Perhaps A Monarch Next?...

Butterflies of North America 

You may recall when I learned stumpwork from tutor, Owen Davies from The Royal School of Needlework. My project then was a Red Spotted Purple Butterfly. He chose to teach it because a contingency of tutors from the RSN had come to Kentucky for our classes, and that butterfly was Kentucky's state butterfly.

Before it was time for everyone to pack up and leave, Owen and a number of students went to a wonderful, local needlework shop together. While there, he helped me choose all the silk threads I would need to stitch a Monarch butterfly.

I've found myself thinking about Owen lately. He passed away a year after returning home to the UK from the states, so when I stitch my Monarch, it will be in his honor.

I'd been planning to start my fourth Seasonal Birds (goldfinches) next, but the idea of doing the butterfly won't leave me alone  I think I need to stitch it. 

What do you think? Goldfinches or a silk Monarch? Let me know in the comments.

 

My Beautiful Butterfly...

Brynwood Needleworks - My Completed Royal School of Needlework Class Butterfly

 

I completed my Red Spotted Purple stumpwork butterfly RSN project yesterday. I'm in love with it! I think my tutor's teaching skills are evident in the finished product. Owen was a superb teacher, and the workbook he put together for each of our class members (plus the videos I shot during class) made it possible for me to recollect the steps necessary to properly finish it.

 

Brynwood Needleworks - My Red Spotted Purple Stumpwork Butterfly

 

I shared photos with my sister yesterday, who responded that she thought it was awesome, and added "Now, I imagine that you'll hold it in your hand outside, blow a breath into it, and it will flutter away." I think it was probably the nicest compliment anyone could have given me.

 

I sent these photos off to Owen, and look forward to his reaction. I took his class in July 2018, and I'm thrilled that I finally got it done. I hope he thinks I represent him well. Now to find that perfect cloche!

 

I'm So Close...

Brynwood Needleworks - RSN Butterfly Body Detail

 

I completed the butterfly body late yesterday afternoon. All the "chambers" have been embroidered in long and short stitch, with satin stitch in the areas above each chamber. All of this is stitched onto one layer of navy blue fabric, topped with a layer of black, gauzy fabric.

Brynwood Needleworks - RSN Butterfly Body - Pleating Areas

 

My next step is to pleat - or join by overstitching - the satin stitched area to the chamber above it. Those areas are unstitched (as pointed out by my red arrows). The unstitched areas will be pushed to the back as I pinch the stitched areas together, and then sew them in place. It will give more dimension to the butterfly's body in preparation for the rest of the process.

 

I'm hoping that tomorrow I'll be able to show you my completed butterfly. My goal is to join the wings, complete the body and add the antennae and legs today. Once that's accomplished, my butterfly will be finished.

Brynwood Needleworks - Butterfly Cloche Idea - Source Unknown

I've already decided how I want to display it, too. I went online to search "cloches", and found a photo of exactly what I have in mind! I want to set up a display cloche with my butterfly "mounted" inside. I may even embroider flowers, leaves, etc. as part of the display! That way, my class project will be protected from dust and hands - big and small. What do you think?

Please come back tomorrow to see whether or not I meet my goal, and whether or not I have a whole butterfly to share with you!

 

Almost Ready To Fly-And Party Time...

Brynwood Needleworks - RSN Butterfly Wings

See what I finished this past weekend? In this photo, I've already released the top wing parts from the ground fabric and trimmed them. The lower wings have been cut off the ground fabric, but are not yet trimmed.

Brynwood Needleworks - RSN Butterfly Wings - Completed!

 

All four wing parts are completed in this image, and will be set aside so I can prepare the body for assembly. I'll be working on the body today, and plan to have my completed butterfly ready to show you on Wednesday (after Tag's post tomorrow). 

I'm motivated to complete it now. I'm excited to be at this stage of the project, and can't wait to show you the whole butterfly, using all the techniques our tutor, Owen Davies, shared with us when I attended his classes. I hope you're as curious to see it as I am to show it to you!

The month of March is my blog anniversary month. This year, I'm celebrating ELEVEN years of daily blogging, sharing my creative (and sometimes personal) life with you. 

There are times that I wonder whether or not I should cut back on my posts, but then I remind myself that this was originally begun as a way for me to chronicle my life, like a personal diary. So, I'll keep posting every day. One thing that will change - beginning this month - is that I'm going to respond to your comments on the comment page, so if you come back (or turn on "notifications"), you'll see my messages back to you. Blogger no longer emails notices to me with your messages, so I'll answer your comments where you leave them.

Now for the fun part. To celebrate my blog anniversary, I'm going to have a sale in my online shop HERE. This sale is only for my blog readers and online friends on FaceBook. If you purchase a minimum $35, enter BWANNIVERSARY at checkout and receive 25% off your entire order as my thank you!

