Angelica the Headless Angel

Actually it would be more accurate to call her Angelica the bodiless angel, as she has had a head for several months now...

ever since last summer when I decided to convert this cross stitch chart into a canvas work/needlepoint design and stitched the head far too big (because I can't count!!)

Embroidery class starts again next week, and I want to finally work my angel; as the new piece will be much larger than I wanted, I am going for a largely appliqué design. I have bought some pieces of lovely silks to use for her clothing

and have a choice of either the silver textured silk for the background (at the bottom of the photo)

or this white ecclesiastical damask - which do you prefer?

I have raided my stash and bought a couple of bits to add in; I want to embroider her robes and maybe do some padding/trapunto

 Lovely perle cottons

 Rayon and whisper for the wings...

Silks and hand dyed cottons for the embroidery

 Silk ribbon for her bouquet

 a bit of bling!

I have planned out my colours

My box is packed and ready to go! roll on Monday!

EDITED I have just discovered a great new blog with a link up just for embroidery
http://www.supermomnocape.com

Slowly Progressing

I am still working on my Goldwork Sampler, progress as with all hand embroidery seems to be very slow. One of the reasons I try to blog each week, is that it helps keep me motivated, I can see some progress even if it is small.

This is where I left off last week...

 And after class yesterday...

I have finished all of the basket weave section - a mix of single and double pairs of jap; I just need to finish plunging all those ends (Note to self - Plunge as you go next time!)

I also tried Or Nue for the first time, adding my initials and optimistically the year! I really like this technique, this is passing couched in pairs; a coloured silk is used to produce the design by placing lots of couching stitches close together, almost like satin stitch. It is very effective and one I will use again.

The last class for this term is next week and then we break for Easter, I hope to get the rest planned out so that I can finish this sampler at home. I have already thought about what I want to stitch next.

I have finally decided what to do with Angelica's Head!

You may remember that last July I decided to convert this cross stitch design into a canvas work piece. I stitched the head and then realised that I had miscounted and it was far too large for what I had in mind (insert lots of swear words here!!) I blogged about it HERE My canvas was too small and it would take forever to stitch.

 I had even collected a lovely selection of wools and cottons to stitch it with; It has been sitting in a basket ever since.

I have now calmed down (!) and decided to use the face I have stitched and to work the robes etc in a combination of appliqué and embroidery, she will be a lot bigger than my original idea, but it should work up reasonably quickly if I don't have to stitch everything. I have taken the wools out of the original mix and added in a few perle cottons. I also bought some small pieces of silk dupion for the robes. The dark silver grey silk will be my background. The silk ribbon will be for the bouquet of roses.

I just need to finish the sampler and then I can really start planning!

Angelica

Meet Angelica...

This is the photo from a Lavender and Lace cross stitch chart that I bought several years ago; I also bought all the DMC threads intending to stitch it. It has been sat in my stash for a long time! I really want to learn canvas work during my embroidery lessons, so I have decided to adapt this design. I love the colours of the original so I have just added some variegated silks, wools and other fun threads to DMC originals...

I have started playing with some thread/stitch combinations, and pasting them into my design book with notes so I don't forget :)

One of the things I like about the original pattern is the realistic face, so I have stitched it in tent stitch over one - it took a lot longer than I thought it would!!

The rest should go much quicker - I hope!!