Time spent planning is never wasted!

My Monday embroidery class starts again in just over a week, and I have been giving a lot of thought as to what my next project should be. The focus of the class is on designing your own piece to stitch, and it is wonderful to see everyone working on different fabulous projects. I must admit that it was incredibly daunting the first week, but now I have completed a couple of projects it is one of the things I enjoy most. During the Christmas break I sketched a traditional Jacobean design, with the intention of using it to learn some new stitches. After a lot of trial and error, I had something that I was reasonably happy with.

I had originally intended to stitch this with cotton embroidery floss and use a variety of different stitches. I wasn't really happy with this however and couldn't settle on a colour palette. I know that as it is an eight week course, the design and materials had to be something that would hold my interest for the duration! After discussing it with my friend and fellow classmate, I realised that what I really wanted to do was to master Goldwork and to try my hand at Stumpwork. Out came all the embroidery books and I scoured the internet for anything that caught my eye. I really like these padded birds and the fabulous Goldwork pomegranate by Mary Corbet.

I did think I would have to start over with the design, but at 4am this morning I had my eureka moment! I could still use my bird and pomegranates drawing, just adapt it to silk shading and Goldwork. I decided to start with a colour palette, I knew I had some silk threads and a small stash of Goldwork threads, so started with those. I was also lucky enough to be sent a piece of pale gold kimono obi silk from Glenda in Australia which is perfect for a background (thanks again Glenda!)

I don't know about you, but I aways find that threads and fabric inspire me more than anything else, looking at the luscious silks I could really start to imagine the bird.  I also fell in love with these fabulous tiny creatures from the book 'Goldwork' by Hazel Everett, aren't they wonderful?! I think I will replace my original snake with a caterpillar and include the snail and perhaps one other...

I have collected all the materials in my project box and started jotting down my ideas in my sketch book. The plan at the moment is to make small piece - about 6" square, featuring a padded stump work bird with a detached wing, his tail will be a combination of different couched Goldwork threads and embroidery stitches with a few beads added for sparkle.  The pomegranates will be a combination of different Goldwork techniques, cut work and chipping etc and some trellis embroidery. The little creatures will be Goldwork as in Hazel's book. I still don't know what I will do for the pomegranate leaves and  I know I will probably change a few things once I have a chat with our tutor and actually start the stitching, but I am really enthusiastic about this piece and I can't wait for class to start!