From sketch to stitch - a work in progress

[Sarah J]

My husband is on a forum for modellers and they often post threads of their work in progress. I notice on this site that we are good at posting pictures of our finished work (and finished work is good!) but often the steps to the finished piece are just as interesting.

So, I thought I would try a similar post with a piece of stumpwork on canvas I did. Someone might find it interesting!

 

Cyprus oranges

So this was the original inspiration and is an oil pastel sketch I did while studing in Cyprus of an orange tree we had in our yard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I painted an antique mono canvas (18 count) with acrylic paint to create the sky. The tape around the edge had been placed on the grain of the canvas to give a straight edge to the paint.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I pulled the tape off once the paint was dry, then filled in the branches with a cross between straight stitches/split stitch and stem stitch (pretty freestyle in other words!) in 6 strands of stranded cotton

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I then stitched some background leaves straight onto the canvas in tent stitch using 2 colours of green cotton.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The oranges were worked separately on 24 count mono canvas, shaded in 3 colours of orange (the middle one being a DMC scented thread in orange flavour of course!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I cut out the oranges, worked a running stitch around them with a strong thread, gathered up this thread and stuffed the orange shape with a little wadding to give it a 3-D shape. I placed the oranges in position and fixed in place by passing the ends of the gathering threads through to the back,

 

 

 

 

 

 

The leaves were also worked separately on silk dupion. I used the both-sides-alike technique so that when they curled out from the finished piece the backs of the leaves would look the same as the front.

 

This is the front...

 

 

 

..and this is the back!

 

 

 

 

 

 

I stitched a wire around the edge of each leaf then cut the leaves out. I pushed the ends of the wires through the canvas and sewed in place...

 

 

 

...see the photo gallery for the finished piece!

 

 

 

 

 

[Romilly]

Sarah, that's beautiful! And I love seeing work in progress shots. I often forget to take them!

[Marjolein Mieras]

This is very interesting. When I see a nice picture, I don't know where to start to embroider it. I think this will help.

[Teresa Glenn]

Sarah, that's a terrific idea and a great way to "pace" yourself as the piece develops........I never think to take photos of my WIP's, but will try and remember now after seeing your shots......well done

[Elizabeth Braun]

Tophole!

[sharonb]

Thanks for posting this. I am sure loads of members will find it interesting to see the process.