I'm also going to have a giveaway later in the month, so you won't want to miss that. I'll announce the giveaway on my actual anniversary date (March 15th). I want to celebrate!

Little By Little...

Brynwood Needleworks - RSN Butterfly Wing

 

I began adding the bright colors to my last wing part yesterday. I'd say I'm about half done with this piece, now. Little by little. Stitch by stitch. I'm getting there. I'm sure I'll be finished (with this part) by the end of the weekend. Of course, you can expect to see pictures!

 

Happy Weekend! Happy March.

Yesterdays Wing Progress...

Brynwood Needleworks - Detail of Long and Short Stitches

 

This is what I accomplished yesterday on my last wing for the Royal School of Needlework butterfly. I'm stitching with a single strand of silk thread to create each stitch. 

As I start a new strand, I park a waste knot on the top of the fabric, and then move to where I'll begin stitching. (It's called a "waste" knot because I till trim that knot away after I embroider over the tail on the back to anchor it.) When I get to the end of a strand, that thread is held in place by creating a small "stab" stitch (down, up in a tiny stitch, repeat, trim) to keep it from coming apart. I'll also stitch over that as I progress. When I'm finished, it will resemble the other completed wings.

 

Brynwood Needleworks - RSN Butterfly Wing Comparison

 

I'll be stitching again today, as I wait for Handsome to get through his PT today, and then further after we get back home. More pictures tomorrow.

Also, please come back to learn about a March sale I'll be having in my Etsy shop. You won't want to miss it!

Shall We Dance?...

Brynwood Needeworks - My Needlework Corner

Before I could sit down to work on completing my Royal School of Needlework butterfly, I needed a spot with lots of daylight to work. I brought my favorite stitching chair into a bright corner of the dining room - right next to a warm radiator...aaahhhh - along with my needlework boxes and stands.

My lighted magnifier sits in a handy spot close by, and I set up a small table to hold my barrel clamp and working threads. I'm ready to get back to work.

Brynwood Needleworks - Final Wing Part, Ready To Stitch

This is how far I got before I took a break last fall. I've kept my hooped project under plastic to keep it clean, but I'm anxious to get back to it. The first thing I had to do was pull all the silks I'd chosen from the assortment in my "butterfly" thread box. Daylight is the best lighting for seeing the subtle color differences. That task, alone, took more than a little while.

Then, I pulled my needles and other "necessaries" (scissors, melor, and thimble) to proceed. Once all that was done, I settled myself in my own little corner and began.

Brynwood Needleworks - Stitching Has Begun

If you slide back and forth between the two butterfly wing photos, you can see that I've begun my work on the lower edges of the last wing. Not a bad afternoon's work before the guys returned from Handsome's PT (pain and torture) appointment.

My plans for today center around being right back here. Unless Handsome needs some assistance, or Tag needs to get outside, I'm concentrating on my butterfly. When I post tomorrow, I'll show you exactly how far I progress. My needles and I are ready to dance!

A Perfect Day To Stay Inside...

Brynwood Needleworks - Winter Farm Girl

When I woke up yesterday morning, it was c-c-c-c-coooold outside. It warmed up as the day went by, but it was a perfect day to stay inside and work on my butterfly.

Brynwood Needleworks- My Stitchin' Buddy

Tag is a great, little stitchin' buddy. He cuddled up next to me and put his head on my knee while I worked on my needlework.

Brynwood Needleworks - Butterfly Progress

By the end of the day, I had finished the second top wing section.

Brynwood Needleworks - Top Butterfly Wing Sections

Two halves of the same butterfly. I'm so happy with how they look.  

I'll be working on the bottom left wing part next, but I won't be showing that for a bit. I think I'll wait until it's completed. I have a few other things that need my attention, so I have to set this aside for a little while (or as long as I can be away from it). I'll probably pull it out again when it snows later this week! Mother Nature is a real trickster!

 

Stitching On A Blustery Day...

Web Image - American Gothic With A Twist

Goodness, it was windy yesterday! We had gusts to 51 miles an hour, so this image of a windy American Gothic seems appropriate. It was a perfect day to stay inside, so, with the exception of making sure the birds had seed, and Tag's potty breaks, that's exactly what we did. 

Brynwood Needleworks - Butterfly Wing Progress

This is what I accomplished yesterday. It's slow and exact work, but it's also very "zen" and satisfying. I finally called it a day when it was difficult for me to see the subtleties of the thread colors. I think I'll stick to daylight stitching when I'm working the color changes.

