Something New...

 

I recently received an offer to have some custom stickers printed. For my first one, I decided to photograph my Red Spotted Purple Butterfly from my class with tutor, Owen Davies of the Royal School of Needlework in 2019. They arrived yesterday, and I was so thrilled with the quality.

Going forward, any new orders shipped, cards sent, or even giveaways will include one of my butterfly stickers. We're also working on a Tag sticker, and a few others. Funny how the little things can bring joy, don't you think?

 

 

 

Fly Away, Butterfly...

You may remember my completed Red Spotted Purple Butterfly project. This was the result of the stumpwork class I took with the Royal School of Needlework when they brought tutors from England to Kentucky in 2018. That's where I met our tutor, Owen Davies.

This was the class photograph we had taken at the end of our week-long session. Not only did we love Owen, his teaching style, and his sense of humor (once we got him to loosen up a bit), we forged new friendships with each other over that week, too. It was a truly memorable seven days together.

This is the group photograph of all the tutors who traveled to the United States to share their talents and expertise with those of us who attended for the one or two week sessions. 

I was devastated to learn that our tutor and friend, Owen passed away in the last week in England. He was only 52 years old. I'm told he passed quickly after being diagnosed with cancer. I cried when I read the announcement in the Royal School of Needlework Facebook group. 

I learned during our class that he lived in the same town in England where I was born - not far from Hampton Court Palace. I'd discussed with him, and so hoped to be able to fly overseas to take a class from him again. Those hopes were dashed in the time it took to read of his passing. I sat stunned, and in tears.

While in our class, Owen told us of a book he'd co-written on stumpwork, and thanks so my trusty smart phone, I immediately located a copy for sale online. Before he was finished talking about it, I'd purchased it. It was waiting for me when I got home over the weekend. I was happy to own it back then, but even more glad I own it now that I'll not be able to see him again.

Rest in Peace, dear Owen. 

Know that you're loved and missed, and we'll not forget our time with you.

Still Stitching...

Brynwood Needleworks - Au ver a Soie (Soie d'Alger) Silk Threads

 

As I continue to embroider the wool appliques' for my Wooly Critter Sampler quilt, I'm also thinking about creating the vignette for my completed RSN Butterfly. Don't you think silk stumpwork flowers would be a perfect accessory for my Red Spotted Purple?

I ordered these from a brick and mortar shop via their website, and they arrived yesterday. I'd better keep after my quilt so that I can start this as soon as my critter quilt is finished! As my friend, Susan Greening Davis always says, "Still Stitching!"

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.

Stitching Again...

Brynwood Needleworks - Butterfly Armature

 

I'm pretty sure you haven't been sitting on the edge of your seat, waiting for me to start stitching again. Nevertheless, I thought I'd let you know that I've begun work on the second set of wings for my stumpwork butterfly.

The first step is to create the wing armature, covering the parts with black silk. It took a while, but as I write this, I've completed doing them.

Today, I'll start my stitching to secure these parts to my ground fabric. Once that's complete, I'll begin the part I enjoy the most (so far)...the embroidery. Don't you think that's a lovely way to spend my Friday? Yes. I couldn't agree more.

Torn Between Two Loves...

Week 11 - Primitive Gatherings "Twilight Garden" Summer Block of the Week and Freebie

I'm seriously torn between my love of all things "needlework", and the canning projects to ready for winter.

Week 11 of Primitive Gatherings' "Twilight Garden" Summer Block of the Week (and the weekly freebie) kits arrived in the mail yesterday. I'm behind...with one more weekly kit to arrive along with the finishing kit.

Plus, there's my beautiful, Royal School of Needlework silk butterfly to work on. I spend an hour here or there, one thread at a time, and I am making slow progress on my actual piece. I need many more hours in the day...and a bit more energy to be able to work on all these things ad infinitum.

Hickory Hill Farm Vegetables

I'm also harvesting tomatoes and peppers from my little garden, so I have a list of canning projects on deck. Vidalia Onion Relish, Zucchini Relish (YES!! Another way to prepare all the zucchini inundating kitchens this month), the last of the crab apples to become jelly, harvesting lavender to make jelly, and soon there will be Concord grapes, (hopefully) a few jars of pears, and applesauce! 

This is my thinking right now...As much as I love my needlework time, it can wait until the weather grows cooler and the days shorter. The fruits and vegetables in abundance right now wait for no one. It makes my decisions easier, knowing that our pantry will be full for the winter, and all that deliciousness will carry us through to the next growing season. I do have a few commissions that I'll take care of in the next week, and then I'll be back to the kitchen.

So, I guess the decision's made. I'll be canning until the last of my list has been preserved for this year. Once I've restocked our pantry, I'll be back to needle dancing. Isn't it wonderful that I have this delightful dilemma? More blessings from the farm...and because of our life back in Wisconsin. Life is good!

 

I Haven't Forgotten...

Stitching Silk Butterfly Wings

 

I haven't forgotten about this project. (This is my Red Spotted Purple Butterfly project from my studies with The Royal School of Needlework in Kentucky.)  I've been busy in other directions, but finally decided to sit and stitch yesterday afternoon.

 

Silk Threads

 

I'm using single strands of silk threads, so this is going to take a little while. I will say, that it's extremely restful and satisfying working on these wings. I'll update as I continue working on each wing. I just didn't want you to think I forgot about it.

 

 

My class reunion is tonight. I'm looking forward to seeing old friends. I'm working at the registration table, so I'll get to see everyone as they come in. Hard to believe I graduated decades ago. I still feel as though it were just yesterday. Okay...almost just yesterday. It's going to be a great time!