, too. (I'm not inclined to go with Alvin or Simon. Those are the names of the three chipmunks, which I may save for when I might make a chipmunk!) I'd love ideas, though.

I'm working today, so I won't get to the bluebird's wings again until tomorrow. Have a great day, my friends. See you tomorrow.

 

Much Better (I Think)...

After frogging the "too white", I went back over the weekend and redid the female's lower body. I'm much happier with the result. 

*** See Marilyn! I love and use the beautiful needle book you gifted me. Thanks again, dear.

Next, I'll begin work on the wings. I've been contemplating these for months and think I'm finally ready to take needle and thread to fabric. What's the worst that could happen? More frogging. I'm going to be optimistic though.  

I'm going to start on feathers today. I work tomorrow and it's going to quickly slide past mid-week into my surgery day. Just so you know, I'm planning a few "auto-post" entries this week, so please don't worry if I don't respond to comments right away. I promise I'll get to them by the weekend.

If I'm share whatever I get stitched on the wings this week, I'd better get working on it today. I've got something really fun to share with you tomorrow. I also worked on a Birthday gift for someone special, and I can't stop giggling. Gotta run for now!