Brynwood Needleworks - Side By Side Wing Progress

 

I thought it was best to place the wings side-by-side so that the pattern is similar (but not necessarily exact). As perfect as Mother Nature is, I don't think I have to make each side exactly the same. That's my excuse, and I'm sticking to it!

Not only are the color changes subtle in the spots along the edge of the wings, but you may be able to see that the wings progress from black at the edges to shades of royal and navy blue as I progress to the wires on the ends. I need daylight to distinguish the colors as I go.

I'll check the feeders first thing, do a few other indoor tasks, and then Tag and I will settle in, so I can continue my embroidering today. With the cold, continued wind and icy roads, I can't think of a nicer, safer place to be than right here in the farmhouse.

Slow Going...

Brynwood Needleworks- Top Left Wing Progress

 

I admit, there was only a portion of the weekend spent needle dancing. I did a few homekeeping tasks, as well as making sure the bird feeders were filled, and Taggart got a little romp in the snowy yard.

 

However, I did spend a little time working on the butterfly wing(s), too. After anchoring the edge that stabilizes around the wing base, my next step was to stitch all around the inside of the design with more black silk thread. I finished the top wing, but not the bottom one. I'm going to complete one part at a time, so I'll finish this top wing before I do the bottom one. 

 

In case you're wondering, the little threads and knots sticking up around the design are anchor points for the thread as I stitch. Having them on top makes it easier to snip and remove them as I stitch up to them. That way, I know where the tails are underneath to also anchor those threads as I do my work.

 

I also completed a special order, but I won't be able to ship it out until tomorrow. President's Day Holiday, don't you know. No mail service today. 

 

Tag will tell you about his romp tomorrow. I must admit, I got a teeny peek, and he's got some cute photos to share with you. What a clown!

 

Anchoring The Wings...

Brynwood Needleworks - Attaching Armature To Wing Parts

 

I'm nearly finished attaching the armature to the left wing parts. Once I finished covering the wires, I had to stitch them down as the first step to preparing to fill in with silk threads. 

 

I only have to complete about an inch of anchor stitching on the top wing part on the right side (above) that I didn't get done last night. I'll do that this morning, and then I can begin the next steps. 

My goal is to complete my butterfly by the end of February. I do have orders to make and ship, and a few other projects on my agenda (including sending off our tax documents to our accountant), but I'm on a roll now, so I think I can do it. In fact, I may even get it finished early, if I put my nose to the grindstone! Let's see.

RSN Butterfly Progress...

Brynwood Needleworks - RSN Butterfly Progress

 

Today I'm sharing two views of the same parts of my Royal School of Needlework butterfly project. I added the second view for a different perspective of the silk thread shading.

Now that these parts are complete, I'll begin work on the left side. I'm packing today, preparing to return to Wisconsin. I'll be driving on Thursday morning, but I'll tell you more about that tomorrow. For now, I'm going to enjoy finishing this much of my butterfly.

It's Getting There...

Brynwood Needleworks - Upper Right Butterfly Wing Nearly Finished

 

I worked on it for another few hours yesterday. It's slow going, but it's really taking shape, and it's nearly finished. More black silk on the lines, a few colors on the wing edge to embroider, and then filling in with navy blue silk will complete this wing section. I thought I'd be able to say this part was finished today, but I likely won't be finished with it until some time Saturday. 

 

Handsome and I are taking Tag and Bella across the state with us today for an overnight with "Uncle Mike" and his lovely wife. It's his Birthday, so we're tickled to be able to celebrate with them. You can look for that post on Tuesday, as I'll leave it to Tag to tell you all about it (as only he can).

 

I know there will be some pretty cold days ahead for the weekend and next week in Wisconsin. It's even chilly here. Today, we're expecting to train dogs in comfortable 64º sunshine. Don't envy me too much, though. I'm heading back to Wisconsin next week, and Tag and I will be in for a cold dose of reality! I'm going to enjoy this weather while I can.

Enjoy your Saturday, wherever you live. Warm or cold, I hope you have someone who loves you, something to do that you emjoy, and a dream in your heart. See you tomorrow.

Butterfly Progress...

Brynwood Needleworks - RSN Butterfly Upper Wing Progress

 

I spent last evening with the Paneras ladies again. Because of the lighting in the restaurant, I didn't take my butterfly to work on, but this is how much I've done since my last update. The upper wing is coming along nicely, don't you think?

I'll continue to work on it today, and see if I'm able to finish this wing section. I'm anxious to finish the butterfly now, so I'm going to keep going. Today would have been Mom (Grace's) 91st Birthday. I smile, knowing she'd love seeing me working on this. I wish I could see the look on her face.

I took my "little" embroideries with me for our gathring, and finished another. Five down and more to go. I'll share those photos later. I know I'll be going back to snow next week, so I'm going to enjoy these warm, sunny days while I can. 

