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Goldwork peacock - Part 1

As a busy person, I had to think twice before starting a new embroidery project because it would take ages to complete one.When I bought the smooth purl (zardosi thread),   a few months ago, I knew I had to use it somewhere.After weighing a few options, I decided to embroider another peacock pattern from barbara’s blog  .As usual, I’ll share with you the exact link for this free peacock pattern at the end of this project.This is the first time I’m using purl, so I’m a bit cautious.Hopefully, everything will turn out OK.

  

  For the body of the peacock, it was worked in stem stitch filling.I’d used 1 strand of pearl cotton no:8 thread.

  

Here, I’d completed the body.

  

Made the beak using smooth purl.

  

Lastly, I inserted another purl under the beak and made a loop and sewn a bead for the eye.

Mirror work 6

Today, I would like to share with you another mirror/shisha work tutorial.This time, it’s basque stitch mirror work.

  

Divide a 2.5cm diameter circle into 24.Fix a mirror(1.25cm diameter) with straight and diagonal stitches.Bring the needle up at a position below A.Bring the needle and thread over and under the foundation stitches.Pull the thread.

  

Go back at the same place under the foundation stitches.Don’t pull the thread too much because we’ll need the loop to work the petal.

  

Enter the fabric below B and bring the thread up at B.Pull the thread which was on the foundation stitches to the required length (this will determine the roundness of your center) as you work a twisted lazy daisy.

  

After the petal was done, come up at the position shown.

  

As before, bring the needle and thread over and and under the foundation stitches and continue as above to make another petal.Here, you can see the position of the needle on where to begin the next petal.Continue in this manner all around.

  

For the last petal, after you’ve bring the needle and thread over and under the foundation stitches, don’t go back under them again.Straight away, work the petal as shown.

  

Please make sure the thread on the foundation stitches are placed neatly as you pull the thread to get a beautiful center.

Long and short leaf 2

In my previous post, I’d already shown you on how I embroidered a leaf following the long and short stitch direction   rules.Today, I would like to show you another leaf that I’d embroidered using the same rules.

      

The shape of this leaf is different compared to the previous one.As usual, the directional lines were drawn from the outline towards point O.

      

This time, I’m not going to draw directional lines on the leaf.As I’d revealed in my previous post, it’s easier to hold the thread towards point O and stitch into that direction.The leaf was outlined with outline stitch.Work long and short stitch from the tip of the leaf to the base.

      

Work the same on the right side.

      

Continue in the same manner for the remaining rows.

      

I’d left some gaps for the veins.

      

Stem stitch was my first choice for the veins but when worked with this stitch, they didn’t look realistic.So, I decided to try this method.I’d always wanted to try it but kept putting it off because I felt it was time consuming.But in the end, the time spent was worth it because the veins look real (though I need to practice this stitch more to get a smooth line!).

Long and short leaf

In my previous post, I’d written on stitch direction of long and short stitches.To see whether the method really works, I decided to embroider a leaf.To those of you who wants to learn the right way of embroidering a long and short leaf, please click here.  For this leaf, I’d used one strand of stranded cotton and 2 strands for the veins.

  

Draw a leaf and also lines from the outline pointing towards O.I’d outline the leaf with outline stitch.Work long stitches on the lines.

  

Work long and short stitches on the left from the middle to the base and from the middle to the tip.

  

The same was done on the right side.

  

This is the result after 2 or 3 rows.

  

A darker shade was used here.

  

Embroider the vein using stem stitch.

  

Decided to add more veins (straight stitches), though they should be embroidered before working the mid-vein.

Although the directional lines are there, more than once I ‘lost’ my way.In the process, I found a simpler method – just point your thread towards point O each time and stitch.My work became easier and faster.Next, I’ll show you how I’m going to embroider a long and short leaf without drawing the directional lines.