by Sandra | August 16th, 2010
I know you are probably chomping at the bit to see the bird come to life as well as the ladybug. I know I am! However, I am leaving those two things for the last steps for two reasons. One, I don’t want to squish the poor ladybug in the hoop as I embroider other areas and two, I play mental tricks on myself to keep me going forward and finish what I start.
If I did all the “fun bits” first, I would procrastinate finishing the boring tedious stuff and it would eventually become another UFO. I would say to myself, “I will get to it next week” and a year later it is still laying there unfinished staring at me and inflicting guilt.
If I do the not so fun parts first, then I am still anxious and motivated to keep working so I can move on to the fun parts as a reward! See how that works? Hey, I am not enthusiastic and Pollyanna about everything in creating my quilts.
I am very human, I assure you. I have to force myself to trudge through the boring parts just like everyone else. I know the payoff comes when I finish and I am so so so glad I didn’t wimp out and take the easy road in the end.
So this brings me to the latest completed part of the Goldfinch block. The leaves and flower embroidery. With the exception of the few French Knot miscellaneous orange pistils around the edge of the Osteospermum center, everything else is a stem stitch.
The Thread List:
French Knot pistils are done with Cosmo six strand embroidery floss “Seasons” line (variegated) #8047
The blue highlight “line” on the flower center is Cosmo regular six strand floss #526
The petal veins are done with 50wt. sewing thread Aurifil cotton #2562
The leaves are done with Sewing weight (50wt) cotton thread chartreuse green
All I have done to the flowers is to add a center line in a simple stem stitch for the vein down the petals (unless hidden underneath another petal); I added a few of those oddball orange pistils you see in an Osteospermum center in a three wrap French Knot around the outside of the outer center oval; and finally, a line of simple stem stitch for the blue highlight on the outer oval of the center. Voila.
The real life subtlety is missing here, but I think you can see how much more interest is added. The variegated “orange” I used for the French Knots is great because if you look closely, some of the French knots are in a lighter shade and some are darker. Contrast, even in smaller details, is a good thing.
The addition of this small touch of orange breaks up the sea of purple and adds subtle ares of sparkle, plus works as a tie-in with the color of the Goldfinch’s beak in the color composition. Embroidery can add small layers of color that would be too overwhelming with fabric and more textural than artificial additives (paint, pencil, etc.)
The leaf embroidery is super basic. I used a sewing weight (50wt cotton) thread in a loose purposely imperfect stem stitch. It adds just a touch of texture and contrast. Remember, when all is said and done we want the APPLIQUE to stand front and center not all of the techniques that are supporting it.
Don’t get carried away and let the supporting players kill off the star! So even though these details are so simple and not thickly added all over, they are just enough to make the applique come to life and not drown it out with too much of a good thing.
I guess all that is left is the ladybug and the bird and the block is done. Nothing like a nasty heat wave to get me back inside and working.
Sandra,
Beautiful, and wonderful details for us to drool over as usual ….. I am so glad you have done the boring bits, so we can get on with the good bits!
Judy B
Wow. Is that orange effective!
The Goldfinch block gets more beautiful every time you show us your progress. Thank you so much for the thread list and all the detailed embroidery information. I am trying not to hold my breath waiting for the bird and ladybug to come to life!
It’s all very lovely and really coming to life! I had not heard of embroidery using sewing weight thread. I’ll have something new to try now. Were the lines on the petals done with a single strand?
Again your detail work is what seperates your work from others and make me want to follow….I never knew what was missing from my applique but now having found your blog and appreciating what you share with all of us makes me want to put my piecing away and just applique. I can’t wait to get this pattern to add to my wren pattern. I am excited to start the wren now that I received my background fabric last night…thanks for directing us to this fabric.
Judy,
I think those boring bits in the end make it all worthwhile. Although it is like trudging through mud.
Frances,
Isn’t it amazing what a little (no matter how little) bit of color can do? I knew it was perfect when I laid the skein of embroidery on the surface and saw the punch. Oh yes.
You are so welcome Denise. You realize you have trained me right?
I am the only crazy lady using sewing thread for the embroidery on my applique. I first explored it on the Pharaoh quilt and haven’t looked back. I didn’t want goddesses that look like hussies in heavy makeup.
I thought to myself, “why not sewing thread?” the scale was perfect.
Pati,
The thing that drew me in to applique was the endless possibilities and not being boxed in with geometry (no pun intented). Literally what I could draw, I could transform into fabric and thread.
I still like pieced quilts,I have one waiting to start for my bedroom, but I feel I have more design options with applique.
Glad I could help with the fabric. Always check the comments too as Boop will slip in sources. Usually way before I clue in–right Boop? LOL
I do Loves sources , LOL ! Ah=ny time you need a fabric , check
Quiltshop.com, You can jst say yellow batik , ot any other discription and it narrows the filed a bit.
I love what you did with the orange Sandy . Once again only you would think of such a perfect touch and pull it off with so little and make it look so good !
I’m trying to be patient but it’s getting harder and harder. This will be sooo much fun to applique and stitch. Thanks for a great design.
Check in tomorrow Gini!
Boop,
My husband is not as enamored with your “sources” as I am. LOL
I just love it, I love watching the applique steps and the added embroidery just made the whole thing come to life. Well done!
Thank you all for such wonderful feedback! Your approval feeds me. LOL