Happy Heavenly Birthday. I love and miss you, Mom.

One Down, Three To Go...

 

Brynwood Needleworks - Lower Right Wing Part

One wing part completed on Saturday. I have three more parts to do...the lower left wing and two upper wing parts. I'll be working on them this week, but today is lunch with a Florida Corgi friend who lives nearby. I'll let Tag tell you about her tomorrow.

I'm very happy with the way this is turning out, and am looking forward to every day I'm able to work on this project. I love stitching with silk threads, and how beautiful it looks on fabric. It's definitely different from cotton. yum!

I'll be back Wednesday, but don't forget to visit Tag. We don't want him feeling neglected, do we? lol

 

I Stitched and Stitched...

Brynwood Needleworks - Yesterday's Effort

 

Everything takes a bit longer (for me) when embroidering with single threads. I worked on one of my lower wings most of the day yesterday, and will likely have this one finished by Saturday morning. 

 

I'll be taking a little time away from needle and thread to have lunch with friends today, but I'll be needle dancing before and after my lunch date. Now that I've started back on this, I have a hard time putting it down. I'm loving the process!

 

What are you working on these days? I'd love to know. In fact, if you'd like to email photos and tell me about your current project, I'll put together a post featuring your works next week!!

 

Day Two - RSN Class...

Brynwood Needleworks - Day Two "Butterfly" Class

 

I wish you could be in Lexington, Kentucky with me this week. I'm learning so much, thoroughly enjoying my focused needlework project, learning about the incredible needlework collections at the Royal School of Needlework, and meeting new friends (who are fellow classmates or tutors) each day. 

 

Lexington is a beautiful city, by the way, and I've enjoyed dinners in a few of the local restaurants, as well as visiting a local needlework shop.

To update you about the class I'm taking, yesterday we worked on the preparation for stitching the butterfly wings. In the two photos at the bottom of this mosaic, I'm showing you how we set up the wire to to be able to cover the length with buttonhole stitches. 

 

These wires were 7" long for the bottom wing sections, and the top wires were 8" long (four total wires). I don't even know how many (3-strand floss) buttonholes are assembled to cover each of the four wires. I can tell you that the process has a rhythmic, zen quality about it, making it very relaxing.

One thing that's extremely helpful is that Owen (our tutor) is stitching the piece right along with us. When he's finished explaining technique, reasons for doing things a specific way, and also teaching us some tips to help us work toward the RSN standard of excellence, he then is able to actually show us the steps put into practice.

After dinner last night, three of us were walking back to the Sayre School for our evening lecture, when I noticed a butterfly flying toward us. The blue color caught my attention. One of our group lives in Lexington, and he smiled. He told me, "Yes. That's the butterfly you're stitching in class." Owen designed a Kentucky butterfly species for our class (the Red Spotted Purple), and I actually saw one of the living, breathing beauties! I know Owen will be jealous when I tell him in class today.

All the students from this week's session were asked to sign their names on a table cloth that's set up in one of the work rooms. After signing, we're then asked to stitch out our signatures. The tablecloth will be displayed and then become a part of the permanent collection in Hampton Court Palace to commemorate the first ever US summer school! Isn't that cool? I signed the cloth yesterday, and will finish stitching it out today. I'll take a photo to share with you later this week, after others have had a chance to add their names, too. 

We should finish our practice butterfly today, and then we'll start working on the "good" one. I'll show you updates tomorrow - and the rest of this week, too! Fun times!!

Butterfly Wings...

 I thought I'd share a vintage trinket with you today. It's something I've had for a long

time. I know that it's probably somewhere around fifty years old because I've seen

it for as long as I can remember. This pendant is reversible and I love both images.

 One side looks like a moonlit beach scene and the other is a pine tree at night.

I like that it reminds me of where I grew up, as well as where we live now.

The most unique thing about this pendant is that the beautiful color sandwiched

between the trees is part of a butterfly wing. I've always been fascinated by its

iridescent and slightly ethereal quality. It was years before I knew what it was.

 I  usually only take it out occasionally to admire how pretty it is, but I so wish 

that I could wear this on a chain. Sadly, the bale on the top of the pendant is so

 fragile that I fear it would break and I'd lose it. Perhaps I'll try to shine up the metal

 and use it as an embellishment in the studio. For now, I'm going to leave it pinned

 like this to one of my favorite little silver pincushions. It know will be safe there.

If you're interested in looking at more contemporary butterfly wing jewelry,

you can click on this link. Each piece is more pretty than the last. Just so you

know, most of the artists that make these pieces, use wings from butterflies that

have expired naturally. No butterflies are harmed to produce these stunning pieces.
I like that.