June Samples

18/23 Dragonfly wing
At RSPB Ham Wall (Somerset!) the other week I was astonished by the clouds of thousands upon thousands of dragonflies and damselflies, rising from the plants on either side of the broad path we walked. Mostly Four-spotted Chasers and Common Blue damselflies, I think.

Inspiring! But having done a dragonfly piece a few years ago, this one:

...I didn’t want to do anything too similar. So for variety, I based my sample on the detail of a dragonfly wing.

I used Solufleece reinforced with a bit of Aquabond on the back. Dark turquoise for the bolder lines, light turquoise with a multicoloured metallic thread on the bobbin for the fine network, giving just a hint of sparkle. A wired edge holds the shape and allows 3D shaping to create shadows.

18/24 Dragonfly pattern
Dragonflies again, but this time a pared down, stylised design. Hand stitching with fine machine embroidery thread, on a background of turquoise mulberry silk paper glued to thin white card.

I wish I could stitch something like this on a floaty, sheer fabric! But there’d be no hiding place for thread ends and travelling stitches.

18/25 Wild flower verge
My walk from Harrapool to Broadford was ruined when the verges were mowed flat just as the wild flowers were at their peak. Masses of ox eye daisies, orchids, clovers and buttercups, all cut off in their prime before they had chance to set seed.

I made this little piece in memory of them. It’s three layers of free machine embroidery on dissolvable fabric.

And then I sent a photo of it to the council, who were getting the blame. They claimed Transport Scotland was responsible so I sent it to them. They said it was about road safety, but didn’t reply again when I pointed out that the flowers were beyond a wide pavement so that was nonsense. At least the picture got my messages noticed, giving me a chance to suggest they look at Plantlife’s guidance and delay the mowing in future.

18/26 Ripples 

I’m lucky enough to have my desk looking straight out onto a wonderful sea view - Broadford Bay. The ever-changing colours and moods of the water are mesmerising.

For this sample I decided to use one simple hand embroidery stitch in a range of sea colours. Partly because I wanted some simple, slow hand stitching to take on a trip. I decided on twisted chain stitch, which I thought looked suitably ripple-y.

The fabric is indigo-dyed open weave cotton, backed with navy felt. Embroidered with all sorts of space dyed, blended and plain threads, some mixed with metallic blending filament.

Of course I didn’t do a single stitch while I was away, and it took me ages to finish this once I got home! It wasn’t easy getting the twisted chains to lie nicely, but I quite like the effect in the end.