Sunday, August 21, 2011

Bad-Hair-Day Dahlia

OK, so it's not Brazilian embroidery ... although I have designed a few dahlias for my Millefiori projects using all sorts of stitches and combinations. This dahlia just looks like a bad hair day and was too interesting to leave to wilt.

      And as I'm looking (make that admiring this flower...), I'm thinking #135, #159, maybe #134 ... oh, yes, and bullions.  But FUNNY Bullions, a few wraps tightened on a #3 needle, then a cast-on stitch for an "elbow"  (you didn't know dahlia petals had elbows, did you?), more wraps and maybe a cast-on stitch at the end. I might even make some of those bullion drizzles that I had in my book, Take A Stitch(Look for the Boyer Bullion Drizzle.) 
       I don't know if it will work; have to stitch it out to see. You just never know what will come out of that needle.

Speaking of designing, I had a request a few weeks ago about getting these inspirations out of our heads and onto paper and then fabric. I think I'll start writing here and there about what I do to design for Brazilian embroidery, and maybe inspire others to give it a try. I'll write about what I do and if it helps someone else, that will be a good thing.

Bad hair days sometimes have GOOD things going for them, too!

I'll be back SOON with my NEW STITCH ....you'll love it.  I promise.
Rosalie

Friday, August 19, 2011

Back to B.E. . . .

I don't know about all of you, but I've been pretty tired of looking at that picture of my fabric pens for all this time!
     Well, I decided it's time to get back to sharing. I have some new stitches to share with all of you and my newest stitch will be the next thing I post.
    Meanwhile, here are pictures of some of my flowers to entertain you while I get it all together. This is mallow.
This is one of my roses: Cl. Royal Sunset. It's a 3-day rose. This photo was taken on Day #2. (The first day it's just lovely, and starting to open. By the third day, it's all flat and not so pretty any more).
 And THIS lovely flower is one of my dahlias (absolutely gorgeous colors in bloom now and until first frost):

We've had a lovely summer here in Oregon and everything is still blooming and beautiful - and I'm inspired to draw more pictures and stitch more flowers! This is a dogwood design I've made for a fellow B.E. instructor. It's a variation of my "Madelon" design that was an Educational Project in our BDEIG Newsletter, The B.E. Wrap-Up. My embroidery is on blue fabric and I used the shiny white "Candlelight" fiber (lovely stuff - it's Z-twist just like our Lola).  And, of course, I added beads and other shiny things.  See that little bluebirdie?  There are two of them flitting about amongst the flowers, and I've named this design "Twitter".
Rosalie